Street life

[Tony Griffiths]

Bob, 'VistScotland" (the Scottish Tourist Board) announced a suggested route around the top of Scotland - perhaps it was the "North Coast 500". Within a couple of days, a Police spokesman was on the news reporting a crackdown on tourists using the route. Needless to say, it was then crossed off our list of things we might do.

[Edgar Lowe]

THe Istanbul Restaurant was at 12 Frith Street.
This pic is looking south from the Square end down to Shaftesbury Avenue.
Ronnie Scott's is down the street on the right, opposite Bar Italia.

Hi Henri
Have you got a modern picture of 12 Frith Street? 
What number was Fava restaurant? The one next to Istanbul restaurant.

[Henry Harris]

Fava, The Istanbul Restaurant and the property to the left were all number 12. The building is long gone. 
The recent replacement building is now 'Chotto Matte' a Japanese restaurant.
Number 14, J.M.Freemar is nowadays 'Garlic and Shots'.
Only the ground floor remains.

---

Fava, The Istanbul Restaurant and the property to the left were all number 12. The building is long gone. 
The recent replacement building is now 'Chotto Matte' a Japanese restaurant.
Number 14, J.M.Freemar is nowadays 'Garlic and Shots'.
Only the ground floor remains.

   

[Ian Dunford]

Tony.
Jen and I first drove what is now sadly known as the North Coast 500 in 1961.
We have driven the same route with many variation and diversions at least a dozen times since.
The last time-was 4 years ago in our Chummy. We have also used the Top Hat and the Pearl.All these are excellent cars to use on single track roads.
We have never spent less than a fortnight on it,and I am sure that it is probably the most beautiful route we have ever driven of the many others over the years.
It is truly exquisite. 
Imbeciles are now boasting of "doing it," in two days,or fewer.
Don't give up your ambition yet,hopefully they will lose interest in ruining Caithness  Sutherland  and Ross & Cromarty,once they can fly back to Benidorm again.

[john williams]

My RL saloon, UN4676 built January 1931, first registered 31st March 1931, Colwyn Bay.  So this car must be 1930. Which model? the rear wings are not at all like mine.

[Howard Wright]

My RL saloon, UN4676 built January 1931, first registered 31st March 1931, Colwyn Bay.  So this car must be 1930. Which model? the rear wings are not at all like mine.

Hi John

I think it is an RK, however the right hand rear wing has been modified/repaired. The remaining three wings are identical to my March 31 car.

Cheers

Howard

[sparkeysprite]

You're right about the North Coast 500.  I've been going up there for years both on Motorcycles and on family holidays but since someone had the idea of giving it a name and people are deciding to "do the NC500" it's gone downhill.  The worst offenders are car clubs that insist on keeping together for some reason - a large proportion of the roads are single track with passing places so when a long line of cars stick  together and then meet a bus or group of cars coming the other way everything grinds to a halt as there's no way to pass.  Locals and those used to travelling on these roads know not to clump up into groups of traffic for this reason..  Even more surprising/annoying is that often these groups are supercars totally unsuited to those roads - I can't see any pleasure on roads like those in a 200mph Lamborghini or Ferrari.  An Austin 7 would be perfect !

[Bob Culver]

We get the occassional supercars here and I have encountered them on winding roads with short sight lines. The cars are absurdly impractical in a country with a strictly enforced 100 kph limit. Hard to get into, no luggage space, bumpy ride, road level outlook, never challenging except to park. One of our media personalities drives one through city roads a couple of miles to work. It would be more convenient and attract just as much of the sought after attention in a Seven.
The Internet has ruined once pleasant places. It took effort and a map to hunt out obscure and interesting spots. About 20 miles west of Auckland on a narrow unsealed road, the last seveal miles free of houses, is quite a wild coastal spot and harbour entrance which only the keenest of locals sought out. Most Aucklanders have only been there once or twice, or never . I encountered a couple of young German girls off the plane that morning on their way directly there in a campervan.