Category: Independent operators
Tameside Bus Service Changes, Winter 2012: First Take Over Denton Route
A mere tinkering about with changes to peak hour services and one operator change
- First Manchester gain 335 from JPT Travel;
- Minor peak hour timetable changes for 217 – 220 buses;
- Extra morning journeys on 216.
The bulk of 2012′s service changes involve peak hour timetable tweaks with Stagecoach Manchester’s services affected by this. Most of which affect services along the Ashton New Road and Ashton Old Road corridors. Continue reading
2011: My Year in the Company of Buses
East of the M60′s review of the year
2011 is one year which bus users and employees east of the M60 wouldn’t forget in a hurry. 25 years on from the start of bus deregulation, it was a tumultuous one dominated by changes to the concessionary fares system, service cuts in the High Peak and hybrid buses.
East of the M60 Advent Calendar: 21 December 2011
21. An Oldham Corporation Roe bodied Leyland Titan PD2/20
The Leyland Titan PD2/20 was pretty much a part of late 1950s and early 1960s Oldham Corporation operations. Some survived well in to the SELNEC era.
Bus Route of Christmas Past: Chadderton – Oldham – Fitton Hill. By the late 1950s, the 21 took in the then new Fitton Hill estate. In 1973, it was renumbered 421; in 1986, whilst in that guise, the Chadderton (Whitegate Lane) terminus was changed, extended to Moston (Gardeners Arms). Today, the Moston – Oldham section of the 421 is now served by the 81 service from Manchester – Derker with Oldham – Fitton Hill served by an upgraded 425 service. To accommodate this, the 421 and its sister route, the 423, were withdrawn with the current replacement operating from Fitton Hill to Oldham and Holts Estate.
Bus Route of Christmas Present: appropriately for the shortest day of the year, I have chosen one of the shortest bus routes in Greater Manchester. Operated by Manchester Community Transport on Monday – Saturdays, and Go-Goodwins on Sundays, the 21 from Altrincham to Warburton Green takes 12 minutes to reach the two points. The Monday – Saturday route in full continues beyond Warburton Green to Timperley, taking 28 minutes. It also has one of the oddest service frequencies in Greater Manchester – every 68 minutes (the shorter Sunday service is every hour)!!!
S.V., 21 December 2011
East of the M60 Advent Calendar: 17 December 2011
17. A future girl, she wants a future boy (who knows the Greater Manchester Transport bus network like the back of his hand).
Greater Manchester Transport’s leaflets were real gems as far as graphic design is concerned. Though the hairstyles have changed course in the last 30 years, this leaflet still stands up well against contemporary works. Continue reading
Christmas and New Year Bus Services in Tameside
Important information regarding Christmas and New Year bus services in the borough
Back in the days when Woolworth stores reigned the shopping centres, there was such thing as frequent bus services (well, akin to today’s Sunday services rather to 192 style daytime frequencies) on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. Since the start of deregulation, this has become an impossibility – despite retailers’ preponderance to open on Boxing Day, denying bus users a chance of the early sale bargains (and actively discriminating against non-car owning employees forced to work on Boxing Day).
OK, rant over, now to concentrate on the real reason behind this post… Continue reading
East of the M60 Advent Calendar: 14 December 2011
14. Just the thing for your Turkey and Tinsel break
Besides Greater Manchester Transport’s more workaday role (of safely carrying passengers from A to B over a given route), there was other concerns like the SELNEC Express Parcels concern in Parrs Wood, Dial-a-Ride and Charterplan. Originally known as SELNEC Travel, it adopted that name in 1975, offering private coach hire services and excursions. It also offered a direct coach service from Manchester to Paris and a selection of holidays in the UK and on the continent. Continue reading
East of the M60 Advent Calendar: 12 December 2011
12. A Go-Ahead Group Brighton and Hove Scania N94UD OmniDekka
Brighton and Hove’s Scania OmniDekkas are a rare beast. This may look like a common and garden contemporary double decker as the devil in the detail is off camera. Most bus rear indicators only show the route number. Brighton and Hove’s vehicles have the full front indicator on the rear of the bus. This example is photographed outside the entrance of Eastbourne Pier.
Bus Route of Christmas Past: Flixton – Piccadilly. One of two 12s in central Manchester and Salford. Operated by Manchester Corporation, this service had a basic hourly frequency with extra peak hour journeys, though no Sunday morning journeys. Most of the 12 service is covered by today’s 256 route to Flixton operated by Stagecoach Manchester.
Bus Route of Christmas Present: Continuing with Stagecoach – and the seaside theme of the picture, our 12 is Stagecoach in Devon’s Newton Abbot – Torquay – Paignton – Brixham service. Popular all year round, the service boasts a 10 minute daytime frequency with an evening, Sunday and Bank Holiday service every 20 minutes. It is also the easiest way for approaching Torquay and Brixham town centres. The standard 12 route is also augmented by 12A and 12C services to Brixham and Torquay.
S.V., 12 December 2011
East of the M60 Advent Calendar: 05 December 2011
5. A Network Warrington Marshall bodied Dennis Dart
The Marshall Capital bodied Dennis Dart has had its critics since the first examples hit our streets in 1998 – 99. Early operators of this single decker throughout Greater Manchester included Mayne of Manchester. They were a staple of the 171/172 (Newton Heath – Withington) routes and the evening 220 service from Stalybridge to Manchester. Stagecoach Manchester inherited them from Mayne in February 2008 with them seeing regular service on the 11 (Altrincham – Stockport) and the 7 (Ashton-under-Lyne – Droylsden – Reddish – Stockport) routes.
Today, the Marshall Capital bodied Dennis Darts remain a regular feature of Network Warrington’s operations (seen above on Stamford New Road, Altrincham). In Tameside, SpeedwellBus’ examples were recently seen on the 343 (Oldham – Mossley – Hyde) route.
Bus Route of Christmas Past: Droylsden – Ashton-under-Lyne – Smallshaw. Operated by Ashton-under-Lyne Corporation, this service had a basic hourly frequency with extra journeys (bringing the service to every half hour) on Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays. Ashton’s 5 route is covered by today’s 393 (Ashton – Smallshaw), 168 and 169 (Ashton – Chorlton-cum-Hardy/Southern Cemetery) services, with three different operators (JPT Travel and Stagecoach Manchester on the 168/169, First Manchester on the 393).
Bus Route of Christmas Present: Network Warrington’s 5 route from Altrincham to Warrington. Running every half hour till 2000 hours, it takes in Dunham Massey and Lymm. There is no Sunday and Bank Holiday service (the 37A/38 offers that facility during the daytime, albeit at a modest hourly frequency).
S.V., 05 December 2011
East of the M60 Advent Calendar: 04 December 2011
4. A Sheffield Transport Roe bodied Daimler Fleetline
This handsome fellow was the last ever new bus to have been delivered to Sheffield Transport, prior to absorption into South Yorkshire PTE. Now lovingly restored, the entrance door is marked so passengers would have a choice of paying the driver, or using the self-service Videmat machine. The latter printed a facsimile image of coins tendered, though unscrupulous passengers paid with bottle tops and foreign coins.
Bus Route of Christmas Past: My most obvious move would have been the 4/4A which forms part of today’s 343 route. Ever one for defying the obvious, I have opted for Ashton Corporation’s Park Bridge – Ashton-under-Lyne service. The service started life as a twice weekly bus in 1956, for the sole purpose of linking Park Bridge with Ashton Market. The closure of the OA&GB Railway to passengers in 1960 saw the service upgraded with six return Saturday journeys. On weekdays, five on Mondays and Fridays, four on Wednesdays and Thursdays and three on Tuesdays.
Bus Route of Christmas Present: Connex Jersey’s 4 is a short north to south route from Bonne Nuit to Saint Helier. Taking 33 minutes to complete the journey, this service has eight return journeys on Mondays to Saturdays. There is no Sunday service; this is covered by the 27 which has four return journeys every two hours.
S.V., 04 December 2011
Two Tameside Bus Routes Among 50 of the UK’s Favourite Bus Journeys
343 and 350 routes listed in new book on scenic bus routes
In the midst of the half term holidays, or during the forthcoming Christmas ones, you may wish to take a more scenic route between Ashton and Oldham, or Mossley and Oldham away from the crowds. In Mossley, you have the joys of getting to Oldham the quicker way via Lees, or the circuitous route via Saddleworth. Continue reading
