Re: BREAKDOWNS

Posted by kit carr on Nov 02, 2011; 9:30am
URL: http://sundownersadventures.385.s1.nabble.com/BREAKDOWNS-tp4544086p4957581.html

Another tale:

Bob Wilko brought two buses, GWE410N, and GWE411N from up North.
Two of us went up to pick them up, and bring them back to the workshop, which was out near Slough at the time
I was given GWE411N, and father Frank Lewis was given GWE410N.
These were nice Ford N1114 Plaxton coaches, with the then common Ford 360 turbo engine. Then considered better than the Bedford by all except Col Davidson, and Bedford Salesmen.
These two coaches had only ever done local work, and had no side lockers, just boot space. IN preparation for the trip we gathered up some spare parts in a green army ammo box, removed some seats (leaving 45) purchased some food (Done by Peter Cheong) gathered up our camping gear, and departed to India. There was Vicar and I, plus 4 students who had fallen under Dick Cjiffers spell, and had paid to get to Kathmandu in 12 days. We left London 18 days before we were due to depart Kathmandu and TK163.
The trip out was relatively uneventful. We cooked as we drove, and stopped first at Goreme. ON the way Vicar was the Cook,and I drove. We had a stove set up where the seats once where, with a gas bottle and food located close by. The thought was that we would boil and fry as we drove. Peter CHeoing will never be forgotten as the purchaser of unusual food. He bought Fray Bentos pies, packed in a tin, which carried the description “Remove from the can, and bake in a moderate oven for 40 minute”. I grew to like boiled pies, but we couldn’t get the pasty crisp.
North of Gorgan I asked Vicar if he could drive a bus, he said no. I said “fucking learn” and went to sleep. We arrived in Kathmandu after 11 days of travel. Vicar obviously did lkearn, but I did wake up before we got there.
The lack of preparation started to show. We had to build side lockers and  pig bins if we were to have any chance of fitting everyone’s luggage in. We bought dexion sections and plywood in Kathmandu and made a shelf which we accessed form the spare wheel locker, and made the pig bins, and were ready to go on the appointed day.
Nice drive to Pokhara. Stayed at New Green Lake Hotel, in the “Luxury” room for the driver (with tap, but not drain) for around Rs2.50.
Next day on the drive to Bharawah the water pump failed. Bother I said, and opened the parts box, which we then found did not contain a water pump. Parking on the side of the road was something Chalker had made me familiar with. Vicar went off and sorted a bus to get the passengers to Varanasi and to pick up the water pump which was going to be flown to Kathmandu. I waited by the side of the road, eating Muesli and water for 5 days. I had a guitar which I still can’t play very well, lots of basic food, and developed from very strange toilet habits. The gurkas were friendly, and a number of ex-soldiers appeared out of nowhere, and we talked about why an English bus, with a kiwi driver, was parked in the middle of nowhere.
Vicar eventually arrived, with most of the bits needed, (a water pump, but no fan belts) and we put the bus together again, and drove from the cool mountains to the heat of the terrai. It was bloody hot when we got to the bottom, and the lack of cooling meant that we had to drive at night, with the engine cover removed to get airflow through the radiator. It was bloody hot, and vicar cooled me down by tipping buckets of water over my head as I drove. I swear the water never hit the floor.
We did a clutch near Fatehpursikri, but we had one of those in the parts box. Did a head gasket between Minsk and Smolensk, but had one of those as well.

Another good group, which has had one or two reunions since 1987, the last one 3 years ago in Sydney.
Somehow the problems can add lots to a trip, but I can’t imagine being able to get away today with what we did then.