The autumn time is coming

Well it is nearly spetember, and nearing my birthday, My mind is awake to lots of new things, and thoughts. I am not really religious, but I am spiritual.

Before you call me a nut job, I will explain, that this beautiful planet we live on, still has many secrets, and I believe that us humans have many talents we dont even know about. Some people believe in a new world order, I just keep my mind open to lots of things.

My next birthday will mark me moving in to my mid 30's, scary thought, but wondering what the next few years will bring. One thing I have noticed as I get older is that time passes really quickly, it doesnt not seem five minutes ago that I was ringing in the new year, now within few more months we will be ringing in the next one. Already the nights are drawing in and the schools go back within a matter of days.

The picture was taken in Bank holiday monday. I'm going to put a reflective blog out on my birthday which will be a relective one. between now and then I will have another show to go to, plus a friends wedding to attend, May I wish Dom and Clare all the best, I might post some pics on here. It makes me wonder if I will ever marry, i'm not so sure, In my case it boils down to the fact I just want a friend. cant see me settling down, dont believe in it anyway. But life has a way of taking differant turns. So we will see what happens

My first week

Well I have just complete my first week at Paul S Winson Coaches, and well I am enjoying it, this time last week I was very down, It was a mixture of doing 2 longish days on the trot, the fact I was leaving a way of life, and being at a new employer, being unsure what will happen. Iam an analytical person anyway life to me is full of questions, just the way I am.

So anyway back to the story, I started last monday morning, got introduced to how things worked, and went out with another driver on a job to see what was involved. The double deck in the pictures is my regular allocated coach, nice isnt it. I am looking forward to travelling many miles in this vehicle.

Anyway TTFN

The end of an era and the dawn of a new age

It has finally happened, after many many hours, and 8 years, in which I have grown, committed alot of my to and helped grow a company, then due to many many circumstances, see it contract again, while all around competitors and in some case the authorities have stuck the knife, mortally wounding and bringing a wonderful little company down to a low level.

So what have I learned about working for a small bus and coach operator trying to eek a living in a cut throat market? well

It is a case of keeping your friends close and enemies even closer, It is months since I had my brush with VOSA, and it taught me a valuble lesson, stay legal, As promised i will publish my full account of the interview, i'm sure it will be interesting and useful reading for someone out there. Save to say that some very aggressive tactics were used in an effort to crack me in the hope I would dob people in. More of that at a later date.

It was a sad reflection that I worked today on a lengthy shift, knowing that once I parked the coach up it was it au-revoir. I did think about lots of things, and I have parted on good terms with the propriator.

This brings me on the future, We do I go and what are my long term goals?
Well I am working for a coach company out of the Nottingham area, Hope fully this market will not be so cut throat, we will see on that one. It is a leader in the market, so I will have new challenges, which is what I need in life.

My long term goal is to run my own business which I intend to start soon. Lets make it happen

So heres to the future

A weekend of reflection

these pictures were taken on the beach at mablethorpe as I sat and thought about things. I am due to move Jobs very soon, what should be a moment of excitement, is shrouded by sadness. I am leaving the employer whom I have worked for, for 8 years now. The employer who put me through my PCV test. I also thought about the entertaining times I've had, the laughs shared, and the friends I have made. Infact I regard these people as family, sadly a cloud of recent events has forced me to come to some very hard decisions indeed. Yes I am excited by the future, but wanting things to be the way they once were. I will one day talk of these events, but for now I will say no more.

Another moan and an introduction

If you are wondering who bus it is? it is actually mine, and its restoration is well underway. I purchased the bus back in 2001 with 2 mates, one of whom still owns a share and the other is helping out.

the reason it is not fully restored and on the road is down to work patterns, the fact that we all have limited income, thus only able to throw so much money at it, and so much time. Not helped by the fact that my co owner lives at the other end of the country.

I have been involved with various preservation groups in Nottingham, being involved in the restoration of a 1965 AEC Renown, sadly destroyed by fire back in 2007. This one event deeply upset me, I know it is only a "bit of tin", but the time we spend together working on the bus and the skills I acquired during the restoration.

Sadly due to work patterns I stopped volunteering, at the said museum. There were other factors which stopped me too, such as infighting between volunteers, and the general politics between the differant groups who shared the same site.

So I and a couple of like minded people decided to save up and eventually purchase a bus. There were a couple of false starts but eventually we bought the vehicle. However we attracted the negative comments from some other preservationists too, (I will go on to talk about this in a mo),.

The bus was purchased the day before I passed my driving test for the car, and arranged for some friends to drive the bus, who had the relevent licence. Some storage was arranged although it was 50 miles away in Cheadle. within the month we got the bus on to a farm near by, thanks to some other friends who stored a couple of buses on the farm. Other friends have helped in the collection of spares, and other items.

So began our first attempt at restoration. Now i will talk about the negativity. Where I am based their are several preservation groups, all restoring unique vehicles, but there is one slight problem, they all treat each other with contempt, as if they are all jealous of each other. Why?

This is a hobby and we must all enjoy it. I often say I live in the centre of apathy. The only conclusion all these individuals get a kick out of power, and think they have an empire. Just wish all these groups would try to get on and co-operate.

Yes I may be an idealist, but the world would be a better place if we tried to get on and tolerate each other.

How my interest in transport developed

Some blame my aunt, I was told when I was very young, to keep me quiet while she was babysitting me, my aunt would walk me down the hill on Derby Road, then come back on the bus.



Then my parents moved to the Clifton estate, the house backed on to the A453 and I would spent alot of my time watching the traffic out of the window. I would spend hours watching the many cars and trucks pass the house.



The same would happen at my Grannys, but there was the added attraction of the railway too, I can remember one of the first intercity 125 trains coming though Grantham. the entire market stopped to look, or so it seemed.



I was bought lots of Matchbox and corgi toy cars,(and buses and trucks), and drove them many miles round the living room floor. it is funny none of my brothers share my interest, oh well.

Then I must move on to the variety of buses that served Nottingham, there were the Green Nottingham City Transport ones, the blue south notts ones, these both served clifton. Then there were the red Barton buses, which I loved and pretended to be driving one on the school play ground, I was to later purchase a Barton bus for preservation.

Then there were the other red Trent ones which took us to my aunts house, along with the green ones.

all this variety made an impression, but the event that sparked it all was a trip to a bus depot.

later I was to work on buses gaining several years experience, volunteer and help restore the things, this was fun although emotional at times.

Then I worked in the industry full time, now that was a culture shock, I had to learn how to separate my enthusiast side from the professional side, although both generally went hand in hand, although I would come home not wanting to see another bus.

My last couple of years

I dont wish to sound morbid, but the last couple of years have been a rollercoaster of up and downs, mainly downs.

I suppose it started off when I got a phone call, from my then girlfriend telling me it was all over, I was in a state of shock and I had to ring again for a double take. I felt rejected and alone that night. Our relationship was a long distance one, where we were 138miles apart.

The year got progressively worse from then, I had family illness to contend with, and an employer who made a massive business error, even though the prospect at first was very exciting, but not thought through enough

2009 was no better, even though it started off positve, again it got worse as time went on, where a member of my family was ill. I had a few disasterous dates in that time, lots more worry, both in my personal life and at work. The year finished where Vosa came in to do a check and placed my employer on investigation. The motive for which was more of a personal thing.

2010 started off with a high pressure interview with VOSA, this is worth a blog on its own. followed by a court appearance and another member of the family being ill.

Positve things that happened I got back in touch with lots of friends from my school days and the past. My former girlfriend stayed in touch too.

I will touch on more of these at a later date.

My opening blog

Well I thought I had better introduce myself, My Name is Calum, I live in the Nottingham area, and drive buses and coaches for a living, sounds normal doesnt it.

I am also running a fotopic site, assisting in a transport blog site, restoring a classic bus, writing a life story book and attempting to get a business concept off the ground, more of which later

So things are unfolding, I will tell you about my year so far which has been an adventure, and started off really with an interview with VOSA, regarding an investigation, the interview was horrible, and I will talk more about this in a future blog, My biggest life changing experience was moving in with my good friend Philippa, there have been several worries and family crisis on the way, but I have a good bunch of friends around me.

This has been an interesting year, as the Labour government was ousted, and replaced by a coalition government, lead by a public school hooray henry, who probably failed in a popularity contest at school, i must admit I hate politicians, but I see them as a necessary evil.

So there you go. your introduction to me.