BRIGHTON HOVE DISTRICT SOUTHDOWN

What a plendid weekend it was, I hope you enjoy these scenes at the Aquarium in Brighton on Saturday morning

GOOD OLD SUSSEX BY THE SEA

Photos to follow tomorrow but back from deepest south ( Sussex and Hampshire). Great weather, diversions of buses via Aquarium in Brighton allowed some wonderful seaside shots, the light was best ever and drivers more friendly than ever, first class morning and great drive down. Then on to Portsmouth, city centre and The Hard, again very friendly, Mandy sat In Victoria Park, very nice, never noticed this spot before. Then on to Fareham to end afternoon, family barbecue in evening. Sunday Exbury gardens near Hythe in New Forest, sublime, then family lunch nearby, superb weekend. Easy and quick drive back Sunday night.

WHO STOLE MY WEEK?

The garden is looking good, very forward of course with the warm weather, thank goodness we had some rain but this weekend looks like being dry and sunny, we'll be in Sussex tomorrow then Hampshire. Still catching up with last weeks pictures, I'll have to get a move on. Cars washed, lawns cut , it must be spring.

WHIZZING ALONG AT BREAKNECK SPEED

Donagadee, the oldest pub and biggest freshest home made pure blue cheese burger, then to Dublin, last Monday, seems a long time ago now. Today up to Penrith, a trucking video under my belt, great weather, are truckers more friendly than bus drivers? Our years calender now set as of last night. Not long now to Hong Kong trip and European tour.


Competitions been a long time coming
Out for a DUKW, they actually make the punters wear plastic Viking helmets!

MORE OF IRELAND LAST WEEKEND

I crept into the bus station at Derry and got this shot, avoiding the staff after the threats I received! Swilly of course as friendly as ever. It was a Swilly bus from Letterkenny in 1979 which took me into Northern Ireland for the first time.
Coleraine, deckers spreading everywhere
Afternoon tea at Bushmills, chocolate cake and dinner only a couple of hours away, you should have seen mine!
Edenvale , the best B&B in the world I'd say. Near Newtownards.

ROUGHING IT IN IRELAND

Belfast Friday evening
Edenvale, little touches that make it special and very 5 star as a b&b
Breakfast for two, honestly, this is before the cooked stuff comes, hot fruit compote and cream to start, yummy.
The croquette lawn, in distance but out of sight in this view ( wet and misty) is the Lough and mountains of Mourne
Belfast Saturday morning

LONDONDERRY DRIVERS GET UPSET WITH ME, SWILLY THE BEST

Hi everyone, I thought I'd get the writing out of the way and then start sending some pictures as back up later on. As you can gather we are back from the wilds of Ireland, after ac week of sublime weather I arrived and met Mandy in Belfast heralding the wind and rain.
BA had sold off the route to BE, never told me, changed the times, never told me, hence I arrived 40 minutes later missing much of the rush hour which was indeed impressive with masses of deckers in service until nearly 6 pm.We had a pleasant meal out on Friday night at a pub in Newtownards and then slightly jaded I finished my Belfast coverage on the Saturday morning, as usual got let round Gt Victoria St bus depot and everyone very friendly. We stated at our usual spot out on the Ards peninsula with Dianne Whyte.
After Belfast we hot footed it over to Derry to try and see the double deckers in service, turns out that several depots have now got deckers, I filmed them in the yard at Newtownards and Coleraine. The decker was almost the first bus I saw but the driver went ballistic with me when I took a still photo, this was on the road, not at the bus station, the inspectors at the bus station backed him up when I complained about his threats. So strange, I've been going there since 1979 with never any hassle, this must be the 'peace' dividend, everyone's gone miserable, perhaps they are all signing on for benefits, that's the usual reason for this sort of behaviour. Their true colours certainly came out when I was told I couldn't 'come over here doing as I liked'!! Still the Swilly drivers were as ever most friendly returning smiles and waves as ever.
We returned with just a stop at Coleraine, I'd really had enough of buses that day, used the coastal route and it even came out sunny tea time, had afternoon tea stop at Bushmills but no whiskey. Then for evening spent it at the oldest pub in Ireland . Sunday we had a National Trust visit thwarted die to maintenance closure but still took in one property before heading down to Dublin and stayed at a B&B near the airport, had a reasonable stay and then a great evening meal at a local pub. By Monday the weather had gone downhill with wind and rain, as usual no hassle filming in friendly old Dublin and we got the 6pm HSS back to Holyhead , having fish and chips and white wine in the lounge.

KEEP ON TRUCKING

something old something famous something, well what, anyway these scenes a couple of days back at lymm truck stop then a coach while i was otherwise trucking near Cheltenham.


A load of what is dear to me
This ones just dear to me but only as a shareholder!

A crap day at work, glad I've got a weekend in Ireland to look forward to, at least the sun shone today, forcast isn't that good for Ireland, now ain't that amazing.

RUNNING LATE BUT CATCHING UP

Durham concluded last Saturdays North East bus trip, a relatively hassle free but tiring day

All my 1992 Polish tram and trolley tour films are now on ebay together with other recent releases. Today I was down in Goucestershire and filmed some trucks near Cheltenham, clips and photos to follow.

NORTH EAST BUSES AGAIN AND AGAIN

Yes Sunderland sure was colourful last Saturday, coming towards the end of the review, today I got some truck shots in the sun at Lymm and thistime without any hassle, great drivers nearly every one waved, plus a few toots. Just about keeping my head above water with PMP while Mandy is in Ireland. This eveing mowed the lawns, watered greenhouse, made dvd, ran off orders, cooked dinner then watched an hour of telly, just a few covers to make, pack the orders, do some you tube uploads, ,, typical evening!

BUSY AS EVER AT PMP

South Shields on Saturday. Today I again cleared orders , hosted Robin Hannay of Guy fame and fitted in a day at work. South Shields certainly felt like a seaside town in the sun, I caught a stagecoach bus back to Sunderland, cherrful interior despite being an older vehicle, friendly driver, good crowd on, ran a bit late because of traffic and loadings. Liked it better than the Metro, unhelpful staff, not very friendly and horrid station in Sunderland, scratched windows and no visible crew presence on trains.

GATESHEAD BUSES YESTERDAY MORNING

super colourful scene in north east at present, great weather as you can see. Busy today in the garden and catching up with covers for recent dvds. Now edited and on web site right through to yesterdays films. Just got to do Ian Allan adverts before bed!