McJim

Cheers Michael. Amazed that anyone actually read my post on here. Much more of a response on Facebook - the main reason I don't visit this website now. Jim.

It is with great regret that Katy and I have to withdraw from this year's Border Raiders. The crankshaft on the Spitfire is shot and away for repair but due to holidays at the machine shop and the garage putting it back together, the car won't be ready in time. Looks like whoever built the engine left swarf that has damaged No. 3 & 4 big end bearings and damaged the crank. I should have sorted this earlier but family committments came first. Still, there's always next year.   Jim.

https://www.transport.gov.scot/news/a82a85-average-speed-cameras-to-be-introduced/?fbclid=IwAR1rzSKunciIdJGcYwuzmss4OtQ9YCHVTW8dnhwXyCPiZ08J3zwUeqw2emY

Gutted to have to retire halfway round but here's my twopenny worth. Move the start/finish to somewhere northwest of London and the M25 to improve access.  Not easy, I know, but it may solve some the traffic problems. Reduce the 2 hour stop at John O'Groats - there's not much to do up there especially if it's blowing a gale. This would allow longer rest stops further south particularly at Monmouth North Services and Okehampton, where they are really needed. A replacement for Stirling is required but I'm afraid we can all probably wave goodbye to all the free scotch pies. One possible location is the Green Welly at Tyndrum on the A82.  It has a petrol station, huge car park and a restaurant and could cope with RBRR numbers. Downside is that it's further north than Stirling and would remove the option for late runners to take a shortcut down the A9. Around Stirling and further south there's not much available as it's getting dark by that time and most businesses have closed by then, leaving only the dreary, overpriced motorway service areas. Although there is a truck stop at Lesmahagow on the M74 that could be a contender. Make Land's End a passage control and use somewhere like the Brewers Fayre at Hayle, beside the A30, for a breakfast stop afterwards.  They are open at that time and have enough car parking in the vicinity to cope. Drop Badgers Holt.  It's too out of the way of the route now, just like the TR Register's offices became and it slows up the return to the finish for tired crews. Perhaps a coastal run round the A39 and Porlock would be more attractive? The original premise of the event was for the run to be completed in 48 hours but being tied into breakfast opening times and delays at Land's End and the slow meander over Dartmoor prevents this. Alternatively, you could start and finish the event 1 hour later but that would make both take place in the dark, so probably not an attractive proposition. One earlier suggestion of a free route after Pimperne is probably worth considering.  Most folk have access to decent sat nav systems or apps that show congested traffic and could inject a bit of self navigation into the equation if crews didn't want to follow the recommended route. It seems that most folk were doing this anyway, so allowing it from as far back as Pimperne allows crews to take responsibility for any delays they encounter.   I loved doing the RBRR, what I did of it, and don't think that there is much wrong with it. Just tinkering around the edges should keep folk coming back in the years to come and keep the event fresh.   Jim.  

Thanks guys. It currently looks like the big end bearings are on their way out. May require a new crank as well. Probably going to leave it to next spring before I start engine repairs as I've a lot on at the moment.   Jim.

Anyone have any good recommendations for a supplier of a reconditioned 1500 engine for a Spitfire? Mine became a bit poorly on the RBRR. My current engine will probably not be fit to be reconditioned.

For those of you not on Facebook, here's a link to a 2018 RBRR video. No doubt one of many videos of this year's event. Hope you like 80's music. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Egk9reJVAhE Enjoy. Jim.

Nothing to do with current state of the forum then?

I'm already bloody wearing them!   Jim.

Minilites and tyres already ordered and on their way.   A few other bits and bobs winging their way to the Peoples Republic of Lambrini too.   Jim.   PS  Just noticed that you can change the font size on your text.   Why not make the text size to 12 as a default and save our straining eyesight?

Going to change the horrible looking 13" alloys on my new Spitfire. Am thinking of fitting 14" Minilites as it's easier to get replacement tyres and they fill the wheelarches a bit better and fit 65 profile tyres. One thing troubling me is if they will foul the wheelarches without some bodywork alterations? Jim.

Copied from the magazine: "Well it looks like the RBRR will have a lot of new controls this time. It looks likely that the following 2016 controls will not be used: Blyth, Kinross, Stirling (?), Sugar Loaf and Weston Zoyland." No pies at Stirling this time? Also, I don't know how bad Kinross Services were in 2016 but from my visits to Knockhill, Kinross must have been truly dreadful to be replaced by Knockhill - a bleak portacabin building well off the route.  Another Weston Zoyland? Jim.

Just make sure that you use three digits for you numbers i.e.  010, 020, 030, 040, 050, 060, 070, 080, 090, 100, 110, 120 and so on. If you only use two digits, your satnav will sort them out and list them like this: 00  Start 01  Wetherby 10  Raglan 11  Okehampton 12  Lands End 13  Bude 14  Badgers Holt 15  Pimperne 16  Quainton 17  Finish 02  Carter Bar 03  Knockhill 04  Skiach 05  John O'Groats 06  Skiach 07  Stirling 08  Tebay 09  Gledrid The route will, therefore, be out of order and you'll be scratching your sleep deprived head wondering where all your meticulously planned points have gone to on your satnav. Been there, done that and had to start all over again. Yes, it is a bit anal, but if you want it to work in the middle of the night, using three digits before the point of interest/control, then this is the best way to do it. Jim.

There is an easier way to use a satnav for the route to find your way around if you're not technically gifted or use a satnav on a regular basis. Using your favourites or my places on your satnav: Set the start as 000 Knebworth. Supposing the first control was at Wetherby: Set your next point as 010 Wetherby. Now you have to be a bit cute to set the next control at Carter Bar as your satnav will take you through Newcastle if you plot Carter Bar as your next point, so: Set your next point as Tow Law, on the A68  015 Tow Law. Now set the next control as 020 Carter Bar. This will ensure that you take the correct route. If you set each control as 010, 020, 030 etc. and insert points on the satnav to ensure you take the correct route or refuelling stops or driver change points as a number between the relevant control points  such as:   120  Knockhill Control 123  Perth Refuel 125  Perth bypass 127  Dunkeld Driver Change 130  Skiath Control Then you get the rough idea. It's a simple system that's easy to use. All you have to remember is to plot your route to the next point each time you've passed a point on the satnav route. But, I would recommend, that you check out that the correct route is taken on the satnav long before you arrive at Knebworth. Make sure your plotted route takes you the same route as in the RBRR Roadbook. I've used this system before and it's easy to use during the event and easy to adjust if you get last minute information that a section of motorway, for example, is closed. But, I repeat, check that your plotted route doesn't take you off route, or worse, avoids a control where you need a signature. Jim.

Not at all Colin. Tyre allows you to put up to 225 POI's into a route - I probably used about 40 for the RBRR route. The good thing about it is that it's free to download the basic version which is all you really need. http://www.tyretotravel.com/download-tyre/ The professional versions aren't much more expensive than an app on your phone. I was just starting to find my way around the software last night but it seemed straightforward to use. And no, before you ask, I'm not on commission.   Jim.

Faffed about with Tyre and successfully managed to load a RBRR route onto a relatively new Tomtom Via 52. So it can be done. Didn't need to use the software editor - just downloaded the free Tyre software. Jim.

Found this on a Tomtom forum but not tried it yet. https://en.discussions.tomtom......omtom-devices-974714 Jim. Maybe useful a kind of remote Itinerary planning on your PC Download the Free Tyre to Travel..... http://www.tyretotravel.com/download-tyre/ With the latest Free version of Tyre you can compile a route on your PC, and convert it a ".Ov2 POI file, Inside the .Ov2 POI file will be your POI's Tyre To Travel uses the large screen on your PC to view the maps, it easier than to scrolling around the screen of your Tomtom GO to find your waypoints (Stops) If you use some naming system like like the suggestions below, when you load them on to your Tomtom they should end up in Numerical order at the top of the MyPlaces list. (1)..While you are planning your route in Tyre, edit the names of your POI's so they each POI has a unique name (Say "01stop", "02stop", "03stop" etc ... then the last on as "##End" the ## being the last Stop number) I just add the 01stop "02stop", "03stop" etc. as a prefix to the Name offered by Tyre (2)..... After you have planned your route using Tyre and you are happy with the result go to the 'File Menu' in Tyre click on 'Convert to a Tomtom POI file at the popup window answer 'Yes' (3)..... From the File Menu in Tyre click on 'Save as" I saved my file to the Desktop as "Favorites (Note "Favorites.ov2" is the only filename the New GO range will accept for uploading) Note: Saving a file is the only way I have found to give the file the name you want rather than the default name Its also handy to have a backup of the route on your PC (4)….. Loading POI (Favorites) List into your Tomtom using the free version of Softops POI editor Download Softop POI editor….. >>>Click here<<< To a folder on your desktop; open the folder and un-zip the file. (4.1)..... >>>“IMPORTANT”<<< If Tomtom’s “MyDrive” is not already running Start-up My Dive there’s no need to login but Tomtom MyDrive must be running on the taskbar Tomtom changed something a couple of updates ago and now Softop POI editor needs MyDive running in the background to work (5)...Run the TomPoiEdrEn.exe file; you should now have the SoftTop POI editor running. Connect you Tomtom to your PC USB port and turn it on. Drag 'n' drop the Favorites.ov2 file you created with Tyre into the POI editor and remove any Telephone numbers or Memo notes (The new GO Doesn't like Telephone numbers or Memo notes) If necessary How to remove Phone Numbers and Memos Click on a loaded POI > then press CTRL/A keys on your PC to select all the loaded POIs Click on the "POI Tab" in Softops POI editor > Click "Clear Columns Tab" or press the CTRL/L keys on your PC > Tick Tel/Speed and Memo/Camera/Icon boxes > Click OK From the File Tab in Softops POI editor click on 'Save as" I saved my file to the Desktop as "Favorites say yes to overwrite the file if you had to remove any Telephone numbers or Memo notes. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ (6).....Click on the Save to Device Icon (The up arrow Icon) in Softops POI editor Ignore the Max files warning Ignore the cannot write the files error warning After you have disconnected the device, and depending how many POI's you have loaded It may take quite a while for the GO to compile the POI's, and for them to appear on the screen in MyPlaces Option (A) It’s not an Itinerary as such it’s a ordered list at the top of MyPlaces, you can now just work down the list in the correct order, navigating from POI to POI with your Tomtom planning the route in between. Option (B) On the new GO series you could setup a route on your device by using the stops in sequential order, then add the waypoints (Stops) to your Itinerary Note ..... Use the end point first Tap 4Dot Icon > Tap MyPlaces Tap 06End > Tap Blue Steering Wheel Icon (Use the end point first when you plan your route) Tap 4Dot Icon > Tap MyPlaces >Tap 01Stop > Tap Add to Current Route Tap 4Dot Icon > Tap MyPlaces >Tap 02Stop > Tap Add to Current Route Tap 4Dot Icon > Tap MyPlaces >Tap 03Stop > Tap Add to Current Route Tap 4Dot Icon > Tap MyPlaces >Tap 04Stop > Tap Add to Current Route Tap 4Dot Icon > Tap MyPlaces >Tap 05Stop > Tap Add to Current Route For a longer list continue until to reach the end of the list To save your route..... Tap 4Dot Icon > Tap Current Route > Tap Add to MyRoutes Note: I think the development SoftTop POI editor has stopped as you can no longer access Google Earth or Maps from within the program and the author does not reply to Email The small print All the usual disclaimers apply; you use the above method completely at your discretion and at your own risk

Well that's the marshals sorted out, Tim. Just trying to be helpful. Jim.

Raglan looks nice. https://www.facebook.com/EGmonmouthnorth/ https://www.google.co.uk/maps/.....Y&activetab=main https://www.google.co.uk/maps/.....p;activetab=panorama Jim.

You'll need to collect tokens along the route to enter the magic kingdom of Dalriada. (Look it up)

There's no great problem at Ferrybridge. The motorway interchange is well signposted. I've used it twice for refuelling on previous runs. However, Wetherby is a relatively new motorway service area and much bigger than Blyth. Plus, it has the advantage of being further away from the start, thus stringing out the cars so that they don't all arrive in such a narrow time window. The only realistic alternative after that is Scotch Corner but now you're getting closer to the next control at Carter Bar. Or you could stir things up and have a staggered start with all the small engined and oldest cars leaving the start one hour before the rest of the field. Jim.

"Controls – Blyth will not be used as it was too busy and not large enough to cope. Lloyd Reed has been instrumental in securing the use of Knock Hill race circuit which will replace Kinross. Sugar loaf will not be used. Raglan services on the A40 is under consideration. Westonzoyland will not be used. Approaches are being made to Quanton Railway centre at Aylesbury in order to remove the M25 from this part of the route. " Copied from the Secretary's Notes. What will replace Blyth?  Ferrybridge or Wetherby? If we approach Knockhill from the motorway, will we leave to the north-west towards Powmill - a cracking drivers road. Will we miss out Llandovery and take the shorter route from Builth Wells to Abergavenny?  That would make up for the extra time getting to and from Knockhill. Will miss the M25. Don't get much chance to drive on gridlocked roads up here in the wide open expanses of God's own country. Jim.

Richard, I checked the new site after I'd entered my new e-mail address on the old site and it had migrated my new address successfully. Only found out after I'd found the settings button you suggested. Thanks. Jim.

Just changed from my Hotmail account to my Gmail account on the Membership tab on the old site but not sure if this will be picked up on the new site or for my RBRR entry. Never received a confirmation e-mail to my Hotmail account but since the money left my bank account, I assumed everything was in order. Can't see how to change details like my e-mail address on the new site yet either. Jim.

pm (private message) Keith for assistance. You're not the first to have this problem. Jim.