Tam & co the great winter escape

[Northernraider]

Nice of you to offer them a bed.

Im putting a for sale sign in the windae lol

 

[Lenny HB]

Must be my lucky day he bypassed me.

 

[MaidinDevon]

Welcome home Tam, and doggies.
Thanks for the blog, it's been really interesting.

I am travelling on a narrowboat, and I must say the multi fuel stove has been a mixed blessing.
On the plus side, it's warm, stays in all night, and feels cosy.
On the negative side it creates huge amounts of dust, and I have had an annoying cough all winter, despite damp dusting every day.
If the wind is in rhe wrong place it smokes, and doesn't get going properly.
Heat can be all or nothing, either sweltering with windows open, or hardly going. Mind you I have only used coal briquettes, wood may be better.
On balance I would choose a diesel stove, more controllable, easier to keep clean, and still cosy.

Just my thoughts, having experienced it through a winter, on the canals.

Karen

 

[Carol]

Thank you Tam for sharing your travels with us through the winter months, enjoyed the photos and the various adventures you have had, just show's with a bit of initiative you can find beautiful interesting places to stay without spending a fortune.
Look forward to the next stage when you get home.

 

[L' Hobo]

Welcome home Tam, and doggies.
Thanks for the blog, it's been really interesting.

I am travelling on a narrowboat, and I must say the multi fuel stove has been a mixed blessing.
On the plus side, it's warm, stays in all night, and feels cosy.
On the negative side it creates huge amounts of dust, and I have had an annoying cough all winter, despite damp dusting every day.
If the wind is in rhe wrong place it smokes, and doesn't get going properly.
Heat can be all or nothing, either sweltering with windows open, or hardly going. Mind you I have only used coal briquettes, wood may be better.
On balance I would choose a diesel stove, more controllable, easier to keep clean, and still cosy.

Just my thoughts, having experienced it through a winter, on the canals.

Karen

Welcome to the world of my youth, in our farmhouse we only had coal fires, no gas or electricity and, as you say, if the wind was in the wrong direction, one got a lot of smoke and coal dust.
Immediately in front of the fire, it was too hot but further back, it was bloody cold.
(The Scots had the right idea with there curtained beds in the living room and their high backed 'Settles'.)

In the winter, when I was ten, I used to love Monday nights, because Monday was washing day, my mother would change the bed linen and fluff up and turn the feather mattress.

When it was time for bed, I would go upstairs, change into my PJ's, throw back the eiderdown, take a running leap, into the middle of the feather mattress.
It would enfold me into it's down and feathers bosom and, with the eiderdown pulled over me, I would sleep soundly with the eiderdown over my head, while Jack Frost drew wonderful patterns on the inside of my bedroom window!

Those were the days of innocence which seems a strange thing to say, about a time, just after WW11

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[SOOZANDIAN]

Welcome home Tam.
Thanks once again for sharing your travel stories & your great photos. You’ve kept us all entertained over the winter.

 

[Masman]

Welcome back.Its been great to follow your wanders.Looking forward to following your next adventure with the new van.

 

[Offagain]

Thanks for this thread Tam, it’s been very interesting and enjoyable.
Good luck with finishing the new van.

 

[jockaneezer]

Thanks for keeping us entertained Tam, hope yer Ma's got a big pan of stovies on for your return !

 

[Borisski]

Thank you for a great thread. it's been so interesting and inspiring to follow your adventures.

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[Helen Ariel]

What am I going to read over my morning cup of tea in bed now that your travels have come to an end? Helen Ariel is also on the final stretch of a wonderful trip with Beech.
You should all get together. You all appreciate long walks and crumbling old buildings. What stories you could share while the dogs sniff each other!

Hoping we'll run in to Tam and co one of these days on our winter excursions! Unlikely it'll be in the uk as we live in opposite ends of the uk.

 

[gpat]

Yes. Thanks from me too. You don't seem to have had as much human interactions on this trip. Maybe that's just a perception.

Consolation is that we got more pictures of old cars

Make sure you censor the thread for any negative comments about the Iveco. Has your heart warmed at all to the van? It seems to have been a loyal servant for you on this trip. It should be a classic on Top Gear or something.

 

[namwaldog]

Welcome home Tam.
Thank you for your great travel information and experiences. Oh... and the dawgs. Big pats and cuddles to each. Many thanks for all the photos, just wonderful.
Safe homeward journey today, Bonnie Scotland awaits.
Regards Margaret and Barry

 

[Greenway]

Great travel thread and photos, as usual, Tam.
Thanks for taking the time to post.

 

[Drum Major]

You’ll soon be back in sunny Dunfermline cheers

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[Wendo55]

Thanks for this thread Tam. Are we going to have to look at pictures of welding and rivets now?

 

[ontheroadagain]

Thanks. A great thread.
When you get home it would be interesting to know how many miles you covered.

 

[Jamesh]

Welcome home Tam, and doggies.
Thanks for the blog, it's been really interesting.

I am travelling on a narrowboat, and I must say the multi fuel stove has been a mixed blessing.
On the plus side, it's warm, stays in all night, and feels cosy.
On the negative side it creates huge amounts of dust, and I have had an annoying cough all winter, despite damp dusting every day.
If the wind is in rhe wrong place it smokes, and doesn't get going properly.
Heat can be all or nothing, either sweltering with windows open, or hardly going. Mind you I have only used coal briquettes, wood may be better.
On balance I would choose a diesel stove, more controllable, easier to keep clean, and still cosy.

Just my thoughts, having experienced it through a winter, on the canals.

Karen

Have you tried smokeless fuels?

Our (house wood burner) dosent produce hardly any dust - ecosy model.

Cheers James

 

[Littlewheels]

Tams Trilogy.
Part 1: The Conversion.
Part 2: The Winter Trip.
Part 3: The Final Conversion.

Part 1 gave us a highly entertaining insight into the workings of an highly difficult conversion from the chassis until it stalled because of winter.

Part 2 again entertained us with the Travels through winter with Tam and his two Dogs which along the way increased to three which added a new
dimension to the story.

Part3 The forthcoming third part of the Trilogy, well we are all waiting to see how this unfolds in the coming Spring and Summer months and how Ela settles into her new life in Scotland.

A fabulous thread Tam thanks for taking the time to do it,greatly appreciated by all and as said highly entertaining.

 

[mikebeaches]

And thanks from me too. It's been a fascinating thread, following your adventures.

Great pics as well.

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[Cliff D]

Thank you for a great thread and fabulous photos - I've really enjoyed following your travels.
Cheers. Cliff

 

[Viennese]

A very enjoyable thread, thank you. I will miss it, and am not enticed by the idea of watching step by step conversions. But I will be interested to see Ela's progress.

 

[scotzsue]

Came to this thread when you got Ella , will be going back to read from the beginning and also look for the conversion threqad. So looking forward to part 3.
welcome home, heading for Scotland myself tomorrow, it'll be good to be hame for a wee while.

 

[WESTY66]

Ive ended up in bawtry just south of Doncaster. Parking spot in the woods with walks. Had to fill up again and i thought id wait till i was off the motorway as it would be cheaper. That was a mistake , motorway was £1.79 or £1.82 , bloody petrol station in the town was £184.9 .and by that time i was on fumes. 379miles since i filled up in belgium.

Id hoped to find a chip shop or Chinese takeaway but only choice was KFC and it was rotten.
Ah well we are parked up now. Ill get home tomorrow afternoon sometime.

Bloody hell i wish I’d seen this last night, I’d have brought you a good chinese, I live in Bawtry

 

[Northernraider]

Yes. Thanks from me too. You don't seem to have had as much human interactions on this trip. Maybe that's just a perception.

Consolation is that we got more pictures of old cars

Make sure you censor the thread for any negative comments about the Iveco. Has your heart warmed at all to the van? It seems to have been a loyal servant for you on this trip. It should be a classic on Top Gear or something.

The iveco has done well to be honest. Im sure there are many who would appreciate what it has to offer. Its just compared to the hymer and the Frankia before that its not what im used to .

With a bit of work it could be a great van

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[WESTY66]

Ive bleeding done it again

Im on a dogging site. Theres cars coming and going and lights being flashed all over the place here

Kings wood??
I live a couple of minutes walk from there

 

[Northernraider]

Thanks. A great thread.
When you get home it would be interesting to know how many miles you covered.

Yep ill post up mileage, expense etc once home and sorted

 

[Northernraider]

Bloody hell i wish I’d seen this last night, I’d have brought you a good chinese, I live in Bawtry

Im still here , just having a coffee before doggy walk in the woods

 

[Northernraider]

Kings wood??
I live a couple of minutes walk from there

Not sure what its called its off the main road just outside bawtry . Popular doggy walking place

 

[WESTY66]

Not sure what its called its off the main road just outside bawtry . Popular doggy walking placeView attachment 598574

Yep kings wood!! I’m at work now unfortunately

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