It's been an "interesting" weekend on a two-day mission to collect the cockpit, involving an 874 mile round trip which would have been impossible without the help of Alan, who's more used to recovering cars, but suggested that he had a 4x4 and trailer which were perfect for this job.
The first storms of the winter saw a number of ferry crossings cancelled, so a last-minute change of plan meant an early morning start to get the 08:15 departure from Dublin Port. It's not often that I see 5am on the clock on a Sunday! We got down to Southend at 7:30pm and then struggled to find anywhere open to eat. I'm sure Southend is a buzzing seaside town in the summer, but I wouldn't recommend a visit on a Sunday night in November. Ah well, finally found that most traditional of English eateries, a Curry House.
Early start again Monday to begin loading at 07:30. Physically forking the cockpit onto the trailer in the end was relatively easy; removing and replacing the tailgate, shoring and strapping were the time-consuming bits.Using a large tarpaulin to cover the whole cockpit was the best decision of the day - I'm sure it was the reason we managed to avoid being stopped by police the entire way from Southend to Holyhead.
Terry skillfully maneuvering the forklift, under Alan's guidance
We rolled out of Southend at 11:15. Onto the M25 westbound and just as we get to the roadworks and no hard-shoulder there's a loud "bang". Alan and I exchange a look of surprise and start staring intently in the mirrors. There's still a tonne of metal behind us, so the nightmare scenario of emergency services freeing a cockpit embedded in a coach whilst trying to figure out how 90% of the aircraft completely disintegrated hadn't happened. We take it easy before the forward strap starts slipping down the windshield and the tarpaulin begins to flap like Dumbo's ears. We make it to South Mimms services where it becomes clear one of the straps has snapped completely. Getting priorities right called for lunch first, and following some adjustments and re-tightening 'OB was rock solid on the trailer with no danger of it getting airborne for one last time.
After 320 miles on the road we finally arrived in Holyhead at 8:30pm. Customs of course stopped us - "lads you know why we've pulled you over.....we're all trying to guess what it is". OK so none of them guessed at "bit of an aeroplane", half a boat was their final team answer, but once they were convinced it wasn't stolen (what kind of nutter would steal an aircraft with no fuselage, wings or engines anyway?) it was onto the ferry.
Tech-stop at Watford Gap and 'OB's final international departure courtesy of Stena Line
Three and a half hours later, after ploughing through 2 metre swells we docked at Dublin Port at 00:45 and I was relieved to see the adjacent vehicles on the car deck hadn't been crushed by a toppled F27. Final short leg home then after driving through a deserted north Dublin. She's now in the yard ready to be put on a trolley before the real hard work starts.
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