a fairground life(brake test)

Just after 7am I left with the Miami en route for Melrose. A few miles out of the town there is a narrow S bend with double whites along it. As I was approaching I could see a cyclist ahead. I came up behind and prepared to overtake him. At that 2 cars and a bus came around the bend a few hundred yards ahead. I was up to speed but no way could I over take the cyclist without crossing the double whites and obstructing the on coming traffic. I braked hard and pulled in behind the cyclist. The brakes worked a charm this time. Good job, it would have been a different story last week. Well done "r".

Both rides in and set up for 2 pm. Good going as we stopped for breakfast and a couple of heavy showers. Wonder if we will get a dry Saturday for the Melrosian this year???

a fairground life(joy rider-almost!)

Friday

As we have done for the last few years, this was "a family day out" day. So off to Edinburgh we went. First on the list was the Edinburgh Dungeons, not too bad for a ghoulish creepy hour or so. After that, Chinese Buffet time for lunch. Last up was a tour of Mary Kings Close. Very interesting, educational and a peek 400 years into the past-amazing! well worth a visit. It was just after 5pm when we surfaced again, time to head back for opening.

Saturday

We opened as usual just after the wreath was laid at the war memorial. Business was on par and we suffered only from a few light showers. At 10 pm we closed. "r" was en route from Selkirk to help me pull down, so Blakey gave me a hand in the meantime and we had 90%  of the skydiver away before "r" arrived.

The midges were biting like mad and swarming in clouds around us. We finished the skydiver and pulled it out onto the road. Next the DZ was pulled down. A light drizzle fell just as we were finishing. It was nearly 2am so we decided to couple the unit up tomorrow.

Sunday 6:15am. Up and off to sunny Burntisland to erect the skydiver. It was just after 8am when we pulled on site and the sun was splitting the sky. By 12noon the ride was erected and ready for opening at 1pm. At that "m" arrived to watch it for me while "r" and I returned to move the DZ away to Selkirk. 

It was around 2pm when we got back to the village. I started the unit to build the air up. The heat was stifling in the cab so I left the drivers door open. I went to the trailer to adjust the landing legs height for coupling up. At that 3 teenagers passed by. Two male and 1 female, aged I guess around 16-18. They were carrying bottles of alcohol and the girl was clearly drunk. I didn't think much of it and carried on winding the legs. When I turned around about 30 secs later I could here the boys saying to the girl "you can't go in there". The girl was standing at the unit door. I started to call to her, but she ignored me, so I made a dash for her. She had started to climb into the cab and was halfway in when I got to her. The lorry was running. To avoid my worst fears of her putting the lorry in gear and driving through the swing park or tea room I grabbed onto her jeans waist band and pulled her down and out of the cab. She landed on her knees. As she was turning towards me she said, in her posh voice-"Get oaff me! You Facking Caunt!  Well it was quite refreshing actually, as it was better than the usual taunt- Ya Gypsy Bastart ! I clearly stated that if she had put the lorry into gear she could have killed someone! She got to her feet and went with her two associates into the swing park. I assume they were soberer than her. What a shame that the scourge of teeny drinkers surfaces in this lovely village. Anyhow I immediately coupled the unit up to the DZ and locked the cab while we coupled up the Hobby caravan to the jeep. 

Monday

A lazy day today. "r" opened the miami at 6:30 pm. He had complained to me that the set was smoking a lot. I removed the air filter, but it made no difference. I will change the fuel filter at the next place, but I have a feeling it could be the pump or injectors. We closed about 9pm. We only have 7 miles to travel tomorrow but we will have to be up early as the next small town is very tight for vehicle access. Hope "r" got those brakes put on properly.

The picture is for Blakey- that walling looks like a good midge deterrent , how about that for WL next year ?

ps thanks for the pull down and I uploaded this over an open airport link found to the rear of the fair.

a fairground life

Well back to civilisation (well Glasgow) today for more Guild cases. Told you I had filled my quota. Anyway a chance to catch up on emails, missed calls and update the blog.

Monday,  I took the miami over to Selkirk, set it on the plot. "r" and I built it up then we headed over to Burntisland to attend to matters there. Just after 9pm we got back to the village. "r" dropped me off and he headed back to Glasgow to return some empty barrels and pick up supplies-paint & halogens. Noticed that the miami trailer brakes were poor so instructed "r" to have a go at them while at Selkirk. 

Tuesday, spent all afternoon doing small odd jobs around the place. Finally since starting out had a few minutes to spare on the tackle. That's the benefit of being on site with the equipment and not commuting.

Wednesday "R" called to say he had removed a hub and found the shoes were worn down. Also he had found a kink in the service airline. He had also pulled up the other three slack adjusters. New shoes ordered, hopefully all this will resolve the brake problems. Wed-night we opened for the "Barra race" through the river. The afternoon was scorching, but in a repeat of last Friday evening the heavens opened at 7 pm and cleared the event. Closed for just after 8pm, sigh!

The picture is of "rc"s new ghost train at Selkirk.

a fairground life

Friday

well things got off to a great start on Friday, "r" passed his class 2 and the sun was splitting the sky. When "r" passes his HGV class 1 that will be a great help. In my day you sat the class 1 and that covered everything, rigids, trailers and artics, but now you have to go up in stages. The question is- is this to create better drivers or create more money???? "r" has a class 2 now so he can drive a 4 to 8 wheeler from 7.5t to 30t BUT he cannot drive his pick up towing a trailer!! I think us showmen should claim "Grandfather rights."

Anyhow Friday at 7:15pm and the village green was covered, a large crowd of several hundred people. The small fair was soon packed with people waiting to sample the attractions. We opened and all were enjoying good trade, then the sky darkened and we had a light spit of rain. Nothing much to worry about surely it would quickly pass. I was right a few minutes later the spit of rain had passed over and was replaced with  a TORRENTIAL TROPICAL STORM type RAIN. That was it, by 8 pm the crowds were scattered. We did stay open and struggled on until 9 pm but the damage was done.

Saturday

The sun was back again, we opened early and although the pace was slow it continued until well after 9 pm. We never closed for dinner or tea and periodically waves of customers appeared. I must say the locals support this small fair well and the youths ride repeatedly on the attractions.  "r" and my wife were away to mind the miami at a music event. I caught up with them on Sunday when I went to pick the miami up.

a fairground life (fuel rises)

Monday afternoon and I return to Drymen to pick up the rides. The marquees were just about dismantled when we arrived.  I took the skydiver and Blakey took the DZ (thanks again, that's 3 times this year alone). This saved me about 4 hours and £30 in fuel as I didn't need to do a double. On the way we stopped at Stirling services and fuelled up. The skydiver unit took £170 of Derv and the DZ took £180- ouch! We arrived at the village mid afternoon and just incase the weather turned wet, we set the two rides and un-coupled the units. Heading back to Glasgow I phoned in an order for gas oil for the generator-£425 worth--I'm telling you now the price of fuel is going to finish us! Since Nov last year the cost of derv has risen 35% and gas oil 100%, that is more than it has risen over the last TEN years and 25 years respectively!!!

Tuesday. 

Orthodontist for my daughter then to her school to pick up workbooks to take away so she doesn't fall behind. After that we took the Hobby over and  started to erect the skydiver. "r" is still taking his HGV lessons so I had to do it mostly myself. "m" helped a bit with the levelling off and Blakey give me a lift with the cars at the end. Glad that's out the way, I'll do the DZ tomorrow. My back feels better, must be due to working it.

a fairground life

Well it doesn't happen often, but when it does it's sweet. The weather was a scorcher, the people came out in numbers and the small fair seen decent business. We opened for 11am and we were closed before 6pm. "r" was away with the miami so I was left to pull down the two machines. I had help though as I had picked up "s" and "s" at 6:30 am that morning. One was a new start but he was ok and no doubt a couple more pull downs under his belt and he'll be a real asset. So we were finished for 9:30pm, time to take the lads home before heading off myself. Had a real lazy day today. Well I had to as my back is killing me again, as I say to my wife-"it's not the years, it's the mileage!"