STEAMAPPRENTICECLUB NEWSLETTER No.9
March1981
Dear Apprentice, I'm sitting here writing this ~ith snow falling outside - at last it has got round to being winter properly. It is a good time of year for planning what you are going to do next summer, and to start you off we in::lude full details of the SAC special event for 1981. Please remember, if you Nant to come, that you mus1 send back the form at tne back of this newsletter. We must know how many people are going to turn up. We don't often talk about politics, but you may like to know that the Government has had to abandon its plans to tax all road vehicles, whether or not t-hey were in use. This -.vould have meant. that engine owners would have had to buy a tax disc for their engines, even if t.hey >Nere off the road for a major refit. 1'he NTEC was very active in them to change their minds. persuading Most people think that insurance is a very boring subject - until they suddenly need it. Last year we managed to persuade one insurance company to allow 1'7-21 year-olds to be included as 'named drivers' on an existing insurance policy. This meant that someone of that age could, at last, legally drive a steam engine, if an experienced driver was with them. It seems that, so far, nobody has taken up the offer. This means that none of you ever drive engines except at SAC events, doesn't it? Otherwise, you must be driving without insurance. Please make surei if you drive an engine, that you are properly insured to do so. It wil only cost an extra £5 per year to put you on the policy, which certainly seems worth it. It might also be a good idea to think about some sort of insurance to cover any accidents to you while working with engines. No machinery is ever 100% safe, and you never know what may suddenly happen. Personal accident insurance is very cheap.
Incidentally, in case you or your ~arents are. now thoroughly worried, all steam appren~ices are covered 'third party' at SAC or NTEC events. This means that if you cause any damage to someone or something else, the insurers will pay. Enough of such a ~loomy subject. This newcletter contains all sorts of ~oodies - an exciting day with an Av~ling, a review of the Model Engineer exhibition, tips t'rom Dick BlenKinsop (who produces all those lovely Steam Scene books) on photography, and an article about Steam Threshing which will be a useful introduction for anyone going to weeting. With best
wishes,
~~du,__ Margaret
Joachim,
Editor.
DO YOU WArIT OR HAVE YOU GO!'? BACK NUMBERSOE._SrEAMINGwanted, from Vol.l no. 1. Also, has anyone information on the Marshall single engine no. 69269, reg. DO 96. Telephone Richard Froggatt, Loughborough (0509) 39204.
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