STUCK UP THE HILL AFTER CHRISTMAS

yes this was the condition of Irish roads and the one where we nearly came a cropper, the bloke pulling the rope trying to free the Merc got it wrapped round his leg when the car shot off, a narrow squeak was that one

Hil and Sean relax over Christmas

Another truck shot, the one and only Stobart shot I got, must hunt them down now they are in Ireland

Today I got a DVD on rallies in the 1980s done, hope to get Chiswick works rally on Youtube as my New Year treat to everyone. Early tomorrow we set off on our brief visit to Hampshire and back on Saturday. The New year orders are starting to tumble in this evening, everything will be cleared by Monday latest.

Some hard work in the PMP office today tidying and reconstructing shelving etc in advance of the redecorate in a week or so. Weather still but cold today, I did get a bit of tidying done in the garden. A nice bottle of Margaux put by with the steak tonight, forgoing the pleasures of the three Greyhounds tonight, it will be too crowded and we don't want to be up late heading off on the motorways early.

Anyway have a really great New Year wherever you are, friends, family, customers and those who just drop in now and then!

IRELAND GONE TO THE DOGS?

Wrens Day ( St Stephans Day) a Boxing day collection in the pub at Cahir, Mandy with Hil

Sean and myself, our one and only pub pint, its so expensive now in Ireland

Mandy got splattered in mud from the dog at Hil's neighbours house

A walk in the Convent gasrden with the daods, Doug and Tuppence over Christmas , you can see the frost on the ground

Yesterday I cleared all the orders, it had been busy but has gone dead again, we've decided to pop down to see my sisters on Friday ( New Years Day) hoping for quiet roads to Hampshire.

I managed to finish editing the trans Lancs Rally films and also the Irish truck film from the past week. Working on bus rallies of 1989 at the moment.

BUSY CATCHING UP

good old Tipperary, a good standby locally in Ireland when all else fails

The weather really was against us with several days cocooned up frustrated especially with the dead days of Christmas around us and ice on the roads.

in the end we got one film in Ireland done with Clonmel, Tipperary and the allied Foods depot at Cork on the Bank Holiday Monday. Was hoping to do something yesterday but ended up catching the early ferry

Wednesday morning nearly all orders done, should be in post midday. A few tidying up jobs, thankfully ( or was it) no snow today so far. Quite a lot of EBay orders, not so much on Amazon as yet.

HOME SAFE AND SOUND AFTER SNOW BLINDED JOURNEY

yes it was a bit of an epic getting back from Ireland today, set off this morning around 10.30, thoughts of filming en route but decided it was both too quiet and too wet to attempt anything. The rain came down harder and wind got up so at Dublin Port we succeeded in getting an earlier ferry crossing than planned and were back at Holyhead around 19.45, it was snowing as we came across North Wales, really getting bad by Wrexham direction but we headed up to the M56 and then back via M6 with no trouble at all. A relaxing Christmas, photos to follow but then not really my cup of tea all that time away from the action but it's always good to see Hil and Sean, Mandy in particular loves the time there. Hopefully we shall be on top of all the orders by tomorrow and ready to cover any 'snowy' scenes which develop this week. Probably won't do too much now that we've had so may weather bound moments this week, perhaps staying put is best for New Year, let's see what develops.

ICY TROUBLES IN IRELAND

well another day has a slowly passed as only it does when you are experiencing terminal boredom, I think the allure of Ireland faded about 1979 after a few months. I've overdosed on television, chocolates and food in general although have tried to avoid drink other than medicinal Guinness now and then. The dogs have just come in nuzzling gently and eking out the last vestiges of squeaks from their Christmas present toys. Sunday morning, about 45 minutes to get an Internet connection, still quiet on Amazon and EBay. Last nights excursion to Fi and Connors was cancelled due to ice on the roads. Today we are contemplating a trip down to the coast but skirting the hills, a welcome change of scenery. Still bright sky but frosty and the wind has picked up. Just one more day to go and hopefully tomorrow Monday I'll get a chance to do a bit of filming which will give my brain a chance to function.

Escape at last as we headed down the road bound for the coast but we hadn't g0one far when we encountered an icy hill and narrowly managed to escape hitting two abandoned car and skewed into a muddy ditch bordering a near vertical skating arena. There were farms and cottages around and this situation had persisted for several days without the council having closed the road. Hil trudged through the ice half a mile to the next house where the abandoned car driver was reported to be sheltering. A Merc piled into the wall opposite us also had an owner who had returned to try and rescue it, overnight it was in one piece, his rescue had been an expensive exercise. Hil persuaded the health board worker whose car it was next to us to come back with her key, she had been stuck with two clients since Christmas Eve. The farmers roped up the Merc and pulled him free as he risked skating down the hill, mission successful other than one got the rope caight around his leg and was nearly dragged down behind the car. With the keys to the Nissan Micra Hil managed to reverse down in the ditch being pulled by the farmers and pushed by me. By the time we'd got the health workers car secured and turned around and oncoming traffic turned away Sean had the 4x4 down with all aboard. They'd managed to return the flasks and hamper loaned by the cottage occupants which would no doubt come in handy again before the day was out!!!! Needless to say after this excitement we returned home ti hose down our boots and a have a coffee and Christmas cake.

BOXING DAY BLUES

yes it's all over for another year so if bored why not call in at our youtube site or better still go to Amazon or EBay and order up a film to cheer yourself up for the New Year. There won't be much happening here in Ireland today worthy of filming as I don't want to go all the way to Cork. The ground is once more frozen and the horses at Hilary's are caged tigers after so many days coped up ijn the stables. It's another bright sunny morning at around freezing with still no sign of the long promised thaw or tor as they say here.

Christmas dinner was filling and by the time we reached the pudding I was sinking fast. Another nice lay in this morning, we are going to catch up with Corrie before lunch, in the afternoon we are heading up the Vee to Fi and Connor's place in the mountains for another round of food and drink. The dogs are quiet as Mandy has been plying them with pig's ears all the time. Last night with Wendy and Ewarts bitch as well it was a full house but they were mainly banned as it was just too much of a crowd with four legged friends in tow.

Here it's not boxing day but St Stephens Day, now called simply Stephens day. My cold has gone into my nose, thankfully the coughing has eased now, running out of tissues which we can resupply at Bansha garage. Prices here are amazing, fuel 1.23 for petrol, slightly less for deisel. Not that many orders on the net, we can easily clear them when we get home. I'm still hoping to do more film on Monday despite it being a bank holiday and Tuesday a definate in Dublin.

Limited success in getting hold of friends and relations yesterday as the lined were choked but our best wishes to everyone from the depths of rural Tipperary.

CHRISTMAS GREETINGS FROM IRELAND

We've had a late rise in Ireland, Sean now has Chriatmas music pumping out on the cd player while Hil is cooking up the daddy of all Irish fry ups lining our stomachs for the icy weather outside. Snow was forecast but it looks as if it will be rain, welcome as the ice may melt and we can turn the horses out in the paddock.

It was a long journey to Ireland on the 02.30 ferry from Holyhead to Dublin, reminiscent of a refugee boat with families wandering around abandoned galleys in their pajamas, thankfully we were esconced in the relative comfort of the club lounge. We've had three Christmas greeting e mails fom Li in China.

I've done a bit of filming the past two days, partucularly nice truck scenes in Tipperary in the afternoon on Wednesday but by Christmas eve everything had come to a stop. Weather has been very frosty, minus 6 as we drove across the new motorway towards Cahir, traffic was noticeably absent.

The dogs are all in great form fighting for our attention, young Doug as boisterous as ever. The new addition is the neighbour's black and white kitten which has obviously good taste having adopted himself to Hil and Seans in preference to the poor hospitality next door. Shortly we shall start present opening, Sean has new cowboy boots which no amount of coercing would persude Hil to let him have them at midnight last night just before we all went off to mass ( joke).

We have English neighbours Ewart and Wendy coming for Christmas dinner this evening, sticks of Guiness are good and yet another 250th Guiness glass has been produced, ah simple pleasures.

CHRISTMAS GREETINGS

it's certainly on the snowy side today as we get ready to depart for Ireland. Our very best wishes to everyone , friends, family, customers and so many who fit various categories! We are calling in at Beaumaris on Anglesey on the way, 02.30 sailing on the slow boat to Ireland I'm afraid. We are back Tuesday night and will clear orders and rely to emails etc on Wednesday. Meanwhile have a super holiday everyone!

Dave and Mandy

Manchester Heaton Park Memories etc

I've a lot of old Manchester area shots now in my archive, transfer to digital has come to a halt at present but will resume in the New year with lots of scenes ready for March Boyle st show.

at present I'm working on a Heaton Park rally special with views of several years rallies from 1990 onwards including some scenes never before shown

The snow has melted in places and is now quite icy, Mandy was marooned indoors!

POLIO FELLOWSHIP CHRISTMAS CONCERT

last night we were at Heswall on the Wirral braving the elements for the charity concert given by the Castle singers. I'm pictured left with Graham who has raised millions for charity and was awarded an OBE recently , received at Buckingham palace from the Princess Royal

The reason for my works banners ( AMEC) is that they were match funding the evening which is hoped to raise around £2000. Polio is a forgotten illness and hundreds of thousands in Britain alone suffer from the after effects particularly from the outbreaks in the 40-60s.

competing with Strictly Come dancing was difficult for seat sales! Mandy is bust folding raffle tickets. The Mayor came along and the council made a generous donation to the evening.

on this Sunday morning the snow is falling gently in Lower Peover, sods law its not a weekday when I could film buses or lorries in the snow but I'm taking my camera to work tomorrow just in case!

GOOD WORKS DO ROTTEN TRIP HOME

yesterday was the works do in Chester at an Italian, overpriced but that's Chester for you, we went over to Slug & Lettuce afterwards and some photos of the happy imbibers. The journey home got worse and worse, someone had noted the wrong number to call our minibus and eventually when we were on the M6 the motorway was shut for whatever reason. Got home after 9 pm, rotten cold as well but clearer this morning.

WHAT IS MANCHESTER COMING TO

Interesting family members part 66. Well I made that bit up but I was sickened to hear of the cowardly attack on Mandy's cousins husband Derek ion the bus the other day. A lout was doing what they do and Derek being Derek intervened, unfortunately Derek ended up unconscious after the hoodlum attacked him. Thankfully despite the shock and bruising Derek is making a good recovery. As well as a loved family member Derek who started as an engineering draughtsman is world renowned for his passion for traditional New Orleans jazz, a life shared with Trish who has recently undergone major surgery and hence why Derek was on the bus.

Derek started playing in 1967 with Dwight Gidney's Black Eagles N.O.Band. After two years with Ged Hone's band, he joined the Vintage Syncopators Jazz/Comedy band in 1971. From 1976 played with a variety of N.O. and parade bands. In 1978 was asked to join the Temperance Seven as their vocalist. He is still there today! Derek continued to play trombone with many bands including The Red Rose and the late Dennis Browne's Creole Serenaders. For the last seven years he has helped to run and play with the Milneburg Boys based in mid-Cheshire. Not sure how up to date this all is Derek would not be backwards in coming forwards to correct me.

Last night I just about caught up with the last of the Dutch transport films taking me on to Utrecht. Tonight just one DVD to burn and then start the covers but as we are due to have Christmas dinner at the 3 Greyhounds it might be a short session. A trickle of orders still on the net but it looks as if the rush is all over

CROSVILLE MEMORIES

although I had lots of archive photo sales at Boyle St the other week the only batch which sold poorly were the Crosville shots, this really surprised me so another shot in the arm for these views, next chance to get them March 2010, yet again at Boyle St, Manchester our next event

apologies if any featured before, I hope to borrow Mandy's camera for some non transport shots in France last weekend.

I've got a couple more Dutch films done, getting near the end with Arnhem and Utrecht. I've then got a whole heap of covers to design. I've updated the list to reflect these very recent releases. Hopefully before we go to Ireland I'll have links to them on Amazon, I've had lots of sales there recently eclipsing EBay by miles. I've held back listing latest releases on EBay in protest at their awful way of dealing with sellers. We are now making final arrangements for Christmas with Hil and Sean in Co Tipperary, don't worry though we'll be back very soon after Christmas with minimal delays to DVD dispatches.

BUS VARIETY IN CALAIS FRIDAY LAST

The open top decker was the biggest surprise of the trip

still full of cold, chesty awful cough cheesed off with it. At consultants last night, I need yet another knee operation, date 13th Jan 2010, could have done without that. What a great start to the year but hopefully it will be almost back to normal afterwards.

Picked up my new glasses today after dropping my old ones at the Merseyside PTE do the other week. I haven't had much time to edit so far this week, I'm trying to finish off the Dutch stuff, I'll have a go tonight but feeling really rough

TRAM TROLLEYBUS DVD CUSTOMERS

IMPORTANT FOR TRAM AND TROLLEY CUSTOMERS

I've decided that the T&UT ( Modern Tramways) offers poor value on it's adverts and have dropped our monthly quarter page. This in no way indicates a lessening off of our tram and trolleybus releases, indeed output is higher than ever and lots of exciting trips lined up for 2010.

Our slap bang up to date list appears on our website

www.pmpvideo.com

which is easily searchable by content, region etc. Advertising is a bottomless pit you could stand and throw money into. I can't recall the last time a new customer quoted a TUT advert, a majority of sales are now via Amazon or EBay. There are direct hyperlinks to our shop on the list. I shall also add links to Youtube clips at some stage. Occasionally I get people requesting printed lists, its been several years since the last one was produced, again a waste of money with the net is almost free. Even for those without home computers most libraries offer free assess.

This also brings into focus other advertising locations, Buses magazine is hideously expensive for our half page monthly advert, I've looked at Bus & Coach preservation which is much better value but has it the readership and i also noticed at Manchester Boyle St that they promote competitors DVDs. Most annoying are the ' cherry picker' DVD producers who concentrate on the honey pot locations, seldom do they reach the far corners of the British Isles let alone give worldwide coverage

Much better value this past year has been the adverts in Classic Commercial magazine which has brought us a whole new customer base.

I did some filming at Calais and St Quentin at the weekend. I noticed Amiens had some attractive new buses but had no time to film them. Amiens is one of the smaller contenders for a future french tram line.

Orders continue to pour in via Amazon, our biggest growth area plus as ever via EBay although I've held off putting new releases on as its much poorer value for me than Amazon and their site is cumbersome to use as a retailer and customer support laughable.

The Vauxhall Insignia didn't reach it's first service without having to go into the garage where it resides this morning. I've got a chesty cold which i could do without. Tired after a hectic weekend, tonight I return to my consultant Mr Geary to get results of MRI and XRays on my knee and right foot.

BACK FROM FRANCE

Calais Friday lunch time

St Quenton yesterday afternoon

we've just arrived back home, stashed the wine and other pressies and caught up with orders on the net. I'll report more fully on the weekend tomorrow when I've caught my breath!

BRIGHTON VIA FLEETWOOD THATS A GOOD UN

The last one is 1996 at work at ICI Fleetwood on a shutdown that summer, the lads are gathering for a safety award. otherwise above its Brighton in days of yore on the promenade with a mix of Southdown, Eastbourne and Brighton Corp.

Coming up to date, we head off to France tonight via Cannock and will be back Sunday night. Not sure what we;'ll get up to other than good company and wine.

Last night I downloaded all the rest of pre DVD era Netherlands ready to edit next week. Includes Arnhem and Utrecht.

It was the busiest day for orders of the year yesterday and it looks like continuing, a small sale is on at our EBay shop.

Thanks for all the Christmas cards rolling in at present.