Do you know what I did today? bugger all, I had a relaxing day, which started off by listening to radio 4, well my mum likes listening to the Archers omnibus on sunday morning, Broadcasting House preceeded that, but morning worship was on first thing in the morning.
One bit of news is that our chancellor, George Osbourne, who in my mind is a typical young tory, and a former public school boy who has never experienced real life, announced that he was clamping down on benefit cheats, those who have read my facebook status today will know my exact opinion. I know for a fact all those thieving bastards who have all the bling, turn up in flash motors and give the attitude will get left alone, whilst the poor person who has just lost their job or the single mother trying to look after her children, will be targeted. I remember back to my brief time out of work, I actually hated it. The whole process made me feel low and useless, all i wanted was to find a job, anything to get me off the dole. I eventually ended up on New deal. To get out of the system I saved hard, signed off and went to France for a month. I managed to gain employment shortly after my return to this country. The more this government gets in to the term, the more i wish someone would do a guy Fawkes. The people who need sorting out will continue to play the system. The real problem that needs sorting are the fat cat bankers, but as the majority of them are Osbournes mates they will be left alone.
I have been out in the car today, but to be honest I have had a bus free day, well we need to sometimes. As much as I enjoy the job, and hobbies. Tomorrow I am going to get up to date with the impending bus war between the wellglade group and Premiere Travel. More news to follow. So there you have it. Catch you later.
Sunday, 17 October 2010
Saturday, 16 October 2010
My day trip to Cambridge plus other things that have come to my attention
Hello again, I have just got back from my day trip to cambridge the coach behaved impeccably, the passengers were nice, it was a group of Chinese students from Loughborough University. Anyway after droping them off I parked the coach up and got on the service bus in to the city centre. I have done many journeys into the town but never got chance to have a walk round the town. I find as a coach driver it is a useful thing to do. You learn about the place.
My camera as always accompanied me, on my journey to record the local bus scene plus any other pictures that come to mind. Well you have heard my opinion of people who try to stop you taking pictures, well since that day the camera comes out even more, my way of sticking 2 fingers up to the thought police.
It made me laugh, watching the traffic warden walking round booking cars, obviously getting pleasure from nicking people for parking there pride and joy in the wrong place. Now have you noticed that traffic Wardens are now called Civil Enforcement Officers, what a totaliterian terminology. You might as well stick a red band with a swastikka round their arm and have them goose stepping down the street. What are things coming too. I remember that scene from Threads,(the 1984 docudrama about a nuclear attack on Sheffield), with a traffic warden holding a machine gun and fending off looters. Yes we watched this at school as part of our studies.
It had been 10 years since I last photographed a bus in Cambridge. Lots of water has passed under the bridge in that time. I got up to date with the scene and thats about it.
Well it is riots and strikes in France, and I heard that the students have got involved so the government are screwed. sounds like Britain in the 1970's when the workers went on stike at the stupidest of things, such as the toilet paper not being soft enough, the teabags not made by typhoo and so on. The government have announced their latest round of cuts, that affect the military. Education is being spared cuts, but everything else is being fleeced by the hoorah henries. Most Governments over the last 60 odd years have been shit, if we are all honest. They have all wanked up the economy in some way. mind you they did have the war debt round their necks. So their you have it, my day in Cambridge. Talk soon.
My camera as always accompanied me, on my journey to record the local bus scene plus any other pictures that come to mind. Well you have heard my opinion of people who try to stop you taking pictures, well since that day the camera comes out even more, my way of sticking 2 fingers up to the thought police.
It made me laugh, watching the traffic warden walking round booking cars, obviously getting pleasure from nicking people for parking there pride and joy in the wrong place. Now have you noticed that traffic Wardens are now called Civil Enforcement Officers, what a totaliterian terminology. You might as well stick a red band with a swastikka round their arm and have them goose stepping down the street. What are things coming too. I remember that scene from Threads,(the 1984 docudrama about a nuclear attack on Sheffield), with a traffic warden holding a machine gun and fending off looters. Yes we watched this at school as part of our studies.
It had been 10 years since I last photographed a bus in Cambridge. Lots of water has passed under the bridge in that time. I got up to date with the scene and thats about it.
Well it is riots and strikes in France, and I heard that the students have got involved so the government are screwed. sounds like Britain in the 1970's when the workers went on stike at the stupidest of things, such as the toilet paper not being soft enough, the teabags not made by typhoo and so on. The government have announced their latest round of cuts, that affect the military. Education is being spared cuts, but everything else is being fleeced by the hoorah henries. Most Governments over the last 60 odd years have been shit, if we are all honest. They have all wanked up the economy in some way. mind you they did have the war debt round their necks. So their you have it, my day in Cambridge. Talk soon.
Friday, 15 October 2010
The day I achieved a goal in life.
I'm going to go down memory lane for tonights posting, I am going to tell you about the passing of my PCV licence and the adventures that followed. It seems a very long time ago, but in reality only 7 years ago.
Those that know me will vouch that I am always had an interest, well passion, sod it lets push the boat out and call it an obscession, with buses and coaches, going back to the days when I was a small kid, running round the school playground pretending to be Bartons bus. My interest in these days was an awareness of different types of buses. This developed from an earlier interest in motor vehicles in general. anyway I digress.
This interest stayed with all through my school days, in to my college days and eventually helped me start my career. It led me to buying shares in several classic buses, but that is another story for another time, after the therapy, no only joking.
Anyway, I had switched employers to commence driver training and on my first proper days training I was taken out in a single deck service bus. I took to it like duck to water, going through the semi automatic gearbox. We were swopping buses over, as Bellamy's operated out of 2 depots, some buses were parked up in Bestwood. The coach we took back was VJI which was a gearbox coach. They wanted to see if I was good enough to put straight to class 1 licence. After a few fluffed gear changes I got used to the coach and the gearbox.
It was decided to put me through for stickbox licence. After a few weeks I was put through for test, after passing my theory test and the then new Hazard perception exam. So adrenaline was flowing on this first day. However I failed the test. Infact I was to have 5 goes at the test.
My penultimate test was comical, I had a gentleman called Ian Wright, who was strict but fair. I went forward to doing the reversing exercise, and disaster stuck I clipped a cone. I let out a load of expletives as I had been building myself up and was getting very frustrated. I had spent the night worrying about the test which is not a good thing to do. Ian Wright came to the front of the coach and said"judging by the language coming from the cab area, you know you have already failed, we can do two things either park up, or we will go for a drive under test conditions and I will tell you where you are going wrong". He was well aware that I wanted the licence so much, and I suspect he secretly wanted me to pass. We did the test and had a chat about my failings, which really was down to nerves, rather than incompetance.
My fifth atempt came. I had been ordered to not think about buses, I had gone to the pub, with my dad and brother. I was also given some Kalms which I took before I went to bed, I actually had a good nights sleep that night. Anyway the next morning dawned. We arrived at Watnall test station, the test commenced and you've guessed it I passed. when we got back to Watnall the examiner told me I was successful and I felt like the kid who wanted the trainset and also got the scalextric. We got back, Robert drove the coach back. Once back at the yard, I was allocated my bus for the afternoon, and I was driving a load of kids from the American adventure to Bramcote Hills school. To say it was nerve racking is an understatment. It dawned to me when I looked up in the mirror and saw lots of faces looking back, well that how it seemed. Luckily Robert was with me. Saw I passed the test in the morning and did my first job in the afternoon, what a day.
It was the following day I did my first journey alone, which happened to be a school run, and the the very last journey of the school year, talk about deepend learning, By the end of the week i was doing my first long distance job, a journey from Sheffield to the Global gathering event at Long Marsden. A week later I was Going to Knebworth for the famous concert with Robbie Williams. Since those days I have travelled many miles and travelled all over the country. There are many repeatable tales and many unrepeatable ones too. So there you go the story of a special day in my life. More from your non conformist friend very soon
Those that know me will vouch that I am always had an interest, well passion, sod it lets push the boat out and call it an obscession, with buses and coaches, going back to the days when I was a small kid, running round the school playground pretending to be Bartons bus. My interest in these days was an awareness of different types of buses. This developed from an earlier interest in motor vehicles in general. anyway I digress.
This interest stayed with all through my school days, in to my college days and eventually helped me start my career. It led me to buying shares in several classic buses, but that is another story for another time, after the therapy, no only joking.
Anyway, I had switched employers to commence driver training and on my first proper days training I was taken out in a single deck service bus. I took to it like duck to water, going through the semi automatic gearbox. We were swopping buses over, as Bellamy's operated out of 2 depots, some buses were parked up in Bestwood. The coach we took back was VJI which was a gearbox coach. They wanted to see if I was good enough to put straight to class 1 licence. After a few fluffed gear changes I got used to the coach and the gearbox.
It was decided to put me through for stickbox licence. After a few weeks I was put through for test, after passing my theory test and the then new Hazard perception exam. So adrenaline was flowing on this first day. However I failed the test. Infact I was to have 5 goes at the test.
My penultimate test was comical, I had a gentleman called Ian Wright, who was strict but fair. I went forward to doing the reversing exercise, and disaster stuck I clipped a cone. I let out a load of expletives as I had been building myself up and was getting very frustrated. I had spent the night worrying about the test which is not a good thing to do. Ian Wright came to the front of the coach and said"judging by the language coming from the cab area, you know you have already failed, we can do two things either park up, or we will go for a drive under test conditions and I will tell you where you are going wrong". He was well aware that I wanted the licence so much, and I suspect he secretly wanted me to pass. We did the test and had a chat about my failings, which really was down to nerves, rather than incompetance.
My fifth atempt came. I had been ordered to not think about buses, I had gone to the pub, with my dad and brother. I was also given some Kalms which I took before I went to bed, I actually had a good nights sleep that night. Anyway the next morning dawned. We arrived at Watnall test station, the test commenced and you've guessed it I passed. when we got back to Watnall the examiner told me I was successful and I felt like the kid who wanted the trainset and also got the scalextric. We got back, Robert drove the coach back. Once back at the yard, I was allocated my bus for the afternoon, and I was driving a load of kids from the American adventure to Bramcote Hills school. To say it was nerve racking is an understatment. It dawned to me when I looked up in the mirror and saw lots of faces looking back, well that how it seemed. Luckily Robert was with me. Saw I passed the test in the morning and did my first job in the afternoon, what a day.
It was the following day I did my first journey alone, which happened to be a school run, and the the very last journey of the school year, talk about deepend learning, By the end of the week i was doing my first long distance job, a journey from Sheffield to the Global gathering event at Long Marsden. A week later I was Going to Knebworth for the famous concert with Robbie Williams. Since those days I have travelled many miles and travelled all over the country. There are many repeatable tales and many unrepeatable ones too. So there you go the story of a special day in my life. More from your non conformist friend very soon
Thursday, 14 October 2010
Thursday 14th October 2010
Well I awoke this morning to the last mining leaving his home of two months, the rescue mission was a success, and all are safe and well. I cant imagine what it must be like to be stuck in a hole half a mile underground. Today at work i have been out in the bus again this time on local runs, I'm rather looking forward to going to Cambridge on Saturday.
It looks like there are big things happening at the Great Central Railway and from a commercial point of view things are looking up. Exciting times indeed. So maybe the intercity link will be possible, with the Tram serving the Ruddington end. I like to take an interest in such developments.
Nothing else really to report, except that I have found out that Chatsworth are holding a photography competition, so I might enter a few pictures. I've been wanting to try my hand at wildlife photography, but like with railway photography I never quite get round to it. As I have said events have overtook me this year. Well the weather is definately turning cold, just hope we dont get the snow of early january/feb, as it was a bastard to drive in.
So it time to look at projects and yes I am convinced I am a real life Reggie Perrin. but I suppose we all feel that at times. Maybe its why I bought a bus several years ago, writing the book, Maybe it is the reason I have started to write this blog. I dont know?. Life is for living and I dont intend to be one of lifes lemmings. I am me and You,(the reader), are you. As I have said we are all unique, individual, spiritual, why suppress all ourselves. There is so much we can all do, so why let society dumb ourselves down.
It looks like there are big things happening at the Great Central Railway and from a commercial point of view things are looking up. Exciting times indeed. So maybe the intercity link will be possible, with the Tram serving the Ruddington end. I like to take an interest in such developments.
Nothing else really to report, except that I have found out that Chatsworth are holding a photography competition, so I might enter a few pictures. I've been wanting to try my hand at wildlife photography, but like with railway photography I never quite get round to it. As I have said events have overtook me this year. Well the weather is definately turning cold, just hope we dont get the snow of early january/feb, as it was a bastard to drive in.
So it time to look at projects and yes I am convinced I am a real life Reggie Perrin. but I suppose we all feel that at times. Maybe its why I bought a bus several years ago, writing the book, Maybe it is the reason I have started to write this blog. I dont know?. Life is for living and I dont intend to be one of lifes lemmings. I am me and You,(the reader), are you. As I have said we are all unique, individual, spiritual, why suppress all ourselves. There is so much we can all do, so why let society dumb ourselves down.
Wednesday, 13 October 2010
My Adventures continue
Hello again, today 13th of October 2010 has been an eventful one. Across the world in Chilie, the rescue of the miners commenced in ernest. by the time I was up, which was 5am, 3 miners had been rescued, by the time I finished work, 16 had been rescued. It was joyous and moving to see the men reunited with loved ones friends and on lookers, I'm sure the men must have at one point wondered if they were ever to see the outside world again. happily the outcome will be a positive one. I'm sure these men will look at life differantly, the answer to which is enjoy everyday, and make the most of the time we are on this planet. Thats what I intend to do.
I drove a trip to Chatsworth House and the weather was absolutely gorgious. I took the camera as always and got some pictures in the gardens. well pictures taken during Autumn take on all those bold colours, in fact I will show you what I took today. My passengers were going to see the sculptures for their art project. I thought well rather than sit and twiddle my thumbs, I would have a look too.
Hope you like the pics. Forthcoming trips are to Cambridge, which is a place I have been to many times, but never found a convenient place to park so I could take in the sights, I always ended up in some layby, or on an industrial estate. I quite fancy a walk round so I think I need to ring the tourist information office. for the rest of the weekend It will be a chill out weekend, well I need to switch off sometimes.
In leicester very soon it will be Diwali and again I would like to go and experience this celebration. If we all kept an open mind then the world would be alot better place to live. We are all unique and divine and can acheive everything we want to if we allow ourselve to put our mind to it. I know I keep preaching it, but I believe in it. anyone see you soon.
Tuesday, 12 October 2010
Fleetline 50 and a new rant.
Hello once again, hope you like the pictures they were taken at Fleetline 50 which was held at Wythall Transport Museum. I have used my more artistic shots for the purpose of this blog. The other more standard shots are on the sister site, Calumbus's photographic adventures, which is on fotopic.
It turned out to be a good day out, with a good turn out, and a chance to catch up with old friends and make new friends.
One thing that did blemish the day was that friend of mine was verbally abused by so called enthusiasts because his filming happened to ruin their shot. Come on guys there is no room for this sort of thing, It is a hobby and your very actions are likely to put people off, or thats maybe what they want, so they can have a field of buses all to themselves. All I will say is there are others on this planet, grow up and get a life.
I have just been watching an interesting selection of videos, put on You tube by Charlie Veitch from the Love Police. I came across them while loading up my own videos from Fleetline 50. Dont worry, there are no drunken scenes of me doing silly things, I will save that for another occasion.
The videos showed these guys trying to do an interview in a public place, first of all they got
hassle from the security firm, then come along some CPO's. Then the City of London Police. Followed by some higher up who says that the property is owned by some global corporation. Yet all along they were being filmed by CCTV. So it is a case of one rule for us, and if you happen to be the government or a global corporation, then you can film what you like and who you like, all in the name of anti terrorism and security. Thing is I dont personally feel safer knowing that I am being observed on CCTV, nor does that poor old biddy. Big brother watches you, well yes he does.
From what I heard 17 people got arrested on saturday, and the community of Leicester had a peace vigil on the sunday afterwards. We all need to be tolerant to everyone, as this is a small over crowded planet we live on. In my opinion the biggest racists are among the various communities. Sikhs hate muslims, Blacks hate Asians etc etc. I have white friends who have been racially abused whilst doing their jobs, and when they complained they were told " No action can be taken as we dont want to be seen to be upsetting them",. What utter bollocks. To me the law applies to everyone, as it is an equal society. Rant over. Lets respect one another.
Sunday, 10 October 2010
My weekend
Hello again, well I have got back after a hectic weekend, which has involved a bus rally, lots of thoughts, a bingo run, plus lots of other things.
Well where do I begin? well saturday involved a lay in which to me is until half 7. I've always been an early riser. why spend a day off in bed, although I was working later in the day. As we all know events were unfolding in Leicester, parts of which were like a ghost town, I suppose the song Ghost town by the Specials would be a most appropriate song for the day. I did hear a couple of bus drivers were attacked in Leicester, which was not so good. As I went out on the Bingo run to pick the old girls up, I noticed a huge police presence at loughborough railway station. The EDL have the mentality of rentamob and the football hooligan factories, which seem to have be the origins. It also seems that the group is not predominantly white, as a Sikh member was interviewed. A few punch ups broke out and some smoke bombs were let off. The people who really suffer are the ordinary citizens of Leicester, no matter what their background is.
The Sunday involved a trip to the Fleetline fifty event, I think I will do a proper write up once the pictures are edited, I've loaded them from the camera and now they need editing and loading on my fotopic site, So they should be on in the next day or two. As I write this at around 10 PM on the Sunday night I am going to go to bed soon. But I am wondering were my weekend has gone?
Heres one to ponder, how often to do we allow ourselves to just stop and think what do I actually want out of life. To most of us life goes something like this, work, chil, sleep, work,chill,sleep,work,chill,sleep,work,chill,sleep, then comes friday, pretend to work, as you have your mind on chilling it large sleeping. Then the weekend comes, shopping, going out and buying those goods that we dont really need, but have to have as we will all feel left out, before going down the local pub, to watch the match, while some will stay in to watch programmes such as X factor, come dancing, lottery jetset. then vegging out on the sunday, thinking bloody hell I have to go back to work tomorrow, maybe watching the grand prix, followed by antiques roadshow, plus what ever else we happen to see on the telly. Does this sound familiar???
Well, what I have described the actions of human lemmings, we all need to work to live, and we all need to unwind and sleep and so on. We all buy the same goods, which we dont actually need, because it makes us feel good about ourselves, We all buy products and follow fashions because we want to fit in that world portrayed in those glossy mags, Such as Cosmopolitan or Esquire, we all read the same crap, in the newspapers, which are owned by global capitalists who seem hell bend on telling us what they want us all to know. How many of us allow ourselves time to sit down and say hang on a minute, as we chase our tails, in this 24hour media controlled world.
We are all individuals, with our own thoughts, personallities, values. beliefs. We can all achieve everything and anything in life if we put our minds. However very few people allow themselves to put their minds to it, because we are chasing our tails. think about that one. I'm going to bed to ponder that one, see you all soon
Well where do I begin? well saturday involved a lay in which to me is until half 7. I've always been an early riser. why spend a day off in bed, although I was working later in the day. As we all know events were unfolding in Leicester, parts of which were like a ghost town, I suppose the song Ghost town by the Specials would be a most appropriate song for the day. I did hear a couple of bus drivers were attacked in Leicester, which was not so good. As I went out on the Bingo run to pick the old girls up, I noticed a huge police presence at loughborough railway station. The EDL have the mentality of rentamob and the football hooligan factories, which seem to have be the origins. It also seems that the group is not predominantly white, as a Sikh member was interviewed. A few punch ups broke out and some smoke bombs were let off. The people who really suffer are the ordinary citizens of Leicester, no matter what their background is.
The Sunday involved a trip to the Fleetline fifty event, I think I will do a proper write up once the pictures are edited, I've loaded them from the camera and now they need editing and loading on my fotopic site, So they should be on in the next day or two. As I write this at around 10 PM on the Sunday night I am going to go to bed soon. But I am wondering were my weekend has gone?
Heres one to ponder, how often to do we allow ourselves to just stop and think what do I actually want out of life. To most of us life goes something like this, work, chil, sleep, work,chill,sleep,work,chill,sleep,work,chill,sleep, then comes friday, pretend to work, as you have your mind on chilling it large sleeping. Then the weekend comes, shopping, going out and buying those goods that we dont really need, but have to have as we will all feel left out, before going down the local pub, to watch the match, while some will stay in to watch programmes such as X factor, come dancing, lottery jetset. then vegging out on the sunday, thinking bloody hell I have to go back to work tomorrow, maybe watching the grand prix, followed by antiques roadshow, plus what ever else we happen to see on the telly. Does this sound familiar???
Well, what I have described the actions of human lemmings, we all need to work to live, and we all need to unwind and sleep and so on. We all buy the same goods, which we dont actually need, because it makes us feel good about ourselves, We all buy products and follow fashions because we want to fit in that world portrayed in those glossy mags, Such as Cosmopolitan or Esquire, we all read the same crap, in the newspapers, which are owned by global capitalists who seem hell bend on telling us what they want us all to know. How many of us allow ourselves time to sit down and say hang on a minute, as we chase our tails, in this 24hour media controlled world.
We are all individuals, with our own thoughts, personallities, values. beliefs. We can all achieve everything and anything in life if we put our minds. However very few people allow themselves to put their minds to it, because we are chasing our tails. think about that one. I'm going to bed to ponder that one, see you all soon
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