What can I say? I kinda lost my train of thought really, I lost motivation for this site and a lot of my motivation for the hobby. Why? There are various things that have kept me away like my now ex, various events in my personal life regarding work and family, I've moved house during my absense from this site and I've learnt a lot in this time and grown as a person.
All of this did of course keep me away from this site (and the others like Youtube and Panoramio) but of course I can't keep making excuses or blame other people.
There are contributing factors of course for example when Google created the Google account (google+) and while it has it's benefits like putting all of Google's eggs (Youtube, Google Play, Gmail etc) it did in a way screw me over. This is because when Google forced everyone into putting their eggs into one basket and have a Google account (this included many people losing their usernames for their actual name) I did my best to keep my brand. Unfortunately during this time the software I was using to put my videos together (Cyberlink Power Director) stopped interacting with Youtube when I was ready to upload my video and I was never happy with the look of my videos after production in app.

Ultimately a lot of the explanation of my absence is ME
I should've fixed all of this and found alternatives a lot sooner and I am now looking into fixing all of this jazz. I now have new video editing technology (Movie Studio Platinum) a new video camera (Panasonic HC-V380) am looking new photography cameras (TBC) have new equipment and will be working to bring my brand back into the spotlight

​Jules
 
I know i've kind of forgotten about the website recently but it doesn't mean i've not been out and about.
Firstly as you've all probably seen I filmed The Ebor Streak and have more than likely been linked up to feature in another production, more when things are finalised.
Then I went up to York for The Great Gathering to see all 6 surviving A4s
Finally I took my first ever visit to the Mid Norfolk Railway for their steam gala.
Since then things have been a bit quieter but I've continued to make regular visits to Sheffield, went on a London Zones 1 - 6 travel card clearing off the east side of the central line, clearing the Hammersmith & City line & the District Lines, an Anglia Plus Day Ranger & I've even been a best man at a great friend's wedding.
Tomorrow is mine & my girlfriend's 1st year's anniversary and we'll be heading up to Sheringham for the day. Hopefully the weather will be nice and there's the possibility that we'll have a quick dash on the North Norfolk Railway (for me) hopefully a ride on recently restored 76084. If not I'll have to wait for the steam gala.
Hopefully the crisis at work won't cause any SBHHs on my 2013 autumn gala tour
 
in my newest adventure i headed back to the north norfolk railway for the 2nd time this year, there was a twist in my day at the north norfolk railway this year and this was the presence of diesels, diesels and more diesels. of course it was the north norfolk railway's diesel gala and the guest visitors were 56301, 45133 & 33108 joining the home fleet of recently overhauled D6732 (37032), D5631 (31207), 47367, 25057 & class 11 12131. the day was nice and sunny with some rain and the timetable ran almost to time all day which is an added bonus. during my visit i enjoyed a brakevan ride on 12131 and had 2 spins on the miniature railway at holt. after the greatness of this gala i really can't wait to see what's install for next year's gala
 
after my recent jollys to a narrow gauge and some miniature railways yesterday i returned to standard gauge railways
tuesday 11th saw the A1 steam trust run the Elizabethan railtour for another year. this year they reversed the tour by the fact that this year A1 pacific 60163 tornado ran the morning leg from king's cross - edinburgh and D9009 Alicydon ran the return leg from edinburgh - king's cross as opposed to the other way round last year. I saw tornado just south of peterborough at holme forest on a cloudy morning and i saw D9009 at peterborough station running 20 minutes early, after this i met a couple of friends at the station and by the time we were at the end of our conversation during this time we saw 6M15 which had 60039 on the front, there were also 2 class 325 movements one in each direction but after this we had a GBRF movement. 66701 was dragging a brand new class 66 no. 66750 still in swedish blue rush rail livery which made the engineers working on the station chuckle a little

the next day was going to be a day off but i soon learnt that merchant navy 35028 clan line was coming through so i rushed off to the station where i found a couple of colas rail class 66s on a freight train, these were 66849 & 66846. shortly after these left clan line arrived having hitched a lift off 66174 from clan line's home at stewart's lane to tinsley in sheffield. a great 2 days vegging
 
On the weekend of the 8th and 9th of june 2013 the Stapleford Miniature Railway opened it's doors for the 1st of it's 2 open weekends every year. Please note the Stapleford Miniature Railway is a private site that only opens to the public twice a year, usually the 1st full weekend of june and the august bank holiday weekend.
On my visit 4 of the 6 resident steam engines were in use due to the jubilee and berkshire class locos being under overhaul but a great day was still had on the curwen atlantic no. 751 John H Gretton, GWR saint 2943 Hampton Court, EAR class 31 3109 which were used all day but due to a small problem the NYC niagara class locomotive wasn't ready until the afternoon and ran 2 trains, the 3 other steam locomotives were backed up by the diesel loco the white heron. other things on site included a fairground organ, traction engines, demonstrations, parrot/owl sanctuary tent, 1940s trade equipment and many more making a truely british and atmospheric scene which i would recommend to any
 
Picture
after the success and fun in london on the saturday and the evening at work on sunday I was up again on bank holiday monday with a new intention. monday was to be my first ever visit to the leighton buzzard narrow gauge railway. what better occasion to visit this railway than on a special event day and boy was it a good one, it was the last day of their big engines weekend with a theme of indian and african locos. Representing india were the very special guest locomotive from a private railway in oxfordshire it was the only B class 0-4-0 outside of india from the Darjeeling Himalayan railway number 19, built in the UK and worked it's career on the DHR in india before being withdrawn in 1960 and sent to america until it was brought back to england, the other indian loco ironically build in the USA was baldwin 4-6-0 no. 778. representing africa were avonside sezela no. 4 & elf, the 4 locos ran to the enhanced timetable on the railway each (except for elf due to the last train not being required) running 2 trips on the line. again i had a fantastic time and had atleast one trip on all 4 locos in use on the day. i certainly hope it won't be my last visit and i hope one day to run into the DHR B class again

 
after the previous week out with some diesels, this weekend on the 25th of may 2013 I headed out of peterborough to london. at the start of my time in london i headed straight to london liverpool street station to watch the departure of the railway touring company's fenman anniversary railtour hauled by no. 34067 tangmere due to the planned loco not being repaired intime, after this I headed to the circle line to clear a bit of required track before heading over to the metropolitan line, it was the start of a very special weekend for london underground as this weekend marked the return of the Steam on the met specials. starting from ruislip depot the special train consisting of a class 20 diesel, the metropolitan railway 1st class carriage, the 4TC MK1 coaching stock, met no. 12 Sarah Siddons and steam engine L150 headed to wembley park while another pair of class 20s took the remaining 2 steam locos straight to amersham. the locos involved in running the service were GWR 4575 class number L150 (5521), GWR 94XX no. 9466 & star attraction metropolitan railways no. 1 supported by class 20 L189 (20189) with 20142 & 20227 on display at amersham. L150 headed the first train from wembley to amersham there giving the lead to (my surprise) both met 1 & 9466. I joined the train at amersham where the class 20 started us off before giving over to steam for the return leg from harrow-on-the-hill. L150 did the last run & the ECS after the day's work.
I thoroughly enjoyed steam on the met and also had the extra privilege of meeting The Hairy Bikers on the met special train. can't wait for the next one
 
As a starter to the nene valley railway's 2013 spring diesel gala I went out to watch the arrival of the convoy of visiting locos arrive on the line, the convoy included 56301, 56303, 56103, 37109 & 50008 the convoy ran to plan and the 50 was let loose between orton mere and wansford to run the convoy however this proved to be the only time the 50 turned it's wheels in anger on the line as on the friday the loco failed with a main generator fault so unfortunately missed the gala as did the promised colas rail class 47. as they say though onwards and upwards, the visiting class 20s arrived on the saturday to start their visit for the gala, I travelled on the trains on the saturday and had a pleasant day, which started off 4 minutes late the gala never ran any later than 15 minutes late and a great time was had by me which also had the very surprising twist in that whilst at peterborough nene valley on the last normal passenger train LMS steam train no. 45699 Galatea ran by on the mainline on it's way to anglia to take up a spec, the group of people i hung round with had grown massively by the time the last trains were running and as the beer-ex reached peterborough bade farewell to my friends as i headed back to wansford to collect the car and go home, sunday was lineside day but only till 4 o'clock as i had to get ready for work, again the day ran no later than 15 minutes late and by monday all the visitors were gone, the 20s left on sunday but the 5 convoyers left together half hour after galatea the LMS jubilee ran by on it's way home also
 

Part 1 (Friday)

I was already out and about on the Friday as me & my friend Bruce had planned to head out on a South Yorkshire Day Tripper where we'd sampled a First Transpennine Express class 185, Northern Rail 142 & 144 as well as riding the south west section of Sheffield's Supertram network between Sheffield Station, Herdings Park & Halfway. After this morning's travel we boarded an East Midlands Trains Meridian service to Loughborough for a trip to the GCR for it's Swithland gala to celebrate the launch of the mass complex there. Friday was the only day that the Port of Par Twins were scheduled to haul a passenger train and I felt i couldn't give it a miss. The Port of Par pair called Alfred & Judy are fantastic little bits of kit and must never be underestimated. also out on the day were the Jinty 47406, Webb Coal Tank 1054, Ivatt 2MT 46521 (see part 2) & GWR king class 6023 King Edward II

Part 2

The 2nd day of the Swithland gala at the Great Central railway started well until approximately half past 9 in the morning. Unbeknownst to be (while I was waiting at Swithland on the local pulled by the coal tank) Ivatt 2mt 46521 had come off the rails at Quorn & Woodhouse station. I now know it had passed a signal at danger and slid off the catch points protecting the down mainline. As a result the timetable was temporarily suspended leaving all 7 remaining locos, the goods set and all passenger sets stranded between swithland and leicester north until matters were resolved, this meant cancelling all TPO demos and all freight trains, 47406 was drafted in to assist the coal tank top & tail the local set while the GWR king on one of it's final appearances at the GCR and 78019 handled the other passenger services while the 8F spent all morning at Rothley but set back to Loughborough to handle the mid day dining train, after this it took lead a passenger rake with the Jinty and coal tank on the rear while 78019 joined the king on the other to start top and tail running while the GCR started their efforts to rescue the stricken Ivatt which meant reducing service to one line between Quorn & Rothley.
I did manage to get down to Swithland sidings during the day to get close to the action where Alfred & Judy were spending the day shunting whilst the bigger locos ran by with their respected services. Big credit is due to all staff at the GCR for the tremendous gala (Despite the obvious mishap) while they pulled off all the stops to make the gala spectacular, keep things running after the farce and assist all passengers where nesasery 
 
things have been a bit quiet recently mainly because i've spent a bit of time with my girlfriend but in between seeing her i've done a few bit and pieces and i've had a couple rides on east coast trains skyfall train. as well as going on skyfall i've now been on alll of stagecoach supertram's wonderful trams and 13/14th i saw 3 railtours, for starters was the lincolnshire coaster railtour, i only saw the class 92 hauled section on the outward leg due to going to see live music, second tour was the cathedrals express in the capable hands of 60163 tornado, these 2 tours saw wonderful weather in the morning but conditions in the evening were attrocious but i still saw tornado at tallington. the last tour i saw was the peak forester railtour hauled by 34067 tangmere. this tour was originally meant to be pulled by 70013 oliver cromwell, then 34046 braunton but eventually tangmere was the loco to run the tour. it was a brilliant time doing all of this and i hope to be doing a bit more soon

the productions on Jules46443 will be receiving a further upgrade soon and i'm sure you will all enjoy the enhanced p