ISLE OF WIGHT AUSTINS

<body bgcolor="#FFFFFF" text="#000000"> <center> This site looks best when accessed with a browser that supports frames.<br>Meeting Details are as follows:<br> <B>We have a monthly meeting, on the 4th Monday of the month. These meetings are held at the Arreton Community Hall, Main Road, Arreton, 7.30 for 8.00 p.m. The usual format of the evening is that we listen to a speaker on some relevant topic, view videos, or have some form of quiz, as well as having a general 'noggin and natter'. Visitors to the Island are welcome to join us on these evenings.</B>, -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------, <B>APRIL MEETING, There was a rather disappointing, for us, turnout at Arreton for the April meeting. However, 22 members listened to an enthralling talk by Nick Pointing about the journey he and his wife made from the UK to Australia in a Land Rover based replica of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Nick?s wife had, for some time, been a great fan of the car and challenged Nick to build a real size replica of the car. The running gear and chassis of a 1973 Land Rover were used and, with some help from local craftsmen he built the bodywork using the Corgi model and movie stills as a guide. The project took him 4 years to complete and, during that time, a decision was made to drive the car all the way to Australia, a journey of 12.000 miles, to raise money for the Earl Mountbatten Hospice, Multiple Sclerosis Society, and the World Wildlife Fund along the way., However, just 2 weeks before the start of the trip the back axle was found to be faulty and an ex Army one was sourced and purchased for £100. A week later the clutch failed!, He and his wife left the Island in September 2007 and drove Chitty through 17 countries including Iran, India and Cambodia, finally arriving in Australia during March 2008. Only minor mechanical problems were encountered en-route. , It was fascinating to hear how they were received in the countries they passed through and some of the border problems encountered. Firstly on the Turkey ? Iran border, then in Dubai where RH drive cars are forbidden and finally in Australia where only cars ?as clean as new? are allowed in, and then only after being subjected to an MOT. If there were any oil leaks, then the car would fail! After a lot of 'all over' cleaning by the Pointings the car was passed and admitted. Once in Australia, the pressure was off and they were able to enjoy a holiday there before the car was shipped back to the UK., MAY MEETING, This was an evening with David White, who gave us an illustrated talk about some of the mysteries and unusual happenings on the Island. Being a Bank Holiday Monday, only 19 members were able to get along to Arreton, for what was a most interesting talk, given in David's own inimitable style. He covered a lot of ground and these are just a few extracts?., Incorporated into the structure of St. Agnes Church, in Freshwater, is a stone with the date 1694 on it. This and a number of other stones came from a building at nearby Hooke Hill where Robert Hooke, one of the most neglected natural philosophers of all time, was born. He was the inventor of, amongst other things, the iris diaphragm in cameras, the universal joint used in motor vehicles, the balance wheel in a watch, the originator of the word 'cell' in biology - yet is known mostly for Hooke's Law which states that ?The extension of a spring is proportional to the weight hanging from it'. , In the 1400s, there was a King Henry 1 of the Isle of Wight. He was on the ?throne? for just one year! , Near Yarmouth is Fort Albert. In 1886 it was chosen as one of the UK locations for the Brennan wire-guided torpedo which had a range sufficient to close the strait. It was also used for early tests on the use of searchlights., The term ?holystoning? came about because stones from the Old Church, at St. Helens, were used for scrubbing the decks of ships when anchored off St. Helens, a favourite victualling anchorage for naval ships. , Future Meetings -See Events listing. <br><a href="/clientph/brmm4.nsf/clubpages/iowaustin">Directory Home</a><br> <br><a href="/clientph/brmm4.nsf/clubpages/iowaustin?opendocument&1">Directory Contact</a><br> <br><a href="/clientph/brmm4.nsf/clubpages/iowaustin?opendocument&2">Directory News</a><br> <br><a href="/clientph/brmm4.nsf/clubpages/iowaustin?opendocument&3">Directory Events</a><br> <br><a href="/clientph/brmm4.nsf/clubpages/iowaustin?opendocument&4">Directory Clubnight</a><br> <br><a href="/clientph/brmm4.nsf/clubpages/iowaustin?opendocument&P1">Directory Photos</a><br> <br>Some useful links, related to classic and antique cars as well as general antiques: <br><a href="http://www.brmmbrmm.com" target=bb>(c) BrmmBrmm.Com - The Classic Car Network & Directory</a> <br>(c) BrmmBrmm <a href="http://www.brmmbrmm.com/directory" target=dd>Web Directory</a> - stop surfing, start motoring !<br> Today is 04/07/2009 </center> </body>