Oldham and Saddleworth Bus Service Changes, Autumn 2018

School day times are back up town

Back to school: school days times will be reinstated on the 409 and other key routes in Oldham and Saddleworth.

For many Oldham and Saddleworth passengers, this autumn’s timetable changes affect seasonal timetables. Yes, as the nights get longer, the school day times are back on the agenda.

Tameside and Glossop Bus Service Changes, Autumn 2018

Timetables revert to schoolday times

System Restore: timetables revert to pre-School Holiday times.

Throughout the borough, most of this autumn’s service changes entail the reversion of summer timetables to schooldays timetables. For once, a fairly quiet autumn.

Northern Rail Strike: Six Saturdays of Industrial Action This Autumn

Arriva Rail North Saturday strikes: how they will affect passengers east of the M60 motorway

After two months without strike action, there has been no sign of a resolution between Arriva Rail North and the RMT union. From Saturday [25 August], industrial action will resume on services operated by Arriva Rail North’s Northern franchise.

Whitstable Wanderings: A Now You Know What I Did This Summer Special

Four electric trains, three Underground trains, two trams, and two buses. Oh, and Two Creatives Go Mad in The Garden of England.

In less than a year, I have broken a few travel related ducks in my time. Last September I took my first return flight on my own (from Manchester Airport to Belfast City Airport). In the last week, I have travelled on the London Underground on my own – for the first time ever and loved it. I have tripled the number of London mainline stations on my list (my first one was Waterloo back in 1987). I even did the full length of the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch line.

After our latest Now You Know What I Did This Summer article (Weston-super-Mare), yours truly had designs on making A Serious Train Journey. In other words, anywhere further than Blackpool or Leeds. The Caledonian Sleeper or the Trans-Siberian Railway would have fitted the bill.

Saddleworth Scramble Raises £1,800 for Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital

Stagecoach Manchester staff scale Saddleworth peaks for charity

Chew Reservoir: part of a 25km hike taken by some of Stagecoach Manchester’s staff. This was photographed in 2011, over seven years before their walk.

The hills and valleys which frame the Saddleworth villages bring enjoyment to many walkers and (on Dovestone Reservoir) sailors. From Denshaw to Friezland its pubs fulfil a similar purpose with a wide selection of locally brewed real ales. Especially on the last weekend of August during the Rushcart Festival.

First Greater Manchester Goes Contactless

New Ticketer machines ushers in start of contactless travel on First Greater Manchester routes

In line with other FirstGroup subsidiaries across the UK, contactless payments will be available on First Greater Manchester bus routes. From the first weekend in September, all First buses will be able to accept contactless credit and debit cards as a payment option.

Farewell to Chris’s Café: The Ashton Review of Shops Extra

Chris and Costa leave Ashton-under-Lyne after nearly 40 years

After 39 years of trading, Chris’s Café closed its door on the 04 August 2018. Situated on Bow Street, Ashton-under-Lyne, the café was a popular haunt with many shoppers. Its position opposite the open market was good for passing trade.

On Reflection: Fifty Icons of London Weekend Television

50 reasons to celebrate LWT’s fiftieth birthday

If you are a child of the 1970s or 1980s (the latter like yours truly), an ITV weekend schedule without an LWT programme would have been unusual. For many, Play Your Cards Right on a Friday night, Blind Date on a Saturday, and Surprise Surprise! on a Sunday night, was appointment to view television.

Retail Comings and Goings in Tameside, August 2018: The Ashton Review of Shops

August’s window on the shop windows

• Bridge Beers’ Summertime Success;
• Poundworld’s demise confirmed;
• All the usual comings and goings in the Tameside area.

Changing Hands: The Commercial Hotel, Manchester Road, Mossley. Image by Mikey, 2012 (Creative Commons License: Attribution-Some Rights Reserved).

What will the previous month be remembered for in future years? England reaching the Semi Finals of the World Cup? The moorland fires which affected half of Tameside’s residents? The warm weather? The first and third points may have brought riches to our publicans but a fair number of pubs are changing hands or disappearing.