Arnhem 2011

[shaun]

Hi Folks, We (me and a group of pals) are planning to take some carriers to Arnehm next year, at the moment 4 carriers plus several scout and armoured cars (space for 2 more carriers on one of our lowloaders - barry you keen ?). would this be a good event for a carrier get together on the continent ?
i have taken my carrier (puddle jumper) a couple of times now and boy did we get a good reception.

[RichardT10829]

what dates is it usually mate ? September ? and what price is it to get the carrier onto the low loader with you guys ? oh and will it be frownd upon if i turn up in desert scheme ?

[carrierbarry]

Shaun,

As always a big YES.
just tell me where and when.

Barry

[Hendrik van Oorspronk]

Hello, sounds good, I have to do some work on the carrier, but it should go.

I think there are more people here in Holland who will come.

Greetz

Hendrik

[shaun]

I can see a plan comming together ! i am planning to be in Oosterbeek on Sunday 11th leaving on Monday 19th September. just doing the basic planning for the trip at the moment. it would be good to have a column of carriers on the race to the bridge route. In 2004 we drove 2 carriers from Endhoven to Oosterbeek over 3 days and then did all the parades for the rest of the week. it was something else to live off the carrier after a week in the drivers seat it felt just like driving my car, i think we covered 300 miles that week. last year we stayed at Oosterbeek all week and did over 200 miles on days out and about. probably do the same next year. heres a couple of photos from last year.

[Marc van Aalderen]

Shaun,

Count me in, I will be coming too!! I can bring a Carrier and maybe a Dingo. Dingo will need a driver hence the maybe. One of my friends might be interested in driving it. He has done so a couple of times.

In 2009 we drove from Joe's bridge to Nijmegen in 5 days. Camping in period tents. Great fun.

Cheers,

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Marc van Aalderen

Dingo will need a driver hence the maybe.

Hey Marc, if you are in need of a driver for your Dingo . . .

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

Hey Marc, if you are in need of a driver for your Dingo . . .

Hanno,

You will not get in the drivers seat ..........no leg room for us tall guys, I only just get in them!

You could do like a friend of mine used to, remove the steering wheel to get in and out

[shaun]

Hi Marc,
We will have some dingos with us as well, i think Singe is bring his Daimler AC , if i can get my act together i will bring my DAC as well. We are looking to stay at the Builderberg camp site.

[RichardT10829]

I deffo want to try and get my carrier done by then, i have some pals at the DFDS terminal who would load my carrier up for me onto a tray at North Shields (5 mins from me) it would just be the drive from Ijmuiden to Oosterbeek which is 124km along some fast dual carriageways......but it could be done and save a wedge on HGV's if i get it running by then of course.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&so...760559&t=h&z=9

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Richard Farrant

You could do like a friend of mine used to, remove the steering wheel to get in and out

Indeed, where there is a will, there is a way (or else plently of lube and a shoe horn!)

H.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by RichardT10829

it would just be the drive from Ijmuiden to Oosterbeek which is 124km along some fast dual carriageways......but it could be done and save a wedge on HGV's

Richard,

I do not want to rain on your parade, and I wish you finish your carrier in time and come across to Arnhem next year, but forget about driving your carrier from IJmuiden to Oosterbeek. You will be driving along the busiest of Holland's roads, and if you are not rear-ended by an 18-ton truck you will be taken off the road by the police in no time.

Indeed people like Shaun and Hendrik drive considerable distances during commemorations like at Eindhoven, Arnhem & Oosterbeek. During those days and along those routes the police is more like a friend and will do their best to keep the roads free for parades etc. I know from experience: some years ago I was recce-ing a route for a Diamond T tractor towing a Rogers trailer with M10 w/17-pdr SP AT gun. I drove a Jeep over a bike path and at first the police stopped me to write me a ticket. When I explained I got all the help I needed and a motorcycle escort to boot.

What I want to make clear is that driving a carrier on public roads in the Netherlands is an exception. Unlike the UK, it is not possible to register them for road use, in part because they have metal tracks. During commemorations the authorities and police cooperate to make things fun and go smoothly, but outside a certain timeframe and area is it a no-go.

Hope this helps and hope to see you next year!

Regards,
Hanno

PS: see http://www.airbornebattlewheels.nl/ for pictures and details about the "Race to the Bridge".

[RichardT10829]

scrap that then......

[Marc van Aalderen]

Originally Posted by Richard Farrant

Hanno,

You will not get in the drivers seat ..........no leg room for us tall guys, I only just get in them!

You could do like a friend of mine used to, remove the steering wheel to get in and out

I don't know how tall Hanno is but I'm 6 foot 3 inches or 1,90 meters and weigh 94 kilo's. I can get in , and out, fairly easy. So Hanno, if you fit in you're welcome to drive it.

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by Marc van Aalderen

I don't know how tall Hanno is but I'm 6 foot 3 inches or 1,90 meters and weigh 94 kilo's. I can get in , and out, fairly easy. So Hanno, if you fit in you're welcome to drive it.

Hi Marc,

Well, I am 6 foot 1 inch, but long legged and have a struggle to get in and drive Dingos, seat needs to go back a couple of inches really, although impossible with the tank behind you. Hanno makes me feel small when standing next to him, will wait for his reply here

[Marc van Aalderen]

Originally Posted by RichardT10829

scrap that then......

Richard,
If you get it to IJmuiden I'm willing to be there with a truck to drive you to Arnhem, and back off course. If you pay the diesel fuel, that is good enough for me.

Cheers mate,

[shaun]

Better pull your finger out now and get on with it Richard ! the clock is ticking. But not wanting to dampen any bonfires check with the ferry companys to see if they will let steel track on the ship. This is a problem i have had before, having said that i have taken both the carrier and the Comet on a commersial freight ferry but they had to lay rubber mats, they did not want 33tons sliding about. TTFN

[eddy8men]

hi fella's

sounds like a great get together, i'd love to come but i doubt i could get away for more than a weekend, you know how it is, family getting in the way of quality carrier time

all the best

eddy

[shaun]

Eddy - put a leave chit in with your domestic zero alpa now - there are 10 months for her cool down and get use to the fact ! may be i should tell mine that im going !!!!!!

[eddy8men]

shaun- there's only so much i can get away with and i wouldn't want to push her over the edge as we got married in corfu in june and the week after we got back i bought the churchill and picked up the carrier then it was the wot6, centaur and charioteer oh and i bought the beginnings of a loyd restoration last night so i've had a fair crack at the whip so far and maybe a week on the raz in belgium is pushing it but i'm not saying it won't happen just that it's unlikely.

eddy

[Ron Pier]

UMMM! Eddy. Too much armour or too much loving. It's Holland. Ron

[RichardT10829]

spoke to my pall says its ok no probs they bring heavy steel tracked plant over all the time, failing that he will pop it onto a tray and load it in for me...... So marc i may take you up on that offer buddy. Mind we are months and months away from that date so will ask you again closer to the time like.

Eddy can i marry you ? saves me buying the same stuff you have hahahahaha.

Richie

[eddy8men]

easy tiger ! i always thought you geordie lads preferred sheep.

eddy

[RichardT10829]

nah thats the welsh us Barbarians of the north just take what women we want......then burn yer village to the ground

[Marc van Aalderen]

Originally Posted by RichardT10829

So marc i may take you up on that offer buddy. Mind we are months and months away from that date so will ask you again closer to the time like. Richie

No worries, mate. The offer stands.

I heard the Welsh invented the condom made of sheep gut. Later it was perfected by taking the gut out of the sheep.....

(just a joke, not trying to offend any Welsh members if we have any)

Cheers,

[Marc van Aalderen]

Hi Shaun,

Is there any progress in the planning or is everything on low speed with your new Carrier resto in progress?

Cheers,

[shaun]

things are moving on with the planning, i am looking at transport for the armour, at the moment , the current list is 4 carriers 2 daimler Armoured cars a couple of Dingos and some soft skins. but all will change, i will know more very soon. thanks for keeping me on my toes.

[Hendrik van Oorspronk]

Hello, do you already know where your campsite is? We always stay at the ABWO camp, but with the carrier it would be great to go with all the carriers to one camp.

Greetz

Hendrik

[shaun]

The campsite we are going to stay at is the Builderburg one near the sports center. we have been there twice and we like it.

[Marc van Aalderen]

Shaun,

That is quite a convoy!

Please take note that Camping Bilderberg is now called "Aan Veluwe". Here is the link:http://www.aanveluwe.nl/

This campsite is quite expensive and also used by ABWO. If you book through them you save a bundle. The normal rate is € 23 a night for a pitch. If you book through ABWO you pay something like € 60 for the week and get a meal as well. I can check for you if you want. Just let me know.

Cheers,