Misc Pix

This is the stuff that I could not otherwise find a home for (the bin must have been full);

A very early pic of me - it was the 1970's and I am guessing around 1975. My early years were shaped by a teacher who told me that I was going to hell because I did not say amen (a lifetime of atheism began that day, Mrs Nelson), another who played us Tubular Bells by Mike Oldfield and Jeff Wayne's war of the Worlds and asked us to write about them (Thank's Mr Leedham - I am in your debt) and Sally James who liked to totter about in thigh length boots every Saturday morning on TISWAS (a sinful start to the weekend).

I have no idea who this very handsome chap is with my brother - my first brush with the transport industry - in this case, my dad's ergo cabbed Leyland Comet. The fact that my dad could drive a tractor unit up our avenue reflects the fact that not as many people had cars back then! Possibly 1973 or 74.....  this pic later turned up in the pages of Heritage Commercial magazine - see the diary for September - December 2006.

My Dad - taken circa 1970 - the year I was born. Here he is on the A38 (no M5 back then!) with his Scammel Routeman (then brand new!) and Gas Barrel 170 (actually still in use by TDG in Runcorn in 2003!). My fave picture of my Dad!

Now this was certainly 1977 as it was Jubilee Day (my John Bull T shirt gives the game away). Here I am with my kid sister, Sue, and I am nearly bent double under the weight of my hair. Sue would later ruin the memory of this photo of jubilee day by developing a liking for the Sex Pistols (sorry, your Highness)

T'was circa 1987 (I know that as I am wearing my Judge Death T Shirt). A trio of quite horrific (truly certificate 18) bad hair days in the back garden in Beechwood with my younger and elder siblings, Sue and Mike.

My first car - a lovely old Opel Kaddet.... oh how I miss her....

This is me in the RAF - trying my hand (teeth in this case) @ playing the guitar - to think that I was nearly seduced by the Dark Side. I cannot remember much about the guy on the right apart from the fact that he was a Radar Tech - or something.

I also had a go at learning the bass guitar, and here I am with my Marlin approximately 1997. Sadly, my skill on the bass was non-existent (but I could play a few runs by Black Sabbath on it) and this was recently unloaded on e-bay (using this very picture to advertise it) in order to help pay for more drum stuff. This remains my greatest hit on e-bay - a £20 bass that I unloaded for £90.....

Another musician - Graham Hickey (an ex army bandsman) whom I have known for most of my life - of note in this picture is the Yamaha Keyboard that I went to Manchester with him to buy (I tried to get him to buy a Moog Prodigy but he was having none of it) and a Forgotten Realms Trail map on the wall behind him. Graham is the only person I know who understands stuff like reading music and time signatures (this is like alchemy to a mere mortal like me) - as well use of stuff like cu-base and other stuff like that. See my links page for some of his stuff.....

Would you buy a used Saracen from these men? Worthy, Baz and Graham H (all of whom get a mention somewhere on this site) hamming it up @ the Fibua (that's fighting in built up areas for the layman) section, Catterick Garrison (much beloved by generations of army recruits!). It was here that soldiesr were able to get a feel for serving in Northern Ireland. I think this pic was taken about 1988 - but may be wrong! Worthy was actually considering putting an offer in on the Saracen........... and he was travel sick BIG TIME on the way home.

My doggy, Boomer, and I - on the linoleum in the Lakes - 2003.

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