James Clay Stuff

August 17, 2015

Fountains Abbey

I have been to Fountains Abbey in North Yorkshire, once in 1979 on a school trip and then again in the 1990s when I was visiting York. These photographs are from that visit in the 1990s.

This National Trust property is ruined, was burnt down by Henry VIII following his arguments with Rome over divorce.

Though I was at the University of York in the late 1980s, I never actually got around to visiting again, in the main as when I was at University I didn’t have a car, and public transport wasn’t always an option.

I keep meaning to visit again, we went to York at Easter 2013, but the cold weather at the time (it snowed a lot) meant that we kept to indoor attractions such as the Castle Museum and the National Railway Museum.

If you are a member of the National Trust, and though I went a long time ago now, I would recommend a visit.

August 16, 2015

In the and around the centre

In and around the centre of Bristol there are fair few Shauns to be found. On our Shaun in the City journey, here are three more Shauns.

This one 36. Green Poems for a Blue Planet can be found close to the Watershed.

Quite challenging to get a picture, as it was very busy and popular with people.

In front of the steps in the centre, is 35. Beach Boy.

Looking very much at the seaside, this Shaun probably should visit Weston super Mare now and again. Though he might have trouble finding the sea…

Looking quite scary and guarding the Hippodrome, is 24. BAA-WULF.

See all the Shauns we have found so far.

August 15, 2015

Pembrokeshire Motor Museum

Back in the 1990s I visited the Pembrokeshire Motor Museum near Haverfordwest. This was a small museum, but very much a labour of love for the owner.

I took those images with my film SLR back then and recently scanned the photographs.

In those days, using film, I would conserve the number of shots I would take, as I would ration the 36 frames I had for each film. Whereas with today’s high capacity memory cards, I have been known to shoot hundreds of photographs in a single day.

Sadly memory and time, as well as a lack of information on the web, means I have no real idea about which types of cars these are. Even googling the number plates doesn’t bring up much info.

Sadly due to the ill health of the owner, it is currently closed.

August 12, 2015

Right at the end….

We have found some more Shauns, including some we missed due to the Bristol Harbour Festival.

Right in the heart of Queen’s Square in Bristol is 69. King of the Carnival.

Not sure why, but this isn’t one of my favourites. Not sure of the theme, or why it’s King of the Carnival. If you know, let me know in the comments.

Over by, what was Wildscreen-at-Bristol and is now the Bristol Aquarium, is 37. Life Aquatic, a fish themed Shaun by the fish attraction.

Many years ago I worked for At-Bristol and was in the offices in the old leadworks next to Wildscreen-at-Bristol, which became Wildwalk and then sadly closed.

Unlike number 69, the next Shaun and the final one in the list, 70. Justice Lamb, is one of my favourites and looks great. I like the paint effect of the wig and the robe.

He can be found on one of the corners of Queen’s Square looking as though he is judging everyone who enters the square.

Though it is the final Shaun in the list, we still have a fair few to find and photograph.

August 10, 2015

Freeze…

Okay from 2008, really seven years ago, this video from Grand Central Station in New York still makes me smile.

Back then these things were really viral and went around the internet tubes very quickly. Of course they only went around places like Twitter and Facebook in the first place, but back then very few people were using these services (unlike today). Then they moved to e-mail, and these were sent round like to everyone.

August 6, 2015

I am not a number…

Over the weekend, taking advantage of the good weather we went for a picnic on the Downs in Bristol. As well as having some nice food and fun in the sun, we also took the opportunity to hunt down some more of the Shaun the Sheeps dotted across the city. A previous post shows the Shauns we found on the Downs, and there is a page with all the Shauns we have seen so far.

After venturing from the Downs and down Whiteladies Road, we parked in Clifton Village. As it was Sunday it was easy and free to find parking, we ventured over the first of the Shauns, 23. Bloomin’ Gorge-ous which sits on the grass on the other side of the road to Christ Church.

Looking up at the butterfly on his head, this is quite a calming Shaun. We liked the flowers growing up his legs.

Then we hiked over the Suspension Bridge to find 18. Isambaaard guarding one side of the suspension bridge, complete with Brunel’s quintessential top hat.

Back over the bridge and climb up quite a steep path to the Clifton Observatory to find 19. A Sheep’s Eye View. Another shade of blue this one, with the kinds of views you would expect from the Observatory painted on the side. This Shaun had a watering can and a flower, no idea why.

There are some fantastic views of Bristol and the Suspension Bridge from the Clifton Observatory, so the (short) steep climb is worthwhile. We were tempted to go into the Observatory and down into the caves, but we were on a mission to find more Shauns, so back down the steep path and a short walk to Sion Hill. Here was 20. Baa-lloon!

Covered in flying hot air balloons, this Shaun celebrates the annual International Bristol Balloon Fiesta (which takes place from today (6th August)).

The next Shaun was on the Terrace of the Avon Gorge Hotel, 21. Wish Ewe Were Here. Quite challenging to find and take a photograph as the Terrace was packed with people enjoying a drink in the warm afternoon sun.

The Mall Gardens, which after working out how to get in we found 22. The Shear Speed Helter Skelter.

With a classic funfair look, this was cleverly done.

There are two more Shauns in the Ashton Court Estate, which we didn’t get to, mainly as it was getting late, we were getting tired, and to be honest we’ll probably make a day of it visiting Ashton Course some time (or visit them during the Balloon Fiesta at the weekend.

August 5, 2015March 26, 2020

Impressive SFX

Really impressed with the special effects that were used in Ripper Street recently.

This video shows how footage of real trains was incorportated with digital scenes to create trains running (and crashing) in Victorian London.

Ripper Street trains Breakdown from Screen Scene on Vimeo.

August 3, 2015

…and then we added some more!

The first one was quite a challenge to find, as we stopped the car on our way to the Downs on Canford Lane. We didn’t find the Shaun at first, but after seeing that the Shaun was at 25 Canford Lane, we realised we needed to go further down the road. This we did and we found number 13. Bristol Beauty.

This was simplistic Shaun, pink and blue and covered in Bristol place names. his one was outside the C J Hole estate agents up in Westbury on Trym, a bizarre location we thought at first until we realised that this Shaun had been sponsored by C J Hole.

We drove past 12. Bumble and didn’t stop as we were driving along a busy road, but parked in the Downs intending to walk back Bumble, but we didn’t, so we walked the other way across the Downs to 10. Ram-ble.

Very bright green, this Shaun was very easy to spot from across the Downs, it was also surrounded by people, like us, taking photographs.

The next Shaun was a little challenging to find, as it was hidden away in the entrance drive to the University of Bristol’s Botanical Gardens. 11. Shaun of the Jungle.

Beautifully painted, lots of lovely detail and hidden in the shade, this is one Shaun well worth finding and taking the time to view.

If you are finding this one, be aware (at weekends at least) there is parking within the Botanical Gardens site, so you can safely drive in, park, take your photographs, check off the app, make a donation to the gardens. We chatted with the volunteer by the Shaun and made the decision that we would make a return visit one day to view the gardens.

After a picnic on the Downs and an explore, we started driving over to Clifton village where there are six, we stopped on the way to get a picture of 9. Tutti Frutti.

This was a bizarre looking Shaun, almost zombie’sque in appearance with those tomatoes for eyes. Clever combination of painting of fruit and vegetables. This was a very busy street, so only time for a quick view, a quick photo and a quick sales pitch from the staff at the Kitchens Cookshop, which did sponsor this Shaun and of course where the Shaun is located.

Getting back into the car, we headed off to Clifton Village to find those Shauns on the Brunel Trial, but that’s another story…

July 27, 2015

That’s one scary landing…

The big storm in the Netherlands made for some difficult landings at Schipol Airport as you can see with his landing captured on video.

Glad I wasn’t in that plane.

July 26, 2015

My name is Shaunus Romanus, commander of the flocks of the North, General of the Aries Legions

51. Shaunus Romanus

Up on the top of Victoria Hill in the park (by the coffee bar) is Shaun the Sheep 51. Shaunus Romanus.

My name is Shaunus Romanus, commander of the flocks of the North, General of the Aries Legions and loyal servant to the TRUE emperor, Gromiticus. Father to a murdered lamb, husband to a murdered ewe. And I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next.

It had been raining, so the ground and Shaun were a little damp. I was impressed with how this one had been done, the metal helmet, shield and armour were nice touches.