Trains

Today's post for ABC Wednesday is T for "Trains" and the photo shows Ashton's Charlestown Station with a train at each platform.

On the right hand side, the train from Manchester heading for Stalybridge is waiting. On the left hand side, a train from Stalybridge is just arriving on its way to Manchester.

The brown building on the left houses the offices of Tameside Council. The blue buildings in the background are Assheton House and IKEA, which were seen in last week's photo of the new tram terminus.

See Google Street View of this location.

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"Trains" is a contribution to ABC Wednesday. For more "T" posts from around the world please follow this link.

Number Nine

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"N" is for "Number Nine" and today's photo shows two buses outside Park Cakes at Hathershaw, on the historic Number Nine route between Rochdale, Oldham and Ashton. The bus is the former Ashton under Lyne Corporation Transport bus no. 44, which was new in 1965. The bus behind is former Oldham Corporation Transport's bus no. 394, which was new in 1957.

The route started off as a a combination of tram or trolley bus routes, connecting at Hathershaw and Thornham. In 1939 the three towns of Ashton, Oldham and Rochdale replaced the trams and trolley buses on this route and started a through motor bus route - the 9, with buses from all three towns travelling the whole route on a joint running arrangement. In the 1970s the route was re-numbered 409 and this is still the number of the same bus route today.

The photograph, although showing a scene that might have been common in the 1960s, was in fact taken last Saturday, when the Greater Manchester Museum of Transport organised a special event remembering the Number Nine service. Four buses re-created the old Corporation bus days by running along the entire old Number 9 route, stopping for photos at several points.

The photo above was taken outside Park Cake Bakery on Ashton Road, Hathershaw. The photo below shows the four buses that took part in the re-enactment lined up outside the Museum of Transport. Ashton 44 is on the right and Oldham 394 on the left. Also in the photo are former Rochdale Corporation 280, new in 1956, with its distinctive swooping livery, and rear-engined former Oldham Corporation 163, new in 1967. This last bus is based at the transport museum in St Helens. The other three buses are part of the Manchester transport museum's collection.


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"Number Nine" is a contribution to ABC Wednesday. For more "N" posts from around the world please follow this link.
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Save the 343!

A Facebook Group has been launched to save the 343 bus service! Although it doesn't go to Ashton, it goes to lots of the neighbouring towns, going from Hyde to Oldham by way of Dukinfield, Stalybridge and Mossley.

The route has a long history, being formed out of two routes. The route from Oldham to Top Mossley was run jointly by Oldham Corporation as Route E and by SHMD as route 16. In 1969 this became SELNEC's route 416.

SHMD Route 4 was the only bus service to link all four towns that made up the SHMD operation - Stalybridge, Hyde, Mossley and Dukinfield. Some journeys later ran through Micklehurst estate as the 4A. These routes were later renumbered 344 and 343. Until the 1970s the half-hourly 343/4 service was the only route that linked Top and Bottom Mossley, although these days there are 11 buses an hour in each direction between these two points.

From 1980 the 343 was extended to Oldham to replace the 416. However, passenger numbers have fallen over the years and the service is now hourly throughout the route. In 2007, First Bus decided the 343 wasn't profitable and pulled out of the daytime operation, although they still run it at night and on Sundays, when it is subsidised.

Since then it has been run by Hyde-based Speedwellbus, but now they have also decided that it is unprofitable, and have announced their intention to withdraw the route in early October. These photographs, taken at lunchtime today, show the bus leaving Top Mossley for Hyde with just three passengers on board.

This is where the "Save the 343" campaign comes in. The aim is to persuade GMPTE that the service should be subsidised in the daytime as well, so that vital links will be maintained. It is the only route that links Oldham and Mossley (apart from going all round through Delph, Dobcross, Uppermill and Greenfield!). It is the only route along Oxford Street and Birch Lane in Dukinfield and along Bennett Street and Old Road in Hyde.

Anyone with an interest in helping to keep this bus route could join the Facebook group to find out more about what is happening with this service.

Also, if you are in the Mossley area and want to sign a petition, you can do so in Countrystyle Cafe, Manchester Road, Mossley, or at the Pennine Medical Centre, Mossley, but only until Friday 4th September.

I am indebted to David Beilby for refreshing my memory about the details of the history of the route, through his excellent web page. This includes a range of photos of buses on the route over the years, and which is sure to bring back a few memories.


Update:
From October 5th, Monday to Friday daytime journeys on service 343 are being run by First on a temporary basis until the route goes to tender properly. The Saturday service is still being run by JPT. First will continue to run the tendered evening and Sunday service.

Get Around for a Pound

Hyde-based independent bus operator Speedwell started a new bus route yesterday. The number S50 runs every 20 minutes from Hey Farm, through Mossley, Ashton and Droylsden to Manchester Shude Hill.

The thing that makes this service a little different from the competition is that all fares, for whatever distance, are £1 (or 50p for children). That means Ashton to Manchester for £1. Mossley to Ashton for £1, even Mossley to Manchester for £1.

These are considerable reductions on the usual fares. It remains to be seen whether Speedwell can tempt passengers away from the other bus companies and, perhaps more importantly, tempt people out of their cars!

The S50 is the green and white bus in the photo, which is moving away after dropping passengers off outside Ashton Market.

Speedwell has launched a web site about the new service:
http://www.speedwellvalue.com
in which they explain their "vision".

Prospective customers should note that the bus does not divert into Tameside Hospital and the Manchester terminus is at Shude Hill rather than Piccadilly.

Stalybridge Saturday: Brushes Valley

Today's photo looks down Huddersfield Road towards the Royal Oak and the junction with Grove Road in Millbrook. The road curves to the left at the bottom of the hill before heading uphill through Millbrook village towards Carrbrook and Mossley.

Straight ahead we are looking up the steep-sided Brushes Valley towards Walkerwood Reservoir (see Google or Live views below).

The traffic lights at the bottom of the hill have recently been installed because of the extra traffic emerging from Grove Road since the building of houses and apartments there.

In 1908 a single deck tram car ran away down this hill and crashed through a wall before plunging down a bank into a stream [see photo].

See Google Aerial View of this location.
See LiveSearch Birds Eye View of this location.

Sunday Stroll: Diggle Locks

Ashton is a good starting point for walking along canal towpaths, which are more or less flat and pretty easy going. The first part of the Huddersfield Narrow Canal, between Ashton and Stalybridge, is interesting enough but very industrial.

Eight miles along the canal, however, you are in another world as the locks of the Diggle flight climb up from Uppermill to Diggle, where the canal disappears into the 3.2 mile long Standedge Tunnel.

Alongside the canal, the railway also climbs towards its own tunnel, parallel with the canal tunnel.

When you are walking along a canal, it is always nice to see a boat to add colour and interest to the scene. But even more interesting also to see a steam train passing on the railway line in the background! I'm afraid the engine itself had passed by the time I got the camera ready, but this particular one was hauling twelve carriages, so I had time to capture them!

See Google Aerial View of this location.

Shades of Blue

Today's photo was taken from the roof of The Arcades shopping mall, from the same spot as last week's photo of Water Street.

It shows the IKEA store in the centre of the photo, with the Wellington Road bingo emporium and retail park to the right. To the left is Assheton House, probably one of the most convenient blocks of flats for shopping and buses!

It's a good job Ashton's buses are no longer blue, or they would really clash with the assorted shades of blue in this photo!

See Google Aerial View of this location.
See LiveSearch Birds Eye View of this location.

Heading East

The 1607 departure from Ashton to Stalybridge moves out of what was once known as Charlestown Station for the 6 minute journey to Stalybridge, where it will terminate. Alternate trains from Manchester Victoria to Ashton and Stalybridge continue to Huddersfield, stopping at all stations en route.

The train has just passed under Henrietta Street. On the left, through the trees, Tameside Council's offices can be seen. In the distance beyond the bridge lies the blue bulk of IKEA.

This line is now used only by local trains. The Trans-Pennine Express trains bypass Ashton on the track that passes through the site of the former Park Parade Station on their way to Manchester Piccadilly.

See Google Aerial View of this location.

Alphabet Friday - Stockport Road

S is for Stockport Road, which is the main A6017 road from Ashton towards Guide Bridge, Denton and, of course, Stockport.

This photo is looking along Stockport Road towards the centre of Ashton from the bus stop in Trafalgar Square. The tower of St Peter's Church is seen in the centre of the photo. The Twelve Apostles terrace is out of shot to the right.

See Google Aerial View of this location.

Platform

Today's picture shows the east-bound platform of Ashton under Lyne's railway station. The station was originally known as Charlestown station, to distinguish it from Park Parade and Oldham Road stations.

The station is on the line into Manchester's Victoria Station, and is bypassed by the Trans-Pennine Express trains, which take the line to the south of the town towards Manchester's Piccadilly Station.

The two railway lines pass on either side of an island platform that houses a waiting room and ticket office. The photo was taken during a quiet period between trains.

See Google Aerial View of this location.

Alphabet Friday - Old Tram Depot

"O" is for "Old Tram Depot" and that is what this building on Cowhill Lane used to be. It was used by the Manchester Carriage and Tramway Company between 1881 and 1901. When Ashton's tramway system was taken over by Ashton Corporation, a new, bigger depot was built on Mossley Road, which became the town's bus garage.

The depot in Cowhill Lane was used by horse-drawn trams. There was stabling for the horses on the upper level, accessed from the rear of the building. This building is adjacent to St James's Church.

I wouldn't like to imagine exactly what "Impregnation Services" has to offer.....

See Google Aerial View of this location.

Down The Line

October's Theme Day is "Lines" and so the photograph today shows the railway lines that pass through the southern fringes of Ashton, between Stalybridge and Guide Bridge stations.

The train in the photo is the Trans Pennine Express that departed from Middlesborough at 9.00 am and travelled by way of York, Leeds and Huddersfield. It is heading for Manchester Piccadilly station and Manchester Airport. Sadly, the train does not pass through Ashton under Lyne station.

The photo is taken from Granville Street, Cockbrook, which was also the scene of this photo.

See Google Aerial View of this location.

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Portland Basin

A view across the wharf at Portland Basin in Ashton, showing some of the canal boats that are moored in the arm in front of the museum.

The building is a replica of the original Ashton Canal Warehouse, which was destroyed by fire. In the original warehouse, canal boats were able to go through the arches to be loaded up under cover or to have their cargoes hoisted to or from the upper floors of the building.

The apartments just visible in the background stand on the site of Junction Mill.

Vintage Cars (3)

Yet another photo from the vintage car rally in June. Today's photo shows a 1952 Morris Oxford MO alongside a 1959 Mark 2 Ford Consul.

The Oxford was the big brother to the Morris Minor. The Consul was the cousin of the more powerful Zephyr and predecessor of the ubiquitous Cortina.

Vintage Cars (2)

Another photo today of the vintage car rally that took place in June. Along Bow Street, facing the market ground, is this line-up of Ford vehicles, all of which were such familiar sights in their time! Nearest the camera is a Ford Popular from the 1950s. Behind that is a selection of later Populars, Anglias or Prefects.

Vintage Cars

In June there was a vintage car rally in the area around Ashton's market ground. This immaculate line-up in Warrington Street includes a 1930s Austin 7 and a Rolls Royce.

I think the Rolls Royce is a 1930s 20/25 or Wraith. Perhaps someone could confirm or correct this? Funny how it is the Austin that is getting all the attention!