In Hartlepool, I discovered that the Grand Hotel did indeed still retain some grandness...

I understand that the franchisee has to maintain the listed plasterwork - that might lead to much sucking of teeth at intervals.

The everyday dining room's decor was less complicated. This view, looking from the breakwater on The Headland back towards the docks (where I was) in West Hartlepool, adorned one end of the room and....

.... on the opposite wall, this study, challenged momentary derivatives as spatial forms and explored the conflict between emergent synergies and unrealities, reconfiguring our view of Jungian archetypes and multimedia experiences whilst at the same time saving the artist the inconvenience of disposing of left-over paint.

A small diversion on our return from Hartlepool took us to Gainsborough where I was able to pick up the Morris 6 bell-housing that had been engineered to fit the Ford T9 gearbox. It all bolted together perfectly. All that remains is to have the input shaft changed for the longer type, so the splines engage completely with the clutch plate.

A summons with Counsel to The Great Collector saw the removal of both fabric couplings from his 1920s Star tourer. There was evidence of previous bodging - as is often the case - and while we were there...

... a squeaky fan spindle was investigated. Fortunately, the spindle holder was easy to remove as the casting was so shaped that loosening the two retaining bolts allowed the complete assembly to be lifted off without the radiator being disturbed. An oiler was situated behind the aluminium bowl which should have provided the necessary lubrication, but it didn't. It was a strange set-up inside; the shaft had two flats machined on its circumference which appeared to serve no purpose. A spring - a heavier version of a Biro spring - emerged from a drilling in line with the cavity in the bowl - again serving no obvious purpose. The shaft ran in two steel sleeves with grooves machined for the passage of oil. I couldn't work out what was going on, so I drilled and tapped the casing for a grease nipple, packed the assembly with grease and now it's quite as a mouse.

And still on the subject of fans, we removed the spindle assembly from the Rolls 20/25. What a palaver - and typically Rolls Royce! After removing the tensioner nut and the fan belt, it looked like only three nuts to go and we'd be home and dry, but we didn't account for the lower stud being over long which prevented the whole shebang from being drawn off without disturbing the radiator. So, our only other option was to remove the fan from the spindle. That's held on by a dozen small nuts and machine screws - completely over-engineered, but nevertheless a work of art. It's going to be a right fiddle getting it back on. We'll drop the tiny nuts and washers on the floor and struggle with the right-angled screwdriver in the small dark space between the radiator and the block. Coupled with my glasses not being quite the right focal length to get a clear view, it should be fun.

It's better than not being busy.