Category: Dukinfield
In Pictures: The 2012 Dukinfield Whit Walks
East of the M60 World Exclusive: images of this year’s Whit Walks in Dukinfield
Dukinfield’s churchgoers were treated to excellent weather for this year’s Procession of Witness. The blistering heat made for conditions more suitable for barbecues instead of brass bands and church banners. For some, this was a nice change from previous walks where wind or rain made the going less easy, more for brollies instead of barbecues. In spite of the sunny conditions, there were few onlookers, most of which concentrated around the Town Hall.
It was also an emotional Whit Walks for St. Luke’s Church’s parishioners. Owing to structural problems affecting the church, a recent quote to arrest the subsidence was deemed beyond the reach of their finances. Therefore, the church will be dissolved by the start of 2013, with this year their last appearance on Whitsuntide.
The Procession of Witness, popularly known as the Whit Walks is a religious occasion celebrating Pentecost, where all churches assemble at a central part of the town centre. Some people may choose to walk with their church, or choose to watch the churches walking and assembling. Each church is led by a brass band. Sometimes, they may opt for a reed band like Dukinfield’s very own Adamson’s Band, or (as seen on the Manchester Whit Walks) bugle bands, which some critics say run counter to tradition.
Video: St. Luke’s C of E Church:
Images of the 2012 Dukinfield Whit Walks:
Dukinfield Methodist Church
St. Mark’s Parish Church
Old Chapel Unitarian Church and Tyldesley Band
St. John’s Castle Band leading out Dukinfield Baptist Church.
S.V., 27 May 2012 (Whit Sunday)
Down Our Street #5: Park Road, Dukinfield
A wander along a historical road of industrial importance
Park Road, Tame Valley, Dukinfield:
- Distance: 0.85 miles;
- Start: Crescent Road/Riverside, Dukinfield;
- Finish: Tame Street, Stalybridge;
- Bus: 346 (alight at Crescent Road).
Though with its semi rural origins, Park Road became an important connection with two major town centres at either end. It links the Tame Valley part of Dukinfield with Ashton-under-Lyne at its most westerly point, and Stalybridge in the east. In miniature, it documents the story of Tameside during the industrial revolution, its rise and its fall. Continue reading
An Easter Surprise for Oldham Schoolchildren
New Optare Versas set to whisk Oldham schoolchildren to class in style
New to Oldham Depot: First Manchester/TfGM Optare Versas. (Photo by Bungle666)
An easter egg in the form of new hybrid vehicles will be heading towards Oldham and Tameside. First Manchester has received a number of low carbon Optare Versas for TfGM’s Yellow School Bus services. Each vehicle will seat 57 pupils, the equivalent of two form groups including three teachers.
Rear view of Optare Versa. (Photo by Bungle666)
Everything’s Gone Green – in Dukinfield!
I can confirm that Dukinfield garage’s latest batch of hybrid Optare Solo SRs will be operational from the 15 April. The lucky recipients of these new vehicles will be passengers of the 41 route from Crowhill to Ashton-under-Lyne and Dukinfield (Tennyson Avenue). They will also be seen on the 419 route from Middleton to Ashton-under-Lyne. The new Solos will be allocated FirstGroup national fleet numbers 59010, 59011 and 59014 to 59016.
First’s new buses are part-funded by Transport for Greater Manchester via the Green Bus Fund and will be seen in TfGM’s yellow and green liveries respectively.
S.V., 06 April 2012.
Kind thanks go to Alan Siddall (Bungle666) for supplying the photographs.
Tameside Bus Service Changes, Spring 2012: A Very High Peak Practice
Changes to former SpeedwellBus services and electric hybrids the order of the day
Prior to the middle of this April, Stott's of Oldham's only presence in Mossley have been on school services and the 353/354 routes. From then on, their low floor buses (one third smaller and tidier than this double decker above), seen on the 41 route will be a regular feature of the 343 route on weekdays.
Spring 2012′s raft of changes [16 April 2012] will be the first ones to take effect after the Coalition Government’s cut in the Bus Service Operators’ Grant. At the moment, nothing too catastrophic (yet) in the way of service cuts have reached Tameside. Operator changes and the introduction of electric hybrid buses set the agenda. Continue reading
Down Our Street #2: Foundry Street, Dukinfield
From the Crescent to Morrisons
- Length: 0.33 miles;
- Key Landmarks: Morrisons supermarket;
- Buses: 220 (Monday – Saturday evenings only), 346, 41, 217/218, 343/344 (Albion Hotel stop);
- Pubs: The Astley Arms and The Albion Hotel (both Frederic Robinson’s houses).
The last 40 years have seen Foundry Street take on the guise as part of an arterial route from Newton to Ashton-under-Lyne via Dukinfield. Much of this has been down to recent development.
Foundry Street until the mid 1970s played second fiddle to its more illustrious neighbour Town Lane. The original Town Lane met up with Birch Lane at the right side of The Albion Hotel by Jeffrey’s Drive (late Jeffrey Street) and continued to the junction of Crescent Road and Foundry Street. Today, Town Lane begins at the junction of Armadale Road North and Jeffrey’s Drive. Much of the old road was pedestrianised and renamed Concord Way. Continue reading
East of the M60 Advent Calendar: 18 December 2011
18. ‘They Cut the Fares, They Cut the Fuss’
Today’s curio is the Almex M self cancelling ticket machine. A machine which is better known to most Mancunians as the Clippercard machine. Or a hopeless chunk of metal which seldom worked because the things were stored for three years prior to introduction in December 1979. Continue reading
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
East of the M60 Advent Calendar: 15 December 2011
15. A Stalybridge, Hyde, Mossley and Dukinfield Joint Board Daimler CVG6
Looking resplendent in SHMD’s last livery is 76, a Daimler CVG6, a Northern Counties bodied centre loading double decker. The vehicle was registered on the 2nd February 1956. This vehicle crashed into a terraced house and emerged with a slight dent needing minor repairs. The terraced house came off worst; it was demolished with this bus outliving it by several years! 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: 11 December 2011
11. Hyde Bus Station
This time, not a bus image, though today’s picture offers a cryptic clue to the eventual fate of our Bus Route of Christmas Past.
The present day Hyde bus station is the third incarnation. The first one had toilets at the George Street end and bus information at the same end as the health centre and taxi rank. Hyde bus station Mark II saw a revised layout owing to the construction of the M67 motorway and the closure of George Street. On one side were stands A – D (B was used for National Express services and excursion coaches), a newsagents, SaverSales and information offices. Stands E and F shared a shelter with a third shelter housing G – K stands.
The third and present one opened in December 2004 with fewer stands (A – F) though much improved passenger facilities. The newsagents, TfGM’s Travelshop, toilets and information point are under the same roof as the bus stands. Designed by Aedas Architects and built by Sisk UK, its automatic doors and roof provide superior cover from the elements. In spite of these credentials, it is still a bit draughty.
Bus Route of Christmas Past: A more local route this time, the 11/11A from Stalybridge Grey Street/Brushes Estate to Ashton-under-Lyne and Newton. From Stalybridge, both the 11/11A would call at Tame Valley, after passing the SHMD garage at Tame Street. At Ashton it would change course at St Michael’s Square (and the bus station from 1969), continue to Dukinfield, Albion Hotel and terminate Newton, Lodge Street. The Stalybridge section of the route became the 341, then 351 and in that form, part of circular routes 33 and 35. Tame Valley ceased to be served in February 1999 with services diverted to the Albion Hotel (renumbered 349 in August 1999). That too was discontinued in 2008 with sister route 348 upgraded.
The Ashton to Newton portion became the 346 by 1974 and took over the former 15 route (Hyde – Shaw Hall Circular) in 1978 (its GMT service numbers 350 and 351 were reallocated for the 217 and 341 routes to Mossley and Carrbrook). Today, the 346 now terminates at Gee Cross, though in previous years it had been extended to Droylsden (1979 – 1985) and Stockport (1993 – 1994, replacing Saturdays only service 334).
Bus Route of Christmas Present: Here’s another cryptic link for our 11 BRoCPres. One of the Stalybridge, Hyde, Mossley and Dukinfield Joint Board managers had moved over to Stalybridge from the predecessors of the operator running this 11 route. Equally spooky is that the 11 from Middlesbrough to Lingfield Park (via Acklam Hall) has the same frequency and ultimate operator of the 346 (SHMD 11′s forerunner). Stagecoach in Teesside’s version of the 11 operates every 20 minutes on Monday to Saturdays. Like the 346, Stagecoach doesn’t operate a Sunday service along this route. Instead the 12, 610 and 611 are entrusted with that role.
Fictitious Bus Route of Christmas Past: Luxton Garage to Cemetery Gates. Both the fictitious and real life 11 stopped near crematoria. Therefore, today’s 346 route has one thing in common with On The Buses!
S.V., 11 December 2011
