Woo! At least at this point, I'm booked on the TORRENS!

 

Good news!

My car finishes production tomorrow. Hope to find out if it makes the Topeka.

 

Found another cool tool, weather forecasts in the north Atlantic http://www.metvuw.com/forecast/forec...tlantic&tim=06

That's the +6 hours forecast, but it has all the way up to +180 hours. The rainfall is easy enough, but no idea how to read the wind speed portion.

 

Estimating 3000 MINIs can park there, waiting for a ride. The Faust can hold 7500. I am impressed by such things

 

Just heard from my MA and my status is now "151 Body Shop Started". I'm thinking I'm aiming for the Faust scheduled to leave Southampton on Mar. 17th. Only takes about a week to get to Canada.

 

I've got an uncle who does that - looks at a piece of a stadium and then tries to estimate it's total capacity, etc. It always sounds reasonable, but one of these days I'm going to have to find out how close he actually gets

Just a couple more days until it's built! I suppose if you caught some lucky breaks you could make the TOPEKA, but I think you're right to figure on the FAUST.

 

For those waiting on the Torrens, she has left ZeeBrugge, headed for Southampton

 

Found another tracking site, and this one actually has positional info for the TORRENS: http://aprs.fi/info/232248000 (that's actually the link to the TORRENS info). Looks like it's scheduled into Southampton at 8am.

 

Very cool APRS tracking! Thanks!

 

Right now, I do not think I am booked on the Torrens. I went to the link that was listed on the first page of "1st Gear" for WW tracking. When that link opens up, it has blocks in which to enter your ID number. I selected the one on the far right (Cargo ID) and put in my VIN number but no records were found. I then tried putting in the VIN number in the other blocks but it also indicated "No records". The write-up on the first page of 1st gear indicated that you first select "Auto Tracking" on the far right but I did not see any menu on the far right - Only 3 blocks to choose from to enter data - Cargo ID, Bill Of Lading and something else. Am I entering this right ?

 

Yeah, you're entering it right. The Cargo ID field is where to stick the VIN. Are you entering your whole VIN or just the last 7 characters? If the last 7, do it like so %xxxxxxx (replacing the Xs with the last 7 characters).

I think they must not transport vehicles on the weekends anymore either, since I was done building 3/5 but didn't show up until today. So I'd say check it out tomorrow morning as well. They ship doesn't even get into port until like 8am, so I think you've got some time to arrive and be booked.

 

I was looking at that link you posted and the Torrens appears to be about 12+ KM away from Southampton. Maybe it is close enough right now to be picked up by the google link satellite view ? Before I shut my PC for the night...I am going to check that link and see if it can be seen approaching Southampton.

 

OLarryR, I'll keep my fingers crossed that you make the ship!

I was in the paint shop today. I'm still holding out hope for the TOPEKA. Hopefully I can apply some of the crazy tracking methods you all have for the TORRENS.

 

Now THAT is cool. Look at all those MINIs waiting to go home!

 

Sorry I've been a bit MIA for a while guys, but I've been keeping track and glad to hear everyone if moving along nicely (although not nearly as fast as we'd all like )

I just spoke with ASKMINI and I'm in the bodyshop, and still scheduled for completion on the 12th.

Let's hope I'm on the Faust on the 17th as well, my Cooper can buddy up with Perihelion's for the ride over..

I spent yesterday reorganizing my CD's, just to keep myself busy and distracted from this agonizing wait!

 

In some ways, having all this information at our fingertips makes this worse I think. I mean, I looked in a couple times at the TORRENS progress across the channel last night... if I could see it making these tiny little strides across the Atlantic as well, I might go nuts

Good idea about the keeping busy. Guess it'd be a perfect time to do some almost-spring cleaning or something

 

WOO HOO!!!

My little car is being put together TODAY!!!

 

Seems like you're in a good position to make the TOPEKA then

 

I sure hope so.

 

While watching to see that my car got loaded (it did, hope it stays that way) I saw a bunch of other cars arrive at the dock AND get booked onto TORRENS. So hopefully yours is one of those.

 

Happy Voyage Cameroon

 

Cameroon, you actually got to see your car get loaded? How does that work? That is just awesome.

 

Thanks, here's hoping there's no delays to bad weather or mechanical trouble

Well I couldn't visually see my car being loaded, but every 10-15 minutes during the day I'd search the WW site with the "Cargo ID" of WMWM%, which shows all (or maybe most? Not sure if all MINI VINs start with WMWM) of the MINI cargo. Cars seemed to be loaded/tagged at the rate of about 5-7/minute sometimes with delays but I don't know the process used. I could also tell when they got a lunch break (about an hour with no cars loaded).

I'm hoping that last on means first off

There were a bunch of cars that arrived today from the plant and were loaded, so I'm hoping OLarryR was in that group.

 

I would like to know how you did that too.

Here is to "Fair winds and following seas" for the Torrens.

I found the Topek. It looks like it is in Germany and should be heading for Southampton soon.

 

I'll need to remember to come back to pages 6-7 when it's time for me to track. Now that COKen found the Topeka, I might have to start early...