MORE FROM LATHALMOND

Smudge is getting nearer, due out next weekend

a the bottom turning circle

ex St Helens museum
from the open topper
the National Road Run, very few on it though

Well here I am sitting watching the rain come down for another week, the car needs two new front tyres and the wing has started to come adrift, good job it doesn't belong to me, something to be said for leasing after all. So tomorrow I'll be waiting for the Kwik Fit Fitter and all that.

The weekend was off to a fine start with a meeting at my Darlington office before lunch and then I carried on up to Berwick hoping fort a reasonable visit, unknown to me a fellow enthusiast had called by an hour earlier, the warm up act perhaps, anyway the drivers were all friendly enough and although Solos predominate I reckon there was about 6 operators all told. What an awful place, well no not the place, it’s the people, never seen such ugly sorts, tattoos and crew cuts and that's just the women, large dogs, the animals not the women, well if the cap fits perhaps. Struggled to get 15 minutes of film and moved on, the weather went downhill to normal levels, rain, so we didn't stop again until we reached Fife, we called at Loch Fitty Cottage where we always stay, dropped off our gear and thence on to Lathalmond Bus Museum where we were all set up by half five. Dinner and a few jars at the Half Way Inn in the village, 1.5 minutes from the b&b. A Maltese family were the other guests. The hotel is no great shakes, freezing cold Rioja would you believe but they try hard, all the local children do a spell working there like a rite of passage. Alan and Cath joined us for a while and we compared stories of this miserable year. Its always good to see the familiar friendly faces at the museum, I seem to know so many people there after all these years attending the open weekend. Phil next door announced he intended going to Inverness the next morning, this seemed a heck of a way to go bit I joined him in a fruitful expedition north.

We set off about half nine and got there just before lunch calling in at a depot on the way, Inverness was actually the hottest place in Scotland at about 20 degrees, plenty of sun around but slightly cloudy in the city which was fine for photography. The take over of Rapsons meant this was the last week before the Rapsons fleet moved across the road to join the rest of the Stagecoach allocation, a tight squeeze, we had a depot visit on the way back but also got caught up in the football traffic , in the jam was a Scotbus Atlantean ex Preston , These had been reported in service competing with Stagecoach but a Buses article a bit wide of the mark. A girl was hauled off one of the inter city services pissed out of her skull, two police attended, a pity they didn't round up the bunch of drunks in the centre who were threatening people and stumbling in front of traffic. Funny in Scotland, either really decent family people or drunks rolling in the street, a pity more isn't done to combat this scourge which with drugs and foul language is very noticeable north of the border.

Thankfully Lathalmond features the decent family folk and here in the safe refuge everyone was already enjoying the first day of a super weekend, albeit our respective spouses were waiting at the gate for our late return.

Saturday night is always wedding night at the Halfway inn, this was certainly the case and I wouldn't fancy staying there at a weekend unless invited to the party, still we were fed and watered by friendly enough young staff, wisely we opted for chilled Chilean white rather than iced Merlot. The haddock was nice enough, too many chips passing my way this last two weeks though. Lots to do and see at the museum and the weather stayed quite fine, noticeable was the absence of Lothian's current fleet, nothing attended, plenty of rumours flying about on that one. What a great feeling seeing friends all day, it was a superb event and our best days trading plus best event overall for 2008, the launch of the new Scotland North archive DVD was generally a success although I was surprised to bring home a handful of copies unsold.

BACK FROM LATHALMOND

rushed around trying to get some sound of the Albion, got Atlantean, Fleetline, Gavin Booth's s voice, kids playing football, everything except just the Albion, oh well
a great weekend though, fast journey back, got stick near home and it rained, again near home, sweet home!
utility ex grey wartime livery, Plymouth chassis.
I think this was lainched at the Blackpool do which was wiped out by wind
nothing from Lothian by way of the current fleet, lots of rumours, wonder whats happened there.

A warning don't deal with a character called
Dean Westley
of Milton Keynes on Ebay
I think I've done my last ever listing on the auction side of Ebay, my goodness aren't there some ignorant people out there.

I'll write catching up on the weekend tomorrow, off to bed

EGYPT TRUCKS HIT THE ROAD

Another quiet day for orders which is a bit of a godsend as it enables us to catch up a bit, tonight I'll be loading the car for Lathalmond Scottish National Bus Museum open weekend in Fife. On Saturday dependent on weather I might head out with the camera, also depends how Mandy feels she'll manage on her own. The new Scottish archive will be pushed for its official launch there.

I'm getting some flyers done at Prontoprint for singed copies of my book which can also be gifted, I'll put these in with orders for the next couple of months, ideal Christmas presents perhaps, normal price , perhaps they'll become collectors editions, remember the Eastbourne Bus Story sold out and fetches a premium on Amazon etc.

What about Birmingham council dishing out a quarter of a million flyers with pictures of Birmingham Alabama instead for Brum, they wouldn't even admit they'd made a mistake at first. Last night I caught up with all the covers including the latest Irish Truck film.

I've loaded all my 1996 and 1997 Egypt coverage ready for a new truck compilation, there were great shots in front of the pyramids and some scenes in Alexandria. I might follow up with my 1990s Asian material from Nepal, Indian, Hong Kong and Myanmar, Burma still had Albions and AECs then.
What next , well another Scottish archive perhaps but I think some more London would be appreciated. There are lots of tram and trolley systems topical like Gori etc in Georgia which I filmed in the 90s. I am open to persuasion especially if a group offer the potential for multiple sales, we've still around a 1000 on video only.
Weather outlook yet again remains bleak, weather men say its just average, pratts.No news on book printing, I'll chase again by mid week, really hope to get it on the Friday. I do hope some of you will join me at the launch at the Festival Of Transport at Hellingly in East Sussex on the Sunday at bank holiday weekend, there is also a Maltese television crew on hand making a documentary for their TV system.

Thursday night, the Egypt truck DVD is now ready

Remember tomorrow we head up to Scotland so it will probably be Monday night before next blog

THE TRIFFIDS IN MY GREENHOUSE

Hil on Guido Sth Tipperary last week
Daniel's turn on Guido, first time on a horse, what a whoppa
now Rebecca
the triffids or Hils tomato plants she gave my in may, taking over Greenhouse in Lower Peover

The newspapers tell us that there is little chance of an Indian summer and that winter is coming early, there are those of us who think summer never came at all, a hot spell now would probably kill us. Still fingers crossed for the bank holiday weekend and the book launch. I managed to get a couple of DVD covers finished last night and this evening hope to finish the Irish trucking DVD from Dublin and Waterford 2008. I'm really hoping to get another couple of archive truck films rattled off before I place next round of adverts. Depending upon the weather and trips through the rest of August I will try and get some more old films on to DVD, there are still around 1000 to go at although not all will be tackled in the same mix or presentation as on the early video programmes. If the Online archive material arrives then all bets off and heads down. A quiet day in the post and eBay so a good time to place your orders. Feedback these days is pretty sparse since we went to blog rather than the old newsletters, its nice to hear something now and again you know. Its been a good year for our trucking range and starting to advertise in truck mags has paid off even if it isn't always obvious where orders originate from. I hope to get some tricks in the can this Christmas when we visit New Zealand, perhaps a few even on Fiji when we are there in December. The garden is sodden with rain but tomatoes are now making good progress. The Knutsford Guardian is thinner each week as nearly all estate agents are now destitute and can't afford adverts, we kicked Bridgefords into touch as they treat you like a double glazing salesman would, terrible outfit. The house seemed strangely empty yesterday evening after the family had left, good luck to Rebecca with her exam results on Thursday, here's hoping she gets the uni place she wants, meanwhile Daniel is an international footballer now having represented his Sunday League team in the Netherlands.

MARCHING THROUGH GEORGIA

Daniel in Cahir by the bridge outside the castle
looking down from Cahir castle

As august swings past like a bad dream with each day wetter than the last I can recall the clear sky last Saturday in Ireland when we watched shooting stars falling to earth in the crisp night air, by morning of course the clouds had gathered.

The clouds of war are at work in the Caucasus, I was in Gori in Georgia a few years back, the birthplace of Stalin it also has trolleybuses and we were dropped off there and headed back to Tbilisi by service bus, they wouldn't even accept our money for the fare. Their president did seem to miss judge events choosing to reaffirm sovereignty over the break away provinces when the Olympics were on, did he think Russia wouldn't notice, the people are paying the price and Russian pride stands loftily amongst its former colonies.

Now all the family have headed back south we have to start catching up on DVD orders and getting focused on the Lathalmond weekend ahead.

I've done a flyer for ordering my book, A Smudge on My Lens, pub 1st Sept Matador Press, its for signed copies at no extra cost, I think there are already a few hundred copies preordered through various outlets, you can get it through any bookshop including online outlets.

I wonder what my next project will be with the Chinese trip next Easter all arranged and the book published. My longed for long distance walk depends on the state of my knee next year. I managed to mow the lawns last night between showers and before the family got back from the Trafford Centre. The tomato plants had dried out and collapsed but I strung up the errant plants and soaked them well. A strict diet is probably my best choice of action but I fear Scotland will put paid to that.

At the beginning of September we have Heaton Park rally 7th Sept and at the end of September 28th Showbus. The end of August and middle of September remain possible dates for either rallies or trips depending on weather, we hope to get to Eastbourne, Brighton, Bournemouth, Swindon,Sth West Wales and do trucks in Wales, S West and Midlands.

lympics wot lympics?

Waterford last Friday


and down on the coast, a bit of a surprise

Well safely back and just one day left to entertain my nephew and niece and cousin after our long weekend on Ireland. I hope to catch up over Tuesday and Wednesday nights ready to load the car up Thursday evening for our departure Friday for the annual 2 day open weekend at the Scottish National Bus Museum at Lathalmond in Fife, well worth the trip if you haven't been there already. I hope the weather gets a bit better, its been a dismal summer so far hasn't it.

My autobiography looks as if its getting back on track with collection from the printers down in Trowbridge on the Saturday , just a day before the launch at the FOT at Hellingly in East Sussex, ( near Hailsham).

Well what did we get up to in Ireland, a fairly good flight with Ryanair yet again, 20 minutes early which can't be bad, Mandy and Hil picked me up at Cork, the weather had been awful but faired up the next day when we went down to Waterford covering trucks and a few buses thence down to the seaside where some brave souls were actually in the grey water. An American circus was in town with suitable trucks to match which I'm featuring during the week.
On Saturday it was wet so we visited Cahir castle which is near our house , we also had lunch and walked to Swiss cottage. In the afternoon we went to Michelstown caves where a harridan of a woman dispenses tickets as well as black looks and a sharp tongue from the house, health and safety is rudimentary and it’s a look back to caves opened up 50 years ago in Britain or France, mind you until 1971 it was still by torchlight.

The trip back was on quiet roads to Dublin, we called in to give the gang a whirlwind tour of the essential sights like GPO etc then via the toll bridge down to Dun Laoghaire and an on time sailing with Stena back over to Holyhead and home before 10pm, tired but happy.
The Waterford footage will enable the Irish truck DVD to be finished, I hope to knock out a couple more before next round of adverts.

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BACK SAFE FROM IRELAND LITTLE BIT FATTER

Daniel and Ellie ( Rebecca out of shot) on the lawn at Hil and Seans in Ireland on Friday. We had a super time despite the poor weather but no doubt Hil was glad to get her house back when we left this morning although Ellie is reported top be very sad without Daniel throwing the Frisbee around for her
A few minutes at Waterford doing buses but mainly trucks to finish an Irish trucking DVD started earlier this year.

Daniel thought the truck with the piglets was very sad, so no photo, but he still enjoyed his bacon this morning. More tomorrow.

POSSIBLE DELAY ON BOOK PUBLICATION

Stagecoach Enviro at unfriendly Canterbury bus station
much more welcoming was Chatham visited the same morning

Well here is my final blog this week as tonight I fly out to join the family in Ireland, the weather has been pretty wet and no sign of it changing yet.

My autobiography is now at the printers, orders can be placed via your favourite book suppler or shop. I hope you've enjoyed the selection of shots from Kent last weekend, here is one more batch. Next week looks like be just as busy as we hurtle towards Lathalmond and the annual rally and open weekend, well worth the trip if you have never been before, we are launching our new DVD regional bus archive, Scotland North.

I've almost finished arrangements for the China trip next year, others to work on will be Spain and Canada. Tomorrow John Bishop leaves to join the Intraexpress Netherlands tram tour.

Just about to leave work and I get the news from Troubador that the book may be one week late and miss the launch at the FOT at Hellingly, this would be a bitter blow but not surprising as I've have nowt but hassle from any of my publishers over the years including Middleton Press and Ian Allan, they specialise in messing authors or advertisers about.

ITS NEARLY AUTUMN IN LOWER PEOVER

Herne Bay, the rally was in the car park, well everything out of the depot, a few visitors and the buses on the running day.
a breakdown at Ramsgate, the most exciting thing there in 500 years?
A drizzled on afternoon at Canterbury
Poynters at Canterbury, still raining
And studiously not Stagecoach , as the lady driver said what do you want to waste your time filming buses for.

I was at meetings in Preston today at the Tickled trout then rushing around for work to do with a China job, talking of which I'm still finalising next years transport trip, departing Easter 2009.

Its still raining and now getting dark earlier, no summer, again.

WONDERFUL WORLD OF BUSES

ok except for Western welsh on hire to East Kent and why not this selection may bring tears to the eyes of ex pat Kentish folk scattered around the world and just a handful of the many buses in service on Sunday at the Herne Bay rally

Pevensey Rd Bus Station, Eastbourne, I Wish just rolling out of Chatham perhaps, memories
and well at home this one

well today I got the final proof read done on the book which was a bit of a skim through but hopefully by now we've picked up most errors, glad to see it go off to the printers on schedule.

Mandy was up and away at 5 this morning, now in Ireland, I go on Thursday.

THE WEEKEND IN KENT - WET

other than Portsmouth quite a local flavour to my first selection from Herne Bay yesterday

Well that another hectic weekend behind us, the trip down to Kent on Saturday morning went well and I was set up filming at Chatham just after 9am. I must say that Chatham as ever proved to be a very friendly place with every driver ( bar 1) waving and thumbs up, stopping, posing and chatting to various degrees. Several reports of my visit preceded our Herne Bay rally attendance on Sunday. After Chatham where the warmth of the welcome made up for bus interest save for Nu Venture titans. In Canterbury we may as well have been on a different planet. The most unfriendly ( except some notable good drivers) place you could imagine, in a year it had really gone off the boil and it drizzled continuously. One woman driver gave me a slagging off, couldn't I find something better to do with my time. Anyway I eventually accumulated an hours film, but it took some doing. Road rage was rife amongst Stagecoach drivers, some most unprofessional driving attitudes as the encountered drivers getting into the bus station, even if they were in the right, one fingered signs don't do much for the company image and it wasn't a single instance. The roads in East Kent are worse than Romanian, and we thought Cheshire was bad, sometime its easy to think all the South East is affluent but this corner of the country has its share of deprivation and certainly the seaside towns often look well down at heel. We called at Sandwich and had a break down tender arrive to tow a Wright bodied Dart away which was entertaining, almost as much as our cream tea. The weather eventually faired up in the evening and we went for dinner at the Monument pub in Whitstable which was very nice indeed. The running day was dogged by bad weather, blocked drains caused flooding in the depot and even when it left off it remained cloudy for the rest o the day, photography was a challenge to say the least. A great variety of buses in service although not so much purely local content and it was not so easy to get nice mixes of East Kent buses or M&D together like I managed in 2007. Met lots of friends old and new and took the opportunity of spreading knowledge of our range in the region. We had a good days trading although sales of photos was very disappointing especially given the enormous range of Kent material we had on offer, the rare customer had a choice of dome very juicy old M&D views. The trip back was a nightmare, over 5 hours, M25 at a standstill for much of the time, gave up getting on to M1 and carried on round to the M40 and back up past Oxford etc

One thing certain to wind me up is people wanting to haggle over DVDs from our EBay shop, they already save a bundle, how tight can you get!

My book is almost ready for the printer, the cover fully done, last check through tomorrow

HELLISH TRIP HOME TOO LATE FOR BLOGGING

I'll catch up with the weekends events tomorrow, its 11pm and just unpacked. A wet dull weekend and awful journey back from Herne Bay but an interesting day at the rally!
Dave

TREASURE THIS YOU'LL HAVE TO WAIT TILL SUNDAY

most exhibits were moving, a few lined up for photoigraphy, any a great turn out of the fleet at Sandtoft last Sunday and what super weather we had, memories here of Rotherham trolleys

Stuart Cooke showed off their Sheffield Regent V
Huddersfield a smart and much missed municipal fleet


even London red looked good on the trolley the last operator to fall, Bradford lingered on till 72.

The book is well underway, printing starts next week, just need cover to scrutinise rear and not long before the machines roll! Remember A Smudge on My Lens, now on all book websites, Amazon etc, worldwide.

Editing Dublin tonight but remember we are in Kent tomorrow, not back until Sunday night.