Blue, Blue. Electric Blue

There was an event in the Old Market Square today promoting the advantages of electric vehicles, like this Nissan Leaf

Various makes of cars were on show, together with a local bus operated by Nottingham City Council.

Due to the rain, there weren't that many people about to see what was on offer. I bumped into a photographer that I know who was taking some publicity photos for the council.

I just wonder if rain and electric cars are really meant to mix. But I suppose the rubber tyres will protect you from being electrocuted, should water get in the batteries!

Collision Course

Sadly two people were hurt this morning when they were hit by a bus outside the Victoria Centre.

Lower Parliament Street was closed from 11am until mid afternoon, as police had cordoned off the area while they investigated as to how the accident had happened.

It is a very busy junction, although it is mainly buses and taxis that can use the roads around there now, as cars have been banned from the area, and are diverted away from this part of town. Sometimes though, people who want to cross the road, don't always wait for the 'green man' to appear, and make a run for it.

News updates haven't reported how the to people are, but I don't think their injuries are life threatening. I'm sure everyone wishes them a speedy recovery.

Photo Of The Year

The City Daily Photo theme for January is 'your best photo of the year'. So for my entry I'm going with this one that I took on 27th March.

It's probably not the best photo that I've taken during 2015, but it's one that has the most relevance for me for a number of reasons.

This is Barton's 'Ghost Bus'. An old rusted and decayed coach that was built in the 1950s and has spent the last 20 odd years in a farmers field. Only to be rescued and brought back to their garage in Chilwell.

I saw an advert for an event at Barton's that was featuring the bus, so I went along, as I had seen it before. But in the daytime, and wondered what it would look like in the dark. The event included a screening of a short film that had been created by Italian visual artist Roberto Alborghetti, and based on close up photos that Roberto had taken of the Ghost Bus.

After the show, I got to interview Roberto for the Beestonian magazine that I write for. In fact someone else was meant to be covering the event, but couldn't make it, so I did it instead. Serendipity I think they call it. Roberto was pleased with the article and I have been his friend ever since. I also made friends with Marysia, the organiser of the event.

To cut a long story short, this friendship resulted in Gail & I going to Tuscany in October with Marysia, her son and four other travelling companions. Besides seeing different parts of Italy, one of the aims was to get Tuscany twinned with Beeston. To help this along we met two mayors and Marysia presented them with a 'Beeston goody bag' which contained a copy of the Beestonian, a locally produced lace shawl, some postcard and a scale model of the Ghost Bus itself.

I'm not sure if any progress has been made with the twinning, but Gail and I both agree that we loved seeing Tuscany and plan to make many more visits to Italy.

Off The Rails

Besides the visit yesterday of Prince Edward, another important event that was taking place in Nottingham, namely a wedding at the Council House.

The wedding party were using this old London bus as the bridal transport and were just climbing aboard when I arrived in the Old Market Square.

While I was taking a photo or two of it, a tram just happened to be rolling by, and I managed to take a couple of shots just as it was passing the bus. Lucky eh?

You may have realised that the photo is lacking in colour, except for the bus itself. That's because I set my camera just to record anything that was red in colour, the rest would remain in black & white. A neat trick. Partial colouring can of course be done in various software packages, but this is much quicker. And anyway, I only know how to do it in Lightroom.

Spirited Away

There was an unusual, and exciting event that took place in Beeston tonight, a world premiere film show based on close up photographs of the 'Ghost Bus'; the old dilapidated Bartons bus that was found rotting in a Suffolk field.

The bus made its first appearance at Bartons in October 2012, and of course I popped along to see and write about it for this blog. Last October a well known Italian writer and visual artist called Roberto Alborghetti saw the bus for the first time and was amazed at the state of the vehicle. He then spent a couple of hours taking 500 close up photos of the rust, peeled paint and general distress on the buses bodywork and has turned 130 of them into a thirteen minute film, naturally called The Ghost Bus.

Besides seeing the film, Bartons had put lights and a smoke machine inside the bus, to give it a supernatural and atmospheric air, amplified by the darkness of the garage setting. Would you want to spend the night alone on this bus?

Roberto has also made a shorter, six minute film, using some of the other photos called Seaside Film, Both films were impressive and well received by the audience. There was also time for a small question and answer session.

It was a wonderful event, and for those that are curious about what the film looks like, Roberto has put a small extract on YouTube - https://youtu.be/1YWqP38vHQo

Military Bus

Spotted this bus today covered in some promotion for the recent Armed Forces Day celebrations.

I wonder how long the transfers will be kept on before they are removed and some new ones are applied for another event or advertising campaign.

We're All Going On A Summer Holiday

Anyone fancy a trip to Barbados? Well a bus was parked in the Old Market Square today waiting for people to climb aboard. Although I think the bus would only take you to the airport, as I don't know of too many coaches that can travel across water, and the Atlantic Ocean is a very big sea.

Best Of British

Two Iconic British vehicles were in the Old Market Square today; a Rolls Royce Phantom V and the good old London Routemaster Bus.

They were being used for a wedding that was taking place at the Council House. There were plenty of people stopping to admire the vehicles and to take pictures. Just like me!

Centenary Bus

There's a specially decorated bus travelling around the city centre at the moment. It has been painted in the colours of the old West Bridgford Urban District Transport bus company to commemorate 100 years of service.

I rather like the colour scheme, as it looks welcomming and much better than the assortment we have at the moment. Green for one route, orange for another. This colour coding might be easier for people to get on the right bus, but it does make for a uncoordinated fleet.

Market Day

It's been a cracking sunny day today. The best one of the year so far. So I thought I would take a walk to the market in the Old Market Square.

And boy was it packed with people walking up and down and looking at the things on offer. While I was wandering around, I got to thinking about how would the market look from above, with all the coloured tarpaulin roofs and people milling about.

So I called in at the Council House and asked if I could go up to the balcony to take a shot or two. They said yes, so I popped up and took a few photographs.

Fashion Parade

This bus seemed to have gone the wrong way and ended up in the Old Market Square.

But don't worry, the driver did know the way, as it is not one of Nottingham City Transport's buses, but  a special promotional vehicle belonging to budget fashion chain-store New Look.

I didn't see that many people board the bus to look at the latest clothing ranges, and I didn't go in myself, as I don't think they sell mens clothes.

I would love to have one of my photos printed and stuck on the side of a bus. How amazing would that be!

Red And White & Not Going Anywhere

A new development today in the long running saga of the tram works in Beeston.  The contractors turned a roundabout into a T junction. This has meant chaos, as two or three lanes on each of the three roads that meet the roundabout have been turned into one, and is now controlled by traffic lights.

Traffic has been slow for most of the day, and local people have been putting messages on Facebook and Twitter about how long it has been taking them to get from A to B, or even how long they have sat stationary in traffic. When we drove out of the university, the Royal Mail truck was about where the bus is. So it took the truck driver about five minutes to where he is there.

I don't know how long these restrictions are going to be in place, but from what I've seen this afternoon,   I wouldn't like to be a motorist during the rush hour on Monday, as it's bad enough already, so who knows what it's going to be like next week.

Wishing I Had A Photograph

Does anyone remember a band from the early 1980s called a Flock of Seagulls? They were just about a one hit wonder with the song "Wishing I had a Photograph (of you)"

I bet you're wondering what they are doing now. Well here's a shot of them enjoying some sun by the canal.

Last Bus To Ilkeston

A vintage bus from circa 1965 painted in the old Midland General bus company colours.
The company doesn't exist anymore, so the only way to see such vehicles is at transport shows. I took this at the recent heritage day event at the old Barton's bus depot.

Comedy On Four Wheels

Another shot of one of Bartons' vintage buses, on show during the heritage weekend.

This one was advertising a forthcoming comedy show at the former bus garage.

The title 'Tram-a-geddon' refers to the carnage that Beeston and Chilwell is currently experiencing as roads are closed or dug up, traffic cones everywhere, and long delays to traffic whilst they are building the new tramline.

The money raised through ticket sales will be going to Oxfam, through the Oxjam banner.

Expresso Or Latte

I met a friend in town at one of the many coffee shops that have sprung up all over the city centre in the last few years.

Not actually liking coffee at all, I plumped for a hot chocolate, complete with squirty cream and marshmallows.

While we were drinking & chatting, I showed my friend my new fisheye lens and what sort of photos it can take. And here is a prime example.

Fair's Please

This afternoon, I popped along to a vintage and book fair at the former Barton's bus depot in Chilwell. Alas none of their vintage vehicles were on show, so here's a shot I took last week, whilst the street party was going on. And yes, that is snow you can see, rather than dust on my camera lens.

I didn't buy any books at the fair, as I have far too many as it is, but I did get some locally made sausages for Gail, which I cooked for her dinner, and I bought myself a real ale called Pica Boo from a local company;  Magpie Brewery, which I will probably have tomorrow night with my meal.

A Helpful Bus Ride

Beeston this morning, and I saw this bus parked in The Square. The inside had been converted into a sort of office where people could find out about what help is available for those that look after other people.

I wonder what bus company used to own and operate this vehicle? Presumably it would be a local one. Shame that it's been painted white, otherwise there might be a clue somewhere on the body.

The Ghost Bus

This photography lark does make you get out and about in search of a picture or two. Today has been no exception.Firstly I popped in the former Barton's bus depot in Chilwell to check out this years art exhibition, which goes under the name of the Carnival of Monsters. Then Gail and I went on a walk with a load of photographers, which was part of Scott Kelby's fifth worldwide annual photo walk. Then we went back to Barton's for their open evening and a chance to meet the artists.

I went last year, and they had some good stuff on show. This year has been the same. The highlight for me, and perhaps many others has been the siting of this old Barton's bus from the 1950s. I just love the way the paint has peeled away, the rust and its overall state of decay.

There is an interesting story behind this bus. It was one of 10 that Barton's bought in 1956. This particular one has been standing in a farmers field in Norfolk for the past 20 years. Hence it's unique appearance. The exhibit is also acting as a mini cinema, as a film has surfaced showing one of these buses taking tourists around different cities in Italy during 1959.

An unusual holiday too, as you are flown out to an Italian airport, where you are then picked up by coach, and then spend two weeks trundling to Venice, Florence, Rome etc. All for the grand price of £79, Which in today's money would probably be around £600.

The movie itself is going to be uploaded to Bartons' website, so everyone can enjoy it. Here's a LINK to their website, so you can see the film for yourself.

It's A Free Ride

One of our local bus companies unveiled a new bus today. One of several that will be running around the city centre every day, taking passengers to either the Victoria or Broad Marsh shopping centres.

What makes these buses special is the fact that they run on electricity. A first for the city. And what makes it extra special? The fact that you can ride on it for free. Which in this day and age is a rarity.