Day 103

MOT.

Awake before 5am, feeling rough – very very achy legs!.  But it’s MOT day for the bus so I blunder about then head up to the barn and call the garage to check they’re happy for me to give it a run down the Hayle bypass before going to see them, to clear the cobwebs.  No problem.

So I drive carefully out onto the main road first time for 10 months and it feels good – the rebuilt rear suspension actually works!  It glides over bumps which before would have jumped and jolted, and what a pleasure that is.  The engine sounds happy, and the gearbox and replacement rear axle seem to work together nicely – no unpleasant surprises but I can’t really tell what speed I’m getting — the speedo will be wrong as the drive train ratios have changed.

I cruise down to Hayle and put in 20 litres of expensive performance diesel which Si recommends – maybe that’ll help with the emissions – but actually the engine’s not smoking particularly, and I feel quietly confident about that at least.

Back to the testing station and the guys are amused as always by the bus – but they like it really, and appreciate the repaint.  I don’t mention the mechanical improvements, just see what happens.

I sit in the cab and help the guy doing the test; brakes front and back, handbrake, lights, etc – he resets one headlight for me without even mentioning it.  The brakes seem good – no imbalance and no comments.  He raises the bus on the ramp, and I’m still in the cab.  He checks out the rear axle and new handbrake, interested and impressed I think – he’s already checked their performance and says its good to see someone doing good work!  Yes, the bus passes its MOT with no advisories – flying colours in fact.  Nice one!

That’s great news, and a big lift.  I drive off to St Just and have lunch at the Dog &Rabbit, which sadly I can’t taste at all but it looks lovely.  Then head out to Cot Valley and park up – good to see the bus in its proper environment again…

and here’s the view from my mobile bedroom…