Phantom fault

nowhereman

Guest
After spending a night wilding near some ancient cup and ring marks on a moor near Wooler we decided to set of to leave at around midday. Turned the engine over to start up and what a noise it made. Very nasty expensive sounding noise that I would not expect from a low milage Merc. Hard to explain the noise but it was a mixture of metalic clunking and a few electrical hisses and relay clicks thrown in for good measure. Tried again same thing happened, fired up ok but made one hell of a racket. Now im thinking it is definetly something expensive and stop the engine. Decide to phone the AA but we are up a dead end single lane road in the middle of nowhere and both mobiles have no reception. Had to walk a couple of miles to find nearest house to use the phone. Phoned AA and had to wait 3 hours for them to eventually turn up. The AA guy arrived in a small van, had a listen to the engine and confirmed it could be either turbo or timing chain. Told him we need relayed to a garage and that he would have to get a vehicle big enough to take our van. The AA guy also has no phone reception and has to drive quite a few miles away before he is able organise a big flatbed wagon to take us to a garage. We had to wait another 3 hours for the flatbed to turn up from a garage near Dunbar. Once the flatbed and driver turned up the next problem arose, his hazzard warning lights stopped working but this was not a major problem due to our location but the fact that his winch also stopped working was a big problem. He decided to phone the winch manufacturer directly to find out what could be wrong. He also had no phone reception. Eventually we worked out how to work the winch manually and got the van to just fit on his flatbed. Arrived eventually at a garage near Duns where I had previously bought the van from. By now it was 11pm so we went to bed and waited for the garage to open. I know the guy at the garage quite well and explained about the noises etc. We decided to turn the engine over to get a rough idea what he thought it was.
Engine fired and ran perfectly, could not believe it, the guys even used a stethoscope on the block to listen more intently but nothing was heard. The van was left there for a few hours for further checks........but nothing was heard. Total clean bill of health. By now I was feeling the nipple grow out of my forehead. None of us could come up with an explanation as to what the nasty noises could have been, but I was glad that it did not cost anything and that everything was fine. The van has been fine ever since but I dont think I will be parking up on those moors again.:confused:
 
Thats a strange one, pleased its sorted for you, I walked that area years ago and saw the cup and rings in the rocks, was it a Druid site in years gone by ? nice part of the country up there in Northumberland.

Tom
 
TWS said:
Thats a strange one, pleased its sorted for you, I walked that area years ago and saw the cup and rings in the rocks, was it a Druid site in years gone by ? nice part of the country up there in Northumberland.

Tom
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Hey Tom, not sure about the druid bit, from what ive gathered over the years it seems that no one has a definate idea of reason for them nor who did them or even when they were done. My own theory is possibly viking origin, I say this because we found them in the hills of la palma (canaries) and learned that this island was first settled by blond haired people a long time ago. So I assume they were vikings, and as we had vikings here also, especially Northumberland sort of confirms it for me, but who knows. They are intriguing though.
cheers Ian
 
Possible reason

Were there any UFOS around like the one that did for that wind turbine a few days ago? Joking a part. many years ago after a trip to Scotland and heading for Wooler a "UFO" flew in front of me. It was well wierd and it wasn't until the first Gulf War that I identfied the vehicle, it was a Stealth Bomber, the same as the Americans have. Why would there be a Stealth Bomber be in Northumberland. What about Otterburn army camp? They have bombing ranges up there don't they? The truth is out there, but what is it?
 
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Hi, Ian,were you any where near Chillingham Castle:eek: as you know they get some strange goings on in that ghostly place:rolleyes::p.
Or could it have been some wild animal climbed up into your engine compartment for a warm and then got tangled up in your alternator belt when you started up:confused:,

Or maybe a bat hanging out to dry in your cab heater box:eek::p
 
lenny said:
Hi, Ian,were you any where near Chillingham Castle:eek: as you know they get some strange goings on in that ghostly place:rolleyes::p.
Or could it have been some wild animal climbed up into your engine compartment for a warm and then got tangled up in your alternator belt when you started up:confused:,

Or maybe a bat hanging out to dry in your cab heater box:eek::p
Click to expand...

Wouldnt of minded so much if it was, at least lunch would have been sorted:D
 
Similar thing happen at lower cherrybrook bridge on dartmoor.

Some time around the early 1900's a series of accidents were reported along the stretch of the B3212 road which runs from above Postbridge to Two Bridges. Cyclists said how suddenly the handlebars of their bikes were wrenched out of their hands, forcing the bike into the ditch. Pony and traps were also forced off the road and onto the verge. Drivers of cars and motor coaches were experiencing the same occurrences. In 1921 Dr Helby from Princetown had his motorcycle and side car suddenly forced out of control. His two children were tossed out of the sidecar but sadly the doctor was killed. Not long after this tragic event an Army Officer was injured when his motorcycle was driven off the road, he lived to tell the tale and the one he told was that of muscular, hairy hands clamping over his and forcing the bike into the verge. The Daily Mail soon picked up the story and the ghostly events became headline news. The local authorities sent engineers to investigate and repairs were made to the road.

In the 1920's a woman staying in a caravan parked in the ruins of Powder Mills was woken one night and saw a hairy hand creeping up the window, she made the appropriate sign of the cross and the dismembered limb vanished.

A car was then found upturned in the ditch with its driver dead at the wheel, the cause of the accident was never established. To this present day there are still reports of either spectral hands grabbing the steering wheel or of an evil presence inside the car which in some cases leads to erratic steering.

There is a small car park right next to the bridge at cherrybrook but somehow i think i'll give that one a miss! :eek:
 
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