EVERY PICTURE TELLS A STORY

well putting off the star turn at Heaton Park for a while I'll leave you hanging on that one- returning now to the Balkans trips as it won't be long before we are in Italy. My back has improved no end and wasn't it a wonderful day at Heaton Park yesterday where we just scraped over last years sales making it another rare improver year on year, Manchester you can rely on as ever. Anyway back to the Balkans and the centre of Prestina where the Newborn letters were the centre of independence celebrations and apparent graffiti is the signatures of people who were there the historic night two years ago.our own celebrations came courtesy of the Irish pub in the centre of Prestina, Kosovo where we had Guinness plus fish and chips.

Martin made friends with these Union Jack flying mechanics who had worked in the UK and had recently hosted Tony Blair

another befriending by Martin saw him dressed up in a scary version of a station master, the real; one was a super guy who not speaking a word of English became a friend and dug deep into his old cabinet and pulled out some ancient tickets for Martin, he also showered us with chocolates, glass cups and hugs and kisses when we met again after a train journey the following day,we felt our fame as crazy English transport fans was spreading as were our waistlines and Martin's ticket pouch.I tried to grab commercial shots as often as I could, editing is now under way and the results should be coming off the computer each evening this weekthis next one represents typical Kosovo city services with ex Swiss bus at the main Pristina station Fushe Kosove, a few miles out of the city

all line up one of the famous NOHABS with a small load ready to depart at Fushe station

HEATON PARK IN THE SUNSHINE

for the star of the show at Heaton Park you'll have to wait until tomorrows blog but in the mean time I whet your appetite with this selection from today's trans Lancs rally at Heaton Park in Manchester where the sun shone almost all the time and the temperature touched a staggering 20 as ice cream van queues stretched back a hundred yards and crowds thronged around the buses, cars and commercials to a back ground of geese and ducks. The classic day out and so many friends and regulars that it was difficult to move around the site. My back just about stood up to the arduous day and looks like it will mend before next weeks trip to Italy. Tonight I intend to finish off the 2nd NSW bus archive DVD and then move on tho editing the Balkans trip before everything starts to pile up. Archives to come will include Malta and South Africa plus India-m also nearer h9ome West of Scotland.

LIVERPOOL TODAY DESPITE BAD BACK

we had a bit of a lie in and when I got up I realised my back was still not in the best of fettle and it was going to be a struggle getting fit for our trip to Italy next Saturday, yes just a week to recover. So much to do, tomorrow is the Trans Lancs rally at Heaton Park Manchester , the car in now loaded up ready to go and I'm really up for it, never let a silly old back get the better of me. So here are some shots from this morning in Liverpool, can't get much fresher than that. Came home and had a lay down watching old film on telly and some real ale, rather strong so not sure if it was that or painkiller which enabled me to pack the car. The gold finches are back on the feeders big time and every hanger is loaded with feathered friends. Garden is a mess but I daren't touch it, I'll have to get the chap back to tidy up again. I hope to get the second NSW bus archive sound finished tonight.

BALKANS GALORE IN KOSOVO ADVENTURES

starting with a photo of a typical urban bus albeit not standard livery in Skopje, Macedonia on Monday this weekThessaloniki in Greece is the prime long haul train journey from Skopje station, the other shot is our 'train' of one carriage from the Kosovo border, the other two carriages will be picked up on return and locos exchanged

some typical scenery out of the train window and examples of the K For propaganda posters which are everywhere

the second town in Kosovo in Pec in the west and a couple of hours train ride from Prestina, a bit forlorn especially on a Sunday, very little movement at the bus station, a bus of Kosovo Trans.

the NOHAB diesels are world famous in rail circles, now around 50 years old they are only lightly loaded on the passenger services, as usual language doesn't always translate quite right but better than my Albanian

well this morning drying myself after shower my back went yet again, nothing too bad but great care required this weekend as its the Heaton Park, Manchester rally on Sunday, we hope to see many of you there, let us know if you enjoy the blog. I had a go at Facebook last night, my first go on it for about a year, can;'t really see the point of it though with emails and blogs etc. I finished the pictures on the second NSW archive, just sound to add.

MORE BALKAN MAGIC IN MACEDONIA

Martin Rickitt and myself in Skopje the capital of the small Balkan republic of Macedonia whose recent efforts to progress towards EU membership are thwarted by Greek objections to the name of the state as there is also a Greek province by the same name. Its uses the Cyrillic alphabet and has been independent of Yugoslavia for around 20 years. It is somewhat set in a time warp, certainly bus wise where there were some absolute gems to be seen. As usual the hard work filming was broken by the occasional bottle of beer.The Stone Bridge and castle are amongst the few attractions of the capital although as elsewhere on the trip we were always very safe and people most willing to help. Pity about the absence of bus route maps which would be very helpful. The urban buses were I think state or municipal whilst long distance buses a large range of private companies. Lots more to bring you on the trip over coming days or even weeks. News from nearer home , The Three Greyhounds reopened last Friday night , we'll be there for ouyr usual Thursday evening drink, a temporary management company providing the service with the old staff back on duty. The goldfinches are back on the Niger seed in the garden, frost killed the Busy Lizzies whilst I was away, autumn is around the corner. Last night i nearly finished the images for Part Two on New South Wales bus archives 74-84. I'll get that wrapped up tonight , just the sound to put on.

BACK FROM THE BALKANS

Lets start with the end of the trip and work backwards as that way I've a chance of remembering the most recent events and give my brain a shot at pondering what else occured on this fantastic adventure into some of the less well known states in the Balkans. We finished up at the bus station for interurban and indeed international services at Prestina , this decker is from Serbia. Kosovo was very interesting with K-FOR and a multitude of organisations from NATA to EU and UN etc. Although armoured and soft patrols made regular circuits this didn't reflect the relaxed and safe atmosphere where only the driving gave rise for concern, even the pavements weren't safe from drivers mounting them and dumping the vehicles anywhere. The weather on the last day took a severe tumble and our first rain of the trip which of course made Martin's ticket collecting more challenging than the sun bleaching the print.

some shots of the urban bus fleet in Kosovo, multitude of companies involved on around a dozen or more routes using second hand buses from mainly Germany and France plus Swiss etc.Afterwards we leap back a day to my final shots in Skopje in Macedonia, a real time warp country, it's been independent 20 years but many of the buses date back to Jugoslave times, a bus and a couple of trucks to whet your appitite. An interesting day out by train of which I'll bring you more in the next blog. All orders sent out today and I hope to start the next volume of NSW bus archives by Alan Mortimer and there are a few DVD covers to catch up with.