A NIGHT AT THE OPERA

Well folks we were out last night at the regent in Stoke with Glynebourne Touring opera, a welcome rest.

Tonight back to the grind, I've finished the next Australian archive which as well as Victoria smaller operators has some Hobart, Tasmanian buses inn 84.

Managed to do a bit more on the book, still hoping to publish next spring.

All arrangements for the Christmas trip to Bangladesh, India, Thailand and Burma are in place.

Huge flood of eBay orders coming through plus by phone but post is quiet.

FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND FOOD

Dave with Daniel on Sunday lunch opposite the Epsom racecourse in Surrey, Daniel is Dave's cousin Lynda's son ( very good at sport)
Auntie Joan with Dave, Auntie Joan needless to say my mothers sister, the only one of my Vincent family to have seen me as a baby, it was then 50 year gap!
sorry Maureen , couldn't resist it though, ok everyone I come clean it was my pudding not Maureen's

isn't that a nice shot of my best mate and his missis! John and Maureen with us at Epsom on Saturday night.

LOTS BEST FOR A LONG TIME

although the Harrow Leisure Centre looked like an Arabian tent we had our best sales there for many a year, a cold chilly day with long gaps beteen buses, its a pig to get into with the stock but we managed and were glad to see so many of you there. News of the rest of the weekend tomorrow as we've just got home and its bedtime!

LOTS tomorrow little today

Well folks its the annual LOTS sale at Harrow / Wealdstone tomorrow, hopefully some of you will make it there. We'll be staying over Saturday night so no Blog until Sunday night I'm afraid.

The Christmas trip is now finalised, at long last and we've settled up the bill, little left for models tomorrow.

Need to start writing Christmas cards next week, must remember, also its Boyle St at Manchester next Sat / Sunday.

Working on the latest Australian archive tonight, just sound to do, Mandy dragged me off to the Three Greyhounds last night.


The Intraexpress itinerary is on their website features Netherlands, Spain and Russia for trams.

WELL DONE CROATIA WELCOME TO THE PUDDING CLUB

Well done Croatia beating England at football, fingers crossed we don't have to suffer it on telly next year , especially when it replaces Corrie!
Well Pudding Club last night was the star event
www.market-restaurant.com tel 0161 834 3743
light starter, then
Shirleys Boot Steamed choc sponge
Apple and Quince walnut and oat crumble
Osborne Pudding ( Queen Vic's fav)
Manchester Pavlova
Samson and soured cream,

I managed 9 portions all told, 3 choc, two crumble, 2 bread and butter Osbornes and one each others, fav was bread and butter for me. Also had Belgium Trappist beer and white wine( separate glasses mind)

Tonight putting sound on the latest Oz bus archive

THE MANCHESTER PUDDING CLUB AGAIN

screen images of our 1996 New Zealand coverage which is now fully loaded onto DVD s.

I've now started on Victorian buses ( Australia) with scenes of major operators 1970s-80s by Alan Mortimer and Andrew Potts, superb stuff, limited market I know but what gems there are.

Tonight we are off to the Pudding club at the Market Restaurant in Manchester, while the Oz films render on the computer.

FUNCTIONALITY GOOGLE YANKEE TALK

Wakefield, the pits , then Barnsley which redeemed itself, then Christchurch NZ in 1996 which is a recent DVD release.

Today hectic at work but tomorrow night is the Pudding Club at the Market restaurant in Manchester Northern Quarter ( an area invented in the last 10 years).

Well getting onto my blog each time I hit a problem with my 'functionality' what sort of wretched word is that then?

Started feeding the birds again as no move on the house sale.

Work still ongoing on my book, trying to get down number of words to single volume.

Tonight as well as watching soaps editing Melbourne and Victorian buses in the 70-80s by Alan Mortimer and Andrew Potts.

WONDERFUL FRIENDLY BARNSLEY

well hopefully I've done enough to redeem myself with Barnsley, both Mandy and I had a great time there Saturday morning, friendly cafe in the arcade, great shops Mandy says. Bus wise, well I wasn't foolish enough to tread inside the new bus station with the video that would be pushing it but otherwise drivers and passers by alike everyone was very friendly and chatty. Not quite the bus mix when Stagecoach took over the Tracky but not bad.

Afterwards went to the third world for an hour aka Wakefield where they lived up to expectations. Astonished at the bus station exit that all buses cut off the roundabout and leave the wrong way against the traffic, I witnessed two near collisions with cars which were taking the correct route. Most of this I put down to Arriva which I am a shareholder in and disgusted with their local management who ignore the basics of health and safety and tolerate the situation which I am bringing to the notice of the relevant authorities.

NEW ZEALAND BEHIND ME ONWARDS TO WHAT

a couple more from the latest New Zealand archive, I'm tied up at present, been tidying the garden shed this morning but two more NZ archive from 96 are ready plus 93 so everything NZ is on DVD , hopefully later I'll post blog with views from yesterdays visit to Yorkshire

BARNSLEY REDEEMED FRIENDLY AND SAFE

these are actual images taken from nearly 40 year old amateur cine used in our Roll on New Zealand film which lasts 90 minutes and trailer is on Youtube.
Today we visited Barnsley and Wakefield of which more tomorrow.

MORE NEW YORK BUT ON TO NEW ZEALAND

what will tomorrow bring, I'll have to consult the weather forecast, possibly our last day of UK bus filming for 2007, just Le Mans in December and them Christmas trip. Typhoon hot Bangladesh today, still at least that's out of the way before we go!
Finishing sound on NZ archive then releasing 1993 and 96 trips on DVD.

NEW YORK BUSES 2002

these are stills from the actual film , programme 986 New York 2002, now out on DVD.

Later tonight I hope to crack on with New Zealand in 1970/76.

NEW YORK A RARE OLD TREAT FROM THE STATES

Tonight I relented to a customer request and put my New York bus visit on DVD, it should be listed on web site and Youtube clip by tomorrow plus ebay etc.

I'm also still working on the New Zealand trips which took a back seat to the New York work.

We are trying to get 2007 trips set up now Christmas is finally sorted with Dhaka, Calcutta and then Thailand. Next year, Portugal, Southern Poland, West Ukraine, Malta, Nice and whatever.

I'll post some Yorkie photos tomorrow night.

Had jabs for Xmas trip, my arms a bit stiff tonight!!

NEW ZEALAND ALL THE WAY

photos Bakewell and Chesterfield on Saturday

Tonight I'm downloading my 1993 trip to New Zealand which has good coverage of Wellington Trolleys, I'm also working on the sound track for Roll on New Zealand, archive 1970-76. I intend releasing all the New Zealand transport scenes in one hit with as much on each DVD as possible.
Rotten cold miserable weather, I went down to the Southern Cemetery at Chorlton and tidied Mandy's family graves up.
I've also been continuing work pruning down the autobiography.

CHESTERFIELD BUSES ON SATURDAY

a few more views of Cheshfield on Saturday. John and Sue have left, John was trying to capture Maynes today in case they 'vanish' soon. Remains to be seen what the weather will do this weekend, a freezing start today at minus 3, hoping to tackle the family graves and get bulbs in the week. I put the heater on in the greenhouse tonight.
I intend staring on the sound for the New Zealand archive.
I managed to get a couple of DVD covers done before Emmerdale!