Where to start..... oh yer, we didn't make it to Brighton Breeze as the engine seized 10 miles outside on the A23! All was going well until we heard the sound of grinding/knocking metal so dipped the clutch and engine died, free wheeled onto the very generous 2ft hard shoulder in the pitch black on a very busy dual carriage way and the next thing a VW Sirocco came steaming passed and pulled up in front of us to lend a help in hand. We surveyed the grass verge and with the help of the 2 lads in the Sirocco pushed the van off the main road!
Firstly I need to thank them for the help as without them my van or my family might not see the funny side of things now as we would of surely been hit by the traffic on the dark road and left exposed on the A23. Don't know who they were but if anyone knows them then please send my gratitude to them for helping us out! Thank you!
Lets get back to it as it gets better, so with no engine we ring the recovery who eventually says we will be their within the hour but it could be 2 :shock: Made the call at 8 pm and they turn up at 10pm so we were stranded on the grass verge sat under blankets on the bank trying to keep warm with the wife and 2 kids plus 11 week old puppy! Loads of fun let me say!
Firstly he couldn't find us and then says cant recover you as need the Police to close the road oh and we don't carry dogs by which time the wife had had enough and said, OH YES YOU DO!
So waited another 15mins for the police to find us and close one lane of so we could get recovered. Again thanks to the recovery and police as working on main roads in pitch black is no fun, even with the tow trucks flood lights on and big flashing yellow lights plus the coppers Blue lights on people were still nearly hitting into the cop car!
Eventually got loaded up and on our way and arrived home at around 1am!
Pics from the night!
On the grass verge not far away at all form the road
With Coppers behind us
Being loaded
Getting Supplies for the driver
And arriving home
Next instalment.... The diagnosis