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COWESSinclair Wilson’s story of a visit to the flying boat at Cowes reminded me of that trip too. Although the trip was arranged through the college staff I believe it was me who organised the coaches… to my shame. Coming home we managed to leave one of the party at the dock (I think it was Geoff McQueen). We had two coaches and each assumed he was in the other. We found out at the halfway stop but he had hitched a lift and got to Bristol before us… Sorry Geoff. Another trip I arranged for the college students was to the small engine manufacturers at Dursley. At the tea after the tour, the tutor suddenly called on me as coach organiser to give a thank-you speech. |
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I had never done anything like it before and made an unflattering comparison between the finish of their engines and those at Patchway. The tour guide, who was the Managing Director, kindly pointed out that exterior finish did not have high priority in tractor engines. I think I may have passed a subsequent exam for my cheek on the visit. Another arrangement was for a trip to Westland’s. A member of aerodynamics and of my local rugby team, had left for a job at Westland’s and was trying to start a rugby team there; so I arranged for a team of Aerodynamics members, rugby players or not, to be the opposition for their inaugural match. The result was unimportant, but one of our squad had learnt the story of Eskimo Nell and stood up at the front of the coach and recited it for a large part of the journey home. Thank you D****. My ‘talent’ for arranging coach trips never really caught on. I wonder why? In today’s conditions I might have become a wealthy entrepreneur. Jeff Brackstone |