Page 47 - IT'S A RUM LIFE BOOK FOUR Volume 1 "Northcote 1984 to 1998"

We were very kindly pushed onto the ferry and told to stay at the back so not to obstruct
other vehicles that could go on ahead.

On arriving in the UK, a push start from the ferry staff after the deck had been cleared of
all other vehicles got us going once again, but for how long.

We soon found out, passport control was cleared and we rounded the corner to enter
customs and the motor stopped dead once more.

The UK customs officials were very surprised to see a client on foot and rather annoyed as
I was not supposed to be there, except in a vehicle.
I explained about the vehicle and the senior officer, a lady with lots of stripes on her
uniform, duly appointed one of her cohorts to accompany me into the main customs hall to
use the telephone and summon aid.

I was closely supervised during the whole of this adventure as it was explained that I was
not yet officially in the UK but in ‘no man’s land’.

Back at the car, Ruth had been looked after once again and was warming herself around
the stove in the customs officers' staff room.

An auto electrical firm from Dover were obviously used to these kind of antics and arrived
very quickly. It took the engineer ten minutes to replace the alternator for which he charged
£40, a very fair price.
“You can go straight away,” he said “the new alternator will have that battery full charged in
a matter of minutes.”
And it did!
MGB Engine bay, site of new alternator!