HANLEY BUS STATION THIS MORNING

yes it was a near to home visit this morning as I need a bit of a rest after all the decorating and constant travel, the weather was quite good and Hanley is an easy autumn subject even in sunshine. Friendly drivers to say the least , we expect nothing less from the friendly Potteries area of course.

Today I've done a few jobs around house and getting Mandy ready for her Egypt trip on Monday. I've got the Balkan collection well on track with Sarajevo following Zagreb and Osijek with clips on Youtube as well. I need to add them to the list and update online. New releases will all be at Bridgeton tomorrow and Wroughton Ian Allan event next Sunday.

HARBOUR LIGHTS ARE SHINING

with everything now in place and decorating in the dining room / library done we finally unpacked and hung the new painting of St Ive's harbour, Cornwall which we purchased at the National Trust gallery at the end of August. Excuse the newspaper under the door to the PMP office, the door took about 3 coats to cover and was only finished lsast night. The light filling is art deco and a family piece from Mandy's old home in Chorlton, Manchester.

I did manage to start downloading to the computer all my Balkan film from Bosnia, Croatia plus Trieste, Italy and this should be available on DVD very soon. My aim is to get a greater spread of counties represented on DVD and also with clips on Youtube to maximise revenue. Anyone is welcome to embed clips although it is good to be asked first of course as did our friends in Vietnam who have a nice site on Vietnam and it's history.

Not sure about Saturday filming yet, possibly Leicester but not if it is sunny, Sunday is Bridgeton Glasgow running day at the museum.

TIBIDABO LINE REMEMBERED

some memories of a visit to the Tibidabo line on a Sunday with local tram buff Albert Gonzalez Masip who appears to the right on the first photograph. An interesting collection of vintage trams on this the remnant of the old Barcelona tram system, now there is a modern light rail service.
Last night we managed to get the whole of the library back in place, no mean feat. Coming to grips with my medication, Mandy says I'm tired through decorating not the pills! Anyway tonight I really do hope to make a start on an archive production although I haven't exactly decided what yet!

A TRIP IN TIME TO NORTHERN IRELAND

Buses in Ulster seem an endless object of fascination for many and with the province relatively little covered in general I know the enthusiasts there like whatever they can get so a double dose of photos this morning.

I was at physio yesterday afternoon, afterwards I went on to the doctors at Knutsford and am now on medication for the continued knee swelling and my nerve pain. We got stuck into decorating once more last night, the dining room is almost done now, Mandy will do a few bits of tidying in the day and then tonight we should be putting back furniture and books, no mean task I might add. I posted the Wirral Tram and Bus show Youtube clip last night and hope this evening to start downloading some archive material for next DVD releases. A conference in Wigan today, drugs making me very tired though!

UP TO OUR NECKS IN PAINT

my blast from the past for today comes from the National Tramway Museum at Crich in Derbyshire with views taken on the tramathon day some years ago when all available cars are put into service.

Meanwhile in the present day the quiet spell continues which is still sort of ok as the decorating continues unabashed with a second and perhaps even third coat in places with b&Q's one coat paint, so much for their product but serves us right, only they had the shade Mandy wanted for the dining room. It will look good when finished. Hope to be getting towards the end of the bookshelves and walls tonight even starting on the gloss woodwork, not much of that. Then we have the mammoth task of putting all the books back ij place.

I managed to get another rake of digitised photos trimmed and cropped etc and in correct files also I edited Sundays Wirral Bus & tram show dvd, need to do YouTube clip tonight. Next task will be another dip into archives with a couple of truck films, possibly 1997 clips.

WIRRAL BUS AND TRAM SHOW

The free bus service links the museums and provides trips around the Wirral

Arrivals at the bus parking area soon filled all available spaces

Taylor St looking over the PMP stand

later in the day the 2 Hing Kong trams were put into service in Wallasey and Birkenhead liveries

Ribble PD3 the northern version of the Southdown Queen Mary but not as nice.

last night we got on with decorating again after a quick tea , a long day with the do at Birkenhead but we got the ceiling in the dining room done. Picked up some more negs to digital from ASDA this morning and droppoed off covers to be copies at Prontaprint then remembered second time around the block to call at stationers to get printer cartridges. Memory failure seems inbuiilt at present. Heard from Li in China , he has been busy with 70th anniversary celebrations there. Traci and Andrew wrote thanking us for the wedding video, wouldn't want to make a habit of it though!

MORE FROM MERSEYSIDE

looking at some newer buses in Liverpool yesterday. The new Stagecoach buses were represented today at Birkenhead show and I understand enter service tomorrow so i caught the oldies yesterday. A good day, lots of buses, sales up a little from a low starting point, room for improvement although there seemed to be plenty of people about. EBay and Amazon dead this weekend so far, again room for expansion. Moving a cabinet in dining room tonight then big cover up ready for decorating on Monday. Weather wise , sunshine and showers today, not bad for October though.

LIVERPOOL THIS MORNING

a selection from our trip to Liverpool this morning, it was very windy, sunny at first and then it poured with rain, challenging photographic weather. Generally overcast but more pleasant at home. Back indoors mid afternoon with crumpets for tea, nice lamb shank for dunner tonight. Our friend Sue is staying tonight but we'll be up early ready for Wirral Bus and tram show at Birkenhead tomorrow. Hope to have Liverpool DVD edited and on sale in the morning, quickest turnaround ever. Still quiet on EBay and Amazon.

CLEARING THE LIBRARY

some more views from Showbus last weekend, this coming Sunday is the annual Birkenhead bus and tram show at the Wirral museum and of course we'll be there with the stand.

The spare bedroom is all back in good order after decorating and we've now moved on to the dining room which visitors will know is also our library. Moving all the books is the major task decorating here but last night we paid our weekly homage at the three Greyhounds, progress there has been slowed due to the small bridge nearby which has yet again been damaged by a car skidding off, now there are traffic lights. I'm hoping to film in Liverpool tomorrow although the threat of severe gales could mess up plans. Mid Oct I'm in South Wales filming next week we have Bridgeton running day Glasgow. I've booked for the Science museum Ian Allan rally, in the shed at Wroughton.

COME ON HANDS IN POCKETS

we travel back in time to 1994 and the 100th anniversary of the Manx Electric Railway, my first visit to the island and although the weather was dire, the buses went on strike there was a wide range of special events of note. A sample of the many aspects of the island taken at that time

I suppose its nice that's its been quiet order wise this week as we have been able to concentrate on the decorating but with yet another sale on EBay and several new releases I'd have expected a bit more activity so why not treat yourselves, orders sent out by return of post. Last night we completed the spare bedroom and today need to get it all back ship shape as friend Sue is staying in it at the weekend.