Hello,

I have been a bit quiet on here lately, because I have had a very busy time at work. This has resulted in a hastily organised business trip to Europe. I am typing this from Bratislava, Slovakia, which is approx 60km from Vienna.

I have managed to squeeze in a few days in London on the way home this weekend. I'm arriving at Heathrow Sat 20th around 1pm and flying home Mon 22nd at 10pm.

On Sunday I am doing some sightseeing with friends, usual bus-tour touristy stuff. This leaves Monday free...

What Mini Parts places should I be visiting which are within London and easy to reach by public transport? New, used, whatever. To a Mini nut it's just too good an opportunity to miss to grab some bits and do some plastic card damage!

Cheers,
Brett.

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Brett Nicholson
Greendale (near Ballan) VIC.
1971 Morris Mini Moke
1966 Austin Mini
1965 Morris Mini Traveller
1973 LR Series 3 88
2007 LR Freelander 2

mini spares Potters Bar.
Its an overground train ride from Kings Cross.
Then it might be easier to get a mini cab to minispares, its about 2-3 minutes drive away or a good 20 minute walk.
heres a rough timetable, about 15 minute journey
http://www.fcc.trainsfares.co.uk/Time_T ... etable.asp
Get a map by looking it up in google.
Other minishops you will probably need a car to get to.

Chop's right,.

The rail line goes right by the back of Mini Spares but to get there you have to go the long way round - approx 1 mile, 19 minute walk according to Google![url]
http://maps.google.com.au/maps?f=d&sadd ... 8&t=h&z=15[/url]
It's only a 15-25 minute train ride from Kings X depending on whether you get the fast or slow train.

Maybe look at Wood & Pickett?? Is very close to the station (but opposite side of London from Mini Spares.
http://maps.google.com.au/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=KT22+7TE&sll=-25.335448,135.745076&sspn=44.616539,67.851563&ie=UTF8&ll=51.297913,-0.334418&spn=0.007688,0.016565&t=h&z=16&g=KT22+7TE

...or Moss Europe maybe? Kind of inbetween the two of them, less than a mile from the nearest station and kind of close to Heathrow (if that's where you're flying in/out from) [url]
http://maps.google.com.au/maps?f=q&hl=e ... 3&t=h&z=13[/url]

Goog heavens, have you been away over a week already?

You could also take a look at London Mini Centre.

They are at 125 Lower Richmond Rd, Putney (about 10 mins walk from Wandsworth station).

Cheers Brett.

Watto.

Thanks, some good ideas, keep 'em coming. Maybe I should invest in a day's car hire. Possibly even pick up one in central London somewhere that I can drop off at Heathrow?

Yes Watto, I have been away over a week already. Apparently my house hasn't quite floated away yet!

It's five degrees today, quite warm for here in winter! No snow yet.

I am enjoying the lifestyle of business class travel, five star hotels and swanning around in Mercs.

The Slovak drivers are crazy, they sit three inches from each other's bumpers, overtake on narrow city streets when there is oncoming traffic and ignore speed limits and pedestrian crossings. They also park anywhere and everywhere, on the footpath, in the middle of intersections, on corners and regularly box each other in.

There is a realy good museum of transport here, with great old eastern european cars such as Tatras, Skodas, Zils and Chaikas. Some of them are prototype models that never made it into production. They also have some WWII relics such as a genuine Schwimmwagen (Amphibious VW)!

I have not seen any Minis in Slovakia (besides BINIs) at all. But I did see one in Vienna yesterday. It was a BRG mid-90's SPi Cooper with Austrian plates. No chance to photograph it, it was screaming through the traffic.

Cheers,

_________________
Brett Nicholson
Greendale (near Ballan) VIC.
1971 Morris Mini Moke
1966 Austin Mini
1965 Morris Mini Traveller
1973 LR Series 3 88
2007 LR Freelander 2

business trip and Slovakia

2 words I never thought I'd see in the same post

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'62 Morris 850 (Marion)
'65 Mini Delux - sleeper 1275/S discs (Ms Plum)
'69 Vanden Plas Princess 1300
'71 Wolseley 1300
'74 Austin 1300 Countryman
'94 XJ6 Sport 3.2
'04 Rover 75 CDTi

Stay off the M25

Otherwise you could spend half your day sitting in traffic.

In fact, unless you are used to driving around Lomndon I would suggest do the sums of train rides, a bit of walking and the ocassional cab fare - versus one day's car hire, insurance and a street directory or sat nav.

Believe me, I reckon I'm pretty good at getting around and reading a map, and I managed to get geographically embarrased (I never get lost) every single day I was on the road in England. It got quite frustrating.

If you only have one day to do a Mini-specialist crawl (sounds like more fun than a pub-crawl) then I strongly suggest you hoof it, use public transport (which is 400% better than Melbourne's archaic system - altghough you need to change trains a fair bit) and taxis.

Don't think of the taxis as being like those in Australia (or most other parts of the world, from what I hear). London cabs are not populated by newly arrived refugees seeking easy employment. A London Cabbie (they deserve the capital letter) has to do years of study of the street system and local sights, to obtain The Knowledge, before they are given their license.

Have fun while you're there.

Cheers,
Watto.

I agree with Watto in that you are bettor off not driving. London can be a bloody nightmare to get around if you aren't familiar with it. Probably is a nightmare even if you are I guess.

And ditto on the M25. We came to a standstill on the M25 at 9pm on a Sunday night!

So long as you are not buying cylinder heads or wheels you should be OK.

Madmorrie

on your sightseeing tour - go to Chislehurst Caves - it'll blow your mind

http://www.chislehurstcaves.co.uk/

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did I tell you that I won a trophy?

Now that looks cool.

If I do get over there, I'm going to Chiselhurst.

By the way, if you do go to Chiselhurst, you will only be around 4miles from Swanley, where GC motors is located. If you want to see a large number of Minis for sale (I was told over 160 when I was there last year), go there.

Also, you could check out Mini Speed in Byfleet, which is also not far from Brooklands (well worth a visit if you have time).

So, with everything everyione has mentioned, you should probably be able to do it all in around 23 hours - that leaves one hour for sleep. Bah, you can always sleep on the plane.

Cheers,
Watto.

Maybe I should cancel my hotel and hire a campervan. That way I can sleep in the breakdown lane of the M25 if it comes to halt. Until the Bobbies wake me up and move me on anyway.

Chislehurst Caves looks very interesting! Hope I can fit it in somehow.

_________________
Brett Nicholson
Greendale (near Ballan) VIC.
1971 Morris Mini Moke
1966 Austin Mini
1965 Morris Mini Traveller
1973 LR Series 3 88
2007 LR Freelander 2

Umm, why else would anyone come to Slovakia?

It's an interesting place but not exactly a popular tourist destination. Actually I quite like it. The people here are much nicer than the Austrians or Germans!

_________________
Brett Nicholson
Greendale (near Ballan) VIC.
1971 Morris Mini Moke
1966 Austin Mini
1965 Morris Mini Traveller
1973 LR Series 3 88
2007 LR Freelander 2

Sorry officer, but I'd like to move. It's just that the traffic hasn't moved for three days now, and I'm sure my wife back in Australia is wondering where I am.

There's not really a lot see at Mini Spares unless you can persuade them to let you have a look around the warehouse - obviously it is a good place to go if wanting to buy parts.

Black cabs are the only taxis allowed to ply for hire in London - they come in an assortment of colours and liveries, as well as black. The Fairway has kept much of the shape of what everybody imagines a London taxi to be but they will be gradually replaced by the newest models, the TX1 and the TX2. These taxis have a more rounded shape and have taken on many improvements to passenger safety and driver comfort. Then there is the Metrocab with a squarish shape.

Other forms of transport in London such as minicabs, limousine and chauffeur services and private hire are not allowed to ply for hire or be hailed in the street - they must be pre booked. Only traditional London Taxis (black cabs) are licensed by the Public Carriage Office to ply for hire in London - it will have a white plate on the boot.

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Pip, pip old boy

So, if you want to hire a black cab, and it turns out to be red, check that it has a white plate on the boot - is that correct?

What colour should the driver be?

Watto.