Page 75 - It's a Rum Life Book One "In the Beginning 1947 to 1960"
P. 75
LOADING
One of the main selling points of the “Dauphine” was their
economy; quite capable of 50 mpg, I could make my £1 weekly
fuel allocation from my £5 per week wages, last the whole week.
(In 1964 “Jet” petrol was 5 gallons for £1)
Time was marching on and we had to decide how to
transport the team to Frieston, about 5 miles out of town.
First of all the kit, boots and duffle bags went into the boot
at the front!
Then we began layering the boys in the back seat, some on
the floor, some sprawled with others on top. We had a blanket,
(a carry- over from driving older, colder cars) and this came in
useful later to cover our load as we passed a row of Police
houses down Eastwood Road.
They were not all in yet though and there was Ruth and
myself, the driver. I think we had two in the front with us and
there must have been 9 or 10 in the rear.
They were in and out so much trying to find the most
comfortable formula; cubs coming in all shapes and sizes, it is
difficult to remember exactly how many we carried.
I vividly remember though, having to send some “supporter”
cubs home, as at one stage we closed the doors to see how we
could manage only to find the wheels would not go round!
The suspension was nice and soft; so soft that the whole car
body squashed down onto the wheels at the rear. I think we had
to take two or three boys out before we could actually set off.
AN UNLOADING SPECTACLE
Needless to say the team lost this match as well. Well
muddied but happy at actually being able to go and play, the
boys were content. The return journey was uneventful until we
parked the car in front of the Midland Bank and White Hart
Hotel on the town bridge. Most of the boys lived in the western
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