Oxford Stnear Victoria station

St Pauls Cathedral and a typical tube station entrance

as promised a mix includes some street scenes from London last weekend,  the Bank at the centre of the City of London

usual Bank holiday weekend traffic chaos on the way home tonight, battled through the parking lot previousl;y the M6 motorway. Then watered the plants in greenhouse. The path has been cleaned and repaired ready for new colouring and surface next week. Sue is with us, actually with Mandy on way back from jewellers in Manchester after a girlie day out shopping. Tomorrow we start our three day stint at Llandudno transport festival in North Wales, pics on tomorrow nights blog. New uploads on Youtube and I'll try and get list and Amazon stuff all updated but I'm still editing and making covers. Tonight it's City of London, tomorrow Victoria. Then I'll be up to datte except for rally at weekend, wonder if it will be as awful as forcast.

MANDY BATTLES WITH PCT GEORGE OSBORNE CONSULTED

Iconic images from London, Westminster borough and the City all taken last Saturday in warm sunshine, no hassles filming anywhere. Now we had the cold and wet back getting ready for the bank holiday weekend at Llandudno. The car is all packed and ready to go. A busy day at work again with lots of dashing around, no time to breathe. Well we got the summary of the events surrounding Mandy's leg brace from her GP Clare Taylor, the response the chairman of the PCT gave to George osborne was a fantasy as in reality they had lost Mandy's file and made everything up. Mandy is as I type around at George's Tatton office hand delivering all the documents in a blistering attach on the much vaunted NHS where we thoink a bunch of overpaid executives take to big a cut in the spending. I'll keep you posted on developments, perhaps Mandy will be front page of Telegraph tomorrow. Didn't Brown get it all wrong in Rochdale, well they are all two faced but it took the biscuit didn't it.
The loading on Youtube last night never went on, trying again , just doing that then editing Oxford St DVD, the Edgware came out superb. Also getting some covers done. Drive people coming tomorrow now, it was Thursday or Friday it turns out, oh well. Anyway must get on, bye for now.

REALLY WEIRD STUFF ON GOOGLE BLOGS

 pictures, Luton and Stevenage

sorry not many pictures tonight but Google have messed about yet again with the loading system and its really hopeless now, if this persists I shall look for an alternative host site. Anyway really hectic times at work plus clearing the rest of the pots from the drive ready for workmen tomorrow. Then I had to see the neuro surgeon first thing today and managed to suss out a new truck location in North Wales. Did a site safety visit this afternoon. Editing Edgware film tonight and loading more clips on Youtube. Loaded the car ready for Llandudno rally bank holiday weekend weather looks rubbish

A FINE WEEKEND WITH NO HASSLE

we are still kind of working back through the weekend in reverse order with my film at the Elephant and Castle, had the pleasure of meeting one of our regulars there and other enthusiasts enjoying their 'spotting' in the sunshine. Had a pastie and cuppa in the shopping centre, certainly is the 'other' side of London. The rest of the shots at the top were on Sunday morning at Victoria station during a dull damp spell which was quite unlike the rest of the weekend. Today its catch up time on orders, everything is in the post. I've got to mow the lawns and feed the greenhouse plants then start on the editing. Booking rallies and hotels and finalising the Germany trip. Fun with Mandy, George Osborne, shadow chancellor our MP and local health authority, a farce of French proportions which will play and play. Mandy is trying to get the lightweight leg brace she nedds, it's gone on over a year and arrived nowhere as yet.

SUPERB WEEKEND IN LONDON PROBABLY BETTER THAN PORTUGAL

today after filming at London Victoria station we dodged the Marathon crowds and headed South West to visit Hampton Court Palace, some shots from our visit. A super trip, no hassle, up to today wonderful weather all the way, friendly people what an amazing weekend. Last night we saw Hair at the Gielgud Theatre, nearly 40 years since we saw it first time aroung, a very energetic performance, my only observation not that I was looking that hard was that the cast trim more these days if you know what I mean! Bus wise, loads in the 'can'. Results coming over next few days, editing starts tomorrow night.

GROWING OLD AND FORGETFUL CAN BE TIRING

from our friend Albert Gonzalez Masip in Barcelona some news of metro preservation:-
Last Friday, at 00.30, out of normal underground service, TMB launched a special historical service using for first time after many years the 3-car train from 1924 wich last run in 1987. It was a very special event for me as it was my usual mean to go to the university. This time, the train run on line 2 from La Pau station to Sant Antoni, where refreshments were provided (champagne and cakes). The an outbound trip to leave the train at La Pau, finishing at about 2.15 am.
The train was driven at full speed with no stop at closed stations and with a full noise. The service was reserved to several fan societies and cars were full as at peak hours. You will find a film in youtube at http://www.youtube. com/user/ Munchausson# p/a/u/0/TX3- -NlzY8Y filmed by an ARCA member. Fine. Enclosed a pic I took there.

anyway another sunny cloudless day, I was hectic at work and delighted to be on my way home albeit the aborted Portugal flight in the event took place on schedule and I understand arrived on time. I suppose we'll get there one day. In my rush I left my coat behind with keys, credit cards, mobile etc, I had to go back later , collect spare keys and back, made the evening go quick I suppose. Don't forget we are off tomorrow to London and back Sunday night when I'll bring first results of the trip, equipped with photo permit and TfL permit lets hope for a fruitful journey. Possibly visiting Stevenage, Luton and Edgeware tomorrow thence to central London Sat / Sunday.

READING PROVIDES MY LINK TODAY

Berkshire or Reading provides tonights theme and archive shots. I received my one and only negative on EBay from a chap who ranted on that I'd had the audacity to comment on his home town negatively, obviously not in favour of free speech and doesn't understand what you should actually mark on for an EBay report, can't really be bohered to challenge as he is obviously so far up his own bottie that it stinks. Well anyway very busy again today, I managed to pop out at lunch time and recorded the rest of the Lymm services truck footage. Leeds buses are on Youtube. I have an official photo permit for London at the weekend, as you may know we lost the portugal trip through the flight disruption saga. Heard  from Li in China, he is getting through his personal problems and his divorce is behind him, a rare drink left him with a hefty hangover. What else, well greenhouse overflowing, not a seedling lost so far. Repaired the brick work last night, waiting for men to tidy up the paths. We set off on Friday morning filming, not decided precise location yet, going to laminate my permit- just done it. Got letter of permission to take firms car on May european trip. Now going to watch telly for a relax.

FLIGHT TO PORTUGAL CANCELLED

The official cacellation of our trip to Portugal came through at 3.30 this afternoon with all Ryanair flights cancelled agaijn through Thursday, I've managed to cancel the hotels with just small deposits lost and next comes car parks and then flights themselves. The profiteering bastards who won't refund deposits want stringing up, that includes Liverpool airport where the sods want £5 administration fee, insult to injury or what. I must admit I'm really glad the May trip is all by road, a lucky break. We really didn't want to risk going anyway as Mandy would have suffered if we had to make tortous journies home. Today a selection of Swiss pictures from our archive. Tonight I was out in the garden repairing frost shattered brick work. I'm editing the leeds material from last Saturday. The weekend will be a trip to London to film and hopefully catch a theatre. Bright weather with broken cloud here, but better in London for weekend. It will save a couple of days leave anyway.