THE GOOD, BAD AND SYPTE OF ROTHERHAM

As planned I headed over the hills to Barnsley and Rotherham today, Barnsley was even worse to park in than usual as without any prior notice other than getting there the market car park is/has been demolished with 15 minutes to traverse the railway lines both ways to find out then find that the cashless payment at the car park nearby doesn't ( never) works and ended up half a mile away uphill in the other direction. Good things, very friendly drivers and the light was diffused sunshine and spot on for filming. I was soon finished and heading back along the M1 to Rotherham. I had the good fortune of meeting my friend Gary Donnelly who once owned the Rotherham model shop and sold our early videos.

This was a pleasant start to an interesting visit for without prior knowledge the bus station has been closed for refurbishment for a year and not due to reopen until 2019 but it must be well on as they were painting new bus lance markings. The bus drivers at the temporary facility near the railway station were spot on and the bus station guard welcoming and helpful when I arrived and had to suss out the routing etc. Then I followed down past the railway station to get nearsides when the sun came out, it was spot on and all the buses come out the one way to the large roundabout ( I saw a Beford TK, sorry no photo). It was here I met Gary. Then as the sun dipped I went back to the temporary facility by the Bridge Inn which I often use as a back drop on visits.

A new squad of heavies had moved to guard the secret nuclear bomb launching site, ooops sorry should read bus station. The yellow jacket approached with a rear attack on me, wanted to know what i was filming, I gave an unnecessary but polite reply, pehaps he was straight our of SAS training school and had no consept of bus enthusiasts, wouldn't identify himself other than bus station manager and circled around me coursing distree. I told him if he didn't stop I'd call the police which I did and they are willing to carry the action further. I've also made an inital complaint to SYPTE and will be instigating a civil case against themselves and their employee/agents. I remember when one of their louts threw a disabled lad out for putting bus numbers in his notebook with a pencil I felt that strongly that it is an incident recorded in my autobiography.

I repeat all the bus drivers were very friendly just one idiot and his hit squad. South Yorkshire has always been the most anti enthusioast PTE along with Clydeside and Nexus. The county is the most violent in England and up there with Scotland in the world hassle stakes. I'm supposed to be filming the bonfire beacon for the Remembrance ceremony on the 11th, looks a little too dark for the intended dusk, must be the change of the clocks, its black outside.