Tameside and Glossop Bus Service Changes, April 2017

Subtle changes but Stalybridge and Dukinfield passengers at sharpest end of two major changes

• Minimal changes to First services, in spite of depot closure;
• Cuts to evening journeys of 340 service;
• 169 service curtailed on weekdays and Saturdays;
• First and Stagecoach retimings.

First Greater Manchester’s journeys of the 346 service, unaffected by the latest service changes.

For passengers within the Tameside and Glossop area, the biggest story behind this month’s service changes is the closure of Dukinfield garage. It has been stated that any changes to First Greater Manchester routes would be negligible.

Tameside and Saddleworth Bus Changes Extra, Winter 2017

Changes to South Pennine Community Transport and Tameside Local Link services

South Pennine Community Transport’s then newly formed 352 service outside The Commercial Hotel, Uppermill.

Since our Tameside and Saddleworth area bus service changes articles went to press, here’s news of a couple of changes that have escaped our radar.

Tameside and Glossop Bus Service Changes, January 2017

Winter changes dominated by Stagecoach retimings

• Cuts to night buses on 201 and 216 routes;
• Reductions to some peak hour journeys;
• First and Stagecoach retimings.

The 330: one of a handful of Stagecoach routes being retimed.

True to form, the late January changes for 2017 are another lull before April’s storm. The bulk of this year’s first changes are retimings on Stagecoach Manchester’s part. Some of which entail the withdrawal of some journeys, mainly outside the peaks in the small hours or before the witching hour.

2016, In the Company of Buses

East of the M60‘s review of the year from a public transport angle

The biggest bus related event of 2016 was the arrival of Leigh Guided Busway, as illustrated by the V1 service seen at Leigh bus station.

If 2016’s transport scene was to be represented by two pieces of popular music, we opened with The Beatles’ Fixing A Hole and finished with Joe Jackson’s Steppin’ Out. The former, indicative of the A57(M)’s cavity; the latter, First Greater Manchester’s closure of its Bury and Dukinfield garages.

A6, the Road to Ashton-under-Lyne and Denton

Another Lost Bus Routes of Greater Manchester special

Image © 2010 Matthew Clark.

The timing of this post coincides with one major bus-related event. That of Go-Goodwins’ revival of the Little Gem brand. With minibuses, in a version of the GMT orange, white, and brown livery. Most importantly, the return of Ken Mortimer’s Crillee Black logotype. Instead of the Dodge and Iveco minibuses of old, Optare Solos are the order of the day. With the excellent reputation of the Go-Goodwins brand, we at East of the M60 think they may well succeed.

53’s a Magic Number: Stagecoach Manchester’s New Enviro400 MMCs

53 new double deckers part of latest fleet update

A selection of Enviro400 MMC buses making up the number 53. Image courtesy of a Tangerine PR photographer who doesn’t mind heights.

53, in Greater Manchester circles is a magic number. It conjures up images of the Belle Vue bus which, at one time, used to run every four minutes. Today, in this context, 53 is a tragic number as the present First Greater Manchester service is half hourly (or hourly on Sundays, evenings and Bank Holidays).

Park Bridge’s Bus Routes: A Lost Bus Routes of Greater Manchester Special

A look at past attempts to introduce buses to Park Bridge

What’s left of Park Bridge Mill, photographed in March 2011.

Park Bridge is as much a cradle of the Industrial Revolution as Ironbridge and Coalport in Shropshire. Also its much bigger brother on the banks of the River Medlock, further downstream. According to tradition, the iron from the Park Bridge Iron Works were used for the rivets of the Eiffel Tower.

My Life in the Company of Buses: Dukinfield and Bus Deregulation: Part 31, 2016

It’s in the air 

So far, 2016 has been an impressive year for me on a personal level. I have settled in my present position and am enjoying the new, more central surroundings. With a move from its previous HQ near Piccadilly station, my employer is closer to Salford Central and Manchester Victoria stations. Not least some sublime eateries and (inevitably), branches of Starbucks Coffee, Subway, Greggs, and a McDonalds on St. Ann’s Square.

My Life in the Company of Buses: Dukinfield and Bus Deregulation: Part 30, 2015

In the eye of the storm 

Sadly, my stint in Bredbury only lasted till the 30 January. In one way, it meant being free from the worst excesses of the A560. Then I existed on bits of work to avoid the DWP’s weaponised regime on unemployed people. This meant a brief return to Oldham (for odd copywriting and coding jobs), and the possibility of S.V. going it alone as a freelancer.