Sunday, 31 May 2009

a fairground life

It was a mission for all involved, but we did manage to put on some kind of a fair. Friday morning and "d" had got the energy storm ride in on tracking. "jw" tried to move the miami in 1m to clear the path but couldn't do it. Mean while I flattened the ruts in front of the skydiver by repeatedly driving over them with the jeep. At 2pm "jw" took the ride out of the event to clear the path. He had sent for tracking. It came around 4pm, the miami came in again and eventually got set on the tracking. This is all said in a few sentences, but it took hours due to the ride getting stuck half in and half out of the gate,then having to be reversed along a roadway and up into the event field again so as to be facing the correct way. By 11pm that night the ride was finally erected. The sun did come and there were decent numbers at the event, although biz seemed slower. Again at pulling down most items needed towed out. I used part of the miami tracking to get the skydiver out and the tractor was used for some others. Even with the baking sunshine on friday and saturday the area was still soft underfoot.

a fairground life

It was a mission for all involved, but we did manage to put on some kind of a fair. Friday morning and "d" had got the energystorm ride in on tracking

a fairground life

It was a mission for all involved, but we did manage to put on some kind of a fair. The miami 

Friday, 29 May 2009

a fairground life(rice pudding)

I left at 7am to get the first loads into Drymen. "r" is in Poland with uni pals so "m" an I are doing it all. The Skydiver was in Drymen for 9am. At 12pm we started to get set. After an hour we had the skydiver stuck just off the path. 2 hours later the tractor arrived to tow it. It managed to pull it back 20 ft to clear the path. The ride was now building up as landed, 45 degrees facing the wrong way. Next we tried to get the DZ in. The tractor towed it in but only 20ft in and it sank. The wheels were not even turning just dragging like a sledge. The tractor could not tow it out again but we got it out using a 6 wheeler on the path. With the dz out we changed angle and tried to come in down the hill. Again at 40ft in the ride sank, the tractor could not pull it in or drag it out, again a 6 wheeler on the path JUST managed to pull it out (after we dug the mud out from the front of the wheels). That was it we took it right out, end of for that ride. "d" tried to put the energy storm in on boards. It smashed thru them and promptly sunk. During all this I did get the skydiver built up but will have to do some gardening today. The ground is like a rice pudding, hard crust with mushy centre. At 8pm I brought the dz back to the yard last night, "d" is getting tracking today for the energy storm, I've had enough no dz this year.

a fairground life(rice pudding)

I left at 7am to get the first loads into Drymen. "r" is in Poland with uni pals so "m" an I are 

Tuesday, 26 May 2009

a fairground life(worry)

Its been another busy week. I got into the mall a week gone Sunday. I built up the skydiver on Monday with "r". Tuesday I was all day in the (Scottish) section offices as part of the committee for a meeting. Wednesday "b" and I were up at 4:30am to catch a flight to London for a Tribunal hearing of our complaints regarding other members conduct. So we were in Staines at Guild House for 10am. Unfortunately thing were running late (as usual) and we didn't get into the hearing until 2pm. So we argued our case with our opponent arguing his position. The matter is decided by a Barrister with two ex presidents (of the Guild) to advise. How we fared I do not know at this time, but it doesn't matter if you fight and lose, it only matters if you don't fight at all! Thursday we opened at the mall, I was tired from the day before's activities and closing time couldn't come quick enough. Friday at 5pm and we headed off to Bellshill with the DZ and Miami. Again we got on the street at 6pm, but this time there was a curtailment of ground due to paving work. Some tenants even lost their tober altogether. Since the street was dug up and a new oneway system installed, we had to reverse the DZ and Miami onto the street after turning them up a side street. This was the only way to get them onto the plots facing the correct way for setting up. At 9pm we were heading home again. Saturday at 11am we opened. Biz was poor but the fair did look better with the new layout, basically squashing everything up into one end. At 7:30pm we closed, that's how quiet it was. Sunday we opened at 12pm and closed at 6pm. The football may have hindered the turn out and again biz was poor. Monday was no better and at 6pm we started to pulldown. Right on cue the heavens opened up and we got wet into the bargain. The DZ was last off the street as we had wasted half an hour waiting on other equipment getting out our way before we could lower the tower. "r" and I were just leaving as three local neds walked by and bib us a fond farewell with the taunt of-"aye yer shows are sh_t_!" We were back at the yard for 9pm. Up this morning and back out to the mall to pull down the skydiver, again intermittent showers plagued us. The real problem is that the next gaff-Drymen is in danger of being cancelled due to the rain. I hope not, even if it is re scheduled for August, I need the income now! Its a worry. Oh by the way "b" has knacked the Net (top half of ride) lorry on the Dodgem, I don't know the exact details but it could be a big end or con rod!!! So Hawick for him may be iffy???

Monday, 18 May 2009

a fairground life(40s a magic number)

I called a few tyre suppliers for quotes on the miami tyre, an odd size 275 x 70 x 22.5 . The prices ranged from £170-£320, what a difference! I decided to go for a dealer that quoted me £186 inc vat, not because he was the cheapest but because he had one in stock and he was the closest. So "r" took the blow out off, we stuck it in the pick up and off we went. On arrival at the depot we bumped into the owner, he knows a lot of showmen and offered me a part worn tyre instead. In two minds I had a look at it and it was nearly new, it had only been in for a puncture repair, plus it was only £40 now that's what Dickinson would call a "Bargain". Later in the afternoon I called fatso to see if he had paid my debt for the brake chamber. Good to his word he had been in and settled up with the head mechanic. I asked in trepidation how much? OHHHH! he said, it was dear, £40 for cash! Now that was a lot cheaper than I could have got the chamber for. So 40 is my magic number today and as I've said before- a penny saved is a penny earned!

Sunday, 17 May 2009

a fairground life

It has been interesting the last two weeks. I enjoyed my time at Langholm, my father used to come in the 60s, but this was my first time to open there. The miami (different time of year) had been there before with J Collins (the previous owner). The small fair consisted of waltzer,miami,arcade,2 juveniles,stall and a snack bar.The majority of the local kids were polite. There were a few teen drinkers the first weekend and a couple from a nearby village had to be dealt with, however they did not return for a second helping. The weather was mostly unkind and business was poor as a result. The fair was advertised from opening as  £1 all rides, but this didn't seem to help (and my fuel costs were still full price). There are a couple of good scrapyards nearby and I did enjoy perusing them and picking up a couple of bargains ( airline hose and munitions casing now used to store welding rods in). Biz was quiet this Saturday. "r" was open in Dumbarton with the DZ. It was raining there too but he was still doing better than me. He finished at 6pm and started to pull the DZ down. Looks like he can go solo now. I started to pulldown at 8.30pm on Saturday night. When I coupled the Foden under the trailer I noticed the air pressure dropping. I got out and discovered the front axle near side brake chamber was leaking. Now where was I gonna get one of those for Sunday morning??? I made a few calls and a friend in Silloth had one but I would have to go and take it off in the morning. Another Showmen TH suggested that I stop at Armstrongs Haulage en route and ask the head mechanic. It made sense as I would have to pass them anyway. I also tried MAN /ERF in Carlisle just in case they had a 24h service desk, no such luck (my grandad always said Carlisle was a graveyard with lights! sorry, but that's what he said). So up in the morning at 6:45 and away. By 7:15 I was standing in Armstrongs yard. It was Sunday morning and as you might expect it was deserted, but then I spied a cab door move away at the bottom of the yard. I walked down and met a man standing next to a Jag. I explained who I was and what I was looking for and that local showmen had suggested I pop in. The chap told me that the head mechanic was not in. I asked if he knew of any motor factors that would be open in Carlisle. He replied not likely, but suggested we take a look in the stores. It turned out I was talking to Mr Armstrong himself, a few minutes later we found a new brake chamber on a shelf in the small store room. I asked him what I owed him for it, "I wouldn't know what to charge, just take it", he said and "phone in tomorrow to get the price". Since he new the local showmen well, he told me just to get them to sort it out and I could see them later. He would not even take a deposit, I know we are not all angels but its good to see that showmen in the majority have a good reputation with people they deal with. So I have left money with "fatso" so he can clear my debt and I will sort out the difference with him later. I headed right back to Langholm and started to fit the chamber. There was a slight hitch in that the old chamber was imperial and the new metric, but fatso got out his box of odds and ends. We found one length of threaded pipe about 40mm long. I cut it into two and improvised a couple of adapters, I even mocked up a couple of "O" rings to make a good seal. It took about 4 hours in total by the time I nipped up both front axle chambers and made other minor adjustment to the chamber. I tried it and yippee no leaks. So off we headed for Glasgow, all the way I was expecting a hose to blow off or something, but all was fine until I turned the corner into the yard. BOOM! I jumped out to have a look and could hear air hissing. Not another one, I thought, expecting to see a blown chamber or pipe. No, this time it was a blow out, literally right at the gate of the yard. So tyre hunting tomorrow.

Friday, 15 May 2009

a fairground life

I'm down in deepest darkest Langholm, no mobile internet not even my mobile phone will work. So this is only a quick blast to let everyone know I'm still alive while I was in Carlisle getting supplies. I was back in Glasgow yesteray, but only long enough to set up the DZ in Dumbarton for the Scottish pipe band championships. It was a glorious hot sunny day, just as well as the pitch was a lovely grass park (just a pity its as level as the side of a mountain). The rain is falling in buckets today, it won't bother the tober here as it is a car park, but we really need the sun to shine tomorrow in Dumbarton. Back up the road on Sunday to civilisation, well at least mobile communications.

Saturday, 2 May 2009

a fairground life

The last few weeks have seen the miami develop a severe oil leak from the hydraulic motor shafts. The oil was being pushed out of the shaft seals and dripping down the front panels. This had started off as an intermittent problem over a year ago but now had reached the point of needing to be addressed. The motor that I had serviced in the shed last year was the main culprit and I had fitted several new shaft seals over the last couple of years to try and solve the problem. I can't believe how easy a fix the problem actually was when JM told me what the problem would be (he is one clever guy), no need to remove the motors or have parts machined etc etc. It turned out that the drain line from the motor had become clogged and this led to a pressure build up in the motor casing that resulted in the oil pushing its way out through the shaft seal. All I did was put on a second drain line with a bigger bore back to tank. Cheap too, total cost £17.50. The last two days have seen nil oil drips from the motors and I can tell you I am VERY pleased. I also tweeked the drive mechanism today by cutting a massive 1mm off of the dynex lever to adjust the parking position speed, minute adjustments indeed. Hope the weather holds out until Monday..