PLYMOUTH GO AHEAD BUSES

just back from Devon this evening , we did good time despite the many roadworks on the M5 and M6 what plonkers thought of putting dozens of roadworks in place at the same time heaven knows. No sign of the new Plymouth Citybus identity with Go Ahead, good weather on Saturday for filming we also went down to Looe in Cornwall and had delicious treacle tart and clotted cream, today lunch with Mandys cousins partner Helen and son Joe, Bernie died just over a year ago we visited the woodland cemetery this morning. Lunch at Dartington Hall near their home at Dartington.

WELLINGTON TROLLEYS AS THEY WERE

Wellington trolleybuses haven't always had a secure future, in the early days of Stagecoach takeover they made much of their green credentials but then the whole system became at risk, now it has had a 100% fleet renewal.Note the usual rubbish weather , we were more fortunate on our last trip though.

It was Three Greyhounds night yesterday but I almost finished the last of the Stockport collection adding the NWRCC running day at Boyle St in 1994 as filler material with a clip to go on Youtube tonight. Still very quiet perhaps month end will add something to the trading atmosphere. We are off down to Plymouth tomorrow early hours and back Sunday night.

It seems a bit of a chew getting the Myanmar trip flights sorted, lot less to chose from these days.

SINGAPORE MALAYSIA LIGHT RAIL

a change from the many Hong Kong shots you see, a few from a previous visit to Singapore, not my favourite country but at least it has deckers.

as well as its own elevated light Metro KL in Malaysia also had a few remaining Metrorider buses.

Last night I got the next volume on Stockport buses finished, yet again a fairly quiet day on the net but with a few orders trickling in via snail mail. The weather has certainly picked up, I spent some time in the garage sorting stock last night and before dark got the garden a bit more clear of last years detritus. A brighter day all round today, I might get some remedial work done on the greenhouse, need to put sealant around the bottom to reduce heat loss. Seedling due in mid March. Still working on Myanmar trip and looking at Italy for September.

STORMING ONWARDS

a trip to Kent from my archive for today although I've actually been busy editing the first DVD on the Stockport Collection, even did the cover, 1989-96, next volume should roll off the production line this evening. I need to review the truck DVD stock ready for the first truck event which falls the same weekend as Boyle St, Manchester. Our resources will be split that Saturday, I'll do the truck event and Mandy will be at Boyle St, we'll both be at Manchester on the Sunday.

I think that the photos should find admirers amongst enthusiasts for several different reasons, interesting operators, ex London etc etc. Yesterday my father's mouthpieces arrived home after silvering and are now ready for framing with his medals, just need to find a local supplier to do the work. It was really dead again on the net last night, February is proving a challenging month for trading so far, even the YouTube hits are half those of January and they are for free. So has interest vanished.

I've drawn up a shortlist of suitable camcorders for the start of High Dedfinition recording, the new models are released March / April, should be in place before our Portuguese trip mid April. Planning is proceeding with the Myanmar trip at Christmas.

CIE GLORY DAYS WELL PERHAPS NOT

a few more examples of my stay in Ireland 1979-83 when I managed to photograph almost all the CIE fleet at some time. These are untrimmed before I've worked the magic ready for the sale box. These and many more will be available through the summer months with more added soon, next time I'll do all the Dublin half cabs. This is a good provincial mix from Waterford up to Galway, I explored pretty well, every nook and cranny the fleet inhabited plus most of the school buses

more snow forecast for today, teatime onwards, it's certainly been bitterly cold so far today. I picked up the ne

dgs and discs from Asda and have booked the hotels for the Portugal trip and also the ferry for Mull at Easter after we've done trucks and Edinburgh / Glasgow buses.

I've started editing the Stockport Collection, first volume ready tonight covering 1989 onwards, should all be ready within next week before I loom at another Gtr Manchester location, all to be ready for Boyle St, late March.

LOWER PEOVER SNOWFALL

some photographs as promised from Sunday morning when we had a moderate snowfall in Lower Peover, it melted very quickly on what was otherwise a mild day.

anyway the trip to the RNCM paid dividends with the Britten work Rape of Lucretia well performed in the intimate atmosphere of the Studio Theatre with the singers just a couple of feet away at times. We had a super curry chez Mandy and had a lazy evening albeit the television on a Sunday has gone to pot completely. Today I was bust with meeting at work but managed to suss out the trip to Portugal in April which I'm about to book after thumping out this missive. Yes its been a changeable feast on that trip. I hope to start editing some more Manchester area archives from 80-90s on DVD tonight in readiness for Boyle St in March then I'll do Southampton as promised.

DERBY SUN LOWER PEOVER SNOW

What contrast from yesterday in Derby where the buses basked in the cold wintry sunlight but today we had overnight snow, about 2 inches so far, light snow still falling mid morning. I went out with the camera before car tracks and footprints and captured a few scenes around the village which I'll bring to you later

I've now finished editing both Derby and Mansfield films from yesterday but unlikely to make more progress as we are off to the RNCM later this afternoon and I'm cleaning out the greenhouse for the rest of the morning. Can't really clear debris from garden as its hidden by snow at present. Last night we got the years schedule all sorted with rally and trip dates all confirmed. So far overseas will be Germany and Poland, Albania, Kosovo, Macedonia, Italy and Myanmar. We may well have a trip to the Scilly Islands late April. A long weekend in London either March or July.

MANSFIELD AND DERBY

yes it was an East Midlands day today, just back from Derby and Mansfield, pictures here from the latter at the bus station. it's nearly 20 years since I last film,ed here, when they had Routemasters. Well the bus station hasn't changed, just the grime and wear of the passing decades. I think Mansfield have fared pretty roughly with out of town shopping centres leaving the place more of a dump than ever but that's councils for you, charge the earth for business rates and parking, little surprise towns are dying all around the country.

I would however like to note that everyone in Mansfield was very friendly and absolutely no problems filming at the bus station other than the direction of the light which is probably why I usually avoid it. Variety wise well nothing fantastic but there are many worse and at least there are plenty of buses on frequent services.One Veolia and One Notts & Derby decker spotted during the day. Derby I bring you tomorrow. I'll get Sunday's blog done early as we are off the Rape of Lucretia at RNCM, Manchester in the afternoon. I the morning i intend getting the greenhouse cleaned and disinfected ready for seedlings in March. Weather still cold, frosty, occasional sleet but dry at present and bright.

WONDERFUL EXPENSIVE COPENHAGEN

wonderful Copenhagen as that song of my youth declared but terribly expensive, Denmark is at the top of the price league . What attracted us on this trip was the re-introduction of double deckers into the country.

back to present times, last night down at the Three greyhounds we looked back on Bills Corrigan's funeral earlier in the day at Mobberley, there had been a very full church. The vicar was the retired Lower Peover incumbent who got through it all at break neck speed although that did little to distract from a plesasant ceremony, we skipped the Friends of Nature funeral ground as too rough for Mandy to negotiate. I returned to work declining an afternoon session at Victory Hall. Bert ex landlord retired of the Crown in Lower Peover was there as were Simon and family and staff plus most of the regulars from the Three Greyhounds. He had been schoolboy British boxing cchampion, county level at snooker and crown green bowls and a good angler, not a bad haul.

I also managed to get all DVD covers done up to day and loaded most of the recent releases onto Amazon with a few to do tonight, then need to add links and re-post on my website, all will be done this evening. Still unsure of weekend film destination until I catch up with weather forecast. Sleet and ice prevail at home.

MADE IT PAST RUSSIA

a reminder to mysdelf that areas like Grantham and Lincoln are well up my target video list for 2010, Road Car is alas no more of copurse just more Stagecoach territory.

Last night i was late to bed, that blessed Russian video has really proved a jinx, after x amount of attempts it is finally done, glad to see the back of it. This was the one nearly finished when the old computer crashed and has been the only backlog left. Anyway I've also got a clip uploaded , now I need to do my first still captures on Premiere Pro for the cover. Tonight I'll have a bash at getting all on Amazon. EBay have abandoned their post free rule on dvds at last, new rules in April. Thinking i might just use EBay for 'sales' my low cost operastion and all 'new' stuff goes to Amazon where the complete range can be listed at minimal cost per month.

Today its a short day at work as I'm off to Bill's funeral at lunch time. I can't say I really like making the DVDs with Adobe Encore, might look at alternatives. Still struggling with comparisons of HD camera, very hard to get 'real' info, Sony's websites are pitiful. Not sure about filming coming weekend, looks as if it could be sunny, I'll think of something.

Good old Israelis chasing the terrorists around, not a lot gets past them, pity we haven't got the balls to chase ours down like that. Anyway how come all the aggro that our dear old Enry VIII went through to have our own nice comfy church free of religion has been forgotten, time we banned all false religions and recognised the power of the steeple, tombola and home made jam!

Here endeth the lesson, in'it