BUSWORLD PHOTOGRAPHY

I AM CHRISTOPHER LEACH THE ARTIST. I started this blog so that I can share with everyone my vast collection of transport photographs showing a personal and nostalgic view of the industry with images that span some 45 years taking in the U.K and some of Europe. I have no darkroom and so rather than being the perfectionist after tidying them up I upload the images warts and all, and even those that won't scan squarely or are scratched. In a way it adds age and character. You are all free to download these for your personal use but please remember I still own them and you are not just free to use them without prior permission for any knd of publishing. Click on images to enlarge them and if you want to see more leave your comments or visit my website for the mother-site with galleries including those Buses & Girls: PICTUREWORLD

Tuesday 23 December 2008

Gosh! It was Twenty-Nine-Years-Ago Today

Yes this was 23rd December 1979, I remember the day well as I went into Liverpool City Centre to drop in on a girl friend as it was Carol Ann's Birthday and believe it or not it is today too. But it wasn't a particularly good day for me though as I had been to Liverpool Docks where I reversed at a gatehouse not realising that someone had pulled-up behind me. Even though there was no visible damage the owner made quite a fuss because despite it being the 'old-style' his red Ford Escort was brand new. That was the last time anyone made an insurance claim against me fortunately, but at least I took this great atmospheric photo of one of Crosville's last remaining half-cabs 1966 FS DFG 219 heading for Prescot on the way to St.Helens. Still to be seen in the city at that time were a few of Ribble's full-fronted MCW bodied Leyland PD3's from Aintree Garage which terminated nearby on the routes towards Liverland etc.. All has changed of course which is sad because I was very close to this spot on last Saturday Evening as I was called out to do a rail-replacement bus from all stations from Crewe to Liverpool. By the time I reached Lime Street Station I only had one on board, a guy from Cuba who was playing in an ethnic band that evening. But as I stopped I was quickly accosted by railway officials who seemed somewhat put-out that I should have turned up in a single sixteen-seater LDV minibus when there were about 150 people waiting to get home. I explained we were nothing to do with the local company from that end who had promised to send four full-sized coaches to carry the strike-bound Christmas Shoppers home. So I turned around leaving just 134 disappointed souls standing in the rain.

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