A STICKY MESS AND SOUTHAMPTON BUSES

A rather sticky end to the day, a few jobs in the garden and then cleaning the shower cubicle of some mould spots, lovely job. After dinner finishing the family films I've been working through.
Hope to visit Grimsby for work Wednesday , perhaps some truck as well as bus film.
Next rally with be Sandtoft weekend after next then Herne Bay in Kent. Might consider doing Rossendale opn day week next Saturday. A family weekend in Edinburgh next weekend, no buses! Had another rummage in attic, masses of Kent and Sussex photos there.

The photos all Southampton on Saturday

PUNCTURE CAPPED IT ALL

Fleetwood Tram Sunday today, lets recap, Friday left for Hampshire at lunchtime caught up with accident on M6, an hour before we'd got on the motorway, normally 5 minutes. Then clear run down, saw my niece in her ballet production at Fareham and nice enough meal although waitress dropped the tray and all the drinks, it was Friday 13th after all.
Saturday, mainly sunny, morning filming in Southampton, then helped my sister get organised for their 25th wedding anniversary do that evening. Left Fareham 11 pm , got back home just before 2am. Then up 6 am for Fleetwood, then discovered flat tyre, nearly went back to bed. The AA van isn't an exhibit but to change our tyre. Hope to get my own car back this week. The weather mainly dry at Fleetwood, not many vehicles of any description, will it be the last one everyone asked. Photos of Southampton tomorrow.

HOT AND STICKY IN THE GARDEN

The garden earlier this week, tonight car loaded ready for Fleetwood Tram Sunday plus Mandy's cleaned ready for Hampshire family 25th wedding anniversary Saturday, so you can see a busy weekend ahead, fingers crossed for the weather. The enormous task of putting Steve Sands films on DVD is nearing completion. Last night up in attic, thousands more Sussex, Kent area bus photos put aside for sales.

Bangers and Splash, last Saturday at Great Yarmouth, after the great shower of rain.

Tonight i finished copying friends films, at last! ( 6 hours) still to put on DVD

I edited the East Anglian film, nearly ready to make DVD.

I ordered up friends missing birth and marriage certs, takes just minutes on the net, amazing really.

5 HOUR SLOG THROUGH CINE

a selection of bus views at the EATM Carlton Colville over the weekend. Tonight I approach the end of a massive slog through a 'favour', copying family footage which extends to 5 hours of cine film, the projector has started playing up so I'm calling it a night!

I thought I'd get this one down before the incident receded in my mind. I tried to be a good boy and leave my car behind at Carlton Colville EATM and get the bus to Great Yarmouth on Saturday. I found the bus stop had no time table information or even the direction of travel, the stop was located on a blind corner which prevented views of approaching bus and almost put me in a life threatening position due to a kamikaze car manoeuvre.
The supposedly £5 ticket was actually two tickets for £7 which would get me on any First bus in ether Lowestoft or Gt Yarmouth areas. The elderly coach on the X2 to Lowestoft was boiling inside, it made me fell nauseous. The driver was friendly and very helpful to passengers including a bunch of foreign students. The vehicle was particularly unsuited to elderly and disabled pax of which there were several. Trim on the seat in front was secured by an uncovered bolt which I caught my knee on. Transfer to X1 at Lowestoft, bus pulled in but queue had to wait while drivers changed, then door shut while he settled himself in. The new driver had nothing but problems with ticketing, first two lads boarded they had a problem, I showed my tickets then sat down at front, he asked to see them again then demanded more money, I refused, told hi to fetch an inspector as I already felt overcharged. The inspector unravelled the tickets and found them correct, I got apologies but dirty looks from long queue which had formed, hence delayed departure. Most buses looked damaged and shabby. Although only about 12 miles the journey took hours. The return on the 1 was even worse, an ex Hong Kong tri axle deckers which wandered down every coastal lane smacking trees against the roof continuously, far too big for the roads negotiated, this trip took even longer. Thankfully a museum London Country RT took me swiftly and comfortably back to the museum from Lowestoft , by far the best journey.I'm a First Group shareholder, this does not do the image of the company any good at all although the fare certainly put a few bob in the coffers!

EATM CARLTON COLVILLE PMP VISIT

Our first visit to the East Anglia Transport Museum at Carlton Colville near Lowestoft, genarally rain free weekend, plenty going on, friendly but for sales it was hopeless! I do recommend a visit and glad we made the effort even if its a while before we return. As you can see plenty of tram and trolley rides, a road run with ECW bodied buses Saturday night. We filmed in Great Yarmouth Saturday, more tomorrow

HEARD IT ON THE SUGARVINE DON'T BELIEVE IT

Hi Folks, ever heard of Sugarvine, a Cheshire restaurant review site, turns out they only accept good reviews, hmm, interesting take on impartiality and not much use to punters eh! Be warned.

Well the car is still away getting fixed, hope to have it back week after next, meanwhile have similar but urghh manual version.

Tomorrow we head off to Carlton Colville for the East Anglia Transport Museum ECW Bus weekend for two days, hope to have a report and views by Monday. The weather looks as if it could actually be dry. I managed to mow the lawns at home between showers, bed early up 4.30 am tomorrow.

MANCHESTER GIRLS IN THE PUDDING CLUB

last night we were at the pudding Club at the famous Market Restaurant, 30 Edge St, Manchester in the Northern Quarter, featured recently on television hence the popularity of the club and extra sessions this month. Started with small savoury then Choc bread and butter pudding, not as good as Mandy's but a good start, needed more milk and soaking and dollops of chocolate to make perfect.
Here I am, managed three portions of the bread pudding, obviously needed to make sure I liked it. Some great company and a superb evening at reasonable cost, highly recommend the restaurant for regular night out, its won many awards and outlived most competition and retained it's standards ( and staff!)
The next round was a Manchester Pavlova, probably our favourite, only had two portions of this though.
That's Cherry in the background, also lives in Cheshire. Next was Apricot and Almond crumble, Mandy loves a crumble, a dollop of Cornish clotted cream would have gone down a treat with this.
The next pud was Gooseberry & Elderflower jelly, had this last time, not many people liked it however refreshing its meant to be, thumbs down . This was our last lovely pud, Walnut treacle tart although my mother Marion did a much better version but she couldn't cook a dinner for her life! A great night out.

FLOOD STRENGTH RAINS HIT NORTH WEST

We are off out for the evening but face problems as many roads are shut with the flood strength rains which descended on the North West of England today, so far we'd escaped the worst. I've posted the Chester trailer on Youtube.

CHESTER STILL RAINING NEW BUSES

as promised scenes taken yesterday, 1st day of First takeover and rival Arriva services.
Weather still lousy today, a bit of tidying in the garden, editing Chester and Essex films.

CHESTER BUS WAR ESSEX BUSES

Colchester was still using the temporary bus station, generally bit like watching wall paper dry, not what it was, weather didn't help.

Chelmsford, new bus station now open on the same site as the old depot. Plenty of activity but vehicle content a bit dire.

Southend, need I say more, a***hole of the world perhaps, buses mainly to match. Again I bet it looks better on a sunny day

Very friendly crews everywhere in Essex and no hassles filming.

Today I visited Chester, 1st day of Frst, the bus war is more like a skirmish, Arriva have new buses though, First just as Chester was last week, photos tomorrow, video ready tonight with luck for Chester and Essex.

BLOWN TO PIECES AT NORTH WEALD

I can't really find adequate words to express the crap weather we suffered at North Weald today, , suffice it to say we packed up around 2.30 and were on the road home by 3. I suppose it was a crying shame after making it's come back, the wind was the worst, it was just downright dangerous with the stands. The rain came as we tried to pack up, Lower Peover looks as if it's had a bit of a deluge as well. We are both ready for a soak in the bath tonight. Still we met some friends and did reasonable business considering the short time we were trading. I'll bring you some scenes from Essex on Saturday in the next posting. We stayed at Harlow Premier Travel thingy, nice waitress , local Essex girl, food freshly cooked, hotel

musty, full, noisy in night, rubbish really for the money, rip off Britain, well all that's left of it after being full of foreigners and buggers trying to blow us all up!