Keeping busy during the lockdown

By Ian Sampson

I expect that most of you are a bit fed up at not going out to shows this year, it’s a nuisance but at the moment the country seems to be getting on top of it and if it goes right down we MIGHT get a couple of shows at the end of the season lets hope.

Well I have been kept busy, most mornings going out for a walk weather permitting. I have a Bamford EV sitting on the back lawn which I run sometimes, I have been doing up again my 1927 Lister D, took it to bits cleaned up and repainted, head off to de-coke and fit back on. The combustion chamber on these early ones is small and valves close together so push rods are close together, I tried to get them in but dropped one into the engine so head back of, now engage brain how to stop them dropping so I tied a bit of string round the rods and got them into place put head back on refilled with fresh oil and it runs fine. Next my 1929 Lister D needs a re-paint, I bought this engine many years ago for a £5. I would like to get my two Fairbanks Bulldogs out again so took one down to Peter’s workshop at Amberley and now it’s stuck down there. My Slavia needs a new belt that drives the water pump made up, my 1932 Lister generating looks very tatty and could do with overhauling, the Amanco could do with a touch up and so it goes on, plenty to do.

Well the garden is coming on, planted some runner bean seeds into small pots but did not do very well so got some more seeds and they are coming on well, the twelve tomato plants look fine and got cucumbers coming on my plants and the shallots are coming on fine so a lot of for pickling later on. Well can’t think of anything else at the moment hope all of you are keeping well and fit and sometime will all catch up again.