Reinhold's Musings: A New Car for Summer...

I have been told that this is not typical for England: weeks and weeks of sunshine and picture-postcard blue sky. But here I am, this is my first year here, and the only year I have been here so far, so I have no comparisons to make, except to the reputation and tales of endless rain and fog. So I take it now for granted that in England the sun is always shining. So why I am still driving around in my closed Ford Granada, even without an A/C ?

When going out on weekend trips, I seem to see more convertible cars here than in hot Southern California... but the guys are quite "rough and tough" here. In February, shortly after a rain storm, a bit of a sun ray came out, and immediately I saw on the motorway M62 cars with their top down, the drivers wearing a protective cap and driving through the chilly air. Yes, open air and outdoors are very important for people here.

So last week I decided that it is time to join them. I checked the autrotrader web site, and entered the keywords "convertible" and "automatic" (yes, I am not going to bother with that switching gears and releasing clutch anymore - I want to have my arm dangling out of the window, and just press down on one pedal - I guess I am getting just old...). Set an upper price limit of £4000. About 40 cars showed up in the list. For £3995 I could choose between a 2002 Smart Car and a 1986 Jaguar JXE with 12 cylinders - what a span of choices! Of course, my brain wanted the Smart, while my heart wanted the Jaguar - so I said no to both of them. And instead looked at the very bottom of the list (sorted by price), where the very cheapest car was: a 1991 Suzuki Vitara for £985. Now this would be more affordable right now, and also the dealer was not from South London but within an hour drive from here. So I drove up to them near Teeside, took a test ride, and decided that this would be a reasonable car for me.

So on Saturday I got a train ticket from Leeds to Thornaby, to pick up the car. When the train came to the platform, I immediately got in, without much thinking. I was a bit surprised that it left even before the scheduled time - then I realised that it was the wrong train... oh man, am I an idiot! The overall direction was right, the platform was right too, but the real train would have arrived a few minutes later... Well, so I get out at the first station (Selby), and take the next train back. Fortunately the trains are so frequent here... even on a weekend it is no problem getting around. Well, at least one rare and unforeseen opportunity to visit the train station of Selby - nicely renovated. I shall come here again sometime.

Train station of Selby.

After being back in Leeds, I take the right train this time - so I am just one hour late for my car activities.

From bridge within train station of Leeds, view towards west.

As I arrive in Thornaby, it begins to rain. I do the formalities in the post office (car registration in the UK is done at post offices), then a real strong rain storm falls down. Is that why I bought a car with open roof?

Ok, so the first few miles I drive back with the roof up. Just out of curiosity I visit the harbor of Hartlepool.

The historic quai of Hartlepool, north of Teeside.

If I had more time, I would look for the remnants of the historic Stockton-Darlington railway, the first purpose-built passenger railway in the world from 1825. But instead I head back south towards the northern edge of the North York Moor. Wonderful lonely landscape, as usual. And the sun comes out, so I can finally enjoy the warm air without the roof!