MINI VAN TO THE STATION!

This story comes from "It's a Rum Life" Book Two....;the period  “Boston  1953 to 1984”

MINI VAN TO THE STATION

  (Part of Lincolnshire Standard)

Looking back on these times now at the Lincolnshire Standard it is difficult to see how I managed to devote the time to my basic job when at any time I was going to be asked to imitate Stirling Moss or Mike Hawthorn in a mini van!

ALWAYS A RUSH

Another of the fairly frequent newspaper printing press breakdowns had occurred.

The first I knew of it was the works manager cornering my boss to request my services at short notice, “Just to run the Sleaford Standard down to the station for the next train. It shouldn’t take more than few minutes.”

He sounded very convincing. But he had not yet found me the van.

By the time we had, the train departure was imminent. It was a bit more than a mile to the station; up Narrow Bargate through the Market Place, round the five lamps roundabout, over the old town bridge, through the traffic lights at the top of Bridge Street and down West Street.

Everything went well for the first minute or two and then entering West Street everything changed. The road was dug up or so it seemed. In front of me was a mess of manhole covers, gulleys and pot holes.  The road was being resurfaced.

I had to choose and quickly, over the manholes that seemed to be everywhere and sticking well up above everything else, or slalom between them.

I was working up to the maximum permitted of 30mph and had virtually heard the train whistle as I had eventually departed the works.

Just half a mile to go and I daren’t slacken my speed.

I chose to go over the manholes, then, as the first one approached it seemed huge. I was driving a minivan; everything was so close to the road!

My confidence bled faster than lightening and my foot touched the brakes.

Perhaps a bit too strongly as the next thing was a tremendous grinding noise from between my feet. The van kept going and we were over.

All the others seemed much smaller after that.  I had gained the confidence not to brake any more until the van was well onto the station platform.

The newspapers caught the train, but the van was not running to well on the return journey.  A loud throaty noise came from under the bonnet and there was an oil slick following me down the road.

Reporting back to works manager with the good news that the papers had made it, I had also to impart my tale of woe.

“Take it straight round to the garage,” he said.

“Not a word to a soul, I will telephone them that you are coming.” He concluded.

Officially the van had gone in for a “service”. Plus new sump and complete exhaust system that could be see dragging along behind.

Ends  503 wds

Part of Lincolnshire Standard, copyright KS 2009