Well, for my own part I thoroughly enjoyed the event, which as I type is still continuing over at Essex Central!
This is my 1000th post to the DOC forum, so it is only fitting that I've not posted for the last couple of days, as I felt coverage of this event would be fitting. So apologies to those who I didn't respond to on here, the day before the event.
We hope everybody who attended enjoyed themselves as much as we did. After weeks of planning, us Essex Daffers were finally able to live the dream, and that we did!
I arrived just after midday having collected our celebration cake. I immediately set about pitching my tent.
Being a total camping virgin, I would not have been able to do this without Sian and Lindsey's kind assistance. Thanks ladies!
The Welsh Daffers showed grit and determination, battling against the odds to make the journey down on Friday. Joe and Sian's Betty limped the last 103 miles with one wheel drive, having suffered a broken half shaft. Fortunately Matt had a spare and Joe was finishing off the job when I arrived.
Not that the dogs were at all worried about what their master was up to! ;D
Sian with Betty's broken half-shaft.
Paul Bashford and his mother Lindsey drove down in Gladys, her exhaust front silencer having blown in a rather unfortunate place, giving her the nick-name 'Harley DAFidson'. They stopped every 80 miles or so to apply more Gungum, but made it safely.
The exhaust was removed and the front silencer was welded up, courtesy of Farmer George's Arc welder.
It was then a case of putting it all back together again.
In the meantime Joe and Sian's dogs found a nice shady place to lie (we actually had some sunshine!)
And the chickens came out too.
We were soon joined by John De Bruin and Richard Plaxton. Although Richard's Dilly (44 estate) had an uneventual trip over from Dublin, the journey was delayed by a few hours when one of the ferry engine room staff died from a coronary and the ferry had to return to port. Richard had collected John from Heathrow and came straight through the centre of London to collect John, then straight on to Essex Central. Fair play to Richard as Dilly had not been on the road for 18 months and in the space of three days he got her ready, although there was a small oil leak, all was well. Hat's off to you Richard, you have some big cojones! ;D
Central soon started filling up with Dafs. Left to right: Joe and Sian's Betty (33), my Gavina (33), Dominique Jacson's 46 van and to the rear Richard Plaxton's Dilly (44 estate).
Then Dominique Jacson and friend arrived at Colchester station from France and Matt went to collect them.
Meantime Farmer George donated some jacket potatoes, fresh from his vegetable patch. The refreshments were well received by all.
We were then alerted to the sound of a watercooled Daf screaming past and the squeeling of a locked up brake, to signify the arrival of the DDC members!
Onne's lovely 55 marathon coupe.
Onne travelled in convoy with Stef Walmsley's 66 estate, The Flying Poo, and Paul Robinson's 44, The Paper Bag.
Fellow Essex Daffer Dan Gibbens arrived in his recently returned to the road 55 coupe.
The DDC set about putting up their tent!!
The Paper Bag being used as a ladder!
Up with the end wall...
...but not without the customary larking about of course! ;D
And eventually the tent was up. This was to become the social area for campers that night after returning from the pub. Many more beers were drunk and dutch moments had in here!
That tent was easily swallowed up by The Flying Poo.
Meantime Paul finished fitting Glady's repaired exhaust.
Job done.
As night fell it was time to move on to The Old Courthouse Inn for a very nice meal.
We left at last hours with Sian and Paul providing a sterling taxi service between pub and farm. Back at Central more beer was consumed and I found myself in the parts store chatting with Dafdaffer until 2am. We were both rather trollied and when we returned to the campsite everyone had gone to bed!
The next morning I got up around 7:15am to open the farm gate and get the museum and parts store ready for receiving visitors. The camping field was eerily quiet. ;D
Sunday morning saw more visitors and some last minute fettling. Dan's 55 coupe started playing up and needed a carburretor change.
Meantime Onne changed his instrument binacle.
Andrew Biggs arrived in his 33, Blue Thunder. We noticed his brake lights were permanently on, so the brake switch was changed.
My Gavina decided to behave well this time so no bonnet up action for her! ;D
What a great line-up of Dafs we had!
Simply superb!!!
It was soon time to set off in our convoy. Eric Bhojani arrived shortly before in his 55 estate. We were also joined by Stephen Balls and family. Stephen filmed the convoy from the rear. The convoy got separated at one point and there was a lengthy delay in reforming, but we got there in the end.
Now Gavina is back on the road I felt it time for another Gavina's Speakerz. Being a truely international event, I managed to find some 'world music'. Enjoy!!
We arrived around midday and parked up out front, just like an old Daf dealership!
And so, into the Ipswich Transport Museum.
I say, got any Roulland's belts in there? ;D
Nice try Dom, but you're meant to be taking the van back on the ferry! ;D
A big thank you must be said to John Smith of Harwich who organised the Frolic at the Ipswich Transport Museum. John took us out in this lovely 1954 Dennis Fire Engine, 190bhp with a crash 'box and 46mph top speed. What a lovely old machine!
Fireman Veer reporting for duty. ;D
The beating heart of the engine, an eight cylinder Rolls Royce unit.
It was soon time to return in convoy to Essex Central. All went well until John De Bruin (driving Goldie the 46) decided he wanted to head home early and took the turning for Harwhich instead of Colchester!
Four Dafs followed him and they were committed to the turning so had to go ahead and double back, whilst the rest of the convoy went to more direct route. ;D
Back at Central we were joined by Alex Darkes. Steve Bidwell had been at the museum but regretfully was unable to follow us back due to other committments. Paul Niewenhuis was there to sign copies of his Daf book.
Tents were taken down and many thanks to Lewis (Drivenbyclassics) for helping this tent virgin get his pop up tent back into the bag. It was then time to cut the cake...
...the task being bestowed upon our special guest of honour, John de Bruin. Of course, all our guests are special to us and it is always our honour to receive you.
Refreshments were well received and everyone received a souvenir (I hope, let me know if you didn't!
) Daffers left at different times during the day, but the hospitality was well received as the weather turned inclement.
Then the weather took a nasty turn for the worse; the heavens opened and the downpour came.
Still, this did not stop Joe Horner and Richard Plaxton from their work on Dilly. A bad engine mount and oil leak required engine removal.
The engine was moved into the museum for work to continue and I understand the engine went back in this morning.
By then the skies had turned very dark and so I decided to leave, although the journey home was attrotious with heavy rain and lots of standing water in the country lanes.
The Welsh contingent decided to stay an extra night and we were more than happy to accommodate them.
We hope that everybody enjoyed themselves and for those who couldn't attend, we'd really love to do it again, even if it was not a DOC event. We also hope we have inspired others to hold a similar event. As far as I am concerned, this has proved that it is the members who make the club, not the cars and I was quite heartened by the effort our attendees put in to getting to Essex to take part - thank you everybody.
Well, that's all folks.
Cheese,
33G.