Bert Vinyl Vibes

Bert Vinyl Vibes Bert Vinyl — North East UK photographer & storyteller. Photos, history, kindness & silly moments with heart.

If one post made you smile today or feel less alone… that’s the legacy there! 😁
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26/09/2026

"First Time Manually Flying"

Back at Albany Park, I decided to get some more manual flying practice with little Neo 2 and capture a different view of the old F Pit.

The plan was simple: a slow panoramic sweep around the pit and finish exactly where I started. Easy, right? 😂

Well... as you'll spot from the "Oops!" moment, I pushed the controls a bit harder than intended (phone controls only here, still too skint for a proper RC 😭) and ended up swooshing off to the right faster than planned.

After regaining composure, repositioning Lil' Rocket and myself, I carried on with the shot and completed the orbit. Getting the drone to stop dead centre facing the F Pit again turned out to be much harder than I expected... hence the final title card:
"And... STOP!"

Every flight teaches me something new, and this was another reminder that smooth manual flying takes a lot more practice than it looks!

What's something you've tried recently that looked easy until you actually gave it a go?

~ Historical Plaque Series: The Forgotten Guardian of Newcastle ~On my way into Newcastle for a physio appointment, I sp...
24/09/2026

~ Historical Plaque Series: The Forgotten Guardian of Newcastle ~

On my way into Newcastle for a physio appointment, I spotted an old building from the bus that I'd somehow never noticed before. Curiosity got the better of me, so I went back to investigate and discovered Plummer Tower.

Built in the late 13th century as part of Newcastle's medieval Town Wall, the tower helped defend the city and is now the only surviving two-storey tower from the old fortifications. It's amazing to think that a piece of Newcastle's history has been quietly standing here all this time, hidden in plain sight.

What's the most surprising historical building, landmark, or plaque you've discovered in a place you thought you knew well?

"Above the Everyday." Hello lovely people, hope you're all doing well 😊Another week is upon us and, once again, I feel l...
22/09/2026

"Above the Everyday."

Hello lovely people, hope you're all doing well 😊

Another week is upon us and, once again, I feel like I'm already losing that creative spark 😞. I really don't know what's going on with me this year. At the start of the year I felt full of ideas and motivation, but as the months have gone by I've found myself feeling less productive and struggling to find the same enthusiasm for creating and posting.

That said, I still managed to get out today for a bit more manual flying practice with the Neo 2. Every time I take it up, I'm getting a little bit braver and pushing myself a little further than the last flight. I headed back down to Albany Park as I couldn't be bothered travelling too far today, but once you're up in the air you get a fantastic view out over Washington and the surrounding area.

Moments like this remind me why I enjoy photography and flying so much. Even on days when the motivation isn't quite there, getting outside and seeing familiar places from a different perspective can help clear the mind and spark a little bit of inspiration again.
Slow progress is still progress, and every flight is another step forward. 😊

Do you ever go through periods where your creativity or motivation seems to disappear? What helps you get it back?

"Pages From a Moody Little Genius" Throwing it back again for Part 2 of my old stories/drawings — this time we’re gettin...
19/09/2026

"Pages From a Moody Little Genius"

Throwing it back again for Part 2 of my old stories/drawings — this time we’re getting a bit more personal.

These are some of the poems I wrote as a kid, including Falling Girl, which I remember writing when I felt like a total outcast at school. I weirdly chose to write it from a girl’s POV because… why not? 😂

Looking back at these poems and drawings now, I can’t believe how talented (and a little dramatic) I actually was back then 😅
I really miss drawing like — but the last time I tried, I picked up a pen and just… couldn’t draw anymore. Maybe revisiting these will help me find that spark again.

Have you ever looked back at something you made years ago and realised you were way more creative than you gave yourself credit for?





"When My Imagination Had No Off‑Switch" There’s something strangely comforting about digging through old stories and doo...
19/09/2026

"When My Imagination Had No Off‑Switch"

There’s something strangely comforting about digging through old stories and doodles — like opening a little time capsule from a version of myself who didn’t overthink creativity, he just did it.
Lately I’ve been feeling that familiar tug… the older I get, the more it feels like my imagination has thinned out around the edges. 😢
When I was younger, I drew constantly, coloured everything, wrote little stories, poems, characters — whole worlds, really.

So for today's posts (yep, 2nd Post out tonight)... I wanted to do something different.
A tiny tribute to that kid who created without hesitation.
I’m sharing a few of the old stories I wrote, along with a handful of the drawings I used to make. They’re rough, silly, dramatic, chaotic — but they’re mine. And honestly, looking at them again made me smile more than I expected.

If anyone genuinely wants to know more about the stories or see them better, just message or drop a comment 😊

What’s one creative thing you used to do as a kid that you’d love to reconnect with again?





"You'll Feel Braver at the Top!" This was from the other day’s drone practice down at Princess Ann’s Park, right next to...
18/09/2026

"You'll Feel Braver at the Top!"

This was from the other day’s drone practice down at Princess Ann’s Park, right next to the Galleries. First calm day I’ve had since getting the Neo 2, so I finally braved taking it properly high — higher than I’ve dared before. Manual controls, steady hands, and a little bit of “please don’t drift off into Sunderland” energy.

From across the park I lined up Durham House, that tall brown landmark that’s been part of the skyline for decades. It used to be a busy office block tied to the Galleries, but after years of declining use it eventually closed, leaving behind this big, familiar silhouette that still watches over the town even though its working days are long gone.

There was something satisfying about capturing it from above — like seeing a piece of local history from a new angle, thanks to a tiny drone I’m slowly getting braver with.

What local landmark do you think would look class from a drone next?





~ Historical Plague Series: Queen Alexandra Bridge: Steel, Stone & Sunderland Stories ~Sunderland again from a few weeks...
17/09/2026

~ Historical Plague Series: Queen Alexandra Bridge: Steel, Stone & Sunderland Stories ~

Sunderland again from a few weeks back 😅 — the Queen Alexandra Bridge. Opened in 1909, it’s one of those structures that’s easy to take for granted until you stop and actually look at it.

The bridge was built as a steel truss crossing for road traffic, pedestrians, and — most interestingly — trains. The upper railway deck carried goods traffic until 1921, when the last steam train crossed over. You can still see hints of that era today: the old brick and stone viaduct fragments, the heavy pillars, and the plaque at the entrance telling the story of tolls, arches, and the Southwick council footing the bill for the approach road.

I’ve walked past this bridge loads of times over the years, but on this day the mix of blue sky, old stonework, and that massive steel frame just hit differently. Sunderland’s history is everywhere — sometimes you just need a solo wander to notice it.

What’s your favourite piece of Sunderland’s industrial history?





“The First Dance… Lost in the Cloud”For Wednesday’s post, here’s a moment from Beck & Andy’s wedding last month. Their f...
16/09/2026

“The First Dance… Lost in the Cloud”

For Wednesday’s post, here’s a moment from Beck & Andy’s wedding last month.
Their first dance was meant to be this magical, cinematic moment… except the smoke machine they’d bought specifically for it went absolutely rogue. 💨

Me, Mam, and pretty much everyone else couldn’t see a single thing through the fog. One second they were there, the next they’d vanished like a pair of newlywed ninjas. Thankfully, it ended up being more hilarious than day‑ruining — everyone was howling, and it somehow made the moment even more memorable.

Sometimes the best bits of a wedding are the ones that don’t go to plan 🤣

What’s the funniest thing you’ve ever seen happen at a wedding?





"Three Chimneys and the Echo of Steam" This shot is from my solo wander around Sunderland a few weeks back — the same da...
15/09/2026

"Three Chimneys and the Echo of Steam"

This shot is from my solo wander around Sunderland a few weeks back — the same day I dipped into Mowbray Park and the Winter Gardens.
Ever since I was little, I’ve been fascinated by these ventilation chimneys. They were built for the old steam trains that used to run beneath the city, carrying smoke and heat up from the tunnels so the platforms didn’t choke with fumes.

There are about five of them still standing, dotted around the area like little industrial relics. But on this day, these three lined up perfectly — the colours, the shadows, the textures — and I couldn’t resist grabbing a photo. Funny how something you’ve seen your whole life suddenly clicks into place through a camera lens.

What’s a piece of your hometown’s history you’ve always been weirdly obsessed with?





"Little Waterfall, BIG Reset."Took some time off from posting — really needed it, to be honest. I’d been feeling low, un...
14/09/2026

"Little Waterfall, BIG Reset."

Took some time off from posting — really needed it, to be honest. I’d been feeling low, uncreative, and just needed a breather from everything. But I’m ready to get back into the swing of things again.

Spent most of last week catching up with real‑life bits, and the garden had basically turned into a full jungle over the summer. This photo is a close‑up of the little water feature I adore out there, taken after the grass was cut, weeds pulled, and everything got a bit of a tidy.

Three years in this house and I still haven’t got the garden where I want it… but I’ll get there one day 😅

What’s one small thing you’ve been meaning to sort out lately?





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