FCF AA BOX Challenge 2019-Just Jersey left!

[Peter.N.]

I like the A40 Somerset, I passed my driving test in an A40 van of that ilk, new in 1954.

Peter

[Rp0thejester]

What I surprised about is how small in length and narrow in width the post war cars were. Was that due to metal shortage or just how it was?

[CitroJim]

They were designed to fit the roads Ryan, unlike today where a lot of cars very much don't....

[bobins]

The illustrations they used back in the day always had the occupants a bit smaller than in reality so as to make the cars look bigger. Anyone who's ever been in an A30 or A35 can vouch for the fact that this illustration is bending the truth a little

Baby Austins - Barney Sharratt

[CitroJim]

The illustrations they used back in the day always had the occupants a bit smaller than in reality so as to make the cars look bigger. Anyone who's ever been in an A30 or A35 can vouch for the fact that this illustration is bending the truth a little

Gosh yes, and when you see one for real now it's quite a shock. Ditto the MK1 Mini...

[NewcastleFalcon]

I think we can record two near miss incidents for AA Boxes from the South Coast Saunterers.

The relevant boxes are

137 Porlock, Somerset: on A39 (Dunster-Lynton) at junction with New Road
456 Halfway House, Newton Poppleford, Devon: on A3052 (Exeter-Sidmouth) at junction with B3180

Kev was the original bagger of the Porlock Box

Here we are at the top of the steepest A road in England and with it being Somerset, the pre Worboys sign is still very much in use. Most of the inner town signs are Worboys but I was pleasantly surprised to see a good number in Dulverton (though to be fair its a bit rural and olde worldy!)

and
our Dorset correspondent Peter N was the first to produce an original photo of the halfwayhouse box.

Managed it at last, not very good pictures it was getting dark, took them about 6.00pm

Neil

[Rp0thejester]

Whose the Burke with the Merc?..... only joking...

[Peter.N.]

That was me! I sold it shortly afterwards and bought my first C5 X7, different as chalk and cheese, the Merc was rubbish in comparison, noisy and harsh. The only thing I did like about the Merc was the engine, felt like it would climb a wall!

Peter

[mickthemaverick]

Has this one been claimed before?

Complete with French car!

[CitroJim]

A proper one too. Going by the wheels, a 1.6 GTi The original and best

[Hell Razor5543]

My cousin Aurelia is currently on the Island of Jersey, and has very nicely taken a few photographs for me to post up. I think that, thanks to her, we now have the full set!

[CitroJim]

That's magical James

[Hell Razor5543]

Because of her career Aurelia has a great eye for location photography.

[Peter.N.]

At last!

Peter

[NewcastleFalcon]

The original Challenge was laid down on May 24th 2016 eight years ago as in the spoiler.

Spoiler: show

How many AA Boxes are left in the Country?

Well there are 19, eight of which are grade II listed include this particularly nice one 746, which I reversed back to, got out of the car and took a photo of on our holidays!



Could there be any near you? Do you have a picture in your holiday snaps of an AA box...or is it just me?

Here's the full list
137 Porlock, Somerset: on A39 (Dunster-Lynton) at junction with New Road
161 Nantyffin, Crickhowell, Powys: on A40 (Abergavenny-Brecon) at junction with Talgarth A479
289 Devil’s Bridge, Ceredigion: at junction with A4120 (Devil’s Bridge-Ponterwyd) and Cwmystwyth B4574
372 Mere Corner, Cheshire: on A556 at junction with A50
442 Aysgarth, North Yorkshire: on A684 (Aysgarth-Leyburn) near junction with Buckden B6160
456 Halfway House, Newton Poppleford, Devon: on A3052 (Exeter-Sidmouth) at junction with B3180
472 Cambus o’ May, Aberdeenshire: on A93 (Aberdeen-Braemar) near junction with Strathdon A97
487 Dunmail Raise, Grasmere, Cumbria: on A591 (Grasmere-Keswick) at Raise House south of Thirlmere
504 Ardgay, Highland: at junction of A836 (Bonar Bridge-Tarlogie) and B9176
530 Brancaster, Norfolk: on A149 (Hunstanton-Wells) around 300 metres west of junction with Common Lane, Brancaster Staithe
573 Garrowbay, East Riding of Yorkshire: on A166 (Driffield-York), 4.5 miles east of York, opposite entrance to Garrowby Hall
580 Boduan, Gwynedd: on A497 (Nefyn-Pwllheli) around 1 mile south of junction with B4354
631 Brachla, Highland: on A82 (Fort Augustus-Inverness) around 4 miles north of Drumnadrochit
687 Trinity, Jersey: at junction of Rue du Presbytere and Rue des Picots, Trinity
714 Threapland, Elgin, Moray: on A96 (Elgin-Fochabers) east of junction with B9103, Threapland Wood, 3.5 miles west of Fochabers
723 Cappercleuch, Borders: at St. Mary’s Loch on the A708 (Moffat-Selkirk)
746 Loch Allen, Dava, Highland: at junction of A940 and A939 (Grantown on Spey-Nairn), south of Forres
753 Glen Dye, Strachan, Aberdeenshire: between Bridge of Dye and Strachan on B974 at junction with Old Military Road
817 Beadnell, Northumberland: on B1340 (Alnwick-Bamburgh), quarter of a mile north of Beadnell

Thanks to James, (and Cousin Aurelia-(great name the Golden One!)) a nice series of original pictures of the most difficult to get to box on the list has been produced Box 687, Trinity, Jersey.

Of course that was the communal challenge. Continue the thread with your own personal challenge by all means. On our recent trip we passed by Dunmail Raise box at Grasmere again, regularly pass the Beadnell Box Northumberland, occasionally the Aysgarth Box in Yorkshire.

I did do this little video of the original 18, There may be a way of editing in James pics if I can remember how to do it!



Neil