A GREAT DAY AT BARLASTON POPS RALLY

despite a poor weather forecast on the day it turned out to be Sunny almost all the time, numbers of buses attending seemed to be well up, easily around a hundred and space turned out to be at a premium.

I've tried to give an impression of the spread of vehicles as it isn't just buses, although commercials limited to a handful of trucks, plenty of cars though. The new owners of Wedgwood were we hope suitably impressed with the number of punters through the door at the shop

The age profile of buses was quite good, something for everyone

Off for a meal at the Dog, the other side of Peover, still hosting Maureen and John. I'm still wading through Chinese DVDs, will have all finished by next weekend

FEELING A BIT DELICATE

leaving Qingdao, China, carriage attendant and myself

guide i Qingdao, Martin to right, John to left

not every photo was a trolley

but most were, these were only 2 or 3 years old, strange looking with the grill

and the older Qingdao models, a seaside city, very fresh, real promenaded etc, nasty cold sea mist rolled in later in the day

yes it was George's 80th birthday bash at the Three Greyhounds, we have John and Maureen with us, a large dinner and even larger treacle sponge and oodles of custard for John followed by copious amounts of alcohol, hmm, still its a bright enough morning, we are going up to Preston today for John to see the operation which is still on hold following Stagecoach takeover. We have been copying John's films of Eastbourne takeover by Stagecoach, ditto Cavendish.

AN EARLY BLOG ITS GEORGES BIRTHDAY BASH

typical new Chinese bullet train, this one went to Qingdao from Jinan

isolated dept in Ji'nan, our guide Richard was more hindrance than help

the busway at Jinan

our palace on wheels??

Its an early blog today as we have John and Maureen arriving then after dinner we are at Georges birthday bash at the Three Greyhounds tonight, here are some shots on the way to and at Ji'nan, it is all starting to seem like ancient history!

DAVE RATTLES THROUGH CHINESE DVDS

Taiyuan, China, a couple of weeks back

our best guide on the trip, Bill

got us into depots and termini

and found this yet another coal mine trolley system

Another week nearly gone, where do they go, well since China its been a whirlwind really, last weekend with Newcastle, Durham and then Truckfest, this weekend John and Maureen up from Sussex. Over in China, Zhang from CBRI is working on a possible North Korea trip for us, tentative at present. I'm still bashing my way through editing the Chinese films, nearly two thirds through though thank goodness. I'm also out every evening now in the garden, the triffids are thrusting skywards, perennial Geraniums are the worst. The snails are having a feast and the bedding needs hardening off.

I got a few basket / pot plants from B&Q today ( don't you just hate them, they were also in China), I got watered by an android in the garden section, lobotomy are nerscessary qualification for working there. Planning to take John to Preston ( no he didn't do anything wrong) then on to either Blackpool or the lakes perhaps. Sunday its our POPS rally at Wedgwood Centre Barlaston near Stoke, free bus services throughout the day and a new museum on site, hard standing, last minute vehicles and stands always welcomed, just praying for dry first, sun second, no wind third and heat wave fourth! In planning, well actually confirmed are trips to Belfast, Isle of Man, Malta, late August Devon, Cornwall, Jersey, Guernsey and Alderney. Late r this month we have our trip to the outer islands of the Shetlands, Fair Isle, Foula and Out Skerries, not many buses that week but have new bird watching binoculars at the ready.

AN EASING ON THE PAIN FRONT

Tianjin again, night time celebrations, myself

John Bishop

The food hall

I'm finishing the Taiyuan DVD as I write, then off into the garden while I download Ji'nan , should have that ready tonight. Getting through it all steadily. Bit of a line of things to edit though and covers to make. Last night Pat Peacock succeeded in contacting my half brother Tony although a bit of a bumpy landing as a message got miss relayed and they though their sister had had an accident, hopefully everything will pan out well in the end, hopefully I'm getting to the end of my siblings, the family has certainly expanded., Mandy had her hair done today, Chester quiet in the city as the races are on.

BUSY BEE WITH ACHING JOINTS

more from the China trip, Tianjin, the port city for Beijing with guided rubber tyred trolleybus like Clermont Ferrand, also double deckers and some great commercials heading to the docks

aching after all the gardening yesterday, went to osteopaths for last round of acupuncture treatment, docs next week pre MRI scan. Mandy is still making progress with bruises slowly fading. Lots of lovely local Asparagus about, having it for dinner tonight. Editing China trip, more postings on YouTube, need to do covers, put films on list, update eBay and amazon, oh for more hours in the day. The cancelled Manx trip has been rescheduled to July.

DOWN THE PIT CHINA STYLE

Alan,myself,Martin and John with local children at the coal pit trolley near Handan in Hebei Province on our China trip, the one and only trolley had broken down and had recently been replaced by a bus

the other pit trolley at X'intai was working, it was Easter Sunday, the driver took two trolleys out, posing for the camera and again lots of local kids about, very polluted atmosphere though

today I'll in the garden getting the remainder of the winter and spring bedding out ready for the summer plants which are bursting out of the greenhouse.

TRUCKFEST AND SORE FEET

Another early start over to Peterborough for Truckfest, the M6 was shut so cut across A50 and down M1 to A14 and east, poor entry arrangements for the many disabled visitors and no discount either, the weather was good all day although it was cloudy and cold to start. Hordes of visitors, its a bit of a rum do, got told where to get off by a woman who objected to my complaint when she stood right in front of me to take a photo whilst I was filming heavy truck parade, says it all really bout the type of people, glad we didn't bother with a stand, most other people to be fair were pleasant although i wouldn't want to be there at night. After 2 hours of film in the can my feet were too tired to continue, vaster acres of trucks many untouched by me. Mandy was knocked over by a child, no damage done though, she placed herself in the hospitality tents, eyeing up a new Volvo truck perhaps!

Meanwhile photos from Beijing at the start of the China trip

NORTH EAST DELIGHTS

some more Guangzhou scenes from last week in China, today we went up to Tyneside, great time in Newcastle, sun shine, no hassle filming, friendly crews, lots of enthusiasts about, plenty of activity, vehicles and liveries galore.

Martin right, myself left on trolley in China.

After Newcastle we went to Durham, still mainly sunny then on to Bishop Auckland, down to earth with a bang, what a crap hole it is these days but still unscathed. Then we took the long and tiring but rewarding route west along Weardale across to Cumbria, route which is well worth doing if you have never tried it, superb scenery, interesting places, museums, and Weardale Motors a most friendly and smart fleet, more of that tomorrow after returning from Truckfest at Peterborough. While there's still sunshine I'm off out into the garden to mow lawns and trim borders

GUANGZHOU PMP CHINA TROLLEYBUS TRIP

Guangzhou last week, our final Chinese destination before the SAR of Hong Kong. Here the weather had turned a bit damp but there was an amazing trolleybus system, the place had changed so much since my 1990 visit.

our local guide on left, then John our Chinese trolleybus friend who had helped plan the trip, John and Martin right.

5 star luxury but i got the runs here, miles to the breakfast room and full of Americans, oh for the coal mines of Hebei.

A rain proof loft looking down in the evening

John kindly sorted out a new photo memory stick, the one I bought in UK for spare was u/s ( but made in China). This was the test photo in the electrics shopping mall