What's The Worst Place That You've Ever Broken Down In Your Car/Vehicle? Share Your Breakdown Tales

[carosio]

I drove the van version after I had passed my test. You might be aware that there was a limited edition, the Minor 1,000,000 to celebrate its millionth production and was in Lilac. One was usually parked on Carr Rd S6, the owner won it in a competition by The Star newspaper.

[spilldig]

When a double decker bus I was driving seized up on the tram tracks,  jamming the trams and stopping half the city moving for about three hours.

[Runningman]

Going over the Gothard pass between Switzerland and Italy in 1968.

The gear box failed and we had it repaired in a garage at Airolo.

Spent 2 days camped on the hillside above Airolo

Washed off in stream close by

Eventually got to Rimini

[carosio]

14 minutes ago, Runningman said:

Going over the Gothard pass between Switzerland and Italy in 1968.

The gear box failed and we had it repaired in a garage at Airolo.

Spent 2 days camped on the hillside above Airolo

Washed off in stream close by

Eventually got to Rimini

What model car was it?

[Runningman]

1 hour ago, carosio said:

What model car was it?

Ford Cortina hired from Benhaven at the bottom of Thirlwell Road at Heeley.

A long story attached to this which finished in the County Court costing me and 3 other lads a lot of cash !

[echo beach]

1 hour ago, Runningman said:

Going over the Gothard pass between Switzerland and Italy in 1968.

The gear box failed and we had it repaired in a garage at Airolo.

Spent 2 days camped on the hillside above Airolo

Washed off in stream close by

Eventually got to Rimini

Same experience Runningman with a broken gearbox in 1957. Motoring along the French Riviera in Dad’s Ford Zephyr Zodiac, with a load of camping gear on top, we had just crossed over into Italy and reached Diano Marina when the column changing box failed. Spent a week camping on the beach until the local garage sourced parts and repaired it. What’s more I had colic and the very smell of food made me feel sick. A local doctor prescribed what looked like horse tablets for me to take.

About turn on our route and we reached Lyon when the box failed again. Spent all the cash and travellers cheques (remember them?) and so we ended up penniless knocking on the door of the British Consulate. They arranged for us and the car to be repatriated on a train which took us to Boulogne and Dad left the car to be repaired at the Martin Walters’ Garage in Dover. We eventually got home to Sheffield by train via London.

Met John Mills and his family including a young Haley on the train from Lyon. In Boulogne his Rolls Royce was driven off the car transporter, our Ford was pushed.

After repair it was traded in for a new Wolseley 1500.

 

echo.

[echo beach]

1 hour ago, Runningman said:

Going over the Gothard pass between Switzerland and Italy in 1968.

The gear box failed and we had it repaired in a garage at Airolo.

Spent 2 days camped on the hillside above Airolo

Washed off in stream close by

Eventually got to Rimini

Incidentally we subsequently went over the St Gotthard and Susten passes  and always found the engine spluttered due to the altitude. Always managed, however, to keep going!

In ‘62 I travelled to Rimini with a mate but that was by train overnight. Made the mistake of not booking a sleeping berth or couchette I think they were called.😃

 

echo.