Thunder andCand lightening throughhthrough thetthe earlyeearly hours at home then up at 4.30 and down the road to Southend, altogether I saw four heritage buses today. All the drivers were super friendly, shut damp to start but it cleared as the morning went on. Then it was in to Colchester where I was spotted in few moments of filming. Really hot by this time about 33c. Again no problems and then within great expectations headed to Clacton one of the few UK towns neither of us has ever visited before. In the sunshine it looked pleasent on the seafront with all the flowers and masses of benches to sit on, had delicious Italian ice creams before heading back towards our stately home hotel which I guess I. More normal times is a wedding venue. Tomorrow we are calling at Grays in Essex for ensignbus and then after the shopping centre buses wellcsrry onto Romford and see how the time is getting on. Back home tomorrow night. Remember all the latest dvds add-on the PMP shop
Very hot and sticky day and its nowhere near as hot here as in the south of England. We are away tomorrow back Wednesday evening filming Essex and North London, certs Southend, Clacton, Colchester, Romford, Grays, Bluewater. I was that busy getting the latest DVD covers done and scanned film files saved that it was 4pm before I emerged to do work in the garden, certainly no chance for sitting i9n the sun. I have a branch Polio Fellowship newsletter to complete tonight as well. A hot sweaty busy day with our second Coronama pandemic service at St Oswalds and the right wing old guard tried to get a cheap dig in with Norman Wythenshawe the gnome of the graveyard sans sidekick complained that I had got the wrong words on the service sheet. As I have no more function or authority than Norman I wonder when I was given the task of writing the intercessions having relinquished my job as churchwarden and trainee Reader under the previous cowardly vicar who had surrendered to enemy forces, He had in fact giving a bashing to our dear Reader who had kept the ship alfoat for nearly a year of interregnum. If God was watching he would have smirked perhaps as I said to Norman 'some things never change'. I managed to get a lot of jobs done in the early morning coolness, actually everyone in our road was getting an early start as the self professed 'ground keeper' had started work at 6am with his pertrol powered strimmer, neighbours stared out of windows bewildered and half awake. I managed to get the covers out for the DVD orders, loaded several DVDs for digital download on the PMP shop. I also started scanning yet another cine film, this time rail and traction engines not really my thing. I'm musing about another series within the Tickety Boo range of HD copied material called Down Your Way, inspired by the old radio programme which visited an area and met some characters, we'd meet some varied transport interest. The first could well be in Kent. Would it be a interest perhaps those who have particular regional likes for all modes within that area. I need to get the last of the Widnes port DVDs done this evening, hopefully before dinner, Petit Bleu de Marseilles is very nice pastis but doesn't help the concentration. We did have a good sit in the sun an I managed to polish off another chapter on the biography on Eamon De Valera ( 2nd volume). I must line up some more books, I hate to use Amazon but Waterstones holds little appeal with a mask. I hate wearing masks and if I get a hone appointment will seek an exemption as with the medicines I take a dry mouth is the norm, now it is parched and my lips stick together, whoever said good it will shut you up go to the back of the class! So a few shots from Widnes is all I can manage tonight. I need to get DVD covers designed and still two to edit plus putting them on our shops. This weeks objectives well we are in Hampshire Friday to Monday so usual suspects there come into mind. had one of those exquisite moments getting a scammer wrong footed this evening, good afternoon I'm calling from the insurance department, which insurance company, Imperial Brighton.. you've never been near Brighton in your life... yes yes I'm in the city of Brighton... ok some quick questions about Brighton.. which year did Brighton trolleybuses stop running, yes sir yes I'm in Brighton... ok so not so hot on transport I'll give you an easy one, what was Brighton called before Brighton... errr, lets google it... come on now I'm not giving you time to google... err yes its anglo saxon... sorry mate for a scammer you are an incompetent w**** I'll leave you to imagine how I signed off before I blocked the number. Mandy however did get scammed once this past couple of months when we were doing battle with Cheshire East council, she gave up trying normal sources and tried Just Answer, I wasn't aware of the source... beware a scam registered in Denmark, offers all sorts of advice from legal to plumbing for a price but after you have coughed up your money you find that they have signed you up to a subscription service and will take the money each month. There are just so many scams out there. Talking of East Cheshire council we did finally get our puncture replacement tyre refunded reference the now infamous pothole in Plumley next village along. We are now trying to drag this council through the local government ombudsman for failing to respond to a complaint to stymie a legal challenge to blocking off local roads for the disabled drivers. They eventually amended their road blocking and after that opened up a small section as temporary disabled parking which is always, we mean always full of non disabled driver's cars, a disc only seen when Mandy got in on two occasions. On the back of this we are going to put in a formal complaint of discrimination against Cheshire West and Chester, yes catchy name for a council isn't it ( used to be Vale Royal) meant nowt but easy to say and remember! Their naughty bit was changing the way you get your blue disabled parking disc of which Mandy has had on since 1967 when she got a three wheel invacar, now to get the new disc which ran out after several years you took it in and a nice person gave you a new one. Now it takes six weeks although we won't tell you and ensure maximum stress and anxiety. We;ll charge you and we've created a process which you'll need a degree in computer operation to work but its really easy as they give you a nice check list to make sure you have the right docs before you start. OK there's a catch, you just know that don't you. Yes the list is wrong, sounds like Sunday morning prayers, the things we have listed may not be needed but those we list have omissions and we have not listed. By the way in case you are confused or bored did Mandy mention that when she spoke to a Knutsford councillor about the parking problem they suggested getting a non disabled person to do it for you, imagine if the issue was race, no we don't serve blacks but we can get a white to shop for you. OK where were we oh yes, blue badge , yes you have to tell them your toilet habits and problems to get one, you apparently need to share this along with all sorts of other personal info with about 20 organisations or you return to start and lose a blue badge. In other words sign your life away or you don't get one. Having eaten humble pie and filled it in you then are told to wait for up to six weeks. Oh did we mention that you needed to be receiving a government award called PIP or have to jump through another 20 hoops, no jump hoop no get badge though. Hang on isn't PIP that discredited test that cost the tax payer a fortune, come to think og it Esther McVey our local MP thinks that was a splendid idea, oft times quoted on what scroungers those with disabilities are. Good luck any way with all that. The to do list gets longer every day, the pleas for money come in all directions, the church, the music college we support, the local opera theatre we are 'friends' with, the Polio Fellowship... where is our money bag, Mandy has lost the map and I can't remember. The nice tax lay phoned ref help with the impossible tax return for the house we rent out which has tax paid for in Ireland only its time to do the UK return to work out that we don't need to pay anything as they have a reciprocal agreement in Ireland and anyway the lady now does eat out to help out restaurant return so perhaps we can all leave it a while. Is this surreal or what. In between helping our contacts through all the societies etc figure out what the government flood of bumf means we are getting a bit snowed under but happy to have kept a lot of people amused with the transport films we put together. )Pause to mop up cine film cement, bottle went over when film broke as the take up spool supplied with Chinese scanner machine sometimes doesn't move round when it should... I wonder if I'll get time to go out filming next week, oh thunder storms just what we need... Here are some screen shots of the filmd I've scanned the last couple of week, remember taken from really tiny little Standard 8 cine frames. At least I managed a few hours in the sun in our garden this afternoon after the middle to late morning at Stobarts at Widnes, super truckers as ever, two do circuits of the roundabout for me. That reminds me I need to pay the bridge toll although it is a rip off , you get to the other side and the road to the port is closed, no diversion no signage at all, I might as well have gone over the M62 and saved £4. The traffic coming back at lunch time was grid locked M56 M6 all through accidents and holiday traffic it was like a bank holiday. Anyway a sample of some of the shots I got, I really need to get DVD editing tomorrow whatever the weather as the back log is growing! The Enviros are being used on a number of routes from Stockport but mainly the 192 which is usually the first with anything new other than the electrics Even older Enviros are getting painted up A little Gem from Goodwins arrives at Stockport. A deserted Mersey Square at Stockport this morning As planned we met up with our lovely fan Bryn who was assisted by Steve, looking forward to getting a picture through for the next blog. It was mainly overcaste first thing and a little drizzle then hot and muggy with sun breaking through. The drivers were all so so friendly and I even had a selfie done ( my first) with driver Dave Graham, he sent me the shot he took with his phone but I can't seem to open it up. Tomorrow I'm having a morning filming at Stobarts port at Widnes then back home for lunch time and an afternoon sun bathing in the garden. A bit of a backlog of films waiting to be edited but we'll get there in the end. Three on London, one for Stockport, 2 trucks on Woodhead and any Stobarts I do in the morning. I've finished the first batch of 6 1958 films I've been scanning, some amazing footage, best perhaps was Trackie at Barnsley imagine glorious weather in spring 1958, the bridge unchanged ditto town hall. A very long day but I have enough material for three DVDS about 3.5 hours of film, it came out full sun at tea time which in a city means too many shadows so packed up filming about 5.30 and had a mean on Waterloo Rd Old Fire Station and some pleasant IPA. London was so empty of people and traffic, no morning or evening rush hour, no extra buses , nobody by Piccadilly Fountain, two people on Trafalgar Square. It was a similar picture as previously seen in the suburbs, plastic fencing and cones all along roads everywhere, extra cycle lanes which never get used, cycles use the pavement, people on kiddies scooters riding in middle of roads. The bus drivers were all very friendly, buses generally fair to little passengers but some full denoted by card in windscreen ( no digital displays although new single deckers are digital). I hate digital displays, hard to read, impossible in sunlight, rubbish for photography. There were roads adorned with Thank You flags and Union Jacks, I guess this is ready for Scraggy Head when he has held the coup and becomes president for life. London has been decimated, why are people still allowed to skive off work at home, service to customers is at rock bottom as most places, too much touchy feely rubbish and anyway in the south of England nobody witnessed seems to use extended walkways, people hug and shake hands in greeting. There are no apparent tube or bus restrictions on seating, people have masks hanging around necks not worn, restaurants don't ask for name and address for tracking if required. Quit this madness, back to work for everyone and destroy all displays of plastic fencing and the like, normality attracts customers / consumers. With instances of Corona at low levels the actual incidence of deaths is below the seasonal average so more people die of Corona but not as many who would have died of something else. I covered quite a lot of territory but at £13.50 a travel card for central London must be the most expensive in the world. The tube was deserted, no staff, no directions, blocked off lifts with n alternatives, really about normal then, what a shambles it all was, most impressed. Bless the staff at the restaurants who are working so hard, thank goodness they haven't got masks on in London. Here are some shots taken yesterday, more to come. Filming Stockport tomorrow then Stobarts Widnes Friday morning, sitting in sun Friday pm. We had to go to Oswestry this morning after dropping off the DVD orders at the post office. As the only half decent cafe there was shut we called at Grosvenor Garden Centre near Chester on the way home, a very nice tea and dessert and all at half price how unexpected, quality and low price whats not to like. Then it was mowing and strimming plus plating a couple of plants we picked up on our way out of the garden centre cafe. An early start tomorrow , I've still to work out my itinerary as it is a brighter time of year than usual, I get to Euston at 8am. Return is not until nearly 8pm, hoping I can go on filming into the early evening. I've also scanned a couple of cine films which held a few surprises on content which included Hull trolleybuses. I still need to get the DVD orders ready for Mandy to pack tomorrow morning, thankfully Mandy is dropping me at the station. A few shots from a previous London trip to set the scene. I've also managed to get a few more items on shop as digital downloads, it really is an early in the morning job as the net gets busier the progress loading gets really slow. I've been scanning 1950s scenes including Southampton area, Scotland incl Aberdeen and Glasgow trams plus material from John Bishop incl his Bradford trolleybus film and some of the reels include sequences from the PMP archive such as scenes from HEC Piercey. Very much a labour of love but what a privilege to be watching film from over 60 years ago and it includes diverse transport subjects. These scenes will enhance the range of archive available through the OTA and in our own Tickety Boo productions. The weather has been very kind today and we have had a sit out in the garden while this morning was the first service at st Oswalds for over four months and welcomed our new vicar and also celebrated the nearest Sunday to our patron saint St Oswald. Lovely to see so many friendly faces missing for months. Delightful weather allowed mask free catch ups outside in the grounds. I'm getting ready for my London outing for buses on Tuesday. I should have the covers for the three recent lorry films ready tonight, everything still needs putting on our shops!
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