FCF AA BOX Challenge 2019-Just Jersey left!

[CitroJim]

Excellent detective work Neil

Well done!

[NewcastleFalcon]

Excellent detective work Neil

Well done!

Thanks Jim, just a nice short flight.for G-AAAA from Edgeware Aerodrome

Regards Neil

[bobins]

I don't make much to the AAs service back in the day though. The patrolman was phoning through an order for a hot cup of beef tea as there was snow everywhere and his tappets were frozen, by the time they airdropped his Thermos flask, the snow had melted

[NewcastleFalcon]

Seems ludicrously over the top for the AA to be running an Aviation Department in the early 1930's, and what messages would be of such vital importance to warrant an aircraft, fuel, and pilot to drop a message to an isolated box on a sparsely used highway! Maybe a thermos of beef tea is not so far off the mark .

Nearly resorted to conventional methods to solve the little puzzle of the location of the Air Drop Picture, but the internet came good largely by chance at the finish.

By conventional methods I mean....books! The book the pic is from is this if my info is correct...

This Motoring-Being the Romantic Story of the Automobile Association (1931) by Stenson Cooke

Loads of availability at only £2.80...I think I could extract £2.80's worth of entertainment from it



AA Handbooks for the late 20's early 30's period are available and if you are not bothered about a pristine copy around £10-£20 should get you one.



Regards Neil

[NewcastleFalcon]

One of the 11, left is this

472 Cambus o’ May, Aberdeenshire: on A93 (Aberdeen-Braemar) near junction with Strathdon A97

There is plenty of info on that box here http://box472.weebly.com/472-re-born.html

Quite a gem

[CitroJim]

Looks in lovely nick too

[NewcastleFalcon]

While we wait for the next box of the 11 remaining to fall, one of the largest collections of AA Box images I have found so far is Automobile Association Boxes Only on Flikr

Of particular interest were the images put up by Ethelredthepetrolhead consisting of Rover P6 V8's photographed alongside many of the 19 AA roadside boxes.

You may also recognise one of the pics of box 553 from the whatsthisthen? thread...

Regards Neil

PS...one other link which i found, and then couldn't remember how I had come across it, contains some excellent photographs especially on the photobucket site link shown on this page Photographic History of the Automobile Association by David&Joy.

[red_dwarfers]

I think I have just found an elusive photograph of the Halcon Corner junction in Taunton before the M5 was built...and look...there's a familiar construction on the right hand side, its box 138!!!



I'll take a photo of what it looks like now in the next few days.

There are a few interesting photographs and stories of the A38 and A30 on this website http://holidayroads.webs.com/

[CitroJim]

Love that picture and the pre-Worboys signage kev

The direction sign includes my old home town

[red_dwarfers]

Love that picture and the pre-Worboys signage kev

The direction sign includes my old home town

Didn't think you were going to let on you were actually from Bridgwater

[CitroJim]

Love that picture and the pre-Worboys signage kev

The direction sign includes my old home town

Didn't think you were going to let on you were actually from Bridgwater

That’s fighting talk Kev!!!!

[NewcastleFalcon]

There are a few interesting photographs and stories of the A38 and A30 on this website http://holidayroads.webs.com/

Excellent find Kev something interesting on every image. Now Milton Keynes is legendary for its concrete cows, but I do like the concrete elephant in this pic by the side of the A30 in 1964 (edit-I thought that street scene looked too modern for 1964-reread caption....the elephant was erected by the side of the A30 in 1964..that is a more modern picture so it probably is still there!.....I hope its still there



Regards Neil

[CitroJim]

Now that's different!

Oh yes, our concrete cows They even appear on the Milton Keynes Marathon medals... Speaking of which I'm planning to do the MK half-marathon next year...

[NewcastleFalcon]

Do you think the Pickled Egg should invest in some of these attractive coasters to amuse the punters?



Of course I couldn't resist it..I had to answer the question where is the concrete elephant?

Any FCF members familiar with it first hand so to speak without looking it up?

Regards Neil

[Hell Razor5543]

That pipe Elephant is still there.