STILL ON WITH SOUTH WALES

an assortment of photos taken in Cardiff last Saturday, you will note the new flow of buses through the city centre. The strange thing was the complete absence of deckers, in fact I only saw one in two days filming.

last night i managed to get the last of the 3 South Wales DVDs finished and just one YouTube posting left to do tonight. I hope to get yet more links to Amazon on the web site DVD listing. Orders remain buoyant despite the postal strike we are experiencing at present, mainly of course from overseas buyers. I've had yet more still films digitised and I'll bring you another crop of samples soon, needless to say that over winter i shall be preparing a selection of my golden oldies for sale in our rally stock. Particularly good on Crosville and Manchester plus Sussex.

WE CONTINUE WITH WALES

these shots are at Bridgend, particularly friendly drivers and reasonable amount of activity, slightly awkward early on in the day as the low sun cast shadows

well today I have the dentist in the morning, then meetings out in the afternoon. We caught up with all the orders yesterday although some are bound to get delayed by the post strike tomorrow. I'm working my way through the Welsh programmes of which there are three. Yesterday I uploaded a revised and updated list on the website with more direct purchase options to Amazon my preferred supplier. Remember if you go to YouTube there are now clips of all releases going on, click adverts, no cost to you but helps pay for the site.

NEATH AND SWANSEA BUSES

although Neath gave me a chance to see South Wales Transport buses there seemed to be a lot more on the motorway as I headed back to the Ramada but I couldn't discern where they were bound, school working perhaps

The Wright streetcars were in Swansea operating as Metro, an infrequent service , pavement had raised platforms to give level access. The bus scene seemed very thin on the ground with the demolition of the old bus station. Work on the new one was ongoing, more than in Newport.

The out of town workings were banished to the side of a supermarket behind the building site, not the best of environments.

Mandy got home from Egypt last night, I picked her up from the airport about 10.30 pm, she was a bit jaded this morning with several urgent jobs to do like get DVD disc stock and look at new gas fires.

CARMARTHEN FRIDAY 16th OCTOBER

all these shots were taken in Carmarthen by the bus staion from around 8.45 through to 11am, a couple of hours ekeing out what little there was, although there are still plenty of smaller operators it wasn't so obvious. Of interest are the school buses including one from Silcox of Pembroke Dock fame. I'll bring you views of each of the locations visited on a daily basis.

Mandy gets back from Egypt tonight, need some DVD stock urgently and to replace gas fire so a couple of jobs ready for Mandy to start on. Planning has already started on the 2010 trips, our main one will be Germany / Poland including all the old East German systems outside greater Berlin which we have covered fairly recently. Still working nmy way through the digitised negatives , there are some gems in store for you. Tonight I will start downloading the film from the Welsh trip, also I need to put recent releases on Amazon and EBay.

JUST BACK FROM WROUGHTON

a few pictures I took early on in the day, not really sure what happened outside as I was on my own on the stall. If I could have gotten the stock out I would have left by 1pm when it was obvious there was no trade to be done, freezing cold hangar, bottom of the barrel and followed terrible night at the Holiday Inn Express in Swindon reminiscent of the awful night in Swansea once at the Premier inn. Right in the middle of the night club area and taxi pick up pint, got to sleep 3 am. Bus wise I got 3.5 hours of film done in south Wales, I'll bring you a selection of shots over the following days, very quiet though mainly except Pontpridd which was humming.

SOUTHDOWN IN NBC ERA

every one's favourite it seems but it has taken many years for the NBC era to become accepted as the much loved and superb Southdown livery was so sadly missed. Here are some shots from my own camera in the 1970s in the earlier years of my photographic career.

I'm getting ready for my South Wales trip tomorrow, not quite sure how everything will pan out depending on the weather.

The plumber fixed the leaking pipes to the water tank in the loft but when servicing the gas fire he found a hole in the side so condemned it, next job new gas fire!

CMS CUMBERLAND SELLAFIELD WINDSCALE

in the early 1970s I was posted up to Cumbria to work at what was then known as Windscale, the vast nuclear site on the coast. Bad press caused it to be renamed Sellafield, however locally the site enjoys a good relationship with residents as it brings employment and wealth to an area of the Lake District which misses out on the tourist industry. An unusual case of the coastal region being second fiddle to the inland area, in this case of course the Lakes. If I recall there is actually only one lake as such in the area. The Leyland National was being turned out in some quantity for NBC etc companies. The CMS shots were taken during the day when I was on errands out and about. First time up there I stayed in a caravan, freezing in winter, boiling in summer, it was Tarnside and had grab a granny nights mid week..

Manchester memories from my photo files

before Manchester buses some views of myself, Mandy and this one with my mother, Marion

we slip right back to the 1970s today with some more negs to digital, these shots before cropping and enhancing.

Well doing it all on my own at present with Mandy away in Egypt, these Manchester shots certainly bring back memories. Last night I cleared all the orders and replenished the stock after Glasgow at the weekend, I've popped some extra Showbus copies in for Broughton on Sunday, the Ian Allan 60th anniversary show. Lots of people say they are coming so fingers crossed.

The weather looks a bit too sunny for my liking on Friday to Saturday when I do South Wales but no doubt I'll manage, I can think of several spots where the sun should be suitable.

FLYING SOLO THIS WEEK

after a few days dry with sunshine it makes me consider Yorkshire and the great drought of 94, how could it happen in one of the wettest counties in Britain but it did

Mandy left for Egypt today with friend Sue so I'm looking after the 'shop' on my own, a few EBay orders, mostly from abroad, innocents who know nothing of post strike looming. Busy at work today, have to find time for household duties!