Our Big Fat ’80s Tameside Quiz: Another Past of the M60 Special

Is your knowledge of the ’80s Tameside acceptable in the 2020s?

Following the success of our previous article, we have decided to follow this up with a quiz. This will test your knowledge on all things of a Tameside nature from the 1980s.

For your delight, we have 40 (yes, 40) questions, which is only two-thirds of the amount of questions you get in a typical Tameside Quiz League fixture. You might wish to pause the quiz halfway to get a soft or not-so-soft drink to exercise (or exorcise) those brain cells.

So, without further ado, get your biro and notepad ready (better still if it came from Spencers or Burgess and Dyson from our desired decade!). You might want to play the very first Now! That’s What I Call Music album to get yourself in the right frame of mind.

1. In 1986, which Grand National Winner opened William Hill’s bookmakers in Hyde town centre?
2. What did St. Peter and St. Paul’s School change its name to in 1980?
3. In 1983, which Football League side was Hyde United drawn against in the F.A. Cup First Round?
4. In November 1981, Escape from New York was the first film to be shown at what cinema?
5. Which of the three names was a Dukinfield cotton mill that was demolished to make way for a Morrisons supermarket: a) Prince; b) King; or c) Queen?
6. In September 1988, Audenshaw Grammar School was the first Tameside school to do what?
7. Who was the previous occupant of Ashton-under-Lyne’s McDonalds restaurant on Warrington Street?
8. In March 1985, Councillor Geoff Brierley officially opened which facility?
9. Opening in 1981, what did TAC stand for in relation to Tameside MBC’s Council Offices?
10. In May 1980, which supermarket chain moved three of its smaller shops in Mossley to one bigger single shop in Top Mossley?
11. What was the original name for GM Buses’ high frequency minibus services in Ashton prior to changing to Little Gem in January 1987?
12. For a brief time in the 1980s, the Red Lion on Stamford Street was known as what unusual name out of a) The Frog and Bog; b) The Toad and Tulip; or c) The Rat and Ratchet?
13. Name the Duran Duran spin-off group whose name could well have been ‘borrowed’ from the Ashton-under-Lyne Cooperative Society’s flagship store.
14. What was the original name of Tameside General Hospital’s hospital radio station Eight Towns Radio?
15. In 1989, which Droylsdonian singer had a Top Ten hit with a remixed cover version of The Timewarp?
16. Other than the Automobile Association and Alcoholics’ Anonymous, the AA was also known as what in the Tameside area? Was it: a) Audenshaw Amateurs; b) A soft drinks manufacturer on Dukinfield Road; or was it c) All Ashton?
17. Besides Northern Premier League football, the stadium at Tameside Leisure Park (Ewen Fields) also played host to which other sports team in the late 1980s?
18. Which former Hyde Grammar School pupil found national fame as the presenter of Wacaday in 1987?
19. Which of the following wasn’t Mayor of Tameside during the 1980s: a) Brian Wild; b) Katherine Shaw; or c) Charles Meredith?
20. In BBC’s 1989 drama series Making Out, Lyne Electronics was based in which Dukinfield cotton mill out of the following: a) River Mill; b) Tower Mill; or c) Park Road Mill?
21. After being a bingo hall, the former Princess cinema on King Street, Dukinfield became what sports facility in 1985?
22. Which nightclub started life as The Gaslight Rooms before changing its name in 1981?
23. According to the theme tune of Jossy’s Giants which was set largely in Stalybridge, football is a branch of…what? Is it: a) Science; b) Mathematics; or c) Woolworths?
24. True or False: the M67 motorway (which was fully opened in 1981) was part of a plan for a second cross-Pennine motorway between Sheffield and Manchester?
25. Which late 1980s comic was the brainchild of Hydonian cartoonist Tony Husband, Mark Rodgers and Patrick Gallagher?
26. Which Denton pub opened at the start of the 1980s before its closure and demolition 40 years later?
27. In October 1984, Netherfield was on the receiving end of a 10 – 0 defeat by which one of our Tameside football clubs?
28. In April 1987, Queen Elizabeth the Second visited Ashton-under-Lyne to open what museum?
29. Which structure, noted for its hundred-year-old banana tree, was renovated in the mid-1980s, only to fall derelict in more recent times?
30. Which supermarket chain moved their store from Langham Street to Cavendish Street in March 1989?
31. Which borough-wide sports event was created by Ron Hill in 1981 and revived earlier this year [2022]?
32. True or False: Hyde based software house C*TECH published a Donkey Kong clone for the ZX Spectrum home computer (bonus points for remembering the title).
33. Which of the following names was a discount store on Warrington Street, Ashton-under-Lyne? Was it: a) You’re Unbelievable; b) It’s Remarkable; or c) It’s Incredible?
34. Which Droylsden business was the subject of John Harvey-Jones’ Troubleshooter documentary series?
35. For most of the 1980s, what animal was etched on the side of a hill near Heyrod?
36. What was the name of Tameside MBC’s healthy eating mascot? Was it: a) Xanadu; b) Foodidoo; or c) Howdyadoo?
37. Which museum first opened in 1989 as a visitor centre off Portland Street South?
38. In December 1986 and January 1987, Jim Bowen starred in which pantomime at Tameside Theatre?
39. In November 1980, Mossley AFC claimed their only scalp against Football League opposition. Who was the team they beat 1 – 0, thanks to a goal by Mobley?
40. Which railway station on the Hadfield and Glossop line opened in May 1985?

How well did you fare?

Is your knowledge of 1980s Tameside Football League First Division level or Hyde and District Sunday League Fifth Division level? We would like to know how you fared in our quiz. The answers will be published next week.

S.V., 15 July 2022.

Also a proud contestant in the Tameside Quiz League since November 2014.