Queen Elizabeth 2, Southampton

November 11th 2008 was the last time that Queen Elizabeth 2 (QE2) berthed at Southampton, she arrived a little late after an altercation with the Bramble Sand Bank off of Calshot Spit, with a rising tide and the help of four tugs she was soon afloat again, I witnessed her arrivel through The Solent and drove to ’Town Quay’ to watch her turn. It was then back to Southampton once more to view the final departure with the other 15,000 or so people, she finally left Southampton after a spectacular firework display at 8.15 p.m. to sail down The Solent past Southsea & the Isle-of-wight for one final trip to Dubai where she will become a luxury
hotel. the end of another era.

Harry Rednapp

I’m no football fan! But I spotted this advert today on a bus shelter at Hilsea in Portsmouth, any Pompey fan will have a bone or two to pick with Mr Rednapp after his swift departure from this fair city to Tottenham Hotspur. To place an advert with his face on in this city is surely taking the Wii.

RMS Queen Elizabeth 2

Where were you on the 20th September 1967? a twinkle in your fathers eye maybe! well I was at school, junior school, today was a special day, as on this day they had hired in a television, not a great event these days but then, well! the reason for this was the launch of the new Cunard liner 'RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 ' to be launched by none other than, errr HRH Queen Elizabeth 2 if you catch what I mean, now at the end of her useful life, the boat that is, not her Royal Highness, she was due to make her final transatlantic journey, she is due to return later this month, she will finally leave these shores for Dubai to become a floating hotel, I will be there at the end I hope and will post some pictures of her departure.

Your Marks and Spencer

When you go to Marks and Spencer’s you expect good customer service, like many of you I’ve never had cause to complain, however today’s experience seemed very strange, having chosen my goods to purchase off I went to the tills to pay hottly pursued by my four year old son who likes to witness such events, now I need to make you aware my son is very challenged in the voice department and a few others I wont mention here, Hello the sales lady says to my son who just smiles back, to save an embarrassing situation I replied in a jolly tone ’He can’t talk’ to this she replied ’I’m sure he can’ Oh dear she thinks I’m joking, so putting my very serious head on I reply ’No he really can’t talk’ at this point I stupidly thought she might have got the message, but no back comes her reply ’He can talk’ now does she know something I don’t ? has my son just been winding me up for the past few years!! At this point things could get very embarrassing so being the gent I am I just pay for my goods and say goodbye, Bye Bye she says to my son, does he reply ? No, as they say “THE CUSTOMER IS ALWAYS RIGHT.

Squirrel Watch

No its not a new time piece by Timex!!! I noticed this on the BBC ceefax service today, so if you've nothing better to do this weekend I may have given you an idea. Copied text is below.

This native species has had a hard time over the last century. The grey squirrel, introduced in the late 19th century, has out-competed its red counterpart for food and passes on the squirrel pox virus, harmless to the grey but deadly for our red. As a consequence, the reds have been pushed further and further north. Now it is estimated that only 150,000 are left in Britain, compared to 2.5 million greys.Red squirrels are still quite widespread in the North of England and Scotland. There are isolated pockets in Wales and central England, but are restricted to just islands in the south. How to help The wildlife trust is running red squirrel week from 4 to 12 October. You can find out about the events on the wildlife trust website and also report any sightings. Well here's my contribution from the southern islands!!! Happy hunting and let me know if you see one.. I hope Squirrel Pox can't be passed to humans!!

Smart Arse

Now we all know someone who falls into this category, I’ve worked with some brilliant people in my years of customer service, however I’ve also worked with many that fall in to the latter phrase... until recently I’ve worked with someone who is a Gold Star Bullsh 1 ter, 'Baffle em with Bull this guy does the lot, Customers, Management & Staff, everybody knows he is full of it apart from one person, Yep himself!!! even though he talks out of his rear end he believes every word he says and very worryingly he thinks we believe it too....

very nice man!! a very very nice man!!

Down here on the South Coast we’ve all heard of ‘White Van Man’ as has most of the country, well after a trip to Windsor & Eton a couple of weekends ago I couldn’t resist taking this picture! As is well known Eton has a population that likes a better quality than some, it appears they also like their van drivers to be of a certain standard. The Queen will be pleased.

What a Week

Well its all over, what a week that was, I attended on the Saturday, brilliant weather too, I left home early with plenty of change to pay for Brighton's rather expensive parking, mind you with a tenners worth of change this proved not to be enough, for the first time I paid by debit card!!! I walked to the pier to wait for the B & H open topper to get to Devils Dyke for some photo's, however disappointment arrived a 'closed top bus' B & H had deemed that summer was over and the lids had been replaced!!! (ready for the return to schools work) so I waited for the PD3 for half hour, the vehicle being 409, after a pleasent trip to the Dyke and back it was time to change on to 410DCD, for another trip.. If you missed the week bad luck, I beleive their going to hold another event for the 100th anniversary, MAKE A NOTE NOW!!!

PD3 50th Anniversary

From Tuesday 26 until Sunday 31 August inclusive, 1960s vintage open top PD3 buses, with conductors, will operate half the daytime journeys on the 77. The buses are owned/Hired and operated by Stagecoach.
The vintage buses will be scheduled to work the following journeys:
From Brighton Pier: 10.00; 11.00; 12.10; 13.25; 14.35; 15.45; 16.55
From Devil's Dyke: 10.35; 11.40; 12.50; 14.05; 15.15; 16.25; 17.35
PD3's 409: 409DCD & 410: 410DCD are scheduled to work, lets hope the summer weather arrives by then!! in addition Brighton & Hove's low-floor buses will continue to work all the other journeys on the 77 during Heritage Week. This will mean the 77 will be operated by one low floor bus per hour and one vintage bus per hour.