A SMUDGE ON MY LENS AGAIN WELL A BIT OF LONDON

looks as if the low resolution London images have been used up now, I'll try for some vintage stuff tomorrow after I get back from Boyle St Manchester bus museum, setting up stand for the weekend.

Bad news, Mandy took a nasty tumble in the kitchen today and has hurt her knee again, its been nearly 12 months since her last bad fall.

The first tulips have appeared in the garden and nearly finished potting up the seedlings.

Time is short but hope to get some more done on Bus Spot Nottingham tonight, may go to pub depends on Mandy's Knee

A SMUDGE ON MY LENS BY DAVE SPENCER

well I got the full hit of 5 photos loaded first go so all seems back to normal on blogger. Last Saturday Oxford St and Marble Arch.

I spent quite a lot of effort getting info to publisher for the book, get used to the title I'll be mentioning it a lot! John Bishop is having a read through for me at present, hope I said something nice about him.

I',m working on Bus Spot Nottingham again tonight but i also need to get the latest London films covers done

Alberts old car has yet to arrive in Barcelona, we look forward to pictures of it in its new home ( the Austin 12 Cambridge 1938).

Our main trip for 2009 will be to China, John is working on the details at present

BLOGGER GETTING BETTER BOOK NEARLY READY

well got three photos from London last Saturday on first try so it looks as if normal business may be resumed, I've got so much to share with everyone. Pressed the wrong button and got another!

I got my new scanner installed last night but too late to try out and had to shoot off to collect Mandy from Manchester airport, she arrived back nearly midnight so a late night.

I dropped off my memory cards for prints of latest few hundred photos, they will be on sale at Manchester Boyle st Sat Sun this coming weekend, hope to see lots of you there.

The latest Youtube loading Derby seems very popular thank goodness, it took a week to make, next I'll make the set up with Nottingham.

The book has started to make its way through the publishers process.

A Smudge On My Lens, by Dave Spencer, Troubador Publishing, out late spring early summer, spread the word, its going to be a blockbuster, movie rights are available. From childhood to meeting and losing a father in a week after 50 years of searching.

Today Pat Peacock my family history sleuth reported a blank from Ireland on my fathers birth, Jim O'Grady last known in Margate, Kent, I have a half sister Susan as well as two more brothers

STILL BASHING MY WAY THROUGH THE BLOG PROBS

phew 4th attempt and another pucture added, least I got one bus in, Sat morning Oxford St.

third try and I finally managed to get a picture uploaded, Google blog still seems to be in meltdown mode, I must check and see whats published about the problem on the web , there must be millions of people affected as well as me. Piccadilly looking like a ghost town, the ban on street photography has decimated the number of visitors to London, normally crowded this scene was around midday, the police baton charge anyone seen with a camera out and through them into the new detention camps which of course are disguised as the new Olympic site. Chairman Brown beloved leader ( took over from the the Great leader who cannot be named).Long live the Democratic Peoples Republic of England. ..., well its what it makes you feel like saying anyway. Still in reality I spoke to a girl at the city of London today, they actually have a film permit section but its really for big jobs, you know closed roads, car chases etc but if you phone before you go they'll make a note and let the security camera people know not to hassle you.

Had a session in the greenhouse potting on seelkings till it got dark, watered them in, cleared up the debris from the latest storm.

Welcome to relations distant and near who tune in to the oddities of modern British life from all corners of the globe.

Mandy gets back late tonight, good job as the foods run out, beans on toast today, poor do eh.

Blogger problems persist trying my best to keep going

Its taken agaes to get these two images of London yesterday, taken at Bank, Google Blogger is obviously on melt down status.
Anyway it was this scene that caused the rumpus with the community support officers. They now seem to be operating as something akin to Hitlers brownshirts in the 30s, if we didn't carry cameras and notebooks but wore funny little caps and had long sideburns I suppose we'd be the victims of race crime. perhaps we should claim bus spotting as a religion, it is I suppose for some of us!

Today i got about a third of my seedlings planted up and later in the day next door fixed the damaged fence panels from the storm week last Friday, hope tonights gales don't put them out again. It was warm in the greenhouse and the vents opened wide, a taste of spring.

I've got a couple of the London films edited, I need to update ebay and listings, could also do with some orders, lots of hits on google blog and youtube, what about turning your interest to order if you like it. Greetings to our very regular readers in Kyoto, Japan as well, even America, there must be some nice people there, its just their government which stinks as much as ours.

MORE IRISH MEMORIES FROM THE LATE 70s

there are big problems with Google blog so this is just a test , I've done about four attempts last night and this morning, it won't take pictures at present, only one at a time.

I did get to London yesterday, had nothing but hassle, got stopped three times by chocolate soldiers ( community support officers) Oxford St, Bank and St Pauls , the latter for taking film of a bus against an 'iconic' building. God help visitors at the London Olympics, I reckon it will be a shambles better gong to Beijing.

I'll have gotten three programmes out of the visit, Trafalgar Square, Regent, Oxford , Liverpool St, Bank areas. Police also did a PNC check but the copper was actually an ex bus driver, helpful and said he'd watch out and make sure I got no more hassle. Filming is banned in Oxford St and you need a permit in the City according to the new Gestapo laws, oh and they security guards also demanded ID, when did they get that right?

blogger u s

blogger not working tonight

CASTLE RUDDERY WICKLOW TRANSPORT

This was the Irish Transport Preservation scene in 1980 when I was working in Ireland, I think just one vehicle was taxed so whichever went on the road had the one registration to suit!

Very hectic, over an hour on phone / computer sorting AVG full computer protection package which when downloaded wouldn't fully operate, sorted eventually.

Myst try and get some sound on the Derby film before bed, maybe covering London tomorrow

LONG AGO WHEN WE WERE YOUNG

Yes a young Mandy, who today is sunning herself in Egypt still
The hair isn't so black these days, more sort of ... white.
a glass of wine always helped though
Marion, my mum
any suggestions, probably Sussex, looked nice, on same neg strip

got new virus protection but getting it all set up has eaten into my time, also picked up new scanner at PC world, about the only place you can buy one now.

nothing done on Derby tonight I'm afraid, busy getting covers sorted for the trade orders.

off down the Three Greyhounds now, if you read this and make it before throwing out time I'll get a round in.

BOOK PROOF READ NOW CAN I SLEEP

as promised some more shots from Saturday afternoon at Hanley bus station, Stoke.

The weather has again been very chilly and it looks pretty grotty rain wise for Saturday but we'll keep monitoring the situation.

I finished proof reading my autobiography and just need to sort out photos, the real proof readers will probably pull it to pieces though.

Tonight very tired but still ploughing through the Derby DVD, pictures complete, sound to do.

Large number of trade orders tonight, why all the same day I ask.

Our beding seedling have arrived at Four Oaks I collect them tomorrow evening.

BEST EVER DERBY VIA STOKE

some shots of Hanley bus station Saturday afternoon, both Derby and Stoke films are now available although i probably need to load a few on ebay tomorrow night.

Today I've carried on editing the Best Ever Derby film, so much to include that I forgot I had, also keeping the Nottingham programme in mind to follow on later this wek. Not sure about the coming weekend weather looks a bit unpromising. London calls when its suitable. My backs still aching which is a nuisance so I may have an early night. Mandy and Sue are enjoying their stay in Luxor.

DERBY BUSES ON SATURDAY 1st MARCH

This is your final selection from Saturday morning at Derby, tomorrow I'll give a selection of Saturday afternoon shots at Stoke meanwhile both programmes are almost finished and will be listed before end of play today. The Youtube Glashow clip is also live now.

Tonight after the Stoke film I'm starting on Best Ever Derby Buses, trolleys and motor buses.

Got Mandy and Sue off to the airport first thing before work they should be in Egypt by now

THE GARDEN IN SPRING PLUS DERBY BUSES

Derby yesterday morning, a windy but bright day, not everything got back to the depot under its own steam, some great drivers, just one grumpy old devil at the temp 'facilities', if you've got my picture I'm going to sue you, so I made sure I filmed him , watch out for him on the film.

The garden this morning, again a stormy night but no power cuts, did a bit of tidying in the garden and first lawn cut of the year, the bulbs look nice and we had some passeres by stopped to complement the display, Hyacinths always have such a strong perfume, love em. But you can see with the wind across the Cheshire Plain why I only grow dwarf daffs these days.


I'm just off to the editing room to finish the second Glasgow tram / trolley film, I may post something on Youtube later. I can cope with some more orders keep em coming I need to pay for some of this years trips!

YANKS PROVE TO BE THE ENEMY ONCE MORE

more memories of Crosville, sorrry to bore the Southerners amongst you, it was my youth though
Yes Bristol MWs and Lodekkas glorious even in NBC leaf green
At this time Mandy's mum was in Altrinham , outskirts of Manchester, I used to take the opportinuty of letting a few shots off after visiting, the interchange at the train station was quite hectic
Rebuilding Altrinham, raining as ever of course
a brace of Crosvilles with the RE serving Dunham as ever with the special roof behind the L National bound for Northwich and its large depot cum bus station. I'm still working my way through negs, about 30 a day on average, results should be on sale this season at our stand, remember Boyle St only a couple of weeks away then Cobham and the season kicks off again.

Today we did Derby and Hanley, I'll feature photos over the next few days, no hassle, lots of sun but cold and windy. I'm working on the second Glasgow tram film tonight.

After the earthquake the house shook last night with the storms, a few fence panels out in the back and three power cuts in the night.

Thanks to the American news web site which let the enemy muslims know where Prince Harry was plus some help from plonkers in Australia, perhaps they should all have their addresses released so people can express their opinions. What freedom of the press did this serve, they were already recording his life ready to report after his tour had finished.