SOUTHEND NUKE IT?

Well here I am back at work, the weekend has flown by. What were the highlights, I think Colchester would easily fit the bill. We arrived there about 9.15 on Saturday, the sky was clear blue and just in the right position for film / photos. The Colchester Network buses are a pretty eclectic bunch, few are the same and drivers were quite friendly and no hassles filming on the main high street or buses station. Work on the new facility seems very slow and no progress could be seen over the past two years, many services no longer call in and there seems little piont in extensive coverage there these days. The number of independent bus movements seems on a downwards spiral, a short visit may miss them all together so beware, its not a tad on say Ipswich.
After Colchester we moved on the Chelmsford and once more battled through the labyrinthine one ways and suburbs to the station area. The sun had been covered by cloud although still hot. There are always surprising numbers of buses around here and a few other enthusiasts around. Bus wise the local independents add a little to the scene although now buses not in evidence until North Weald Rally. We then went to Southend where the sun allmost broke through. What can I say, I know some people get upset when I speak straight but the locals were amongst the rudest, aggressive, tattooed, skin head, pit bulled bunch of losers it has ever been my unpleasant experience to encounter. In such a brief time it beggars belief that a place can be so nasty. In fact my wrath against the likes of our ethnic Muslim friends paled into the background and if anyone should go on a boat somewhere they live in Southend and await a one way ticket to mid channel or mid north sea.
We stayed at the tawdry Travel Lodge at North Weald, its only mitigating factor being handy for the bus rally. The Kings Head in the village is a friendly village local serving good food. Up at 7 and at the rally by half past, already stands were stretching out, some people had been there since 6am. Numbers and people were all down and with travel costs it becomes less economic to take on rallies at such a distance particularly as the stand fees are generally high.