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A to B 78 June 10 A to B m a g a z i n e

Available from selected outlets, online at www.exacteditions.com or by annual subscription on 01305 259998 or www.atob.org.uk

£13.80 (United Kingdom), £19 or US$27 (overseas airmail)

Issue 78 June 2010 A to B 40 Manor Road, Dorchester, Dorset DT1 2AX, England

ISSN 1460-0587 . tel 01305 259998

email (subscriptions & advertising) teresa@atob.org.uk (editorial) atob@atob.org.uk . web www.atob.org.uk

Editor David Henshaw . Administration Teresa Ridout . Proof-reading Peter Henshaw Contributors Andy Cawthera, David Henshaw, Peter Henshaw, Dave Holladay, Steve Melia, Howard Yeomans

Printers Henry Ling . Next deadline 21st July 2010

This month sees the launch of our back number master index,

covering 77 magazines, 13 years and 1.5 million words. It doesn’t list every single word, but there are about 6,000 entries,

from ‘A-Bike’ to ‘Zorin Seat Post Pump’, and as we’ve already discovered, it is a great boon for finding things.The file can be accessed at www.atob.org.uk/back_numbers.html It’s something called an Excel Spreadsheet, and if you know what that is, you’ll know how to make it work with Microsoft Excel or OpenOffice.

Do let us know what you think of the new database. Finally - and only a few days before publication - my father Patrick Henshaw died on 31st May at the good age of 83. Patrick was an enthusiastic cyclist, riding to work every day throughout the 1950s and ‘60s, usually on a single-speed racer. More recently, he discovered folding bikes, and became very fond of a bright yellow Cresswell Micro. He made many bike/rail trips with this little bike until a broken hip curtailed his travelling in 2007. Patrick’s proofreading and enthusiasm will be much missed at A to B. The funeral is due to be held at Buckland Newton church, Dorset on Friday 18th June at 1pm. If this issue arrives in time, all are welcome. DAVID HENSHAW

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COVER

Contents The Mole . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Book Rev i ews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 A to B L e t t e r s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 2 A to B News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 8 I n B r i e f : B a t t e r y Fa i l u r e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 0 I n f r a s t r u c t u re : My Ca r - f r e e J o u r n e y . . . . . . . . . . 2 6 B i ke / R a i l : B i ke s o n Tra i n s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 2 E l e c t r i c S c oo t e r : E l e c s c o o t 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 9 A to B Sm a l l s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 3

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