I got up at 7.30 & it was cold, wet & miserable. I dug out the Ferrous Nag (I just love that!) and shoved it in the car with my spare 12 volt battery. Off to Nunney Catch transport cafe some 20 miles away over flooded roads and through rising wind.
The Usual WSEC Suspects were present, about 20 of us all told. Breakfast first & magically the sky cleared. I simply opened the boot of the BM estate & started the engine where it was. As expected, after eight months in the shed, it spluttered into life on the button and ran all morning - not sexy but reliable. Chris Newport had another IH sans steel wire frame. but to make up for it had dragged a Douglas SV45 & a Petter A1 along. As the weather improved, he pulled them out and fired 'em up, thus almost doubling the number of engines running!
John Brooks brought me a couple of wooden cased electrical gauges that I bought & had another which I suspect was to do with gas supply, but I eschewed it. Alan Rogers brought a new toy, a silent Tiny Tim, sans plug lead! His Saluki was not impressed with the weather.
Also present were a number of Lister D's. A nicely restored example driving both clippers AND vacuum pump, an early shaft drive mag D & another in its working clothes that had cost Paul Chant just £20.00 - it sounded great! The new owner of Arfur's Ruston shoved the flywheel to good effect & the petrol can man turned up too, but after fighting the wind following a resounding CLANG! he packed up & went home.
All in all, it was a good morning. As the rest sloped off to a noon lunch, the weather closed in and I ran it dry, closed the lid & went home. Just in time - chucked it down after.