With a guy behind it pushing it along (the A249 near Detling, just before the petrol station).
There was a 205 about 50 yds up the road half on the hard shoulder, half on the grass.

3 conclusions
1) broken down
2) had accident with 205 (didn't see damage)
3) run out of petrol (it was about 100 yds before the station! )

1st rS I've seen. Didn't know it was one until I was literally passing it & saw RS badge on rear.

 

There's going to be a waterpump issue with some RS'

 

please explain mr bobfrog.....

 

The WRC was excluded briefly due to an illegal water pump praps?

 

3) run out of petrol (it was about 100 yds before the station!)

Without a doubt. I was surprised how much gas these things eat.

 

Beware of the new speed cameras half way up and half way down Detling hill...!

Rich

 

Nice set of bends that.
I take it he was heading to the Shell station on the way to maidstone South Bound. Not pushing up the hill?
Steve

 

I've a number of mates "In the Know" at Fords. They all reckon that the Focus had been released before some serious engine problems had been resolved. Overheating (could well be the water pump problem previously mentioned), engines blowing up etc.

 

Andy, heared a rumour from a mate in Ford's Swansea plant that an apprentice in the bridgend plant put the wrong water pump in many RS' and they cannot trace which ones are affected

 

Not good then,about the water pumps!

 

Bobfrog, have you been posting about the water pump everywhere??!

Anyway, Ford have already said off the record that you can use 95 octane in small amounts to get to a petrol station - just don't push the engine hard. So, there is no need to panic and end up running out of petrol (doing more damage by blocking up the injectors with crap) because you couldn't find a Shell!

Officially though it's 97 or above - which is just the normal "cover your ****" approach companies have to adopt in this modern sue-ciety.

 

jonmorris, nope! just here and the Focus board

 

Good job he wasn't coming up Detling Hill

Maybe he'd underestimated the distance to get some more Optimax

[Edited by DJ Dunk - 2/3/2003 2:40:16 PM]

 

Yup, he was heading southwards towards Maidstone. Just a bit further on you get to the steep curvy downhill - Love to go there with ski's when the hill is all iced/snowed up

Four fairly new cameras on the road nearer the M2 end. 2 sets of twins in the central reservation.

One at the bottom of the hill has been there a while. Bit sneaky it being at the bottom of a steep hill (you'll be braking all the way down the hill to keep within the limit, could get a nasty bit of brakes fade). Put there coz of pedestrians crossing I think but now's theres a pedestrian bridge but the camera remains (surprise, surprise!)

[Edited by Dracoro - 2/3/2003 11:47:06 PM]

 

[Edited by NDT - 2/4/2003 3:13:23 PM]