I needed to move stuff to the tip/recycling on Saturday so I took out the standard emergency toolkit from the boot.
I didn't put it back on Sunday.
Today I headed off to work. I got 1/4 of the way there and was working my way down the gears at a roundabout on a fast-ish bypass when suddenly the gearstick decided that it'd like to be free to go where it wants rather than being bound by the usual 6 conventional positions it is restricted to.
Obviously linkage gone somewhere and I'm not ideally placed so I lift my clutch foot a little and work out that I'm still in third. A pull away onto the roundabout in third with a diesel 1.8 isn't really a problem and a haul up 100 yards later in a layby is fine.
A lift of the bonnet finds that the short top link has come adrift and ain't going back on for more than a single change.
I reckon that a temp fix with cable ties will get me trough until I can get the part.
About the emergency toolkit.....
I have family green flag cover.
The local green flag agent saw the problem and went to get the cable ties without any prompting from me. The paperwork took longer than the temp fix.
The new rod should be ready for pickup on the way home tomorrow. I look forward to braying the hell out of the old one to get it off the other end and to lovingly and gently persuading the new one on at both ends with a gentle tapping and the invention of some new swearwords
Warwick