THINGS YOU DON'T SEE ANYMORE (Part 1)

[Bruno]

I'm happy to be corrected on this, but I can't remember the last time I saw a motorcycle with a sidecar, let alone a fully-enclosed sidecar with a roof and windows like the one my Great-Uncle drove in the middle of the 1960's.

[Cardiarms]

Saw one last week and remember thinking, "you don't see..."!

[majorhoundii]

Bruno wrote: I'm happy to be corrected on this, but I can't remember the last time I saw a motorcycle with a sidecar, let alone a fully-enclosed sidecar with a roof and windows like the one my Great-Uncle drove in the middle of the 1960's. My uncle had a motorbike and sidecar. It was a Panther - which I believe were made locally (Brighouse? Elland?) Me, my cousin, and auntie and uncle went all over in it - the Dales, York, and one memorable day to Cleethorpes - but because of a wrong turn somewhere en-route - via Hull and the steam paddle boat Humber Ferry across to New Holland. I was really impressed.

[drapesy]

There's a black motorbike and sidecar 'Hearse' you sometimes see around

[Bruno]

http://www.pantherownersclub.com/PantherPage/

[majorhoundii]

Mention of motorbike and sidecars reminds me that both the AA and the RAC patrols rode combinations - the sidecar was the tool box. They had phone boxes in their respective colours dotted about the country so you could ring for assitance, If you were a member of either organisation, you had a key to these phone boxes, and IIRC the key would open both AA and RAC boxes. Obviously these boxes are something else you don't see now, but with mobile phones no one needs them.    

[Johnny39]

majorhoundii wrote: Mention of motorbike and sidecars reminds me that both the AA and the RAC patrols rode combinations - the sidecar was the tool box. They had phone boxes in their respective colours dotted about the country so you could ring for assitance, If you were a member of either organisation, you had a key to these phone boxes, and IIRC the key would open both AA and RAC boxes. Obviously these boxes are something else you don't see now, but with mobile phones no one needs them.     And Major the Patrol Men saluted you if they spotted your badge!

[Steve Jones]

I was watching an excellent old British film on TV the other week (The Admirable Crichton). One of the characters was played by Gerald Harper and I couldn't remember the TV series that he used to be in. Well I can now. Thanks.     The Adam Adamant series is available on DVD as I have the box set.Not all the second series were kept so some episodes are missing but the box set has all known episodes plus good commentaries and documentaries on the show which i loved growing up in the 60's.

[raveydavey]

majorhoundii wrote: Mention of motorbike and sidecars reminds me that both the AA and the RAC patrols rode combinations - the sidecar was the tool box. They had phone boxes in their respective colours dotted about the country so you could ring for assitance, If you were a member of either organisation, you had a key to these phone boxes, and IIRC the key would open both AA and RAC boxes. Obviously these boxes are something else you don't see now, but with mobile phones no one needs them.     There is an AA box near the bottom of Garrowby Hill on the way to Brid. http://goo.gl/maps/sRRrYPresumably sited there for all those cars with overheated brakes after the descent back in the old days...or perhaps all those cars that had taken a run at the hill, failed to reach the top and rolled back down again!    

[Bruno]

majorhoundii wrote: The AA and the RAC patrols ... had phone boxes in their respective colours dotted about the country so you could ring for assistance... There's a beautifully preserved AA phone box at the bottom of Garrowby Hill. I know that's not in Leeds, but it is on the road to Leeds-On-Sea, otherwise known as Brid!