Place: Occupation

Aldeburgh Music - Place: Occupation

We were delighted to be chosen by Aldeburgh Music to provide the coach transport part of this event.  We used our newest acquisition which had arrived a few days earlier, nicknamed 'Bagpuss' because of the registration number (soon to be changed). This was its first outing in our ownership and new vinyls are being fitted shortly.  See below for pictures.

Follow this link to Aldeburgh Music

The weather was bright and sunny with a cold easterly wind blowing across the airfield so there was no need to use the airconditioning on Bagpuss!

Details of the event are as follows:

Group visits to Bentwaters Cold War Museum and tours of the airfield can be arranged through us (bucklandcoaches@yahoo.co.uk) or the Museum.

"PLACE: Walk

Sunday 2 February 2014, 12.30pm

Suffolk has been occupied for much of its history, most recently by the many military installations that still litter the county. This guided walk around the former RAF Bentwaters near Woodbridge is led by volunteers from the Cold War Museum based there. It explores parts of what remains of the original airbase with a detour to the Grade 1 listed Wantisden Church on the perimeter fence, a remote and largely unvisited gem.

Meet at Bentwaters Cold War Museum at 12.30pm (parking on site). The walk will be led in two groups of 25. A coach leaves from outside the Hoffmann building at Snape at 12.15pm, returning after the walk (approx 4pm). Please confirm if you will use the coach when booking. Coach transport will also be provided to the furthest parts of the Bentwaters site.

Please note: Bentwaters is a large and exposed site: please wear warm clothing and suitable footwear. If in the event of extreme weather the walk is  cancelled, ticket buyers will be refunded. No dogs please."

A Surprise Visitor

 A Surprise Visitor

Apart from Ermintrude and our Volvo coaches, we don't see many high value, high performance vehicles on site.  So, it was quite a surprise on a wet January day to see a white Alfa Romeo 4C turn into our car park.  It turned out that Alfa Romeo were doing a photo shoot nearby and the car wasn't clean enough so they needed a hose.  Out with the camera and a few shots before it went away.  In return we were offered a ride in it but sadly the photoshoot took too long and it was back to earth with a bump as we left to do our school runs.  However, the marketing lady was very interested in Ermintrude and we may well see her or Florence featured in future Alfa advertising material (if the cars can keep up*).

 To see the 4C take a look at 4c.alfaromeo.com/

 * 0–100 km/h (0-62 mph) 4.5 seconds

Florence's Film Career

Florence’s Film Career

You may have read about Ermintrude’s role in Dancing On The Edge (BBC2 2013).

It was Florence’s turn next and in late 2013 she set off from Rendlesham for Hackney, in East London, where she was needed for a few days as part of a film set depicting a disused bus garage.  The location was bounded by a canal, the gasworks, a railway line and a series of derelict buildings.  I remember thinking ‘We’ve made the big-time here!’ as I parked Florence where directed then caught a train back to Wickham Market. 

All I knew at this stage was that she would not need to be driven while at the location and I waited for a call to come and take her away.  I assumed the shoot was for a commercial or a promotional video.

A few days later I was told that I could collect her the next morning and I set off by train back to Hackney.  Trains were running late and I missed my connection at Ipswich.  I was late on set and I knew I had missed the opportunity to move Florence off the set at the expected time.

.

On arrival I was puzzled to see press photographers positioned to take shots of the set which was now screened off from public view.  Shooting was taking place and I had great difficulty persuading the security people that I needed to get on the set.  I then discovered that it was not a commercial I was involved in but scenes from Johhny Depp’s latest full-length feature, entitled ‘Mortdecai’.  It also stars Gwynneth Paltrow and Ewan McGregor.

And No!  I didn’t see any of them but I did see Johnny Depp’s trailer, and watched his stunt-double hit by a Rolls-Royce and flung into the air before crashing through the windscreen.  Three times!

At 4.45pm I was finally allowed to drive off into the London rush-hour traffic and make my way home.  Tragically, a cyclist had been killed in a collision with a lorry in Bow and all traffic was being delayed and diverted making it a very long and slow journey.  

After several hours Florence and I both heaved a sigh of relief as we reached Suffolk and the calm of Rendlesham. 

Ermintrude's Film Career

Recollections of filming Dancing on the Edge

Having finally watched all the episodes of Dancing On The Edge, we now understand where our short sequences with Ermintrude fitted into the story.  At the time we had no idea of the story itself, let alone what Ermintrude was supposed to be doing there.

The first shoot was in early December 2011 and Robert Spall and his partner Jo delivered Ermintrude to a spot on the A25 where I could drive to the location at Addington Palace.  On arrival I learned that the shoot would be after dark and Ermintrude took part in a number of rehearsals before then.  All I knew was that I had to drive a short distance following a vintage sports car onto the forecourt of the building with some musicians inside the bus.

Various camera angles were tried out at this stage and in one run Stephen Poliakoff and the cameraman sat perched above the rear seats in the sports car behind Chiwetel Ejiofor (who was to drive) and Wunmi Mosaku who were playing playing Louis & Carla.  The car had been driven to the location by a chap who had explained to me that there was a catch that had to be moved out of the way before reverse gear could be engaged and had to be replaced to prevent reverse being engaged accidentally.  He positioned the car immediately in front of the bus for each rehearsal and shoot and on one occasion forgot to replace the catch.

As the word ‘Action!’ came through our radios, Mr Ejiofor set off briskly in reverse before stopping just as Mr Poliakoff was about to be inserted into the radiator and the starting handle was about to be inserted into the sports car.  The look on the upturned face of the famous director will remain with me for a long time.  I was unable to hear his comments. 

We set off home quite late and I arrived at about 1.00 am having neglected to advise my beloved that my hair had been cut, my beard shaved off and I was sporting a black thin pencil moustache.  Her screams when she first saw me next morning could have woken the village.

The next shoot took place on a bitterly cold day in February 2012.  The location was Whitehall Place not far from Trafalgar Square.  It became clear that this scene involved Ermintrude leaving the National Liberal Club (doubling as the exterior of The Imperial Hotel) with the band.  Again I had no idea of the storyline.  From time to time we would rehearse a scene which involved the musicians leaving the hotel with their instruments, boarding the bus and being driven off.  There were long periods of complete boredom and at one point a Japanese lady came up to me and asked what was going on.  I replied that we were making a film.  She asked me what it was about.  On reflection, I think it was a combination of boredom and hunger and the onset of hypothermia that made me reply

 “It’s about Winston Churchill”

She thanked me and went off, only to return a few moments later with a small group of Japanese tourists.

“This gentleman is going to tell us all about Mr Winston Churchill and his film”, she gushed.  I let them have it.  I included a reference to a nearby vintage Rolls Royce as his car and ascribed roles to one or two of the actors who were in view.

I like to think that when Dancing on the Edge is shown in Japan, a small group of ladies may sit through five episodes awaiting the appearance of Winston S Churchill.

UFTON - A SPECIAL PARTNERSHIP

 

Ufton - Final Update

I have had a lovely letter from Guide Dogs thanking us for supporting Ufton.  When we first met Ufton he was just a small puppy, still unsure on his paws.  We have been following his progress for two years now and in his final report his partnership with Robert has really blossomed and they are quite obviously a great team.  Robert has said ' I've never had a bond with any other dogs like I have with Ufton. He's changed my life 100 per cent for the better.'

Thank you for following my blog.  I hope you have enjoyed following Ufton's progress as much as we have.

Since the last update I have decided to carry on our sponsorship and oh dear here he is. Welcome to Scooby.

In the meantime I would like to wish Robert and Ufton a long and faithful partnership.  Thank you for letting us be a little part of it.

Jenny & Tony

If you would like to follow Scoobys progress please click on the link and type in Scooby in the Search box at the top of the home page.

                                                             guidedogs.org.uk

  

 

'Dancing On The Edge', Episode 2

Ermintrude (TE7870) finally made her appearance and we all thought how smart she looked as she set off with the band to meet the Prince of Wales (later to be King Edward VIII, who abdicated and brother Bertie became King George VI - it's all in 'The King's Speech').

The scene had been shot a year earlier on 4th February 2012 and it was a bitterly cold day involving hours of sitting about trying to keep warm although the bus seemed to attract as much attention from the tourists as the filming did.

On return home, Ermintrude's engine was removed for a delayed complete strip-down and to have a set of new pistons fitted as it had begun to smoke a bit.

 

We took the opportunity to carry out a number of minor improvements and as a result Ermintrude behaved perfectly doing many weddings and other outings throughout the summer.  Her last event of 2012 was on 7th December when we helped to promote the '1928 House' in Aldeburgh.  This house and its contents had remained unchanged since it was built and it has now been very sympathetically restored by Best Of Suffolk Holiday Cottages.  Details on holiday lets are at 'www.bestofsuffolk.co.uk'.  There was a short film on Anglia TV - take a look at:

  http://www.itv.com/news/anglia/story/2012-12-07/historic-workers-house-saved-from-development/

TE7870 Dancing On The Edge 4th Feb 2013 

Well, bit of a mystery here.  We were assured by Ruby films that Ermintrude's scenes were in the first episode of Dancing On The Edge.  Sadly not so after we bought popcorn and settled down to await her appearance - there was a nice shot of a coach taking Wesley away but no Ermintrude. The story so far hasn't reached the part where our scenes were set so just carry on viewing this remarkable series.  In the meantime here are some shots taken during filming in Whitehall.  Spot Anthony Head, Janet Montgomery, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Matthew Goode, Joanna Vanderham and Stephen Poliakoff.

Below is a capture of TE7870 in her previous livery in a C4 production 'A Dance To The Music Of Time' in 1997