www.derbyphotos.co.uk - The blog by Andy Savage

Video : Derby Hippodrome Theatre "Rescue Me", What will become of this treasure ?

2012-02-01T05:48:00.003Z

I created the original "Hippodrome then and now" photograph back in 2003 see it here.
I decided that it would be a good idea to remake this then and now as the Derby Hippodrome building has suffered quite a bit in recent years and I thought it would be good to do make a video too.
Below is the video I have created.
I have rendered it at 1080p HD so please view in fullscreen mode by clicking the Full screen icon in the bottom right corner of the player window. My then and nows look amazing on a large HD TV.

Feel free to use this video on Facebook, Twitter etc.

My video : Derby Hippodrome Theatre "Rescue Me".

I hope you enjoy my video, please rate and comment.

Views of this building :
Birds Eye view on Bing Maps - Derby Hippodrome. In this you can see the extent of the damage caused by the "roof repairs" in March 2008.

Google Streetview - Derby Hippodrome. Google captured this area at the time the roof was being repaired!

An online survey has now been launched to gather residents' views on the future of the building and it raises questions about the overall theatre provision in Derby.

Derby Hippodrome Restoration Trust is a building preservation trust that operates in Derby with the purpose of preserving buildings of particular beauty, historical, architectural or constructional interest in or around Derby, in particular the building known as the Hippodrome Theatre, Derby.

Derby Hippodrome was built in 1914 as a purpose built 2,300 seat theatre for the city. Over the ensuing years it has played a key part in Derby’s entertainment and cultural provision, being a variety theatre, cinema, and in more recent years a bingo hall. When the building closed in 2007 it was purchased by a London developer and has been standing empty since that time.

The building suffered extensive damage when the owner attempted to repair the roof of the auditorium in March 2008, demolishing the auditorium roof and part of one main wall as well as a substantial part of the stage house. Further damage has subsequently occurred to the interior of the building through two fires.

There was also another fire on November 26th 2011 which casued even more damage. Read HERE.

Latham Architects and PHT Consultants have been engaged by the DHRT to compile an independent “Options Appraisal” report to help decide the future of this building. Consultation is an important part of this work and we would like to hear your views.
We would be grateful therefore if you could spare a few moments to complete the questionnaire survey by clicking on the link below :

The future of Derby Hippodrome Theatre. <-- Click the link to fill in the survey.

The above survey is conducted on the SurveyMonkey website.

Please note your survey responses should be received no later than 1st February 2012

Thanks
Andy

Amazing never before seen videos of events in Derby from the 1960s by local film maker Arthur Blood.

2012-01-25T05:00:00.002Z

I was recently introduced to a local film maker by the name of Arthur Blood who has kindly given me a selection of short films that he made in the 1960s using 8m cine film. Arthur captured many local events of the time, mostly relating to the Derby Carriage and Wagon Works where he started work in 1939, at the age of 14. I would like to thank him for choosing me to showcase his collection on my Derby videos channel so that people can enjoy them.
I'm sure there will be something of interest to anyone from Derby, if you work at Bombardier today then you may well recognise some of the buildings.

Please feel free to link to any of the old videos from Facebook etc. We need people to see these films.

Film 1 of 7 : Derby Carriage and Wagon Works Annual show 1960 (rare cine film footage of Derby)
In this film you can see some footage around Derby town centre filmed on Saturday August 20th 1960.
00:48 Prepairing the car outside Allsop Garage (Brailsford) on Bold Lane. In Jan 2012 this area is cleared of former Prince's supermarket.
01:07 The Wardwick Melias ltd, later this shop became Golden Gains, in Jan 2012 this is nono8 bar.
01:13 The Ice Factory, today this is occupied by the cock-pitt car park.
01:18 St James Street.
01:23 Corn Market
01:27 St Peters Street
01:34 ??
01:44 Full Street. Derby Power Station in the background
01:48 Council House
01:57 driving towards Cock Pitt Hill
02:00 Derby Carriage and Wagon Works

Film 2 of 7 : Derbys 2nd annual traction engine rally at Municipal Sports ground 1967 (rare cine film footage)

Film 3 of 7 : Derby Carriage and Wagon Works visit by Barbara Castle (transport Minister) rare cine film footage from 1967

These short films were captured using 8mm cine film which has been converted. I wonder how much more rare footage is out there collecting dust in peoples attics?

Film 4 of 7 : Derby Carriage and Wagon Works Annual show 1969 (very rare cine film footage)

Film 5 of 7 : Talisman Carriages made at Derby Carriage and Wagon Works in 1964 (rare cine film footage)

Film 6 of 7 : Derby Carriage and Wagon Works bowls match 1967 (rare cine film footage) 1967

Film 7 of 7 : Derby Carriage and Wagon Works bowls match 1965 (rare cine film footage)

Please note that although I have rendered this video at 1080p the original source footage is certainly not HD quality. It was originally shot on 8mm Cine Film, I have gone to great lengths to clean up the footage to reveal as much as possible from the source film.

Thanks
Andy

The 2012 CAMRA Derby Winter Beer Festival Wednesday 15th February to Saturday 18th February.

2012-01-24T18:51:00.010Z

It does not seem long since the Derby Summer beer festival was here does it, well now its not long until the Derby Winterfest 2012. Which is the 11th winter beer festival to take place in Derby.

The 2012 CAMRA Derby Winter Beer Festival starts on Wednesday 15th February and runs until Saturday 18th February. Here are all the details about this years winter beer festival
This will take place the Derby Roundhouse on Pride Park, Derby.

If you have never been to a beer festival before then you are missing an experience, there are not just beers on sale there are ciders and Perries. You can get some hot or cold food too. T-shirts and glasses are available to buy. And great live music to watch each day.

Its best to arrive by the free bus service from Derby Assembly rooms.

This year there will be real ale on sale in the Carriage Room as well as the Main Hall of the Round House itself. The Carriage Room will also host the extensive range of live entertainment.

Dates and opening times:
Wednesday 15th February 4pm to 11pm
Thursday 16th February 11am to 11pm
Friday 17th February 11am to 11pm
Saturday 18th February 11am to 11pm

Entrance charges:
FREE to CAMRA Members at all times.
Non-members will be charged as follows :

Wednesday 15.2.12 4pm - 11pm - £3
Thursday 16.2.12 11am - 4pm - £2
Thursday 16.2.12 4pm - 11pm - £4
Friday 17.2.12 11am - 4pm - £3
Friday 17.2.12 4pm - 11pm - £5
Saturday 18.2.12 11am - 4pm - £3
Saturday 18.2.12 4pm - 11pm - £5

Travelling to the Derby Winter Beer Festival:
There is a FREE Shuttle Bus between Derby Town Centre and the beer festival provided by Harpurs Coaches. (Yes its FREE honest !)
The bus will leave every 30 minutes (on the hour and half hour) FROM Beside The Assembly Rooms and travel TO the beer festival at the Roundhouse.
It will return every 15 minutes on the quarter hours FROM the Roundhouse and travel TO Beside The Assembly Rooms.

This free bus shuttle will run between these times :
Wednesday 5.30pm - 9.30pm
Thursday 2.00pm - 9.30pm
Friday 2.00pm - 9.30pm
Saturday 11.00am - 9.30pm

The bus looks like this, its quite distinctive so keep your drunken eye open for it :

Here we see the Beer bus on The Morledge.

Live entertainment at the 2012 Derby Beer Festival :
Wednesday 15th February its an 'Open Mic' music & song night with prearranged Performers. Bands TBC.
Thursday 16th February its The Merseybeasts.
Friday 17th February its Superdupergrass followed by the Headline Act Coldplace.
Saturday 18th February the UK Foo Fighters headline supported by Steak Club.

Venue
The Roundhouse
Roundhouse Road, Pride Park, Derby, DE24 8JE

A video showing a pan around the Roundhouse at last years winter beerfest.

For those non-drinkers giving people a lift in your car, the SATNAV postcode for Derby Roundhouse is DE24 8JE

Its also a perfect location to get to by train as Derby railway station is less that 30 seconds walk away from this venue !
See when the next train to Derby station is here - Thetrainline.com

Google Streetview of Derby Roundhouse. (note this was captured by Google before the Derby College restoration was completed!)

Smartphone mapping pin for smartphone owners:
If you are a new visitor to Derby's winter beer festival then you will find my smartphone navigation pin of use. Simply view this blog on your smartphone and follow my instruction below.

Derby Winter Beer Festival drop pin <---- Tap this link on you smartphone.

When you tap the link above, it will launch your mapping application and place a "push pin" onto the map with the exact location of Derby Roundhouse beer festival. You can then use this marker to get walking directions.

For example on an iPhone you tap the "Directions" button at the bottom and this will pre-fill in the start location with your current location and the end location with the Roundhouse.

So all you need to do is just tap the "Route" button at the bottom then tap the walking icon and it will show you walking route. If you tap the bottom left icon 3 times then this will turn on follow mode, Centre mode and direction mode. What this means is that a blue flashing dot which represents you will stay in the centre of the screen and orientated in the direction that you travel in.

If you tap the middle button at the top, this will even show you which bus number and when the next bus to the Roundhouse is from your nearest location.
My push pins are far more accurate than any other map as its not based on the postcode which most maps are. My map is based on local knowledge of the location.

Beer and Cider List:
Still waiting for them to announce this. If you find out before me then please let me know.

Thanks
Andy Savage
www.derbyphotos.co.uk

2012 Ashbourne Shrovetide Football, Tuesday 21st and Wednesday 22nd February.

2012-01-18T05:37:00.000Z

Its that time of year again when the maddest game of football in the world takes place in Ashbourne Derbyshire. Here are the details for 2012 :

The 2012 game takes place on the 21st and 22nd February.
On Tuesday Dr Paul Kirtley, a GP in Ashbourne for 32 years, will be turning up the ball at 2.00pm. And on Ash Wednesday, deputy mayor and businessman Steve Bull will have the honour.

Ashbourne in Derbyshire is host to one of the Oldest Shrovetide football games in England and this annual event is one not to be missed.

It was first recorded in 1682, though thought to date back to the 12th Century ,various attempts were made to suppress it over the years.

It has continued unabated ever since, and by 1928 it had become so respectable that the then Prince of Wales was invited to start the game. From that year on it was known as the Royal Shrovetide Football game.

The Game is played annually on Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday, and consists of two teams, one from anyone born to the North of the River Henmore, and one from people born South of the river, these are known as Upards and Downards.

The Goals are on the sites of Old mills, one at Clifton and one at Sturston, these are three miles apart.
A goal is scored by a player striking the mill wheel three times with the Ball.

The ball may be kicked, carried or thrown, but generally proceeds in a series of hugs invisible to the spectator. The game can last for many hours, finishing well after dark.

The game starts at 2pm in the afternoon, when a specially prepared ball - larger than a football and filled with cork which weighs around 4lbs is thrown in by a visiting guest of honor. The balls used for the Shrovetide games are made by Ashbourne man John Harrison who is turning up the ball this year.
The hand sewn leather balls are filled with cork chippings.
The balls are a work of art and take a few weeks to paint.

The Rules
If the balls are goaled, then it will become the proud possession of the person who has goaled it. If no-one goals it, then the person that turned-up the ball gets to take it home.
The game starts in the Shawcroft Carpark (back of Waitrose supermarket), See my detailed map lower down. I have provided a detailed interactive Shrovetide map lower down in this post which will enable you to see all the key points of the playing field which 3 miles between the two goals at Sturston and Clifton.

Ashbourne Royal Shrovetide Football is something that you just have to see to believe your eyes.
Here is a video I made of the game last year in two parts to give you an idea of what its like :

I have lots of photographs and several videos from past games that you can view :

Photographs:
Photographs from the 2008 Ashbourne Shrovetide Football game.

Photographs from the 2007 Ashbourne Shrovetide Football game.

Photographs from the 2006 Ashbourne Shrovetide Football game.

Photographs from the 2004 Ashbourne Shrovetide Football game.

Photographs from the 2002 Ashbourne Shrovetide Footbal game.

Videos :

Video footage from the 2009 Ashbourne Shrovetide Football Game.

Video footage from the 2007 Ashbourne Shrovetide Footaball game.

Extra video footage from the 2007 Ashbourne Shrovetide Football game.

Time-lapse driving video from Derby to Ashbourne.

Location Map:
Smartphone drop pin locator for Ashbourne Shrovetide Football,
If you own a smartphone (iPhone,HTC etc) then CLICK HERE and it will launch your mapping app with a "drop pin" which I have perfectly located above the turning up plinth, If you have never been to Ashbourne then you can use this to get walking directions to where the action will be at 2pm.
On an iPhone, once the map shows up there will be a red drop pin in the middle of the screen with the title "Ashbourne Shrovetide" above it. Touch "Directions" at the bottom and then "by foot" icon at the top of the screen to get detailed walking directions to the start of the game.

The town of Ashbourne is located in Derbyshire just off the A52, see my time-lapse driving video to Ashbourne Football.
I have created an interactive map which shows all the key points in the game such as the turning up plinth where the ball is thrown, the two goals and the Henmore which is what determines if you are an Upard or a Downard, Click the link below the map for a large view of all the points of interest :

View Ashbourne Shrovetide Football game map. in a larger map

Thanks
Andy

Video of "Scrap Iron, Any Old Iron" - The Derby Scrap Man. Rag and Bone men with bizarre noise on Tannoy .

2012-01-11T19:58:00.002Z

Here is a video I have just uploaded of some local Derby scrap men and their "Scrap Iron, Any Old Iron" noise on the Tannoy.

If your from Derby then I'm sure that at some point in the last few years you will have heard this very strange sound along your street. This guy and another scrap man drive around collecting scrap metal.
Looking on YouTube now I see this very same sound seems to be used by lots of scrap collection vans all over the UK.
Where on earth do they get the same sound from?

I've even heard this sound around Burton on Trent, Staffs.
The sound at the beginning of my video is from another scrap man that drove past in 2009.

My Video of Derby Scrap Men and their unique sound !

Video of Derby Scrap men.

Where have you heard them in Derby?

Cheers
Andy

Please vote NOW on the future of former Derby Hippodrome theatre, Have your say!

2012-01-07T11:10:00.001Z

An online survey has now been launched to gather residents' views on the future of the building and it raises questions about the overall theatre provision in Derby.

Derby Hippodrome Restoration Trust is a building preservation trust that operates in Derby with the purpose of preserving buildings of particular beauty, historical, architectural or constructional interest in or around Derby, in particular the building known as the Hippodrome Theatre, Derby.

Derby Hippodrome was built in 1914 as a purpose built 2,300 seat theatre for the city. Over the ensuing years it has played a key part in Derby’s entertainment and cultural provision, being a variety theatre, cinema, and in more recent years a bingo hall. When the building closed in 2007 it was purchased by a London developer and has been standing empty since that time.

The building suffered extensive damage when the owner attempted to repair the roof of the auditorium in March 2008, demolishing the auditorium roof and part of one main wall as well as a substantial part of the stage house. Further damage has subsequently occurred to the interior of the building through two fires.

There was also another fire on November 26th 2011 which casued even more damage. Read HERE.

Latham Architects and PHT Consultants have been engaged by the DHRT to compile an independent “Options Appraisal” report to help decide the future of this building. Consultation is an important part of this work and we would like to hear your views.
We would be grateful therefore if you could spare a few moments to complete the questionnaire survey by clicking on the link below :

The future of Derby Hippodrome Theatre. <-- Click the link to fill in the survey.

The above survey is conducted on the SurveyMonkey website.

Please note your survey responses should be received no later than 25th January 2012

Thanks
Andy

Police Interceptors Series 5 - Derbyshire Police Force. Starting soon on Channel 5.

2012-01-03T17:46:00.009Z

Police Interceptors Series five starts January 2012.

UPDATE : Rather confusingly they seem to mixed in this new Derbyshire series as part of series 4!
Series 4 - Episode 9 is in fact the first Derbyshire episode. Broadcast on Jan 16th, you can watch it HERE.

I really enjoy watching these fly on the wall documentaries following the Police, previously they have filmed forces in Essex and South Yorkshire but in this new series they are following local police from the Derbyshire Force ! So we should see some footage of Derby in this series.

The series will be broadcast over eight weeks from mid January and will feature high-speed police chases on motorways, A-roads and side streets across Derbyshire.

The Derbyshire series started on 16th January 2012. The remaining episodes will be tranmitted at 8pm on
Jan 23rd
Jan 30th
Feb 6th
Feb 13th
Feb 20th
Feb 27th
March 5th

The Policeman being filmed for this new series include PC Adam Shipley and PC Gary Wilson, who specialise in driving the unit's unmarked high-performance cars.

They are slowly releasing Police Interceptors on DVD
but as is often the case they seem to be taking their time doing this with only Series one out on DVD so far :

Don't worry if you miss an episode of the new series of police interceptors as I'm sure they will be available on the Ch5 on demand service. View some of the older episodes of Police Interceptors on Channel 5OD.

A Photograph of an ANPR Vauxhall Vectra as seen on Police Interceptors.

Photograph by KC2192.

Mitsubishi Evo as seen on Police Interceptors.

Photograph by Chris999.

Sometimes on Road Wars (Sky 1) they show footage from the Midlands area but this is the first time that a whole series of Police Interceptors has been dedicated to our area so should be good viewing.

P.S. All hail Spongebob

Cheers
Andy
www.derbyphotos.co.uk

Happy 2012 from Derby. Hope you have a great year ahead.

2012-01-01T00:01:00.066Z

Happy 2012 to everyone out there !

This is the very first blog post of 2012, I wonder if this is the first one from the UK at 1 minute past midnight on January 1st 2012. I'm not really in front of the computer right now, I used the "Post Scheduled at" option in Blogger and actually wrote this a few days before !

If the weather is good then at 00:00 01/01/12 I may well be next to Breedon on the Hill Church watching the amazing "new year" fireworks from across the county. If you have never been up next to this Church on new years ever you are in for a treat. You get a great view of thousands of fireworks going off all at once.

If you are new to my blog and website then take some time to look around. As well as this blog I have a photographic website and videos...

My YouTube video channel "comedyhunter" has been online since July 2006 and has quite a following of 645 subscribers so far. I have 230 videos on my channel, most of them are local videos of Derby and Derbyshire and they have had 2,362,917 views so far !! I finally became a YouTube partner in May 2011.

I started this blog in July 2009 and this has had over 43,966 visitors so far which is not too bad for a blog about Derby and Derbyshire as well as lots of random stuff.

According to SmarterStats my www.derbyphotos.co.uk website had 5,377,764 hits in the last 12 months with 752,028 page views so nice to see its still popular even though I don't seem to get enough time to update things much.

In 2011 I created two interactive route maps which are clearly extremely popular.
The first one is a map of the former Friar Gate Railway Line which has been viewed 5,371 times.
The GNR Derbyshire and Staffordshire Extension route or Derby Friar Gate Line as its often referred to locally was a "back line"that opened in 1878 and ran from Nottingham through Derby (over Friar Gate Bridge) and to Egginton where it joined the North Staffordshire Railway. This line closed in 1964.
Friar Gate Railway Line Map.
On my map I have traced the entire original route of the Friar Gate Line from its junction at Egginton all the way to Nottingham. Along the way I have marked on the locations of the all the GNR railway stations that served the Friar Gate line.

The second map I made was of the former Derby Canal.
The Derby Canal Route Map.
This has been viewed 4,149 times.

Wishing you all a Happy new year.

Thanks
Andy
www.derbyphotos.co.uk

Video - Christmas lights on peoples houses in Derby 2011.

2011-12-21T05:41:00.001Z

Here is my latest video, one which I've been meaning to create every year but never got around to it. Its just a few clips of some houses in Derby that have lots of Christmas lights on them.
Lots of people have Christmas lights on their houses but some houses like those featured in my video really "go for it" in a big way.
Some people do this for Charity and some because they like to, I would do it too but those animated Christmas lights cost a fortune.
If your one of the people in Derby that do this for Charity then let people know in the comments where they can go and see your display.

Hope you like my video. Have I featured your house?
One of the clips is of the Furnace Inn pub rather than a house but I as in the area at the time so included it.

I may make more of these videos if I get time.

Hope you like the rather unique Christmas music :
Music - Tis' The Season To Be DUBSTEP! (Xmas) by IAMDINO
www.audiotool.com/track/tis_the_season_to_be_dubstep_xmas
Used under creative commons license (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Thanks
Happy Christmas

Andy
www.derbyphotos.co.uk

Video of 2011 Sheffield Christmas lights with night time views of Peace Gardens and Railway Station waterfall.

2011-12-19T12:22:00.002Z

Here is a video I shot on Thursday/Friday night in Sheffield of the 2011 Christmas lights, I have also included
lots of night time footage of the Sheffield Peace Gardens and the Railway Station water feature.

We were in Sheffield to see two 80s bands, Adam Ant on 15th and Go West on the 16th, both at the Sheffield o2 Academy. Both gigs were great.

Here are some videos of the Adam Ant gig in Sheffield on Thursday 15th December 2011:

Ants Invasion.
Stand and Deliver.
Puss 'n Boots.
Kings of the wild frontier.
Vince Taylor.
Ant Music.
Red Scab.
Physical (You're So).

Here are some videos of the Go West gig in Sheffield on Friday 16th December 2011:
The Tracks Of My Tears.
Love the way you lie.
Faithful.
Black and Gold.
Bright lights bigger city (cover).

The cheapest train ticket from Derby to Sheffield is with a Derbyshire Wayfarer, this costs £8.90 and that's unlimited travel on train and bus all day! This ticket can not be put in the barrier machine at Derby so you have to goto the wide barrier entrance to get the guard to let you through, remember to keep the ticket.

Happy Christmas
Andy
www.derbyphotos.co.uk

How to make a 2012 personalised calendar from your own photographs, easy to follow video tutorial. Free templates provided.

2011-12-13T19:59:00.004Z

Updated to include Portrait aspect ratio templates.
I have had a few requests for my free templates with the photo frame geared up for images taken in Portrait mode.....

My 2012 Calendar Tutorial Guide.

Looking for a personalised gift this Christmas that will be enjoyed all year?
Its less than two weeks to Christmas and your wondering what to get, how about creating something unique that nobody else will have?

A couple of years ago I created a set of calendar templates and a video tutorial on how to use them.
The free 2012 templates have a decorative framed image area into which you can import your own images to produce the nice edge effect below.

My tutorial has proved very popular with over Thirteen thousand people following my guide so far.

Here is an example of what you will be able to create using my free 2012 Calendar templates.
Go on make someones day this Xmas by giving them one of the best and very unique presents that they can enjoy all year.

Here is one of my photographs using my new portrait aspect ratio templates :

My photograph of Derby's Guild Hall in one of my landscape calendar templates :

It will soon be Christmas and you may find this of use, I created an easy to follow tutorial on how to make a printed calendar using photographs YOU have taken.
The monthly calendar templates are provided free so you can make a unique gift for someone right now.
All you need is Corel PaintShop Photo Pro (or any photo editing software that supports layers such as Gimp, Photoshop etc), A colour printer, some Matt finish paper and 12 images of your choice.

If you are interested in giving it a go then have a look at my 2012 Calendar Guide page here :
Complete guide on how to make a 2012 personalised calendar from your own photographs. <-- Click me now to start making a great gift for Christmas.

I hope this has inspired you to have a go at producing a truly unique personalised Xmas present that you will be remembered for, for the whole year ahead. Use Matt Paper as I suggest and it will not cost a lot of money to make several of these calendars.

Matt Paper allows printing of high resolution images but has a finish that you can write on which you need for a calendar! Matt paper can be bought for as little as 4 Pence per sheet.

In my written guide I have supplied detailed instructions on how to use my templates with Photoshop and even the free image editing software Gimp.

If you do find my tutorial of use then please leave a comment on either the video or my blog post saying what you created.

Thanks
Andy

Dunelm Mill , New store opens on Ascot Drive, Derby on December 15th 2011.

2011-12-11T21:47:00.005Z

Dunelm Mill will open its new store on the corner of Ascot Drive and London Road this Thursday.
Thats December 15th 2011.
Dunelm is a Home textiles business with over 120 stores across the UK.
The Dunelm store that was located half way down Ascot Drive on the Osmaston Park Industrial Estate has now closed and relocated to this new larger store. This new Dunelm store has a floor space of 36,700sq ft so they can stock more lines. It even has a coffee shop "Pausa Cafe". It has increased the car parking spaces from 80 to 182. They offer a "Reserve and Collect" service where you can order items online

You may remember that this corner plot of land had been empty for a few years since B&Q relocated to Osmaston Park Road. Good to finally see it being put to use.
Here is a video made about B & Q Ascot Drive before it closed.

I have created a high resolution 360 degree view of this new Dunelm store so you can see where exactly it is located. Its like Google Streetview but more detailed and recent, as I only photographed it on Friday!
As you will see in my 360 degree view its quite a large store on the corner of Ascot Drive and London Road.

Click the link here to view my Dunelm Mill 360 view (or click the thumbnail image):
360 degree view of the new Dunelm store on Ascot Drive, Derby taken in December 2011.

The opening of this new Dunelm Mill Store will be conducted by the Mayor of Derby Councillor Les Allen, at 9am on Thursday December 15th 2011.

Dunelm Mill, Derby Opening Hours
Monday 9.00am 8.00pm
Tuesday 9.00am 8.00pm
Wednesday 9.00am 8.00pm
Thursday 9.00am 8.00pm (9.00pm during lead up to Christmas)
Friday 9.00am 8.00pm (9.00pm during lead up to Christmas)
Saturday 9.00am 6.00pm (7.00pm during lead up to Christmas)
Sunday 10.30am 4.30pm

Smart Phone mapping pin for Dunelm, Derby. <-- Click this link on your Smartphone.

Want to see how it used to look around here back in 2008 then watch my Wilmorton by car video.

The NEW address for Dunelm Mill is :
Ascot Drive
Derby
DE24 8ST

Hope you find this of use.
Thanks

Andy
www.derbyphotos.co.uk

Toad in the hole - My first ever attempt at cooking this classic British meal.

2011-12-07T18:01:00.016Z

For many years now I have used Aunt Bessies Toad in the Hole or ASDA brand but thought I'd have a go at making my own from scratch. I have never made Yorkshire Pudding or Toad in the Hole ever before. For those that don't know, "Toad in the hole" is just a Yorkshire Pudding with Sausages embedded in it. I will describe making both below.
At this time of year why not serve your Yorkshire pudding with Turkey and cranberries !

The results were really good and I have made both Toad in the hole and Yorkshire Puddings several times now. If you fancy having a go at making them here is what I did.

Don't worry you don't have to be a trained cook to follow this, its very simple. I have written down very detailed step by step instructions. Read though them now before you start so you know its going to go well for you.

Andy's Yorkshire Pudding Recipe - Serves 4
Ingredients
350ml of semi-skimmed Milk.
250g of Plain Flour (I used Homepride Plain Flour 1Kg)
4 Large Free-range Eggs (I used Asda own brand free-range eggs)
Salt
Olive Oil (I used Asda Extra Virgin Olive Oil)

You will also nee
A deep baking tray about 12" x 9" x 1.5" deep (i.e standard 33cm roasting tin).
Electronic measuring scales
Electric stick Hand Blender

1) Pre-heat the oven to 220C (Gas mark 7)
2) Pour some Olive oil into the baking tray until the entire base of it has about 3mm of oil covering it.
Put the tray onto the top shelf of the oven and leave it to get very hot while you prepare the batter mix as follows.
3) Using a small jug measure out 350ml of Milk.
4) Crack open the four large eggs and put them (White and Yoke) into the milk. (How to crack an Egg) Add a pinch of salt to the mix.
5) Using an electric stick hand blender, mix the milk and eggs for a couple of minutes, try and get as much air into the mix as possible by moving the blender up and down and around in the mix.
6) Using scales measure out 250g of plain flour. While plunging the stick mixer in and out of the milk/egg mix start adding the flour into the mixture slowly bit by bit.
7) Once all the flour has been added continue to mix for a couple of minutes, ensure that its fully mixed in and there are no lumps left at the bottom.
8) Leave this mixture to rest somewhere cold for 5 mins.
9) Once the oven has reached full temperature, remove the baking tray with the hot oil in it and immediately pour in all the mix and put the baking tray back on the top shelf of the oven. You should try and do this in less than 30 seconds.
10) Now leave it in the oven for 30 minutes. You should notice that after about 10 minutes the Yorkshire should start to rise. It's quite magical seeing it rise up out of the roasting tin.
Keep an eye on it towards the end of cooking.
11) You should be able to remove it from the roasting tin with little effort at all.
12) Personally I serve this with Chicken breast, French cut green beans, Stuffing, Mashed potatoes and lots of gravy.

Some Tips to help you.
Try and get plenty of air into the batter mix, this is what helps it rise.
You are best to only remove the hot oil from the oven for a few seconds in order to pour in the mix.
Do NOT leave the oven door open for ages otherwise the results will not be as good.
By "top shelf" I mean the second set of slots down, the very top one would be too hot and it would hit the roof of the oven.
My oven is a fan assisted oven, every oven is different so keep an eye on the pudding during the last 10 minutes of cooking to ensure it does not burn the top of it.
Don't be tempted to open the door during cooking otherwise it will deflate !
Use an Electronic Cooking Timer. rather than guessing 30 minutes.
I would say this pudding serves about 4-6 people if you are having meat and veg with it.

Here is what my Yorkshire Pudding looked like :

Click here for a larger photograph of my Yorkshire Pudding.

As you can see its risen out of the roasting tin. The corners of the Yorkshire pudding are 5 inches high.
Quite often it will almost touch the top of my oven as you can see here.

Fourth attempt at making Yorkshire Pudding :

Don't know what Toad in the Hole is? See Wikipedia Toad in the Hole.

Andy's Toad in the Hole recipe - Serves 4-6
This is pretty much the same as above but we are going to add Sausages to the batter to create the classic meal Toad in the Hole.
You will need all the same ingredients as for my Yorkshire Pudding but also some sausages.
How many and what type is down to personal preference.
For a roasting tin of 12" x 9" I would suggest 8 to 12 sausages depending on how many people you are serving it to. The first time I made this I actually used 6 Vegetarian Quorn sausages and 6 Cumberland sausages.
I suggest part cooking the sausages for about 6 mins in a frying pan with Olive oil, this will make them look better when you cook them in the oven later. Once you have precooked the sausages like this, put them into the hot oil and back in the oven for 3 mins then remove the roasting tin and pour over the batter mix as per my Yorkshire Pudding instructions.

Slam it in the oven at the top for 30 minutes.

This is what my first attempt at Toad in the hole looked like. This is half of it before the Gravy.
I used 12 Sausages altogether, 6 Vegetarian Quorn sausages and 6 Cumberland and apple sausages. This was far too much for two people, this is a large steak plate and its too big to get half of it on the plate!

The wine is Gallo White Zinfandel Rose Produced by Ernest and Julio.

Second attempt at Toad in the hole, this one has 8 sausages in it but was still far too much for two people. I woud say it serves 4-6 people depending on how greedy you are :)

I hope you enjoyed this and that it inspires you to have a go at making it yourself.
It always tastes better when you make it yourself compared with shop bought frozen ones.
Leave a comment if you followed my recipe and say how they turned out for you.

Cheers
Andy

Video - Bonnie Prince Charlie Annual Battle Re-enactment in Derby. Sunday December 4th 2011

2011-12-05T06:08:00.004Z

Here is my latest video : Bonnie Prince Charlie Annual Battle Re-enactment in Derby.
I filmed it on Sunday December 4th 2011. Recorded in 1080p HD so you can watch it at fullscreen in high quality if you have fast broadband and a high spec PC.

Were you at this event?, Perhaps you're in my video.

In the City of Derby, every December since 1990 The Charles Edward Stuart Society have organised this colourful pageant and re-enactment battle on Derby Cathedral Green which culminates in the laying of wreaths at the foot of the Bonnie Prince Charlie statue.

At 02:00 you can see them reach the Jorrocks pub orignally "The George Inn", in Iron Gate, Derby was a coaching inn used by the Duke of Devonshire as his headquarters when commanding the Derbyshire Blues, in readiness for the invasion by Charles Edward Stuart (Bonnie Prince Charlie) in 1745.

When the prince arrived in Derby on 4 December, he called at the inn and demanded billets for his 9000 troops. The event is re-enacted every year on the anniversary of the Prince's arrival.

My 2011 Video in Derby.

Hope you enjoyed my video, give it the thumbs up and comment if you did.

Who was Bonnie Prince Charlie :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Edward_Stuart

For photographs of this event in previous years see my website :
http://www.derbyphotos.co.uk/events/2005/december/bonnieprince_dc/

And also :
http://www.derbyphotos.co.uk/events/2004/december/bonnieprincedc/

Thanks
Andy
www.derbyphotos.co.uk

Bonnie Prince Charlie battle re-enactment this weekend 3rd and 4th December 2011.

2011-12-03T17:28:00.004Z

Update : 2011 video now online.

This weekend, Saturday 3rd December 2011 and Sunday 4th December 2011 sees this annual re-enactment.

The video above is one I made of the 2006 battle on Derby Cathedral Green.

On Saturday, a camp will be set up by Jacobite re-enactors at Swarkestone, which will be overwhelmed by Redcoat soldiers loyal to King George, then retaken by the Prince's men.
Map location :
http://tinyurl.com/y9dfb29

On Sunday, the Jacobite army will enter Derby, marching from the Council House down East Street and St Peter's Street and across the Market Place to Iron Gate, where they will challenge the mayor.
This starts at 12:00
Do NOT got to Wilmot Street where it normally starts from otherwise you will miss the entire march!

Interactive Route map for the march:

View Jacobite re-enactment marching route in Derby. in a larger map

The bronze statue of Bonnie Prince Charlie on horseback that takes pride and place on the new Cathedral Green is by sculptor Anthony Stones and was unveiled in 1995, to mark the 250th Anniversary of the Prince's advance to the city.

Who was Bonnie Prince Charlie :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Edward_Stuart

View my photographs from previous Bonnie Prince Charlie events :

2003 in Derby
2004 in Derby
2004 at Swarkestone
2005 in Derby

Turn up and show your support for all the people that take part in this re-enactment.
For more information on this event see HERE.

Thanks
Andy
www.derbyphotos.co.uk

Video - Christmas lights from Home Bargains, Waterfall Lights and Colour changing acrylic decorations.

2011-12-02T05:53:00.002Z

Christmas lights from Home Bargains, Waterfall Lights and Colour changing acrylic decorations.

These are some extreamly cheap but attractive Christmas lights I bought recently from Home Bargains in Derby.

The first lights are called "Waterfall lights" I would call them Dripping Icicle tubes. These are outdoor lights. It comes with 5 plastic tubes with 14 very bright white leds in each that sequence from top to bottom to give the effect of water droplets falling. It comes with mains adaptor and lots of cable.
Product bar code : 1031 8874
These cost £1.99, seriously ! How can they do it that cheap.

The second set of lights are "Colour changing acrylic decorations". These are small battery powered items with a very bright tri-colour led in them that changes colour every few seconds. There is a small slide switch underneath to turn it on and off. Its powered from 3 little coin sells. It comes with the batteries!

These cost just 69p each !!!
There is a similar type to this in Wilkos but they are not as bright and cost £1.50

I got these Christmas Lights from the two Derby branches of Home Bargains. The large Home Bargains is on Bradshaw Way next to Matalan and the original store is on Moore Street, off Normanton Road.

www.homebargains.co.uk
aka TJ Morris

Looking at the electronics I was wondering how they have managed to drive 14 leds in sequence using the IC with just 8 legs. Must be using charlieplexing, very clever.

Thanks
Andy
www.derbyphotos.co.uk

Westfield Derby Christmas opening hours 2011, Get your presents during late night opening

2011-12-01T12:06:00.003Z

If your planning on doing some Christmas Shopping in Derby then here are the opening hours
for Westfield Derby on the run up to Christmas. In Derby, late night shopping is on Thursdays and Fridays until 11th December, from the 12th of December onwards its every weeknight!
As well as Westfield Derby there are shops in The Lanes and bespoke high-end boutiques in the Derby's Cathedral Quarter.

Derby's Westfield Shopping Centre.

Want to find a shop in Westfield Derby? use this A-Z listing for all 205 shops.

Westfield Derby opening Hours:
From Monday 14th November to Sunday 11th December
Monday 9am - 6pm
Tuesday 9am - 6pm
Wednesday 9am - 6pm
Thursday 9am - 9pm
Friday 9am - 9pm
Saturday 9am - 7pm
Sunday 10:30am - 4:30pm

Monday 12th December 9am - 9pm
Tuesday 13th December 9am - 9pm
Wednesday 14th December 9am - 9pm
Thursday 15th December 9am - 9pm
Friday 16th December 9am - 9pm
Saturday 17th December 9am - 7pm
Sunday 18th December 10:30am - 4:30pm

Monday 19th December 9am - 10pm
Tuesday 20th December 9am - 10pm
Wednesday 21st December 9am - 10pm
Thursday 22nd December 9am - 10pm
Friday 23rd December 9am - 10pm
Saturday 24th December 9am - 5pm
Sunday 25th December Closed

Monday 26th December 9am - 6pm
Tuesday 27th December 9am - 8pm
Wednesday 28th December 9am - 8pm
Thursday 29th December 9am - 8pm
Friday 30th December 9am - 8pm
Saturday 31st December 9am - 5pm
Sunday 1st January 2012 10:30am - 4:30pm

Showcase Cinema Opening Hours
Monday 10am - 1am
Tuesday 10am - 1am
Wednesday 10am - 1am
Friday 10am - 3am
Saturday 10am - 3am
Sunday 10am - 1am

Don't leave your xmas shopping too late !

Andy

Review of Friday nights gig in Derby - The Smyths and RE: Order (The Smiths and New Order tribute bands)

2011-11-29T18:31:00.022Z

On Friday 25th Nov 2011, The Smyths and Re:Order performed at the Darwin Suite (Derby Assembly Rooms). I my review I have Photographs, videos, Gig Dates, Set lists....

This was sold out and I can see why, The last time The Smyths performed in Derby was at the Flowerpot Pub where it also sold out. I have never seen a tribute band before so was not quite sure what to expect and here we have two tribute bands together! I managed to get a great position right at the front so had a perfect view of the performance by both bands. Were you there right at the front too? Did you enjoy the gig as much as me?

Re: Order were on first performing lots of well known New Order tracks.
Peter Hook (Jim) had the distinctive very low slung bass guitar.

Here is the Set list for Derby's gig on Friday 25th November 2011 by Re:Order
Regret
Thieves like us
Vanishing point
Atmosphere
The village
Bizarre love triangle
Leave me alone
Paradise
Way of life
Blue Monday
Perfect kiss
True faith
Love will tear us apart
Temptation

Unfortunately their drum machine stopped part way through playing Blue Monday. I enjoyed the performance but personally think they were completely overshadowed by The Smyths.

The Smyths
Next up was The Smyths.

If you are a fan of The Smiths then I can highly recommend you go and see The Smyths, you will not be disappointed.
The Smiths broke up in 1987 and have never reformed, I did not get into them until it was too late so being given the second chance to see them is great.
I was completely blown away by not only their note-for-note performance, but also Graham Sampson's portrayal of Morrissey, he had got all the little quirks and mannerisms of the original artist so right.
I knew most of the songs very well so was able to sing along, Not something I would normally do but was enjoying this gig so much you just had to.
Every track was delivered with such perfection, you wanted it to go on for hours, but alas it had to end after 28 songs. At the end of the gig Morrissey oh I mean Graham climbed down off the stage and shook the hands of everyone at the front of the gig including me. You keep forgetting its not Morrissey.

I would go out of my way to go and see The Smyths again as they are so amazing. If you live in Derby then you will only have to wait until May neext year when they play The Flowepot yet again. I don't know if I can wait that long!

The only down side during the show was some idiot threw something at Graham, he was OK with it but did disappear off stage for a few minutes. The item in question actually landed right in front of me between the stage and the audience barriers, it was a "Happy 40th birthday" badge about 8" across. The crowd shouted "out out out", you know who you are !

At the end of the gig I got a Set List (see below). Apparently after the gig had finished someone fell off the balcony in The Darwin Suite!, The Paramedics were going up the stairs on the way out onto Derby Market Place. Not sure how that happened. Apparently hes going to be in hospital for some time.

Photograph of Graham Sampson as Morrissey:

Photograph by colour blind bob.

There is a set of photographs of both RE:Order and The Smyths taken at this Derby gig by Graham :
Smyths and Re:Order Photos at Derby.

Here is the Set list for Derby's gig on Friday 25th November 2011 by The Smyths:

The boy with the thorn in his side
Sheila
Half a person
Stop me if you think you've heard this one before
Heaven Knows
Handsome devil
Still ill
This charming man
Pretty girls make graves
Reel around the fountain
What difference does it make?
Miserable lie
This night has opened my eyes
Hand in glove
These things take time
You've got everything now
William
Some girls are bigger than others
Panic
Shoplifters of the world
Girlfriend in a coma
Ask
Everyday is like Sunday
How soon is now
Meat is murder
---- oncore ---
First of the gang
There is a light that never goes out
Bigmouth strikes again
End

The tickets for The Smyths and RE: Order gig in Derby:

The Smyths Set List as used by Morrissey aka Graham Sampson at the Derby gig :

The Smyths will be performing yet again at Derby's Flowerpot in 2012 on Friday May 4th (note the year is wrong on this flyer !) :

If your not in Derby then there are plenty of opportunities to see The Smyths elsewhere as you can see.

List of upcoming gigs for The Smyths 2012:
Friday December 16th 2011 - New Cross, South London, The Venue
Saturday December 17th 2011 - Kilburn, The Good Ship
Saturday January 7th 2012 - London, Feeling Gloomy (Islington Academy)
Tuesday January 10th 2012 - Club Babylon in Istanbul, Turkey
Saturday January 28th 2012 - Darlington, The Forum
Saturday Februray 18th 2012 - St Albans, The Horn Reborn
Friday February 24th 2012 - Wakefield The Black Flag
Saturday February 25th 2012 - Manchester The Ritz
Friday March 9th 2012 - Portsmouth The Wedgewood Rooms
Thursday March 22td 2012 - Putney, The Half Moon
Saturday April 14th 2012 - Blackburn King George's Hall
Friday April 20th 2012 - Sheffield O2 Academy
Saturday April 21st 2012 - Liverpool O2 Academy
Friday May 4th 2012 - Derby, The Flowerpot
Friday May 11th 2012 - Newcastle O2 Academy
Saturday May 12th 2012 – Glasgow O2 ABC
Saturday May 21st 2012 - Liverpool O2 Academy
Friday June 1st 2012 - Bristol O2 Academy
Saturday June 2nd 2012 - Oxford O2 Academy
Friday June 8th 2012 - Birmingham O2 Academy 3
Saturday September 15th 2012 - Nottingham, Rescue Rooms
September 2012 - Leeds The Brudenell Social Club
Saturday November 3rd 2012 - Cardiff, Clwb Ifor Bach
November 2012 - Derby, Assembly Rooms

Videos of The Smyths:
Interview with Graham Sampson by Paul Morley at Derby's Flowerpot!

The Smyths perform at Feeling Gloomy (The O2 Academy in Islington, London):

Hope you enjoyed my review.

Did you know that The Smiths actually performed at Derby Assembly Rooms back in December 1983?
There are over 30 videos on YouTube of this gig from 28 years ago.

Here is a 37 minute clip of the 83 gig by The Smiths.

Whistle Test on the Road video clip at Derby Assembly Rooms.

The Smiths Room in Salford Lads Club, Manchester.
If your a fan of The Smiths then I'm sure you will have been to the Salford Lads Club in Manchester where there is a dedicated "Smiths room".
Google Streetview of The Salford Lads Club.

We visited there a few times and on the last visit in 2006 a really nice guy called Leslie took the time to show us around the entire club including the Smiths Room. In 2007 Leslie was on Channel 4's Secret Millionaire when Chek Whyte gave some money and help towards restoring the building.
You can still watch this episode on the 4od website. Fast forward to 19mins 32secs (you have to endure 3 short adverts first !)

My Photographs in The Smiths Room, Click to view large versions.

There is more information about The Smiths Room here.

More information :
The Smyths website :
www.thesmyths.net

The Smyths on Facebook.

The re:order website :
www.thieveslikeus.co.uk

Re:Order on Facebook.

If you are a Smiths fan go and see them now, go on what you waiting for!!

P.S. You will soon be able to see Graham on this years Christmas edition of Come Dine With Me !
The 2011 Christmas Special Come Dine With Me will be aired on Friday 23rd December, keep an eye out for their performance as guests on this show.

Andy

Plasma Ball, Sound Activated 8" lightning globe from Maplin Electronics. Great Christmas gift

2011-11-24T04:26:00.003Z

You must have seen one of these before, if not where have you been hiding? Its an 8" Plasma Globe, this model is sound activated so it will pulse in time to your music. Its a great unsual gift for someone that has everything. I got this model from Maplin Electronics in Derby. The Derby branch of Maplins can be seen in my 360 view of East Street, its next to TK Maxx.

You can also get Plasma Balls from other shops such as Amazon. Rather bizarrely you can even get a 4 port USB hub based around a Plasma Ball !

I have made a HD video of this plasma ball in action so you can see what it does. As you can see if you leave it alone then about 50 strands of blue mini lightening reach out from the centre ball to the outer ball.
They move around randomly often splitting part way and turning pink when they reach the glass.
If you put your finger near the glass then an extra bright lightening arc connects from the centre ball to your finger tip and follows it around as you move. It does not hurt when you do this, just a slight tingle sometimes.

My video of this Plasma Ball in action:

Or click the link to view : Video of Plasma Ball from Maplin Electronics.

If you put a fluorescent tube near it then it lights it up!
I found that if you place a cap of tinfoil on the top then it concentrates the voltage of multiple lightening strands, if you put your finger near the tinfoil then you get quite a spark and YES is does hurt. In fact it leaves a black burn mark on your finger tip !

I also took some photographs of the Plasma Ball:

If you want to see some real big lightening then see these photos

Derby Teslathon 2004.

Derby Teslathon 2005.

Hope you found this review of interest.
Cheers
Andy
www.derbyphotos.co.uk

The new Derby Casino Genting Club at Riverlights, Morledge, Derby Bus Station opens on 19.11.11

2011-11-16T21:30:00.027Z

Derby's new casino opens at 9:30pm on Saturday November 19th 2011.or 19.11.11 as it says on their adverts.

My dedicated guide to it is here....
Derby Genting Club Casino, Derby Riverlights.

I'm sure if you live in Derby then you will definitely have seen the adverts for the new Casino that is opening in Derby. These adverts are everywhere even on buses. If you've managed to miss it well here is one such advert for it.

I have created a dedicated guide to this Casino here :
Derby Genting Club Casino, Derby Riverlights.
I have provided all sorts of information for people wanting to visit here such as opening times, very accurate mapping for smart phones and even a virtual reality 360 degree photograph showing the location of the Casino entrance.

The casino opens to VIP's on Thursday 17th and to the general public on the 19th.

The Overtones
The singing decorators who hit the big time with their doo-wop style will officially open Derby's newest venue. The Overtones, a five-part vocal harmony group who have had a meteoric rise in the last 12 months, will be the star attractions at the Genting Club, Derby's new casino and entertainment venue.

The club opens on Thursday at 9:30 BUT only to VIP members, the rest of you will have to wait until Saturday. On Thursday Suzanne Shaw and Maria Fowler (The Only Way Is Essex) will be there.

If you think I've missed anything please drop me a line.

Facebook page for this Casino.

Thanks
Andy
www.derbyphotos.co.uk

New music videos by White Town from the album Monopole - Missing Her Again, Till I Die and Invisible Elastic .

2011-11-08T21:41:00.002Z

Do you remember the band "White Town" from 1997, most famous locally for the worldwide hit "Your Woman". The video featured local Derby footage. Well 14 years later and a new album has just come out and there are several new music videos, again featuring local scenes.

The new album by White Town is called Monopole.

These are my personal favorite tracks from it.

White Town - Till I Die

Did you spot Iron Gate, Cathedral Green and Derby Quad?

White Town - Missing Her Again:

Did you spot Elvaston Castle Old English garden and Swanwick junction at Butterley?

White Town - Invisible Elastic:

Did you spot the Cathedral Green Swingbridge

Hope you enjoyed these new tracks.
Andy

HTC Wildfire - Location to copy MS Office files so you can view them on the phone.

2011-11-03T05:30:00.002Z

Do you own a HTC Wildfire and want to know where to copy Microsoft Office Files onto the phone in order to view them on the phone? Here is the answer.

This works for ms Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files. Even tried it with .xlsx files and the HTC has no problems showing the file.

1) Connect your HTC Wildfire phone to your PC via your HTC Micro USB Data Cable.
2) Use Windows Explorer to view the files.
3) Go to the office files that you want to transfer, highlight them and copy them to the clipboard.
4) Go to the SD card of the HTC and look for a folder in the root called Download
5) Paste your files into this folder.
6) Disconnect the USB device (left click on the little icon on right of status bar and select Disconnect)
7) On the HTC goto Apps - Office and after a few seconds of the black screen it should list your files that you copied over.
8) Tap one of the files and it will open. When opening office docs it seems to show a black screen with a green loading bar at the bottom of the screen.

I have only tried this out on the HTC Wildfire phone but I dare say it will be the same on the other HTC phones such as HTC Explorer, HTC Sensation, HTC Desire etc.

Hope this helps. Post a comment if your found it of use.
One thing through how do you select tabs on a Excel spreadsheet?

Andy

2011 Markeaton Bonfire and Fireworks, Saturday 5th November from 5.45pm.

2011-11-02T07:00:00.017Z

Its that time of year again when our annual free Bonfire and Fireworks event takes place at Markeaton Park, Derby.
There will be a Funfair on Markeaton Park from 2pm to 9pm

Stage entertainment from 4.45pm

Bonfire lit at 5.45pm
Fireworks at 6pm

Map for Markeaton Park Bonfire and Fireworks:

View 2011 Markeaton Park Bonfire and fireworks Display in a larger map

Access to Markeaton Park for the Bonfire and Fireworks is restricted for safety reasons.
The main entrance to the park, off the A38, will be open for pedestrians. There will be no pedestrian access through the Mundy Play Centre, or across any of the three bridges into the park.

The main entrance to the Mundy Play Centre will also be closed, and the Mundy Play Centre car park will close at 2.30pm. Anyone who parks in this car park to use the park during the day should ensure that their vehicle is moved by 2.30pm. Markeaton Lane is closed to all vehicles between 3pm and 9pm, to allow safe access for pedestrians. The Police will control the road closure.

Pedestrians coming from The University of Derby car park will be directed across the pedestrian crossing on Kedleston Road and will access the park from Queensway next to the footbridge over the A38. Pedestrians coming along Kedleston Road from the city centre will also be directed via Queensway. Pedestrians from the Quarndon/Allestree areas will be directed down Markeaton Lane into the rear entrance to the park.

If you don't want to get caught up in all the mud, crowds and traffic but want to see the fireworks then I suggest going on the roof car park at Park Farm, Allestree. Don't tell everyone though !

The weather is looking like it may be dry for this year.

Thanks
Andy

The 2011 Derby's Christmas Lights Switch on by Gareth Gates and Joe McElderry, Saturday 19th November 2011. Derby Ice Rink and Victorian Christmas Market.

2011-11-01T06:57:00.027Z

Gareth Gates will turn on Derby Christmas Lights on Saturday 19th 2011 on Derby Market Place. While Joe McElderry and Dale Diva will be switching on Westfield Derby Christmas lights.

Remember - That's two seperate Christmas switch-ons for Derby.
Joe McElderry inside Westfield Derby at 4pm and then Gareth Gates on Derby Market Place at 6pm.

If you are a new visitor to Derby then see my smartphone drop pin links below.

This is the very same night that the New Derby casino near the bus station opens.

The show will begin at 3.30pm, on stage in the Market Place, on Saturday, November 19th.
Join a festive parade from Sitwell Street (just off Babington Lane) at 4.15pm or head down to the Market Place and enjoy a variety of entertainment, including DaleDiva, Trinity Band, pantomime stars Linda Robson and Mike McClean, Santa and headline act, Gareth Gates, leading up to the big switch-on event at 6pm.

This year the Derby Xmas light switch on will be done by non other than Gareth Gates !!!
The Pop Idol runner-up will join Birds Of A Feather star Linda Robson for the Derby switch-on, the show is hosted by Captial FM presenters Dino and Pete.

Map location for Derby's Christmas Lights Switch-on 2011:

View Derby Christmas Lights Switch on 2011. in a larger map

Smartphone mapping pins for smartphone owners:
If you are a new visitor to Derby then you will find my smartphone naviagation pins of use. Simply view this blog on your smartphone and follow my instruction below.

Gareth Gates on Derby Market Place. <-- Tap this link for accurate location.

Joe McElderry in Derby Westfield. <-- Tap this link for an accurate location.

When you tap one of the links above, it will launch your mapping application and place a "push pin" onto the map with the exact location of the switch on.
You can then use this marker to get walking directions from where you have parked.

For example on an iPhone you tap the "Directions" button at the bottom and this will pre-fill in the start location with your current location and the end location with the switch on location.

So all you need to do is just tap the "Route" button at the bottom then tap the walking icon and it will show you walking route. If you tap the bottom left icon 3 times then this will turn on follow mode, Centre mode and direction mode. What this means is that a blue flashing dot which represents you will stay in the centre of the screen and orientated in the direction that you travel in.

If you tap the middle button at the top, this will even show you which bus number and when the next bus to Derby from your nearest location.
My push pins are far more accuare than any other map as its not based on the postcode which most maps are. My map is based on local knowlege of the locations.

Parking
If you are looking for somewhere to park in Derby for these two switch-ons then best to get here early as this is going to be popular. This site shows all the local car parks
www.parkopedia.co.uk/parking/derby/

The Derby Victorian Christmas Market
A couple of weeks after the xmas lights are switched on, a Victorian Christmas fair will be held in Derby Market Place. About 30 huts will be in the Cornmarket from December 1st to 24th and will open from 9am to 5pm, except on late-night shopping days, when it will stay open until 7pm.

Useful Links :

Westfield Derby Store Guide Leaflet.

Derby Ice Rink
This year there will be an Ice Rink on Derby Market Place from December 1st until January 8th.
It will be open for skating every day except Christmas Day. This year it will be a real ice rink with proper ice rather than fake ice.

Westfield Derby:
2009 X Factor winner Joe McElderry and DaleDiva will be switching on Westfield Derby Christmas lights from 2pm onwards. He will be turning the lights on at 4pm.

On Saturday 12th November Santa will be opening his brand new Wish Kingdom Grotto with some very special friends including Rastamouse and Sam and Mark.

Derby's Westfield awaits Joe McElderry to turn on this years Christmas lights.

Rastamouse is in da house meeting families and children throughout the day. See the CBeebies favourite for free, make sure you don’t miss out and pick up a free wrist band from Westfield Derby Concierge on the day from 9am.
Plus a free super-glittery craft workshop where kids can make their own tree decorations. All hosted by TV and Gem 106 boys Sam and Mark!

Joe McElderry Poster in Derby Westfield :

Joe McElderry

---------------
Belper:
Belper's Christmas lights will be turned on : Friday November 25th.
This is also the night that the Scouts ping pong ball race will take place on King Street at 7pm.

Long Eaton :
Long Eaton's Christmas lights will be switched on by the Mayor on Friday 2nd December at 7.00pm.

Bakewell:
The Bakewell Christmas Lights Switch on takes place at 4pm on Saturday 26th Nov 2011.

Ilkeston:
The Ilkeston Christmas Lights switch on will take place on Friday 25th November 2011, The lights will be switched on by the Mayor of Erewash at 7pm.

Ashbourne:
Ashbourne's Christmas lights will be switched on Friday 18th November at 6.30pm, in the Market Place.

Swadlincote:
Swadlincote's Christmas lights switch on will take place on Friday, November 25.
Seven-year-olds Jack Benton and Phoebe Johnson, both pupils at the town's Belmont Primary School, won a competition organised by South Derbyshire District Council.
An array of entertainment will be taking place as part of the celebrations from 11am.
It will include special performances from schools, dancers, cheerleaders, singers and a Santa stilt-walker.
Rides and stalls will be set up along Swadlincote's High Street.

Burton-on-Trent xmas lights
Burton's Christmas lights switch on will be done by Chesney Hawkes on Sunday 20th November 20 at 5pm. This will take place at Burton Market Place and will be followed by a Spectacular Fireworks show !
If your too young to know who Chesney Hawkes is well his song "The one and only" was heard as the ring tone in the 2011 film Source Code
.

Video of Chesney Hawkes:

Andy

Derby of the Dead - Derby zombie walk 2011 videos. A unique event raising money for a good cause.

2011-10-31T19:05:00.002Z

Shoppers looked astounded as the 150-strong army of zombies invaded Derby on Saturday. This was "Derby of the Dead". Here are some videos of the first ever Zombie walk in Derby. The horror began in the Market Place at noon on Saturday. There is a Facebook page dedicated to the Derby Zombie Walk.

Video of the Derby of the Dead around the Strand, Derby.

The Derby Zombies as seen on Sadler Gate, Derby.

Were you on this walk?

Derby and Derbyshire webcams updated.

2011-10-26T05:44:00.006+01:00

I maintain a list of all the current webcams I have found that feature content from within the city of Derby and the County of Derbyshire as well as Staffordshire webcams.
I have just updated my Derby webcam list as quite a few have now gone offline but I have included some new ones that you may not have seen before.

See my local webcams here :
Webcams in Derby and Derbyshire

For each webcam I have listed what type of webcam footage it offers and if you need to install a Browser plug-in to view them and if they work on an iPhone. Live webcams are great for checking out the weather if you are about to travel somewhere as you can see for yourself if its raining or snowing etc.

The most popular webcam in Derby is of course the Peregrine Falcons on Derby Cathedral, this webcam has been in place since 2006 and attracts online visitors from around the world and is extremely popular.

Derby needs some more webcams, can you help by providing a webcam stream for the city?
We only have 2 webcams in Derby, that's very poor ! I'm sure we can do better than that !

Just think of how many people out there in Derby who have permanent broadband connections and a computer that is "always on" and have a nice view out of their window.
Also lots of businesses around Derby that could have a webcam to generate publicity for their company, How about a pub cam?

Its so easy to setup a webcam these days it would be great if we could put Derby on the "webcam map". In recent years it has become possible to buy what is known as an IP Webcam which is the simplest method of getting a webcam online.

All you have to do with an IP Webcam is connect it directly (via Ethernet cable) or wifi to your Broadband Router, it has its own web server built in. you just configure the camera via a webpage and thats it ready to go live !

I have had to remove several webcams as they have gone offline, I will add them back again if they return. The following have been removed.

1) Mercia Marina in Willington. Dead ! UPDATE 31/10 Reinstated as link now updated and working.
2) Ram FM, Iron Gate, Derby. Taken over by Capital FM
3) Broomfield College bird feeders. A real shame this one has gone as it was one of the best webcams.
4) Hathersage, Gone !

If YOU know of any webcams in Derby or Derbyshire that I have missed or one that you have just set up and want promoting then please get in touch with all the details and I will add it to my list for you.

While looking for other local webcams I found a new one in Derby but then realised its actually a Derby in the USA.

Live streaming webcam in Derby, Wichita, Kansas.
This is a view of their New Derby Public Library at 1600 E. Walnut Grove. A pity we don't have a live webcam of Derby library !

I have added a few new local webcams, I will let you see if you can spot them.
On my Stafforshire webcams page I have added a live webcam of Burton on Trent, this has a great view of High Street where the infamous Burton Bollard is located.

See my current webcams list here :
Webcams in Derby and Derbyshire

Thanks
Andy
www.derbyphotos.co.uk

Who is this Actor and what is being filmed here?

2011-10-21T06:00:00.003+01:00

Last Sunday morning while on a break in London there was some filming being done on Duke's Road, Camden. I took these photographs on Sunday 16th October 2011.

Anybody know who this actor is and what they are filming?
Looks like its set in the 1940s, I don't recognise the actor. Could be a film or a TV series. I'm sure someone out there will recognise this.

Who is this actor ?

More photos of the filming :

Filming taking place in Dukes Road, London in October 2011

Filming taking place in Dukes Road, London in October 2011

Filming taking place in Dukes Road, London in October 2011

The filming was attracting lots of attention from passers by, The only reason I spotted it was because of the old bus.

Duke's Road is a side street off Euston Road which is the main road that runs past St Pancras International railway station.

I posted this question on Answerbank HERE.

Here is a Google Streetview of this road.

I found these videos of other filming going on in this location in the past.
Dancing in Dukes Road.

Eurovision Flash Mod Dancing.

Looks like Duke's Road is a popular place!

Post your answers to who and what is going on as a comment to this post.

Thanks
Andy

Adrian Edmondson & The Bad Shepherds gig in Derby on Saturday 12 November 2011.

2011-10-14T11:50:00.003+01:00

Did you know that Adrian Edmondson has a band called The Bad Shepherds? Well I saw them in London at the Great British Beer Festival and really enjoyed them so much that could not wait to see them again, And thankfully they happen to have a gig in a few weeks in Derby.

Adrian Edmondson &The Bad Shepherds perform in Derby on Saturday 12 November 2011.
The show starts at 8.00pm
Tickets are £17.50 from Derby Assembly Rooms Box Office or the old way by phone 01332 255800

If your old enough then I'm sure you will remember Ade Edmondson as Vyvyan in the early eighties TV show The Young Ones. If your not so old then you may know him as the star of the ITV series The Dales.

The band have a couple of Albums out, the last one was Hook Or By Crook in November 2010.

The Bad Shepherds play punk songs on folk instruments. Not as a gag, but because they really like the noise. They think the songs are better than people remember. They love folk instruments. It works.
They do songs by The Sex Pistols, The Clash, The Stranglers, The Jam, Sham 69, The Undertones, The Ramones, The Buzzcocks, The Specials, Talking Heads, Squeeze and others, even Kraftwerk! Alright, they're not all punk, but they come from roughly the same era.
They've mostly given the songs a kind of Celtic feel, and they've stuck in the odd reel and jig here and there. But occasionally they just thrash!
They've always thought the excitement of a reel taking off is the nearest thing to the excitement of watching punk live in the 70s.

Here is my video of them performing Rise by Public Image Ltd at the Great British Beer Festival.

More info on the band on their website :
http://www.thebadshepherds.com/

Hope you enjoy the show.
Andy

How to make a 2012 personalised calendar from your own photographs. Free templates provided here.

2011-10-14T09:40:00.002+01:00

Looking for a personalized gift this Christmas that will be enjoyed all year?
A couple of years ago I created a set of calendar templates and a video tutorial on how to use them.
The free 2012 templates have a decorative framed image area into which you can import your own images to produce the nice edge effect below.
My tutorial has proved very popular with nearly ten thousand people following my guide so far.

Here is an example of what you will be able to create using my free 2012 Calendar templates. Go on make someones day this Xmas by giving them one of the best and very unique presents that they can enjoy all year.

It will soon be Christmas and you may find this of use, I created an easy to follow tutorial on how to make a printed calendar using photographs YOU have taken.
The monthly calendar templates are provided free so you can make a unique gift for someone right now.
All you need is Corel PaintShop Photo Pro (or any photo editing software that supports layers such as Gimp, Photoshop etc), A colour printer, some Matt finish paper and 12 images of your choice.

If you are interested in giving it a go then have a look at my 2012 Calendar Guide page here :
Complete guide on how to make a 2012 personalised calendar from your own photographs. <- Click me now to start making a great gift for Christmas.

I hope this has inspired you to have a go at producing a truly unique personalised Xmas present that you will be remembered for, for the whole year ahead. Use Matt Paper as I suggest and it will not cost a lot of money to make several of these calendars.

Matt Paper allows printing of high resolution images but has a finish that you can write on which you need for a calendar! Matt paper can be bought for as little as 4 Pence per sheet.

In my written guide I have supplied detailed instructions on how to use my templates with Photoshop and even the free image editing software Gimp.
If you think its too early yet to think about Christmas then don't worry I will re-post this on my blog again each month up to Christmas. If you do find my tutorial of use then please leave a comment on either the video or my blog post saying what you created.

Thanks
Andy

Video - A week in London in time-lapse as seen from The Monument in 360 degrees

2011-10-12T12:05:00.000+01:00

Please watch at full screen and at 720p/1080p if you can.
I created this unique time-lapse video from a total of around 10,000 photographs taken from the live Monument webcam.
The Monument webcam is a special 360 degree webcam that updates every 60 seconds.
I have only just got around to creating this video even though I had the frames for over two years on my hard disk.
My video is rendered at 1080p and needs to be played in fullscreen due to the letterbox aspect ratio otherwise you will not be able to see all the little details.

The Monument to the Great Fire of London, more commonly known as "The Monument", is a 202 foot tall stone Roman Doric column in the City of London, England.
Its located where the Great Fire of London started in 1666. It was constructed between 1671 and 1677, it is the tallest isolated stone column in the world!
The monument closed in July 2007 for an 18-month, £4.5 million refurbishment project and re-opened in February 2009. A special live 360 degree webcam was then fitted
to the top of the Monument. Based on a Kaidan VR360 with a Canon EOS 1D Mk3.
My time-lapse video is made from the 360 panorama's taken by this equipment.

My Video:

Music - Repercussions Of 7th Heaven by 808Chunk
www.audiotool.com/track/repercussions_of_7th_heaven
Used under creative commons license Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Points of interest - If you watch this video in Full Screen mode at 720 then you will keep spotting new things, here are some you may have missed
01:19 to 01:29 - The Moon rising on left and travelling across sky.
01:50 - Window cleaning gantry going up and down on the brown building about 35% across from left of panorama.
02:08 - Tower Bridge lifting. It can be seen lifting several times in my video.

If you spot something of interest let me know the time-code.

When was the week of recording?:
Monday 6th July 2009 to Monday 13th July 2009
First frame captured at noon on the 6th.
Frames were captured every 60 seconds for a whole week and then played in sequence.

The frames were captured using a CRON job on a Linux machine.
The images are 1024 x 240 pixels and cover a full 360 degree view of London from the top of The Monument.
I had to go through thousands of frames and delete all the corrupt ones, these are images that contain vivid colours due to jpeg corruption. I'm guessing this happened due to the images being
sent by Wi-Fi from the camera?
I may have missed the odd corrupt image in my video but I think I caught most of them.

Map Location:
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=The+Monument+is+here@51.51011716135102,-0.08596184152520436

Google Streetview:
Here you can see the Monument captured during restoration as seen from Monument Street with its junction with Pudding Lane.
http://g.co/maps/yqswq

Here you can see the Monument captured after restoration work was completed.
Fish Street Hill
http://g.co/maps/u3vv3

I discovered this unusual situation. In this Google Streetview you can see the Monument wrapped up during restoration but then you move forward two steps and the restoration work is fully completed!. I guess they must have driven this bit of road in two parts.
http://g.co/maps/uzc8q

The 360 degree Panoramic webcam:
There is a very detailed explanation of this camera system on the website here.
http://www.themonumentview.net/about.php

The equipment :
http://www.themonumentview.net/about.php?content=Technical%20Concept

The Monument to the Great Fire of London reopened after a £4.5m restoration which took 18 months. Here is a short video by the BBC:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7893738.stm

Note:
This webcam seems to have stopped working as of August 12th 2011, It keeps showing the same image. I have contacted them about this but not had a reply. I hope they get it up and running again soon.

Live webcam :
http://www.themonument.info/panorama/

Hope you found my video of interest.
Rate and comment if you enjoyed it.

If you would like to see some local webcams for Derby and Derbyshire then have a look at the selection on my website :
http://www.derbyphotos.co.uk/webcams/index.htm

Thanks
Andy

Hope you enjoy the view.
Andy

Andy's guide to O2 Pay and Go Tariffs and Bolt-ons for use with your iPhone and other Smart phones.

2011-10-05T22:00:00.000+01:00

Do you own an iPhone with a o2 Pay as you go SIM and your free unlimited data deal that you got with your new iPhone is about to run out? Then you will need to sort out a tariff and bolt-on.
Are you confused by all the jargon and options available? Which o2 Tariff is best for you?

Hopefully I will have all the answers for you here in my Guide to O2 PAYG Tariffs and Bolt ons.
By combining a suitable o2 tariff with a o2 Data Bolt-on you can get a real good combination.

For example a o2 Unlimited Tariff and the The Works Bolt-on will give you unlimited voice and text messages to anyone on o2 as well as 1Gb of 3G data a month all for just £15 a month.
Check out the other Tariffs and Bolt-ons in my guide.

My guide :

Andy's guide to O2 Pay and Go Tariffs and Bolt Ons for use with your iPhone and other Smart phones.

Hope my guide is of use.
Thanks
Andy

Video - Elvaston Castle, The last days of Summer in the Old English walled Garden.

2011-10-01T10:28:00.000+01:00

On a sunny day like today why not visit the local attraction Elvaston Castle?
Did you know it had an elglish Walled Garden?, despite visiting this place many times since the 1980s onwards I had never seen this before. I madea two part video of the gardens below:
Play in full screen and at 720p if you can.

My videos of Elvaston Castle.:

Part II:

thanks
Andy

Derby Feste 2011 Videos. If you could not make it then see what you missed.

2011-09-25T08:35:00.004+01:00

Here are my Derby Feste 2011 videos for you to enjoy, as seen in todays Derby evening Telegraph.

Part 1 - Derby Feste 2011

The next three videos feature the amazing Sarruga street parade with the massive animated puppets of sea creatures as they made their way through Derby. Starting on Derwent Street, Market Place, Iron Gate, Full Street and onto Cathedral Green where there was a firework finale which I have also captured on video.

Part 2 - Derby Feste 2011, The Sarruga street parade.

Part 3 - Derby Feste 2011, The Sarruga street parade continues.

Part 4 - Derby Feste 2011, The Sarruga parade ends at Cathedral Green followed by the Fireworks.

Subscribe to my video channel to get notified : www.youtube.com/comedyhunter

Were you there?
Did the Shark get you?

Thanks
Andy

My Derby Friar gate Line Route map updated.

2011-09-22T20:08:00.001+01:00

Back in February I started work on a project to accurately map out the complete original route of the former Derby Friargate Railway Line, over the months I have been adjusting certain areas of the map and adding lots of photographs that people have taken along the route.
My project has received a lot of attention from people, with my map being viewed over three thousand times since I created it !

If you have not seen my project then have a look, you may learn something new. I would like to thank the many people that have helped by taking photographs of the route for me and letting me know about any errors. Some recent photographs added are of the Ventilation shafts over Mapperley Tunnel.

I have also added a lot more "quick links" to my project which allow you to go zoomed in direct on major points of interest along the route such as all of the GNR stations : Egginton Junction, Etwall Railway Station, Mickleover Railway Station, Derby Friar Gate Railway Station, Awsworth Railway Station, West Hallam Railway Station, Kimberley East Railway Station, Daybrook Railway Station, Basford North Railway Station, Gedling Railway Station and Netherfield Railway Station.

Here is a link to my project :

My Derby Friargate Line Route Map Project.

or a direct link to the map on Google maps :
Friargate Railway Line Route Map.

Reference Books.
Some of the Railway books I used for reference while working on this project :

Friargate Line: Derby and the Great Northern Railway

Lost Railways of Derbyshire

Lost Railways of Nottinghamshire

There are lots of books on this subject but quite a few are out of print but you may find one on ebay.

Videos.
Here is a video of a train using this former line:

Another video, this one at Breadsall Railway Station :

Best wishes
Andy

Derby Festé returns for the fifth year on Friday 23rd and Saturday 24th September 2011.

2011-09-20T06:28:00.001+01:00

This weekend see the return for the fifth time of Derby Festé.
There are lots of different events taking place in the city on Friday 23rd and Saturday 24th September 2011.
Here is a link to the complete brochure for whats going on this year - Derbyfeste brochure.

You can pick up a leaflet from Derby Tourist info on the market place.

Derby Festé 2011 - Trailer, What you can expect to see at this years event in Derby.

Photographs from previous Derby Feste events.

For more details on Derby Feste see their website www.derbyfeste.com

Thanks
Andy

The Derby Big Wheel returns to the City Friday September 16th to Sunday October 30th 2011.

2011-09-15T16:58:00.012+01:00

Remember its only in Derby until 8pm on Sunday 30th October 2011.

The Derby Big Wheel returns to the City on Friday September 16th for six weeks. I have tried to supply as much information about it as you could possible want to know such as dates,Times,Prices,Location,smart phone drop pins and even a VR photograph of the ferris wheel on the Market Place!
YOU can help too by posting your reviews of the Derby Big wheel in a comment to this post. Feel free to link to this blog post from Facebook, Twitter etc.

360 degree Virtual Reality Photograph of the Derby Big wheel
The link below will take you to my large interactive 360 degree photograph. You can control the view with your mouse (just like Google Streetview). This photograph will allow you to see exactly where the big wheel is located in Derby Marketplace. You will need a broadband connection to view it.
This was the wheel that was in Derby in 2009, its the same one in 2011.

The Derby Big Wheel full screen 360 degree interactive photograph.<-- Click me now !

The Derby Big Wheel officially opens to the public at 10am on Friday 16th September 2011 and will continue to open 10am until 8pm daily until Sunday 30th October 2011.
The wheel is 60m (197 ft) tall in the Market Place, has 40 observation pods and weighs 365 tonnes!

The silent ride lasts for 12 minutes so there is plenty of time to take in the great views it has to offer.
The Derby Big Wheel was known as the Cathedral Quarter Wheel in 2009 when it was last in Derby.

The Big Wheel Derby opening times
10am to 8pm 7 days a week. 16th September - 30th October.

Costs
£5 for adults
£4 for Student/Senior Citizen with I.D. Cards.
£3 for children under 1.4 metres, and free for children under three.
£14.50 for a Family Ticket: 2 Adults / 2 Children
£27.50 Private Gondola is for your own group/party of guests etc: 1 - 6 people prevents sharing a gondola at peak times (may not be necessary at non-peak times).

There is also a VIP Gondola which takes up to 4 people for £40.00. The VIP Gondola has tinted glass and 4 higher standard seats.

If you book online then you can get 10% of the gate prices listed above. Book your Derby Big Wheel Tickets online by using this website here : www.bigwheelderby.co.uk So If you want a discount then book your ticket online to save money.

You can buy a photograph when you finish the ride on the Big Wheel, not sure how much these cost perhaps someone can leave a comment and I will add it to this page.

Map Location
Map Location of the Derby Big Wheel :

View The Derby Big Wheel. in a larger map

Smartphone mapping
If you own a smartphone such as iPhone/HTC etc then you can use my drop pin below to get very accurate mapping for your phone.

Drop pin for Derby Big Wheel <-- Tap this link on your smartphone to get directions.

When you tap the link above, it will launch your mapping application and place a "push pin" onto the map with the exact location of the Derby Big wheel. You can then use this marker to get driving, walking or bus directions from your current location.

For example on an iPhone you tap the Directions button at the bottom and this will pre-fill in the start and end locations so just tap the Route button at the bottom and it will show you either the driving route or the walking route. If you tap the middle button at the top, this will even show you which bus number and when the next bus to Derby Market Place departs !

Hope you enjoy this and get a chance to have a go on it.
Please leave your reviews of it in my blog. How far could you see?
If you have taken a video while on it then please post a comment with a link to it.

You can see the location of the Big wheel in this driving video I made in 2009. Should give you an idea of how big this is and where its located in Derby City Centre.

Thanks
Andy

How to make a 2012 personalised calendar from your own photographs. Free templates provided

2011-09-13T11:30:00.001+01:00

Looking for a personalized gift this Christmas that will be enjoyed all year?
A couple of years ago I created a set of calendar templates and a video tutorial on how to use them. This has proved very popular with over nine thousand people following my guide so far.

Here is an example of what you will be able to create using my free 2012 Calendar templates....

It will soon be Christmas and you may find this of use, I created an easy to follow tutorial on how to make a printed calendar using photographs YOU have taken.
The monthly calendar templates are provided free so you can make a unique gift for someone right now.
All you need is Corel PaintShop Photo Pro (or any photo editing software that supports layers such as Gimp, Photoshop etc), A colour printer, some Matt finish paper and 12 images of your choice.

If you are interested in giving it a go then have a look at my 2012 Calendar Guide page here :
Complete guide on how to make a 2012 personalised calendar from your own photographs. < - Click me now to start making a great gift for Christmas.

I hope this has inspired you to have a go at producing a truly unique personalised Xmas present that you will be remembered for, for the whole year ahead. Use Matt Paper as I suggest and it will not cost a lot of money to make several of these calendars.

Matt Paper allows printing of high resolution images but has a finish that you can write on which you need for a calendar! Matt paper can be bought for as little as 4 Pence per sheet.

In my written guide I have supplied detailed instructions on how to use my templates with Photoshop and I will shortly be doing the same for the free image editing software Gimp.
If you think its too early yet to think about Christmas then don't worry I will re-post this on my blog again each month up to Christmas. If you do find my tutorial of use then please leave a comment on either the video or my blog post saying what you created.

Thanks
Andy

I'm now famous in Argentina, South America !

2011-09-11T09:52:00.000+01:00

Its not every day that you get to see your name in print on the other side of the planet. Last weekend on Sunday 4th September an article was printed in the Argentinian newspaper "La Gaceta". La Gaceta is a daily newspaper (established in 1912) with a circulation of 46,000 copies.
The news article is about some fountains in Tucumán which I have helped research for them as they were made in Derby by Andrew Handyside & Co and shipped all the way to Argentina in 1872.
Andrew Handyside made Friar Gate bridge and thousands of other items all over the world but us Derbians seem to have completely forgotten this company but I am trying to rectify this by researching and promoting all that they have done using my Andrew Handyside blog and a series of Articles and maybe a book.

To see an English Translated version of this article click : Article in La Gaceta Newspaper.
Here is a screen grab from the web version of the article (in Spanish):

There will be another article printed soon about some other Handyside stuff in South America.

Thanks
Andy

Video of Markeaton Brook Walkway and a cute swimming Rat !

2011-09-09T21:37:00.001+01:00

Last Saturday I took some footage along Markeaton Brook Walkway. If you have never walked along here before then have a look as its full of wildlife.
It runs parallel to Agard Street from Ford Street to Bridge Street around the back of the Oxygen Bar pub where the foot bridge is.
In this footage you will see a nice cute looking Rat swimming in Markeaton Brook.

Here is my Video of Markeaton Brook Walkway and a very cute Rat swimming !

Map Location for this video.

Did you know Rats could swim?

Markeaton Brook has its own website :
Friends of markeaton brook.

Thanks
Andy

Derbyshire Brewers Collective - Beer Festival, 9th and 10th September 2011

2011-09-07T11:55:00.014+01:00

This weekend is the Derbyshire Brewers Collective Beer Festival

Friday 9th and Saturday 10th September 2011. 12noon - 5pm and 6pm - 11pm
£3 afternoon session
£5 evening session
Pay on the door.

Derbyshire is rapidly becoming the 'Microbrewery capital of the country' Meet your local microbrewers and try their ales and ciders. 16 of the best brewers in Derbyshire will be manning their own stands, selling their beers and ciders and answering any brewing questions you may have.
This is a unique event where the experts will be available within the traditional beer festival environment.
Over 50 beers and Ciders, hot food, quiet area if required, will be available - with evening entertainment being provided by The Spyder Monkeys (Friday) and Soul Town Six (Saturday) - both highly rated and extremely popular Derby bands Come and help celebrate all that is good in Derbyshire

I got this leaflet from Pete on the Amber Ales stand at the last Belper Farmers Market (2nd Saturday of each month)

The flyer for the beer festival, Click to view a larger version.

To learn more about the Derbyshire Brewers Collective see their website :
www.derbyshirebrewers.co.uk

Thanks
Andy

Belper Indoor Car Boot Sale, 2nd Sunday of the month restarts this Sunday.

2011-09-06T12:05:00.008+01:00

This Sunday (11th September 2011) sees the return of Belper Indoor Car Boot Sale at Belper Leisure Centre. In case you did not know, Belper carboot sale takes place on the SECOND Sunday of the month from September through to May.
Note there is NO car boot sale in June, July or August.

Buyers are allowed in from 8am to 12 noon.
Sellers are allowed in from 7am to set up their pitches.

This is a small/medium sized car boot. Of course Tansley Car Boot is one of the largest local car boots but that is outdoors. Then there is Willington Car Boot Sale which is every Saturday and Monday and Shardlow Car Boot that takes place on Bank Holidays in the Summer time.

Here is a photograph I took in May at Belper Indoor Car Boot :

Because it's an indoor car boot sale its not affected by the weather unlike outdoor car boots where
nobody turns up because its raining! This car boot is always popular whatever the weather.

Map Location
Here is a very detailed map I have created. Click the link below the map if you want a larger version to print out or to get directions from.

View Belper Indoor Car Boot Sale at Belper Leisure Centre. in a larger map

Google Streetview showing the entrance to Belper Leisure Centre where the indoor car boot sale takes place.

Smartphone drop pin.
If you own a smarphone such as iPhone,HTC etc then you can use the link below to get directions to this car boot sale.

Car Park Entrance <--- Tap this link to get a marker for the car boot.

Parking
In Belper follow the signs for Belper Leisure Centre.
The entrance to the Leisure Centre car park is just off John O'Gaunts Way which is off the A609 Kilburn Road.

SAT NAV POST CODE : DE56 1RZ
Car parking is FREE!

Exact Location

The indoor car boot is located in the main sports hall of Belper Leisure Centre, From the car park follow the signs on the path to Belper Leisure Centre. The path takes you alongside Belper School and Sixth Form Centre. This will take you to the automatic sliding doors for Belper Leisure Centre. Go through the doors straight ahead past the refreshments area and toilets on the left.

Up the small stairs (or ramp) to the main hall. This is where you pay to get into the sports hall.
Its 80p for adults, 55p for OAPs and Free for children under 16 with an adult.

Remember Belper Car Boot Sale at Belper Leisure Centre takes place on the 2nd Sunday of the month for 9 months of the year.

So here are the dates for the next year....
Sunday 11th September 2011
Sunday 9th October 2011
Sunday 13th November 2011
Sunday 11th December 2011
Sunday 8th January 2012
Sunday 12th February 2012
Sunday 11th March 2012
Sunday 8th April 2012
Sunday 13th May 2012
Sunday 9th September 2012

For more details (phone numbers etc see http://www.freewebs.com/bidcb/)

Hope you found this of use.
Andy

Video of a Time-lapse car journey from Derby to the Clumber Park 80's Flashback Festival in August 2011.

2011-09-04T14:54:00.003+01:00

Two weeks ago on Saturday 20th August I went to the 80's Flashback Festival at Clumber Park in Nottinghamshire. This video is a time-lapse car drive from Derby to Clumber Park and includes a few seconds of the groups as well as the amazing Firework display at the end.

The main acts this year were Toyah Willcox, Nik Kershaw, Heaven 17, Level 42 and The Human League. The show finished with an amzing firework display which you can see at the end of my driving video.

My video Derby to Clumber Park 80's Flashback Festival :

The first band came on stage about 5pm that was Wham Duran (a tribute band) and the Headline Act The League did not finish their set until 11pm !

I have recorded this at 1080p so if you have a very fast PC and superfast Internet connection then set to 1080p Full Screen for the best view of it.

It was recorded on Saturday 20th August 2011.

The Bands performing this year were
Wham Duran (tribute band)
Toyah Willcox
Nik Kershaw
Heaven 17
Level 42
Human League.

All the groups did a great show, I liked The Heaven 17 tracks best of all. They did an amzing long version of Temptation which you can see in this video - Heaven 17 Temptation at Clumber Park 2011.

---------------------------------------
Hardware used for time-lapse:
My modified Canon Ixus camera as detailed here :
http://timescapes.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=170

PAS Camera used:
Hardware Modified Canon Ixus 430
Picture taken every 1.5 seconds.
Photographs taken at 2272x1704 pixels
Exposure time fixed at 1/400 sec.
The jpeg files sizes are between 191Kb to 729Kb, image size varies depending on brightness and complexity of the image.
The 3043 Photographs were 1.02Gb in total
Stored onto a Sandisk Ultra III 8Gb SD Card
---------------------------------------

The Video footage of the Fireworks and performers was done with my Sony HDRCX115EB HD Camcorder

Driving Route:
Starting in Derby most of the journey is on the A38, that last bit on A617 and A614 to Clumber Park.

Detailed Driving Route Map :
http://g.co/maps/mfhn
---------------------------------------
Music used in this video :
"Time Passing By" by Jason Shaw @ audionautix.com
used under creative commons license. Attribution 3.0 United States (CC BY 3.0)
http://www.audionautix.com/

I hope you enjoyed my video, please leave a comment if you did.

Thanks
Andy

Video of Derby from the top of the Cathedral in 1994, take a Nostalgic look back at Derby.

2011-09-02T16:53:00.000+01:00

I took this video footage way back in 1994 on one of the Derby Cathedral Tower open days. I posted this YouTuebe video in June 2009 before I started my blog so thought I would give it a plug in case you have not seen it before. I have put lots of information below this video about points of interest you can see in the footage.

My video footage of Derby as seen from the top of Derby Cathedral in 1994

My video is best watched in 480p mode and fullscreen.

Until recently I had forgotten that I had taken this, it was on an old Hi8 analogue video tape,
The camcorder I had shot it with had gone faulty many years ago but thankfully eBay came to the rescue where I was able to buy a cheap second hand camcorder that supported playback of analogue Hi8 recordings.

Information about the old footage:
Watching this footage you forget just how much the City has changed in the last 17 years.
This was a time before The Westfield, The Quad, The Cathedral Swing Bridge, Pride Park, Cockpit island car park the new Derby bus station etc.

Do you remember "The hole" as it was known opposite the Council House?

Some points of interest (with time code):
0:10 The view we see here is looking towards where Joseph Right college is located today. As you can see back then it was just a triangle
of land with trees on it. Also in this view you can see Brookbridge apartments on Brook Street (then it was Rykneld Tean Mill).
Chapel Street car park with BBC radio Derby (yellow building) behind it.
0:21 At the top of the hill you can see Mackworth Water Tower.
0:27 The white building centre of screen was the Greyhound Stadium, today this facade is the entrance to Vernon Gate.
0:34 This is looking down onto Iron Gate following it down to the Corn Market.
0:55 The Corn Market
0:57 Gates at the end of the Corn Market, they took these down a few years ago.
1:00 The bottom of Babington Lane (Waterstones building)
1:03 Notice that there is no Westfield, instead its C&A.
1:05 At the end of Leopold Street ,there was an Indian Restaurant "Shabuj Bagan" that was demolished a few years ago when the Westfield was being built.
1:10 Looking down on Iron Gate
1:19 Looking towards the Assembly Rooms.
1:32 "The Hole" as it became known, This large area of land opposite the Council house was boarded up for many years, Today this is the site of The Quad and the memorial gardens.
1:55 On the left you can see parts of the old Bus Station.
At the top of the view you can see the glass footbridge that used to connect the Eagle Centre Market
to the bus station. You could either goto the top floor of the bus station or walk down the two ramps down to the Morledge.
1:50 As you can see there was no cockpit island car park back then, it was still cockpitt Hill car park.
2:07 Looking down on the Electricity substation next to the Industrial Museum.
2:15 Here you can seethe old St Marys Goods yard on Mansfield Road. Landau Forte College is on the right of the view.
2:26 View looking down on the junction of Queen Street, it would appear that everyone used to drive RED cars!
2:37 The old Cathedral Green before the 2008/2009 makeover.
2:58 Derby Evening Telegraph offices on Meadow Lane
3:21 The famous "Derby in Bloom" flower bed on Full Street.
4:40 On the left is St Peters House on Gower Street on the right is the Hippodrome Theatre.
4:46 That church on Normanton Road/Burton Road corner.
--------------------------
If you spot a building thats changed in my footage then please comment on it with a timecode.
Hope you enjoy this unique vision into the past of Derby.

Photographs from the top of the Cathedral in 2001:
http://www.derbyphotos.co.uk/areas_city/cathedral.htm

My 360 degree photograph inside the Cathedral :
http://www.absolutelyandy.com/derbyphotos/wwp/607/

If anyone out there has any old footage of Derby then do please get in touch.

To take in the view from the very same location but in 2009, watch :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P73VM6bE7FY

I hope it stirs some memories for you.
Thanks
Andy

Darley Park Concert, the UK's biggest free outdoor classical concert Sunday 4th September 2011.

2011-09-01T12:24:00.008+01:00

My complete guide to this years free Darley Park Concert

UPDATE : Monday 5th September.
Here is a great video someone took at this years show. Really captured all aspects of the Darley Park Concert 2011 :

Video by ditcher41a2

This weekend on Sunday 4th September 2011 is the Annual FREE outdoor classical concert and fireworks display at Darley Park, Derby.
This event normally attracts crowds of around 30,000 This years show will be hosted by Classic FM presenter Mark Forrest.
Among those scheduled to perform are Derby-based orchestra sinfonia ViVA, regular Darley Park Concert conductor James Holmes and international soloist Mary Carewe.
The programme of music will include pieces from Copland, Waldteufel, Joplin, Gershwin, Bernstein, Strauss, Sibelius, Dietrich and Offenbach.

Actor Luke Roberts, from Channel Five show Hi-5 and who will star as Dick Whittington in this year's pantomime at the Assembly Rooms, will also appear. It ends with a spectacular firework finale.

The photograph here is one I took during the amazing firework finale at the 2004 concert.
Some more of my photographs in 2002.

If you are travelling in to Derby from afar then its best to get here early as this event is always very popular.

Map
Here is a detailed map showing the exact location of the Darley Park Concert and where you can park.
Click the link below the map to get a larger version you can print out.

View Darley Park Concert, Derby. in a larger map

Smartphone mapping pins.
If you have a smartphone (iPhone, HTC etc) then you can use my push pins below to get accurate GPS locations to this venue. Just view this blog on your phone and tap the link below to launch your mapping app, a push pin will appear on it and you can use this to get walking/driving directions from your current position.

The audience sitting area. <---- Tap this link to locate the area where you will sit and watch the concert.

Entrance to concert car parking. <--- Tap this linik to located the entrace to the concert car parking.

There are several entrances into Darley Park. Choose the best one for you. Here are the entrances to the park with Google Streetviews. These are all "by foot" !
1) Bottom of Mile Ash Lane.
2) End of Darley Street.
3) Down Darley Park Drive.
4) Off Duffield Road (A6).
5) Bottom of South Drive.
6) End of North Parade.
7) Over Handyside bridge from City Road.

The Darley Park Concert is sponsored by Rolls Royce and in partnership with Classic FM.
Remember to take a torch as some of the paths into Darley Park are unlit and covered with trees so its helps if you have a torch to see where you are walking.

Hope the weather is ok for this event.
Andy

In 2012 the Darley Park Concert will take place on Saturday 30th June 2012 to coincide with the visit of the Olympic torch to Derby.

That Lucozade TV advert is 'Buck Rogers' by The James Cleaver Quintet.

2011-08-26T22:21:00.005+01:00

If you know my other websites then you will know I used to run one of the most popular UK TV advert websites ten years ago, before such things as online videos took off. Im still a fan of some adverts, these days they are very polished productions. One TV advert which caught my eye recently which I like a lot is a Lucozade one where this band are playing music while rolling down a very steep hill. A great idea and a nice track too.

Here is a screen grab of the band as they come down Albion Hill and take the corner down Grove Hill. Below the screen grab is the same location as captured by Google Streetview. As you can see looks like they painted the yellow Lucozade sign on that house, or perhaps they did it with C.G.I.?

Here is the video - Lucozade TV Advert 2011 - Feeder's 'Buck Rogers' by The James Cleaver Quintet.
See if you can spot the parts of the road as the band rolls down the hills.

The video starts on Albion Hill about HERE where Maud E Licious starts to play his guitar.

Once you have watched the video you may like to watch the making of the video.

Filming location for the Lucozade TV advert.
I have found the location that this great music video was filmed, its on Albion Hill and Grove Hill in Brighton, UK. Here here a link to the Google Streetview of this bend in the road.

I always enjoy finding the locations of where films and videos were shot, You get a real "eureka moment" when you are able to see the very same place that something was filmed. A few weeks ago I found the building used as MI5 in the TV Series Spooks. There are a few books you can get on finding famous filming locations :

If you own a smatphone (iPhone,HTC etc) then tap HERE and it will launch your mapping application so you can find the exact location where this music video starts.
The end of the video is on the roof of the building HERE.

I hope you found this of interest. If you have never seen my UK TV Adverts page before then have a look at it now. Its been featured in Web User magazine, Internet Video magazine and even in the MSN Entertainment Top 30 TV and Movie Sites !

Thanks
Andy

Steve Coogan to star in new SKY1 family comedy drama "Starlings", filmed in Matlock, Derbyshire.

2011-08-20T11:59:00.003+01:00

Steve Coogan is currently filming a new "family comedy drama" called Starlings in Matlock, Derbyshire.
This new series will be on SKY 1 next year.

Baby Cow Productions’ founders Henry Normal and Steve Coogan will serve as Executive Producers, Baby Cow’s Alison MacPhail (The Mighty Boosh) will produce the series, while Matt King (Peep Show) and Steve Edge (Star Stories) will write and star.

Brendan Coyle and Lesley Sharp will play the mother and father of the Starling family, who have a crammed home following the return of their granddad.

The characters will include a 16-year-old football-crazy tomboy daughter, a reptile enthusiast son and beautiful daughter Bell, who gives birth in episode one.

Other characters invading the house will be Bell's ex-boyfriend Reuben, granddad's long-lost son Uncle Loz and nephew Fergie, who has just been made homeless by his long-suffering partner

Look out for this new show next year and you should recognise the filming locations.

Hopefully this will really help boost tourism in Matlock.

Andy

Review of WiFi on East Midlands Trains, Derby to London.

2011-08-19T08:11:00.001+01:00

I recently travelled First Class from Derby to London on an East Midlands Train service.
By the way First Class does not cost a lot more than standard class if you book in advance and are flexible with your travel times, see my blog post on getting the cheapest first class train tickets.

Wi-Fi is available in all Carriages on East Midlands Trains services to and from St Pancras station.
In the 1st class Carriages the wifi service is FREE.

In Standard class you have to pay for wifi and its costs...

Per journey £4.00
Daily £7.50
Monthly £40.00
Annually £425

East Midlands Trains wifi service was launched in September 2010 but this was the first time I had been able to try it out.

If you have ever tried to use the Internet on your smartphone while on a moving train before then you will know that its not very reliable at all.
The GSM network is mainly geared up to cover highly populated areas. Train tracks, Particularly in the Derbyshire area tend to go through deep cuttings and tunnels so you tend to completely loose coverage or it will drop to Edge or GPRS for long periods of time.
If your a regular user of the Internet when using a 3G signal I'm sure you know how annoying it is when it drops down to a GPRS connection. Its like going onto a dial-up connection!

Using wifi on the train is certainly a lot better than trying to use your GSM connection for data.

The hardware that gives you wifi on the EMT service is provided by Nomad. It uses an R3500 router which aggregates multiple 3G networks from multiple GSM providers. You could tell this as my O2 signal kept going to No Service (see screen grab) but I was still able to surf the net so it must have been getting data from Everything Everywhere or Vodafone.
What this means it that it has several 3G SIMs on several operators (o2, Everything Everywhere, Vodafone) and it combines the data streams from all of these sources so it appears as one fast connection, this also allows for loss of signals from different operators as the train moves.
Passenger WiFi is available on East Midlands Trains entire 27 Meridian fleet and all 11 of their MKIII HSTs.

How to use the wifi on a 1st class EMT service.
On an iPhone you can see that if you scan for wifi it shows up as "EastMidlandsTrain_WiFi" (See screen grab of WifiTrak).

I don't think it allowed me to connect to it from here even though its open, I tried several times but it would not allow connection.
However if you goto your web browser and connect to the wifi from there it will automatically redirect your page to a landing page that asks you to enter your name, email etc, once you click submit you are now able to use the free wifi. In standard class you get a different webpage:

Can you use iPlayer via the wifi on EMT service?
The answer is no!
I tried several times to watch Torchwood using the BBC iPlayer (iPhone) using the wifi but unfortunately the best I could get was about 5 seconds of footage before it stopped and rebuffered. I tried several times during the 1 Hour 33 Min journey. Because it requires a nice stream of data to play video it clearly did not
like the fact that the speed was up and down. Youtube was a bit better but kept downgrading its quality down to 240p for the same reason.

What download/upload speeds do you get?
See my screen grab of the Speedtest.net (OOkla) application. This shows the download and upload speeds as well as ping test six times.
I ran the speedtest a few times during the journey to London as you can see the download speed was not very good, generally quite low, It increased as the train got down south.
Upload speed was a lot better, not sure why that is. It almost snapped the digital needle off when it tested the upload speed as you can see 16Mb/s at 2:13pm !

Notice in the screen grab that I have No Service on my o2 sim but the speedtest shows over 2Mb download speed.
The main problem with the wifi service was that the speed was very Sporadic. Handy to have for free in 1st class but thats about it.

Is it worth paying for?
In first class you get wifi for free so I was not too bothered about the erratic service but if I was paying £425 a year for it I don't think I would be too happy! I guess it depends what you need wifi for, its certainly handy to have access and better than if you had a laptop with a 3G dongle.

Another thing I noticed, previously on trains when you use the Mapping application on the iPhone it shows your current location moving in real time along
the railway line but if you are using the wifi provided in the train then it does not move from where you set off, I guess this is because
the iPhone can no longer use triangulation from the GSM antennas and it can't get a GPS lock.

Note : If you have a First Class Advance Ticket then you also get free wifi and entry into the First Class lounges These are located at St Pancras, Leicester, Nottingham, Sheffield, Derby and East Midlands Parkway. The exception to this rule is 4pm-8pm at St Pancras where you have to pay a £5 surcharge.
The First Class lounges are open Monday to Friday and have free Tea/Coffee, newspapers and snacks (and the free wifi of course).

Hope you found this of interest.
Andy

Pot Fest - Beer and Cider festival at The Flower Pot, Derby 26th-29th August 2011.

2011-08-16T11:50:00.003+01:00

There is a Beer and Cider festival starting a week on Friday (The Bank Holiday weekend) at The Flower Pot pub in Derby. It runs from Friday 26th August until Monday 29th August 2011.

There will be Live music, an Ale Garden with 40 Real Ales and Ciders to try. This is to celebrate 40 years of CAMRA.

Here is a flyer for The Flower Pot Beer Festival 2011 :

Their flyer lists two websites but it would appear that neither of them work or have ever worked. They do have a Facebook page but you have to join to see anything. I think I have provided as much info as you could need here anyway. The only reason I'm aware of it taking place is because of a flyer I got from The Derby Beer Festival in July, there does not seem to be any info on the internet about it. There IS now !

The Flower Pot is located on King Street (A6) very near the new Jurys Inn Hotel. You can see The flower pot in this Google Streetview. I did a post on The Flower Pot last year when I saw Midge Ure perform there.

If you have a smartphone then you can use my drop pin below to find your way to the pub using the mapping application.
Smartphone mapping drop pin. <-- Tap this link on your smartphone to get accurate directions.

On Sunday 28th live music will be provided by Lil' Jim's Big Squeeze. The five-piece band were one of the acts to play to thousands of real ale lovers at the Assembly Rooms festival, which took place in July.

They will launch their debut single Cheatin' and Creepin'
Lil' Jim's Big Squeeze website.

Hope you found this of interest.
Andy

Video - Great British Beer Festival 2011 at Earls Court, entertainment by The Bad Shepherds.

2011-08-13T09:56:00.003+01:00

Last weekend we visited the Great British Beer Festival in London, this took place at Earls Court.
The strangest thing was going all the way down to London from Derby and the very first flyer that was handed out to me was one for The National Brewery Centre at Burton on Trent !

Here is a short video I took of the live entertainment on Friday night, it was provided by The Bad Shepherds who consist of :
Adrian Edmondson, Troy Donockley And Andy Dinan
For more information and a list of tour dates when you can see them in your area see their website:
http://www.thebadshepherds.com

As it happens they are performing at Derby in November
The gigs page is here:
http://www.thebadshepherds.com/gigs.php

YES Adrian Edmondson is the guy that played Vyvyan in the 80s TV show The Young Ones.

The cover song performed here is Rise by Public Image Ltd (originally released Jan 1986).
My video at the GBBF 2011 :

Were you there? Perhaps you may see yourself at the start of my video.
The Cider in the glass at the end of my video was Tutts Clump a Perry Cider.
Glass Hire at this event was £3 a glass
The GBBF had over 1000 Real Ales and Ciders and ran from 2nd to the 6th August 2011.

The nearest underground tube station to this place is Earls Court underground, the exit to this station brings you right to the entrance to the venue!
If your stopping in London near Kings Cross then its a very simple journey on the Piccadilly Line with no changes.
For more info on The Great British Beer Festival see their website :
http://gbbf.camra.org.uk/home
The 2012 Great British Beer Festival event is taking place at Olympia in London.

Andy

The filming location used for Thames House in the BBC TV series Spooks.

2011-08-11T19:34:00.005+01:00

I have just returned from a visit to London and while there I tracked down the location that is used for Thames House (MI5 base) in the BBC TV series Spooks. If you have never seen Spooks then I recommend it, its yet another great production by Kudos. They are the production company that made Life on Mars, Ashes to Ashes Hustle and The Fixer amongst others.

The building they used as Thames House is actually a Freemasons' Hall located on Great Queen Street in London. It felt very strange seeing this building in real life after seeing it so much on the TV show.

Here is my photograph of the building and below it I have taken a screen grab from the DVD of Spooks so you can see its the very same building.

There have been 9 series of this great show so far and [Spooks] is set to return soon.
Series 10 of Spooks starts on September 18th 2011.

If you want to catch up with series 1 to 9 before series 10 starts then you can get them all on DVD now.
You will have to watch 80 episodes though so you best get watching today !
This will be the very last ever series of Spooks so I hope its a good one.

If your a fan of this TV series then you may already know about this location but if not I hope you found it of interest.

Mapping location :
Google Streetview of this building.

If you own a smart phone then you can use my drop pin to navigate to this location using your mapping application. Simply click the link below while viewing this blog on your phone :

Drop Pin for Spooks Thames House building.

Thanks
Andy

New Driving video - Derby Streets by car. Pear Tree to Costco on Pride Park.

2011-08-05T10:47:00.002+01:00

Here is the latest video in my series of "Derby Streets by Car". I started doing these videos back in 2007 and they seem quite popular. See my first Derby Streets by car video. Filmed before such things as HD video on YouTube.
Yes I know you can use Google Streetview to see streets but thats out of date (Derby streets captured by them 3 years ago!). Also its not quite the same as seeing the places as though you were driving yourself.
Perhaps you used to live in Derby and wondered what the place looks like today well now you can see!

This video was recorded on Sunday 31st July 2011, Its recorded at 1080p HD so if you have a very fast broadband connection and a fast PC then you can view it at 720 or 1080 at full screen mode.

The drive starts on St Thomas Road in the Pear Tree area of Derby and ends at Costco which is on Pride Park.
Some points of interest (may be !)
0:02 -That yellow shop used to be Terry J Aquatics.

0:05 - The Pear Tree Inn pub on the left.
0:11 - Lister House Surgery on left.
0:22 - Former Sherwood foresters pub on right (now a Sikh temple)
0:28 - Silly Sids on left
0:43 - The Oasthouse pub, a Whitbread Table Table restaurant.
0:57 - Pear Tree Railway Station on left.
1:04 - On the right here is a large B&Q and a recently expanded Sainsburys.
2:20 - Spider Bridge Island, Also The Mitre Pub ahead
2:26 - Allenton Market, Soon to be a large Tescos!
3:11 - New Ascot Drive fire Station being built on left.
3:16 - B & M store on left
3:27 - Birds Bakery on left
3:44 - Arriva Derby bus depot on right
3:51 - Former B&Q being demolished (after many years!)
4:29 - Ahead is Pride Park Stadium, Home of Derby County (The Rams)
5:24 - Entering Costco Car park.
In costco I got two large Jacket Potatoes with two fillings for £2.50, How can they do it for that price !

The Driving video - Pear Tree to Costco Derby:

In the video you will notice I have indicated each road name as we drive around, this should help you get an idea of where things are. If not then you can also use my detail driving route map below :
Of couse its not the most straight forward route to get from A to B but I was trying to capture some roads that I have not recorded before.

Here is the driving route for this video:

View YouTube Driving route - Pear Tree to Costco on Pride Park in a larger map

The Music I've used in this video :
Night Lights by Astrum used under creative commons license
Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0)

The track - Night lights Astrum :
http://www.audiotool.com/track/night_lights/

Hope you find my video of interest.
Andy

Videos of the Bombardier march in Derby, Trying to save the UK's last train builder.

2011-07-28T18:48:00.002+01:00

I have now completed uploading all of my video footage I took at the Bombardier March that took place in Derby on Saturday 23rd July 2011. Including the speeches Bob Crow, Margaret Beckett etc.

Bombardier March in Derby - Part 1
In this video I have captured every single person that was part of the march near the start on Station Approach. It takes over 16 minutes for it to pass by.
If you were in the march at the start then you will be in this video !

Bombardier March in Derby - Part 2
In this video I have joined the march and this video starts at The Morledge near Derby Bus Station, I follow it on its way through the Corn Market and up Full Street to Derby Cathedral Green.

Bombardier March in Derby - Part 3
In this video I have captured the speeches at Cathedral Green.

Bombardier March in Derby - Part 4
In this video I have captured the speeches at Cathedral Green by Bob Crow.

Thanks
Andy

Videos of the Bombardier March in Derby will be posted soon.

2011-07-24T12:39:00.001+01:00

I was at the Bombardier March in Derby on Saturday 23rd July and captured the entire march on Video as well as the speaches at Cathedral Green.
It was great to see such great support for this, I have never seen so many people in Derby join together.

I will be uploading my videos very soon so keep an eye on my blog and my YouTube Channel.
Its all in 1080p and rather a lot of footage for me to edit together so may be end of week before its all uploaded.

My Videos :
Bombardier Derby March Part 2.

Andy

The Bombardier march on Saturday 23rd July 2011 in Derby. Show your support by joining the march.

2011-07-22T22:33:00.014+01:00

This is not just a local issue, its a national one !
SUPPORT THE MARCH & RALLY TO SAVE BOMBARDIER
I have tried to answer all questions that you could want here such as What time does the march start, where does the march start from and end up, What is the marching route map and what roads are going to be closed in Derby during the march.

You don't have to be from Derby to know about this as its been on all major news channels. Bombardier is the UK's last train builder so this is very important.

The protest, which calls on the Government to reverse its decision not to award the £1.4 billion Thameslink contract to Bombardier, promises to be one of the largest events of its kind here for a generation.

Those who feel that the Government has made the wrong decision not to back city train-maker Bombardier are being urged to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with workers whose jobs have been put at risk.

Since losing out on Thameslink, Bombardier has already shed 1,429 jobs at Litchurch Lane. And the firm is carrying out a full review of its UK operations.
A further 1,500 job losses could be in the offing in Derby if Bombardier decides to pull out of the UK.
There is also the impact this would have on Bombardier’s supply chain. Conservative estimates believe around 12,000 jobs could be affected. Unions are saying the figure is more likely to be about 20,000 across the East Midlands.
The RMT union claimed that more than 500 train maintenance and cleaning jobs in London and the South East are now under threat as a result of the Government awarding the contract to Siemens. The union said that as well as train manufacture, the contract covered train maintenance.

Join the The Bombardier March in Derby on Saturday 23rd July.
The protest will begin at 10am when participants start gathering at Bass’s Recreation Ground.
At 10.25am, the crowd will be addressed by speakers introduced by Julia Long, national officer at the Unite union. The marchers will then set off at 11am following the route I have marked on the map below, reaching Cathedral Green at noon.

The Bombardier Protest March is 1.2 Miles from the start at Bass Recreation Ground to the end at Derby Cathedral Green.
Bass Recreation Ground does not have any parking places so you will need to walk to the start of the march. The main entrance to it is near the newly built Skate Park on the corner.
Cathedral Green does not look like its shown in Google Maps or streetview due to it being revamped after they captured it. But you can see the new look of Cathedral Green in my Virtual Tour.

Below is a route map showing the exact route that the rally is going to take. I have based this on the information from Derbyshire Police and the Derby Evening Telegraph.
If you click the link below the map then you can print out a large version. Or if you own a smart phone then use my smart phone GPS drop pin locators to get to the march.

The Bombardier marching route map for
Saturday 23rd July 2011.

View Bombardier march in Derby July 23rd 2011. in a larger map

Smart phone GPS Locator points:
If you have a smart phone (iPhone,HTC,iPad etc) then you can use a navigation drop pin I have made for you. While viewing this blog on your phone tap the links below to get very precise locations for the start and end of the march on Saturday:

The Bombardier march Staring point <--- Tap this link on your smart phone.
The Bombardier march Ending point <--- Tap this link on your smart phone.

When you tap a link above, it will launch your mapping application and place a "push pin" onto the map with the exact location of the start or end of the Bombardier march . You can then use this marker to get driving, walking or bus directions from your current location.
For example on an iPhone you tap the Directions button at the bottom and this will pre-fill in the start and end locations so just tap the Route button at the bottom and it will show you either the driving route or the walking route. If you tap the middle button at the top, this will even show you which bus number and when the next bus departs !

Of course this protest march is quite a major thing in Derby so some roads are going to be closed due to the amount of people expected for this rally.

These are the Road closures and times so you know where to avoid.
Station Approach - 10.30am to 11.45am.
Siddals Road - 11am to 12.15pm.
Traffic Street - 11.30am to 12.30pm.
The Morledge - 11.30am to 12.30pm.
Albert Street - 11.45am to 12.45pm.
Full Street - 11.30am to 2pm.

You can print out your own Banner for this march HERE.

Want to learn more about what this is about then follow these links :
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-14019992
http://shirazsocialist.wordpress.com/2011/07/21/march-to-save-bombardier-jobs/
http://www.unitetheunion.org/news__events/events/support_the_march_and_rally_to.aspx
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-14249116

Some videos about the Thameslink contract:
Another stitch-up for our railway.
ITN News - 1,400 jobs go at last UK train factory.
Sky News - Bombardier Cuts Over 1,400 Jobs In Derby After Losing Key Government contract.

See you at the march! I will hopefully be recording the march so subscribe to my Youtube Channel and you will get notified when I upload my Bombardier March video at some point in the next few days.
Andy

Amazing song and video by local singer Lynzi, Watch her video "Magical".

2011-07-16T09:37:00.000+01:00

Always keen to promote local videos, This is an amazing song written by Lynzi who is from Eyam in Derbyshire.I must have played this song about thirty times over and over now as I love it so much.
She has been singing and writing her own songs for many years and Magical is her debut video and song.
You may recognise the backdrop in her video as its the hills above Eyam and Foolow.

The music video "Magical" by Lynzi :

Best viewed in Full screen mode.
Or use this link to view it Lynzi - Magical video.

Hope you enjoy listening to her track too, I wish her well with her musical career and hope she does an album soon.

Thanks
Andy

Derby Caribbean Carnival Saturday 16th July 2011 with Procession Route Map.

2011-07-12T12:18:00.013+01:00

Update Sunday 17th - I found a video of Saturdays procession 2011.

Here is my complete guide to this years Derby Carnival. Complete with detailed route map for the procession so you know where the best place to stand along the route to get a view of the dancers and their great costumes. I have also provided a smartphone mapping pin. The procession generally moves very slowly so if you have trouble getting here and parking then don't worry as you can soon catch up with the front of it.

On Saturday 16th July 2011 the 36th Derby Caribbean Carnival Parade will take place, show your support for this annual event. Its always very popular and attracts lots of people. Derby's annual Caribbean Carnival has been running since 1975 !

The Procession starts at 1pm from Pear Tree Street in Derby. After leaving Pear Tree Street, it turns right onto Portland Street, right onto St Thomas Road, Left at the mini round-a-bout onto Pear Tree Road, right up Normanton Road to very top where it meets Lara Croft Way/Mercian Way, Down Babington Lane, left onto St Peters Street, down The Corn Market and finally onto Derby Market Place at about 3pm.

If you are a car driver and are around this area then expect to have to wait while the carnival passes through.

Samantha Glasgow from Normanton is the 2011 Derby Caribbean Carnival Queen, she will lead the procession through the streets of Derby.

Here is a HD video I took last year of the Derby Carnival:

I have taken quite a few photographs at these events over the years but have only got around to uploading photographs I took at the 2005 Derby Carnival. Have a look at my photographs here - 2005 Derby Carnival Photographs on www.derbyphotos.co.uk.

Derby Carnival Procession Route Map
Here is a detailed map showing the complete route that the 2011 Derby Carnival Parade will take on 16th July 2011. Click the link below the map if you want a large version you can print out:

View Derby Caribbean Carnival Procession Route Map. in a larger map

Smartphone mapping pin.
If you have a smart phone (iPhone,HTC,iPad etc) then you can use a navigation drop pin I have made for you. While viewing this blog on your phone tap the link below :

Smartphone push pin <-- Tap me on your smartphone to get exact location of the start of the Derby Carnival.

Smartphone push pin <-- Tap me on your smartphone to get an exact location of the end of the Derby Carnival.

When you tap the link above, it will launch your mapping application and place a "push pin" onto the map with the exact location of the carnival parade start. You can then use this marker to get driving, walking or bus directions from your current location.
For example on an iPhone you tap the Directions button at the bottom and this will pre-fill in the start and end locations so just tap the Route button at the bottom and it will show you either the driving route or the walking route. If you tap the middle button at the top, this will even show you which bus number and when the next bus departs !

360 Degree Views of the Carnival route, use your mouse to look around.

360 view of Pear Tree Street where the parade starts at 1pm.
360 view of St Thomas Road where the parade turns left up Pear Tree Road.
360 view at the bottom of Normanton Road.
360 view at Lara Croft Way (note that this no longer looks like this since the Derby inner ring road was completed)

The Derby Carnival 2011 Poster that you may have seen posted about Normanton.

On Sunday 17th July 2011, the Caribbean Carnival will descend upon Osmaston Park, where music acts will perform on stage. There will also be a fun fair, catering stalls selling Caribbean and European foods and arts and crafts stalls.

The weather forecast for the Derby Carnival does not look that good at the moment but hopefully the rain may go for the procession. If you are driving in from another city then you can always have a look at my local webcams to see for yourself if its raining right now.

Thanks
Andy

At the Derby beer festival again

2011-07-09T14:23:00.004+01:00

Its day 4 of the Derby summer beer festival. This is a live post from the Beer festival, perhaps you are here too. There is only one more day of the festival to go now.
After being here for a couple of hours I got the rather devastating news that "Pickled Pig Porkers Snout" had run out !!

This band are performing in the Darwin suite. They are The Little Giants.

These Ladies performed in the Main Hall then again in the Darwin Suite.

Tomorrow (Sun 10th July) the beer festival is open from 12.00 to 14.30 and is FREE.
For more details on the festival see my post - Derby Summer Beer Festival 2011.

I managed to find a video of Derby Beer Festival that was filmed from the balcony.

-- Post From My iPhone

Location:Market Pl,Derby,United Kingdom

Thanks
Andy

Video - Ticknall Scarecrow Trail, July 2011. Scarecrows take over the village!

2011-07-09T09:40:00.000+01:00

Here is my latest local video. This features most of the Scarecrows that were on show around the village of Ticknall in Derbyshire.
This is Ticknall Scarecrow Trail 2011, where the entire village is taken over by scarecrows !
I have photographed most of the scarecrows but missed a few of them.

Did you visit this event? Which scarecrow did you like best.

Or use this link to watch it : Video of Ticknall Scarecrow Trail 2011.

This is a HD video rendered at 1080p so looks great in fullsreen mode at 720p or 1080p if you have a fast pc and net connection.

The music I have used in my video is Beyond My Sound by 808Chunk used under creative commons license "Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0)"

Thanks
Andy

The 2011 Derby City Charter Summer Beer Festival, On until Sunday 10th July.

2011-07-08T13:21:00.005+01:00

This years Derby summer beer festival opened on Wednesday 6th of July and is ongoing until Sunday 10th July. So there is still time to go along and enjoy the real ales and ciders.
This is at Derby Assembly Rooms which is on Derby Market Place near the Quad.

If you have never been to a beer festival before then you are missing an experience, there are not just beers on sale there are ciders and Perries. You can get some hot or cold food too. T-shirts and glasses are available to buy. And live music to watch each day.

Its best to arrive by foot, there is plenty of parking outside for your Beer Scooter :)

If your looking for a downloadable pdf guide to this years festival then click the link below. It lists all the beers and ciders along with their location in the hall :
Complete Beer list and guide by CAMRA.

When you pay the entrance fee, you go up the stairs and turn left to either hire a glass or buy a glass.
Its £2.50 for glasses which you can redeem at the end if you like.

Here are the opening times for the three remaining days of the festival.

Fri 8th July - 11.30 to 16.00 then 17.00 to 23.00
Sat 9th July - 11.30 to 16.00 then 18.30 to 23.00
Sun 10th July - 12.00 to 14.30

Admission Prices

Fri Lunch: £2 17.00-18.30: £3 Eve: £6
Sat Lunch: £3 Eve: £6
Sun Lunch: Free

Admission is free to CAMRA Members.

I love the ciders they had on.
The best one was "Pickled Pig Porkers Snout" a Med Sweet cider at 6.5% but we also tried "Three Cats" a local brew, "Old Goat" and "Westons Old Rosie". There was a cider called Woodthorpe Hall Ruby Suzie which was 10.5% which I did not try !!

Here are a few photographs I took on Thursday afternoon.

the stage at Derby Summer Beer Festival 2011

This is The Bill Bailey Jazz Band who were performing on Thursday afternoon.

This was the view in the Main Hall on Thursday 7th July. I'm standing near the ciders.

I found this review of the Cider I liked..
Pickled Pig Porkers Snout.

Pop along and enjoy the real ales and ciders.
Leave comments of which Beers and ciders you liked.

Thanks
Andy

Where to Pick Your Own Strawberries near Derby. A Time-Lapse drive to Scaddows Farm, Ticknall.

2011-07-06T13:03:00.029+01:00

One of the best things about Briitish summers is being able to pick your own Strawberries. Here in Derby you don't have to drive too far out of the city to get to a farm where you can pick your own fruit.
Just in case you did not know about this farm I have created a time-lapse driving video below of a drive from Osmaston Road in Derby to the PYO farm.

Do you like the taste of freshly picked English Strawberries with cream?
There is nothing quite like the taste and its cheaper than buying them from the supermarket.

Here in my video I have recorded a time-lapse car journey from Derby to Scaddows Farm near Ticknall in Derbyshire.
As you will see its not too far from Derby City to this "pick your own" fruit farm and well worth the drive.
As well as Strawberries they also have blackcurrents, Raspberries, Redcurrents and Gooseberries, also locally produced fruit and veg etc available in their farm shop.

The PYO Season is June to late July and its open 7 days a week from 9.30am to 7.30pm. Because you can collect so much fruit its great for those people wanting to make Jams or cakes but I just like to eat them with cream.

Driving Details:
The car journey starts on Osmaston Road (A514) in Derby and ends at Scaddows Farm, Ticknall, Derbyshire.
The ENTIRE journey from start to end is on the A514 road so very easy to drive.
It starts in The Osmaston area of Derby then through Allenton, Shelton Lock, Chellaston, Swarkestone, Stanton by Bridge and Ticknall.
This trip is 9.3 Miles and takes about 17 minutes if there is no traffic.

When you arrive at the farm entrance you need to turn left and follow the track along and down to the parking area.
Here you can get your plastic punnet or basket with a handle (you pay for the basket when you weigh in your Strawberries). Speaking personally from experience I find that the best quality Strawberries are found furthest away from the entrance to the field as most people are lazy and just walk to the nearest plants but of course those plants tend to have been picked the most of all.
Also you can find some good crops of berries near weeds and Thistles as people don't like picking near them.
Because you are picking the fruit yourself it means you can select the best of the crop, no point in picking fruit thats not quite ripe or fruit that has started to go mushy. Remove as much of the stalk as possible and don't leave discarded fruit in the walking areas as it ends up all over your shoes!

If you don't want to pick your own Strawberries then you can also buy punnets of Strawberries in the farm shop but seems a bit silly going all that way only to get some picked by someone else.

Costs:
As of July 3rd 2011
We picked 7lb 15oz of fruit and it cost £7.10 (including price for two baskets).

Here is my video:

Music :
Mighty by Olaf used under creative commons license
Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0)
This Track
Olafs music channel.

Driving Route Map
Detailed map of Scaddows Farm

Time-Lapse details :
The driving video is made from 1115 photographs (at 2272x1704 pixels) taken using a modified Canon Ixus 430 camera. Sequenced using Sony Vegas 10 Pro. Video rendered in 1080p (519Mb uploaded video file).

Hope you found my video of use.
Rate and comment if you enjoyed it.

Thanks
Andy

Mercia Marina festival 2011 is this weekend, Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd July.

2011-07-01T19:36:00.011+01:00

This weekend Mercia Marina at Willington have their annual festival. This is the third festival, if your looking for something to do this weekend then why not pop along there is something for everyone to enjoy.
The festival is open from noon to 10pm on Saturday July 2nd, with live music and a fireworks display and on Sunday 3rd July doors are open between noon and 6pm.
Note that the live music and a fireworks display are only on Saturday.

There will be a raffle for a chance to win a ride in a hot air balloon!, Looks like the weather for this event is going to be good so show your support and have a look.
Check out the latest local weather here.

Why not have a look at the Mercia Marina live webcam to see whats going on. You may even spot someone you know walking past the camera. Their webcam looks out over the marina where all the narrow boats are moored up.

If you have never been to Mercia Marina then have a look at my 360 degree VR photograph which I took just outside the Willow Tree Tea rooms.

How to get to Mercia Marina Festival :
Mercia Marina is located on Findern Lane, Derbyshire.
If you have a smart phone (iPhone,HTC,iPad etc) then I have created a drop pin for you. While viewing this blog on your phone tap the link below :

Mercia Marina smart phone drop pin <--- Tap me !

When you tap the link above, it will launch your mapping application and place a "push pin" onto the map with the exact location of the entrance to Mercia Marina. You can then use this marker to get driving, walking or bus directions from your current location.
For example on an iPhone you tap the Directions button at the bottom and this will pre-fill in the start and end locations so just tap the Route button at the bottom and it will show you either the driving route or the walking route. If you tap the middle button at the top, this will even show you which bus number and when the next bus to Mercia Marina departs !

In this Google Street view of Mercia Marina you can see the entrance.

Here is their poster detailing whats going on at Mercia Marina at this years festival.

Example screen capture from my iPhone using the smart phone drop pin link I have provided above, in this example I have tapped the bus icon (middle button). As you can see it shows you which bus to catch, where from and at what time!

Now there is no excuse for not being able to find the marina. I'm sure it will be well sign posted anyway.

Last year, 5,000 people visited the Mercia Marina festival ! I wonder how many will attend this year?

Thanks
Andy

New Video - Beautiful time-lapse clouds filmed over Derby with Kaleidoscopic effect.

2011-06-18T21:45:00.001+01:00

Here is my latest video, its almost eight hours worth of time-lapse cloud footage filmed over Derby, looking towards Derby University.

My time-lapse Derby Clouds video:
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Hope you like it. Best watched at fullscreen and at 1080p (if you have a very fast PC and internet connection.)
Watching this now it looks like the world has flooded with just the tree tops sticking out of the flood water.

How I made it
The video is made from a sequence of photographs I took with my old Canon Ixsus 430 camera. I used some software that allows you to control a Canon camera via the USB lead. The software is called PSRemote, this software has an option to take time-lapse photographs built into it.
You simply select how many seconds between shots and set it going.

In my video I set the duration to every 9 seconds and left it running for almost 8 Hours, this took a total of 3133 photographs.
Of course you have to use a mains power adaptor to keep the camera running for that long.
You also need to make sure you turn off screensavers etc on the PC that you are using to take the photographs.
When I stopped it taking photographs I made it into a video using Sony Vegas as described below.

When was it recorded
I pointed my camera out of my upstairs window in Derby, Derbyshire,UK on 13th June 2011. The first photograph was taken at 14:39 and the last at 22:29

How I created a video from the photographs using Sony Vegas.
I used Sony Vegas 10 Pro 10.0c 64-bit running on Windows 7.
To start with we need to make a video from the source photographs, so..
Goto File - Import - Media
Navigate to where you have saved your sequence of time-lapse photographs and click on the first frame. When you select your first frame it should show you some details at the bottom of the panel
such as File Type : JPEG, Video : 2272x1704x24
Now TICK the option box to the left of where it says "Open still image sequence"
To the right of this where it says range: it should state how many frames it has found example 1-3133
Click on the Open button and in the Properties panel where it says Alpha channel : Change this from None to "Straight (unmatted)"
Now click OK and a thumbnail should appear in your "Project Media" tab with the title based on your imported frame sequence. for example "0001.JPG - 3133.JPG"
Simply drag and drop this thumbnail onto your timeline.
Just for reference my 3133 photographs create a video sequence that lasts for 2 Minutes and 5 seconds (25 FPS playback rate).

At this stage (if you have a fast PC) you can click play to see what it looks like.

How I created the kaleidoscopic mirror effect using Sony Vegas.
I'm going to render this video in HD 1080p so I need to do change the aspect ratio. I want my finished video at 1920x1080, 25.000 fps
So use the Event pan/crop tool on the timeline and set the Preset dropdown menu to "16:9 Widescreen TV aspect ratio" then move the crop area down near the bottom of the frame.
Now add the following Video FX filters onto the video clip.
Colour Curves "Increase Contrast"
Saturation Adjust "Boost midtones"
Mirror "Reflect Right"
Mirror "Reflect Top" move Y axis down to reveal tree tops
And there we have it, ready to render the file.

Music
For the first time ever I have actually used background music which I composed and played myself.
I am NOT a professional musician as you can probably tell. You can always mute the music if its that bad!
The track is called "Clouds from an unknown future" which I wrote way back in 1993.
I recorded it using Steinberg pro 24 running on my Atari 4160 STE and my Yamaha SY22 synthesizer. I've still got all of this old equipment, not sure if the old Atari computer would even boot up though after all of these years!

The music is from my 2000 Album "Dawn of the new millennium" which was on sale at Midas Records of Derby at the time.
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andy.sav/mymusic/
Note I have never released this album other than via the local record shop. Perhaps I should, what do you think?

Did you spot the face at about 47 seconds ?

Thanks
Andy

New video - Handyside Bridge in Derby. A short film about this 134 year old bridge built by Andrew Handyside & Co Ltd

2011-06-13T13:05:00.001+01:00

Here is my latest video, promoting the work of Derby iron founder Andrew Handyside.
Perhaps you have walked across this bridge and wondered what its all about, well in this short film I should be able to answer any questions you have.

My film about Handyside bridge:

Hope you like it and learn something of interest.
For more info please see my dedicated Andrew Handyside blog.

Thanks
Andy

Restored Andrew Handyside Fountain in Australia. Makes you proud to be from Derby.

2011-05-28T00:10:00.040+01:00

You may not know this but Friar gate Bridge was made by the company Andrew Handyside who's iron work during the Victorian era was very much in demand due to its high quality and fine workmanship.

The company produced many ornate fountains around the globe and I would like to tell you about one such fountain that is celebrating its first years anniversary after restoration on 28th May 2011.
The restored fountain is located in the grounds of Prince Alfred College, Adelaide, Australia.

This fountain has a commemorative plaque on the front of it and shows just how proud they are of this fountain that was made in humble old Derby.

Would you like to know more about this?
Have a look at my Andrew Handyside blog about the Prince Alfred College fountain.

Photograph of the plaque :

The restored fountain in all its glory :

If you have never heard of Andrew Handyside then head over to my other blog - Andrew Handyside and Company of Derby and London.

I hope that reading about this fountain has made you feel proud to be from Derby.
Thanks
Andy

Video - Driving around Derby, Allenton to Derby City Centre August 2009

2011-05-15T14:02:00.000+01:00

Here is a video I have recently uploaded to my YouTube channel.
I drove this route on Sunday 9th August 2009 starting at 2pm.
It starts in Allenton, Derby and goes under Spider Bridge along Osmaston Road all the way to the Town Centre and back out again.
I just found this footage in my collection and realised that I had forgot to upload it two years ago!
I thought I would get it online as it features some areas I've not yet covered in my Derby streets by car collection.

Watching this now it makes you realise just how much has changed in Derby in just a short amount of time.
For instance at 04:18 Lara Croft Way was only half open at this time.
At 05:30 you can see Derby Bus Station being built.
At 05:39 all the Morledge area looks old and dated in this footage.
At 06:51 Feels wrong going to the right of the pub here instead of going along the new "Quaker Way" but of course that new bit of road was not built back then.

This video is slightly faster than realtime, I have edited out the longer periods of waiting at traffic lights.

Music :
The music I have selected for my video is used under Creative Commons Licence :
Queenie's Dream of Flight Remix by Platinium Butterfly
http://ccmixter.org/files/F_Fact/30979

The video :
Watch in FULL SCREEN mode! at 720p for best view.

Thanks
Andy

BBC Radio Derby Tour with Anthony Isaacs and Aleena Naylor.

2011-05-09T12:16:00.000+01:00

On Sunday I went on one of the free tours around BBC Radio Derby they they had organised to celebrate their 40th anniversary. The tour lasted over an hour with a group of about 15 people, the tour was led by Anthony Isaacs, the promotions editor.

The tour was really interesting, it started in Radio Derby reception area and then into the office area where we watched a short DVD telling you about what goes on behind the scenes. We were told who sat at each desk including the sports desk, The BBC big screen and even where East Midlands Today sat to do their editing.

We say how technology had changed over the years with regard to recording interviews in the field, starting with large tape reel recorders, minidisc recorder, digital recorder and finally a “FlashMic” which is just a microphone with built-in flash memory recorder.

After the office area we moved into a room between two studios, one had Jeff Harris who was broadcasting live at the time and in the other studio was Aleena Naylor who spent quite some time showing how her show is planned out and how all the equipment works.
Aleena Naylor posing for photograph for me.

After the tour we were invited outside to the BBC Bus for a detailed talk on the digital switchover.
Did you go on one of the tours that were over the weekend?

Thanks
Andy

Derby to Tansley Car Boot, A driving time-lapse video.

2011-05-07T09:41:00.000+01:00

I have just uploaded my latest video. Filmed last Sunday, its a time-lapse driving video. The video starts in Derby and ends at Tansley Car Boot. Its not the most direct route by the way, Yes I know I could do it quicker !

I'm sure if you are into local car boots then you will have heard of Tansley car boot as its the largest one I know of in Derbyshire, If you would like to know more about this car boot such as an accurate map location then have a look at my Tansley Car Boot Sale page.

At 03:12 in the video I have highlighted the current cost of fuel as I think in years to come we will look back on this and be amazed at how cheap it used to!!!

My video of Derby to Tansley Car Boot Sale:

This time-lapse video is made from 2429 photographs.
First photograph taken at 8.14 (Derby)
Last photograph taken at 9.03 (Tansley)
---------------------------
Camera used:
Hardware Modified Canon Ixus 430
Photographs taken at 1600x1200 pixels
The jpeg files sizes are between 69Kb to 407Kb, image size varies depending on brightness and complexity of the image.
The 2429 Photographs were 526Mb in total
Stored onto a Sandisk Ultra III 8Gb SD Card

---------------------------
Software Editing:
I processed the photographs in Corel Paint Shop Pro v11 using a recorded script combined with the Batch Process function as I have described in my blog:
http://derbyphotoscouk.blogspot.com/2009/10/script-recording-and-batch-processing.html

Once all the images were processed I used Sony Vegas 9 Pro to edit this video. I used the "Import Image Sequence" facility that is available in the Import Media panel.

Hope you like the drive.

Thanks
Andy

Celebrate the Royal wedding in Derby Market place today.

2011-04-29T11:52:00.003+01:00

THE biggest Royal Wedding party in Derby is currently taking place in the Market Place, see my photograph below.

Here is a very short HD video clip I filmed about 1130 on the day:

There is live entertainment accompanying the satellite coverage on the Big Screen.Trestle tables have been provided for revellers to enjoy a picnic if you wish.

As you can see there is a there is a stage to the right of the big screen. The live entertainment will be led by singer Erin Parker.

It all started at 8 this morning. come along and join in the fun.

Erin has a passion for the 1940s with an image inspired by screen goddesses like Rita Hayworth, Katharine Hepburn and Lauren Bacall.

Dressed in period clothes, Erin performs songs packed with wartime nostalgia. Favourites like We’ll Meet Again, Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy, Ain’t Misbehavin’, Rum and Coca Cola and Don’t Sit Under The Apple Tree all feature in her repertoire.

-- Posted From My iPhone

Video of Ellen MacArthur opening Heage Windmill on Saturday 23rd April 2011

2011-04-27T12:08:00.007+01:00

Here is my latest short film, filmed in HD last Saturday.
Heage Windmill in Derbyshire opens up each year at Easter and closes at the end of October.
This year Heage Windmill was officially opened by the world famous Yachtswoman Dame Ellen MacArthur on Saturday 23rd April.
This particular opening was even more special as its the 10th Anniversary season since its restoration was completed in 2002.

I was invited as a guest because I created their virtual reality tour in the interpretation centre located in the bottom of the mill. The weather on the day was glorious and sunny but unfortunately there was no wind at all so the sails were not moving.
There was a great turn out for this opening, a marquee had been erected near the windmill for the buffet which had a slideshow running in the corner telling you all about the windmill.

I have hopefully captured the feel of this event in my short film. Ellen MacArthur was born within a stones throw of Heage Windmill at Whatstandwell, famous for her world record of the fastest solo circumnavigation of the globe in 2005.

Ellen MacArthur arrived at the mill on a 1954 BSA Bantam motorbike (which she refers to in her speech).

I met Dame Ellen after she had been on the tour around the mill with her parents, she is a lovely down to earth lady. She said she was really impressed with my VR Tour system and had used it when she had been on two previous visits.

If you would like to visit Heage Windmill this weekend and want more information then please visit their website: Heage Windmill website.Why not visit this weekend after Fridays Royal Wedding celebrations.

The Ellen MacArthur Trust Aims to support, empower and enliven children suffering from cancer or leukaemia by introducing them to the joys of sailing on the sea
www.ellenmacarthurtrust.org

If you are not sure of the driving route to the mill then view my Driving to Heage Windmill video.
To plan your driving route to the mill use my map here : Heage Windmill Map Location.
You can buy their flour at the windmill or at the local farmers markets such as Belper Farmers Market.

Hope you like my film of this historic Derbyshire event. I hope Heage Windmill have a great year due to this publicity, the more visitors they get the more donations they will get to keep this mill running for future generations to appreciate.

If you have not seen my local videos before and enjoyed this one then subscribe to my YouTube channel or follow my blog to get notified about any new videos I make.

Thanks
Andy

Derby's new Wayfinding signs, Have you tried them on your smartphone yet?

2011-04-19T12:22:00.009+01:00

The city's new Wayfinding system is the first of its kind in the country and is a technological breakthrough in location and direction signposting.
The state-of-the-art system combines basic sign boards with the latest technology to allow people to access additional information using smart phones.

Photograph of one Derby's new Wayfinding signs.
This sign is located on Corporation Street exactly where in THIS Google streetview there is a advert for an iPhone.

Notice the strange coloured square symbol below the map (pointed to with a red arrow)

Photograph of a tag on one of our signs.
This particular tag was on the sign on Derby Market Place.

iPhone Screengrab of the website that is launched by this tag.
As you can see it displays a smartphone optimised website with
information relating to this exact location.

iPhone Screengrab of Derby Quad's website as followed by "whats near me?":

This is very clever stuff.
Andy

Video : Driving around Derby's completed Inner Ring Road in HD. March 2011

2011-04-16T08:56:00.000+01:00

Following on from last weeks post of a time-lapse drive around the newly completed Derby inner ring road. I have now uploaded a real video of a drive around the loop in a clockwise then anti-clockwise direction. Filmed in H.D. The video camera was mounted right next to my time-lapse camera so you will see the same views as per my other video but at a speed where you can see them better.

The video file I uploaded to YouTube for this was 700Mb, one of the largest files I have ever uploaded.
The video is best watched in 720p mode or at least 480p mode and in full screen. You do need a fast PC and good broadband connection to do this.

The final link (Mercian Way) in Derby's inner ring road was opened on 16th March 2011, marking the completion of major work on the city's £36.2m Connecting Derby scheme.

Thanks
Andy

New Video : Driving Time-lapse of Derby's completed Inner Ring Road. March 2011

2011-04-09T09:29:00.000+01:00

I have finally got around to uploading my video of a time-lapse drive around the now finished Derby Inner Ring Road. I filmed this on Sunday 27th March 2011.
It is made from photographs sequenced so that it looks like video footage.

I have driven it in both clockwise and anti-clockwise directions to give you an idea of how it looks in either direction.
To enjoy my video at its best you need to watch it in Full Screen mode and at 720p (if your PC and broadband can handle that).

The final link (Mercian Way) in Derby's inner ring road was opened on 16th March 2011, marking the completion of major work on the city's £36.2m Connecting Derby scheme.

My Video :

Thanks
Andy

Andrew Handyside, The reason you should be proud of Friargate Bridge.

2011-04-06T06:43:00.028+01:00

For several months now I have been doing extensive research on the company Andrew Handyside, in case you have never heard of them well they made the very ornate Friargate bridge here in Derby.
As well as our bridge they were renowned around the globe for their high quality iron work.

I have discovered so much about this company that I ended up creating a dedicated blog to the company which I will use to show the world what they have done.
They really did put Derby on the map in the Victorian era and yet I doubt the people of Derby realise this because it seems to have been forgotten in time. Well I'm going to put the record straight here and really promote their history in a way that has never been done before.

If you have not seen my Andrew Handyside blog then go and have a look at some of the amazing things that were all made right here in Derby, they are located all over the world.
People are really proud of these Victorian items and yet we let his bridge rot.

So far I have posted articles on Fountains, bridges and roofs.

Here is a typical high quality cast iron fountain that was made in Derby by Andrew Handyside :

Thanks
Andy