GROWING UP

- the first 48 years of my life in pictures

This page contains a photograph of me for every year of my life. I was born in November 1959, but no one thought of taking any photographs of me until early 1960, so that is where we start. The scrolling text box to the right of the page contains a brief explanation of each picture. The slideshow at the bottom takes you through a year every six seconds.

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1960: The first photograph ever taken of me, when I was four months old.

1961: On holiday in Barmouth, aged 21 months. I still have that plastic seaside bucket!

1962: I got the rocking horse, (which I called "Dobbin"), for my third birthday. I still have it.

1963: My fourth birthday, with Grandma, brother John and my mother.

1964: Early summer in the back garden. I still have the large teddy bear. The bus was the first I ever drove!

1965: Christmas Day with my new Tri-ang (pre-Hornby) train set. I still have that as well!

1966: Christmas Day again with some new toys.

1967: In the back garden with "Our Dad" and my brother John.

1968: On top of the sand dunes at Southport. The fair is in the background and some great historic vehicles can be seen on the coach park, if you zoom in close enough!

1969: In the snow at the Church Road end of the Mill Stile - a raised pathway over Woolton Quarry.

1970: The children's paddling pool (now demolished) in Southport.

1971: On the "Invalids' Walk" pathway on the side of the Great Orme, Llandudno.

1972: On the Craig-y-don boating pool, Llandudno.

1973: With John and "Our Mam" on Llandudno Pier.

1974: With John near the summit of the Great Orme in Llandudno.

1975: Walking down from Happy Valley, Llandudno with John and "Our Mam".

1976: I am driving the world's only double-decker go-kart ever outside our gate in Halewood Drive, Woolton. The nervous-looking top deck passenger is Brian Rimmer.

1977: Emerging from our "Gang Hut" in the back garden. The number 1029 was pinched from a Leyland Panther bus a year earlier - I still have it!

1978: Looking a bit windswept on the North Shore at Llandudno.

1979: Looking cool in shades on Camp Hill, Woolton.

1980: On the fun fair at Rhyl with Andy and Jane Carpenter.

1981: At the wheel of my brand-new Mini (YKD 903W).

1982: In our back garden.

1983: Our Youth Group leader at St James's Church organised a fancy dress party at which I appeared as Andy Pandy. I am pictured with Catherine Letman, to whom I was engaged at the time.

1984: At the wheel of Leyland Olympian 0030 on the Runcorn by-pass on a "Private Hire" duty.

1985: Behind Atlantean 1042 on the M6 services at Charnock Richard on another "Private Hire".

1986: Acting silly at the St James's Church weekend retreat at Abbot's Hall, Grange-over-Sands.

1987: In the sea at Colwyn Bay on another Church weekend away.

1988: I was best man at my brother John's wedding.

1989: At Finch Road, Dovecot, with son Thomas.

1990: Saville Town, Dewsbury. The car turned right across the path of the bus I was driving, so I hit it! I am standing next to the Police Officer in the picture.

1991: With brother-in-law Rob Jenkins in Hunts Cross, Liverpool.

1992: With my new-born nephew, Matthew Salmon.

1993: With my son, Thomas, on Liverpool Tram 869 at the National Tramway Museum at Crich.

1994: At the wheel of a bus at Dewsbury Depot.

1995: My official passport photo, wearing the uniform of Yorkshire Buses.

1996: On a donkey trek on a precarious cliff-edge track not far from Guadalest, on a day excursion from Benidorm, where I was on holiday at the time.

1997: Looking a little sun-tanned and unshaven, having just returned from Benidorm.

1998: Looking very posh at a wedding in Mirfield.

1999: Relaxing at home in Dewsbury.

2000: Relaxing on the beach at Ainsdale.

2001: At Frontierland, Morecambe, with brother John and nephew Matthew.

2002: Ready for work - note the Arriva shirt.

2003: With my new-born daughter, Bethany.

2004: With Bethany at Charlotte's Ice Cream Parlour in Whitley (a mile from our house).

2005: With Bethany and another new-born daughter, Eloise.

2006: At home with Eloise watching snowflakes falling.

2007: With Bethany & Eloise outside our house on a cold February morning.

2008: On duty at a Dewsbury Bus Museum open day.