• A press release flew on to the Hawk's desk
Page 45
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
this week, telling of an East Coast Truckers' convoy for handicapped children on Bank Holiday Monday. It is the third year the truckers have held the event, and by the time this appears in print, the day will hopefully have been a great success.
Every child has his or her own truck and driver for the day and becomes a member of the East Coast Truckers' family. The day starts with a sendoff from the Lord Mayor of Norwich and the convoy is then escorted by the Norfolk Constabulary through the city and into Pleasurewood Hills American Theme Park at Lowestoft, with all the fun of the fair. The children have lunch supplied by the truckers.
The climax of the day is a slow parade along the front of Great Yarmouth. Holidaymakers watch in delight as 40 trucks drive past, horns blasting and lights blazing.
If you don't five in the area, or if you missed the day, East Coast Truckers tell me there are videos of last year's convoy available from the club for £12.99. Write to 121 Desmond Drive, Old Catton, Norwich, or phone (0603) 487768.
When it comes to Christmas everybody sets out with the intention of purchasing gifts well in advance of the happy °cession.
In reality, we're all in the High Street at 4.30pm on Xmas Eve trudging through the rain, and grasping from rapidlyemptying shelves the same old inixutre of hankies, chocolates and soap in funny shapes.
Mindful of this problem, the Hawk is pleased to share with readers a novel and interesting gift idea, guaranteed to bring a warm glow of pleasure to granny's cheeks. From the myriad products submitted for the Hawk's perusal, Rocol's Puddle Python Oil-Absorbent Socks stood out as "Buy of the Month".
Puddle Pythons, available in one universal size, and attractively patterned, come in packs of 10. Occasions when even the most fashion-conscious teenager will call for the Pythons to keep in sartorial step spring readily to mind — on the Costa del Sol when the sun-oil gets out of hand, for example.
I'm sure your appetite is whetted by now, but in case any doubt does drift into your mind, remember: Puddle Pythons are more efficient than sawdust or granules . . . so it says here!
• Calling all steam machine buffs. Brill Steam Society is holding its Working Steam Rally at Waddesdon, Buckinghamshire on 10/11 September. Attractions include commercial, showman's and vintage vehicles, stationary engines, classic motorbikes and helicopter rides.
Admission is £2 for adults and El for kids and OAPs, and it's all in aid of charity. The fun starts at 10.30 in the morning.
The Hawk's spies may even be there, picking up gossip and snapping curios for your delictation in coming weeks.
• The days of hand painting commercial vehicles are now largely gone with the advent of spray-painting and special twopack paints. Although coach enamels are still manufactured, there are few craftsmen left who can achieve the fine finishes required by operators on the sides of their vehicles.
One of the best coach enamels around is Tekaloid, which combines all the best qualities of this sort of paint. It is easy to apply, goes on thick, is soluble in white spirit and, when properly applied, can give a quality of finish that sprayed paints would find hard to match. Why then, if this paint is so good, is it so hard to get hold of? When we tried to get a dealer list out of Croda Paints, manufacturer of Tekaloid, for a Workshop feature last year, we were told that the company would not release one. The reason, we were told, is that another rival manufacturer could use the list to its own advantage. When we pointed out that most other manufacturers had already supplied dealer lists to us for inclusion in the feature, there was a blank repetition of the refusal, with no explanation.
We recently tried to get hold of a tin of the paint to use on the Hawk's car. On enquiring about our nearest dealer we received two telephone numbers (no names and addres ses), which later proved to be one wrong number, and a paint dealer who had never stocked Tekaloid. Our second enquiry yielded three more telephone numbers and addresses, only one of which proved to stock Tekaloid.
No wonder no one uses hand-brushing enamels anymore. It's not that there are better alternatives, it's because the paint is being made extinct.
• A Hawk informant in Worksop has spotted what he reckons could be the most expensive diesel at a British garage . . £2.18 a gallon (48p a litre) at Fina Garage, Manton Road Services.
Is this a record, or do you know better?