Motorway tomatoes.

andy700 said:
Well, we do, but they are not advertised, and it is a matter of knowing where they are, often just a mile off the motorway.
Down here in Kent, we have an amazing place which does have a cafe (selling local produce) as well as a superb farm shop, with an excellent wine shop next to it - Macknade in Faversham just of the M2. It isn't a services (has no fuel pumps etc), but is easily accessed from the motorway. We often use it to stock up on brilliant fruit, veg and other local meats and cheeses, plus deliitems if we are down that way.
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Yep, I can vouch for that place too. :-)
 
stevewestern said:
Is it just me? What have I done to deserve this? Let me explain.

I drive up from Cornwall to London and back quite a lot, and often find myself needing to eat, and a fried breakfast can lure me in especially very early in the morning.
So, how come every time I have one I get the top bit of the tomato - you know, the hard green bit than no one on earth likes or eats?
What happens to the other part - do the staff eat them whilst chuckling at us poor punters?
Is there a black market for the best bits?
Anyone know?
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Depending on where you are coming from in Cornwall and how early you want to eat, there is a really good truck stop just off the A386 junction at the top of the hill on the A30. It's called Woody's and I use it for breakfast eastbound and tea westbound when I go to Cornwall to visit friends. Their food is of a good standard, truckers would soon complain if it wasn't, and the prices compared to a M-Way service area will put a smile on your face.

There is also a large public toilet on the site and I have found that both the toilet and cafe are always very clean. When you join the A386 heading in the Okehampton direction you will see a Shell garage on your left, the turning for Woody's is on the right almost exactly opposite that.
 
dejongj said:
Ford ST, and to be fair my Golf R is also on a recommended minimum RON98 and will be the Mercedes GLC I've got on order. Strictly speaking you could do with less, warranty is not voided when you use RON95 but I notice the performance difference.
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I have run high performance bikes and cars on standard supermarket BP or Shell and never had a problem at all. I would suggest (having experience of injected and carburreted induction systems) that temperature and humidity are likely to have far more effect than a more expensive fuel.
I would also have to ask, how on earth you are driving the car to notice that much difference, particularly vehicles which are capable of 150MPH plus.
 
andy700 said:
I have run high performance bikes and cars on standard supermarket BP or Shell and never had a problem at all. I would suggest (having experience of injected and carburreted induction systems) that temperature and humidity are likely to have far more effect than a more expensive fuel.
I would also have to ask, how on earth you are driving the car to notice that much difference, particularly vehicles which are capable of 150MPH plus.
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Manufacturers recommendation is ron98. And yes I do notice the difference, especially as I run mine empty to full. Plenty of discussions on that on the relevant forums especially in markets where there is no ron98 or higher.
 
dejongj said:
Manufacturers recommendation is ron98. And yes I do notice the difference, especially as I run mine empty to full. Plenty of discussions on that on the relevant forums especially in markets where there is no ron98 or higher.
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Even my old Spaxo ran better on Optimax (as it was called) as it had no knock sensor it detonated all the time on anything less.

My old Mini I had tuned by Longmans when they still had their workshop on Optimax, made the Kent cam and Hiff44 sing.. :love:
 
dejongj said:
I like that!

But ahem it doesn't seem very complete, can't see any MacDonalds on that list :confused::coat:
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They're on the Bucket List.
 
andy700 said:
I have run high performance bikes and cars on standard supermarket BP or Shell and never had a problem at all. I would suggest (having experience of injected and carburreted induction systems) that temperature and humidity are likely to have far more effect than a more expensive fuel.
I would also have to ask, how on earth you are driving the car to notice that much difference, particularly vehicles which are capable of 150MPH plus.
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I work in engine development, I have to run tests on various octane ratings, increasing boost and advancing spark to get the best out of engines at a safe limit, so they can determine a knock control limit.
On a boosted engine, the octane rating can make a world of difference, the higher the rating, means the engine can boost higher and run a more aggressive spark, all because of a reduced level of knock, so the knock sensor doesn't tell the ecu to back everything off. This means the engine can produce more power and should run more economically into the bargain. My son has used 102RON race fuel in his Mk1 1.6 Focus and even in that the difference was very noticeable. It doesn't really matter how you drive, even just normal everyday driving will be better on a higher octane.
 
From tomato tops to fuel octane. That figures.
 
Hmm, Redex is.........well, red.
 
Get BBeans instead, tomatoes have no place on a breakfast plate anyway

cold, in a sandwich, with cheese/salad....yes, singed in a frying pan.....NOPE

And those plum tomatoes can bog off too, half a pint of pink water buggerin up the dish.......NOPE

No, there's no place on my English breakfast plate for tomatoes...:)
 
joxby said:
singed in a frying pan.
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Would that be with "Tuna" ( sorry :D )

And I strongly disagree, :p BB have no place on a breakfast plate, but fried or grilled tomatoes do :thumbs:
 
Cobra said:
Would that be with "Tuna" ( sorry :D )

And I strongly disagree, :p BB have no place on a breakfast plate, but fried or grilled tomatoes do (y)
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AND, they don't make you fart.
 
Good God, an English breakfast without BBeans is just plain wrong on every conceivable level

tomatoes = don't care

No BBeans = cataclysmic breakfast failure


to trump.......or not to trump...........that is





a side issue..:)
 
wontolla said:
AND, they don't make you fart.
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I will eat a catering can of em and spend a night in a two man tent, what time are you popping over to test your theory?:exit:
I need a good clearing of the baffles, bean;) a while:naughty:
 
LASTOLITE said:
I will eat a catering can of em and spend a night in a two man tent, what time are you popping over to test your theory?:exit:
I need a good clearing of the baffles, bean;) a while:naughty:
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Always knew you were full of wind.
 
wontolla said:
Always knew you were full of wind.
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Only after a sesh on the BB's Buddy!! to be fair I think its the sugar and the tomato sauce that does it. although I am no picnic after a sesh on the re-fried beans at the mexican!! O no now that is more like a gas escape!
 
joxby said:
Good God, an English breakfast without BBeans is just plain wrong on every conceivable level

tomatoes = don't care

No BBeans = cataclysmic breakfast failure


to trump.......or not to trump...........that is





a side issue..:)
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I can't stand baked beans. I guess it had something to do with having seen it being fed to pigs at my friends farm when I was little.
 
dejongj said:
I can't stand baked beans. I guess it had something to do with having seen it being fed to pigs at my friends farm when I was little.
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There's very little that pigs won't eat, haricot beans included.
 
viv1969 said:
Ah OK, cause baked beans are haricot beans. :)
Not even runner beans? :eek:
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No beans of any kind. Can't stand them. Nor green tomato ends. :)
 
dejongj said:
No beans of any kind. Can't stand them. Nor green tomato ends. :)
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I don't mind green tomato ends, nor indeed green tomatoes :-)
 
viv1969 said:
nor indeed green tomatoes :)
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That is just wrong :(
I remember my dad having them lined up along the window cill to ripen, from the greenhouse, the smell used to put me right off :(
joxby said:
Good God, an English breakfast without BBeans is just plain wrong on every conceivable level
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Egg, bacon, fried bread, fried or grilled tomatoes, maybe mushrooms, black pudding and a slice of toast.
this would all be ruined by the addition of baked beans :(
:p
 
Anyone else remember the good old dys when motorway service stations had the posh cafes for tourist types and the
less posh truck stop bit, better food, cheaper prices just nothing fancy ?
 
Was that just after the War?

Edit, must have been after 1958...
 
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Gremlin said:
Anyone else remember the good old dys when motorway service stations had the posh cafes for tourist types and the
less posh truck stop bit, better food, cheaper prices just nothing fancy ?
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Yes - I drove a truck for a while and there were separate areas for us hairy arsed types.. Cheaper food, better cooked etc.

I also remember going on cross-channel ferries - the freight ferries were amazing, usually with about a dozen drivers and a hundred trailers. We were given fantastic food, silver service, free duty-free and clean comfy beds. No green tomato bits either.
 
Gremlin said:
Anyone else remember the good old dys when motorway service stations had the posh cafes for tourist types and the
less posh truck stop bit, better food, cheaper prices just nothing fancy ?
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Certainly do, Keele was of my favourites, but still prefered the trunk road truck stops.
 
wontolla said:
Certainly do, Keele was of my favourites, but still prefered the trunk road truck stops.
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I also like the one on the a5 near rugby. Fantastic food.
 
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