End of the day.

Just got back. The bike will stay there for a few hours whilst i replace the lost liquids lol.

Panoramic

Here is a nice pic i took on the way up just before slattocks.

Hollingworth lake pics

It's nice and very busy here today.

Rochdale canal.

Out up the Rochdale canal toward hollingworth lake today. This shows the beauty of the canal against the more modern pest of the pylon.

Very very early.

Not often i'm up this early. It's 355am and these are the ashton buses all ready to go first one out leaves at 445. Had to send this again cos i had broke my phone.

Ooops

This is a car i just passed on clarence street near our depot. Once again carelessness causes problems for everyone else lol.everyone was fine. I think.

Waiting time.

We all have our own little spots when waiting time out. Mine is stevenson square. Looks like the other 5 buses at the side have the same idea. We come round here if we have more than 5 minutes on the bus stand.

Just a few.

Doing a few hours today for overtime. Well about 6. Waiting for lift. Was going to cycle but it's rainin and yes i'm only a fair weather man. Will go for a ride when i finish though. Am thinking towards Marple.

One more pic.

Took a panoramic before i left lol.

Yeah out and about.

The next bit is a drive out. Currently on the north western painted b10. Nice drive this.

Hyde road depot.

At hyde road on a training course today here are a few pics. Don't wanna look too much like a bus spotter. Shame we don't have as many new buses as this.

I forgot this one.

I forgot to post this earlier. This was the lightBowne in moston. What a really nice huge pub which has sadly closed. It's not just town centre pubs that are closing. Off to the motherland tomorrow also known as hyde road depot for a training course so will try to get some nice bus type pictures.

I just come across this place. It's been a long time since i come down this neck of the woods. This is called central park. It's where the metro link station is going to be on the Oldham line. All looks very nice although a little under used.

Out once more.

Still sunny so getting more cycling done.this is the they from broadway at chadderton where is passes over the m60. Heading to town again.

Where is this?

I have never seen this building from this view before must have passed it a hundred times too.

Credit crunch

This is the old Ancoats hospital. Soon to be apartments when the housing market improves.

Sunday outing

Out on the bike today cos it's very nice out. Have come down through newton heath and this is one of the run down buildings inside st philips cemetery.one of the buildings in here has been converted into a house. It is probably a dead quiet place to live.

It's a first

The ashton elite are out again tonight. This time we have some first and speedwell drivers too. Just to prove the industry is very united.

Tesco New Store?

Now i think this is very funny!. I was searching on the store locater at tesco.com for the nearest store to see what time it is open till. I put in Oldham and this store came up. It was after 5 minutes of head scratching i realised this is not a Tesco but the Sainsburys store in Oldham on union street. lol. try it for yourself. glad i made a record of it.

Where Am i?

It's a horrid day and there is nothing between Oldham and Ashton worth taking pictures of at the moment so here is a nice shot i took a few last summer with my last phone, a Sony Ericsson K850i. do you know where it is. There are no buses up here anyway.

Nice parking.

Oh how considerate this idiot is. So glad i can see. How would a blind person cope with this

Stupid drivers

Now and again accidents happen but in this case they make matters worse. This is Ardwick roundabout these cars have had a very little bump but instead of pulling off and sorting things out they leave the cars there and call the police! Silly fools it's hardly a mass pile up.

Day off.

Just been to copley gym on the 348 chav express. Back in Ashton now. Why can't Oldham market be as good as this one. It used to be. Bury also has a great market. I haven't been there for a while. Will have a trip out on the 400. Lol.

Disgraceful

This is the scene looking up and down the A627 ashton road at Hathershaw. As you can see the traffic is static heading towards Oldham. This is because they shut honeywell lane for pointless works and noone bothered telling the people who programme the traffic lights that more traffic is coming. The lights at chamber road only let a few cars through and this is the result in rush hour. I can see 4 409 buses all sitting In the traffic. Then people moan that there are no buses.shocking.

PS i use this garage on the corner they are very good lol.

Home time.

Finished at 1. Have just been to the steam room at ashton pool. Didn't stay long it was horrid. Looks like it hasn't been cleaned for weeks. Yuk. Will stick with copley. I left the car at home today. Just got on a 409. We get free travel on all buses In manchester which is a huge perk of the job. How much is a system 1 annual with metrolink? This picture is from the first bus stop on Oldham road looking down the side of ikea. Train tracks always seem to make a good picture. And no i don't spot trains either lol.

Stockport bus station.

Monday morning. Sat on my 7 at stockport. Makes a nice welcome change from glossop. Working till 1. Not bad to say i'm on holiday!

End of the day.

Just finished. Not many buses back yet this yard will be crammed in about 3 hours.

Thirsty work.

On the 7 earlier. Bus needed a water top up so called into our stockport depot. Just starting my second half on the 345. Not done these yet so will try to remember where they turn In Denton.

Sunny saturday!

Just started. Got to run empty to stockport from ashton to start. Thought i would come the 330 route. Been ages since i have been down here. Will be here a lot when we start doing them go July. Bus is not the fastest in the world so didn't want to upset people by only going 40 on the m60.

Happy Friday!

Happy Friday everyone. Or maybe not. It's yet another gloomy day in Ashton. Made even more bad by being stuck on the 216. Not normally such a chore but with the amount of road works down the new road it's becoming very difficult. The service is supposed to be transfered back to hyde rd depot in July which is good because it's only the beginning of a few years of roadworks just so a tram can drive up the middle of the road! Onwards and upwards.

Almost done.

Just waiting time out at the top of winterford road In Mossley thought i would snap a couple of clips to kill the boredom. Just got to take this 218 to ashton then done.

Neat bus!

We have to keep the spotters happy so here you go. This is fleet number 17650. A previously troubled bus which had a dodgy gearbox which seems to have been fixed. Nice drive. It's an old trident which we got from dennises when we bought them out. Sorry merged!

3 days to go!

Just started. Only 3 days before my two weeks off. Or so i thought. Been talked into working monday and thursday. Not going anywhere so i thought why not. This minibus is the taxi from the depot to ashton. Runs every 20 minutes.just waiting for my 231 Am sure it will be as quiet as usual.

Easy morning.

Started 5Am. Sat In stevenson square at the moment before running a 219 to ashton from the train station. These odd trips are to save on empty mileage but this one is timed about 2 minutes after the one in front so bit pointless.

Guess who.

Not a hard one. It's jpt in middleton.

Out and about.

Off today so i'm headin up the rochdale canal from foxdenton lane. This is the bridge over the canal that raises when a boat comes through. The building Is the old office depot building before they moved to ashton moss due to subsidence.

Shocking Job!!!

This is a shot i took coming up the canal earlier, thought it would be better to upload it in high res. This guy has some balls. Not a job i could do anyway.

Another pretty picture!

Anyway. Finished work 12. On the bike so i Am cycling up the canal towards greenfield. Then beer. Then up the big hill and back down home to Oldham.

Reloaded in hi res,

Nice day.

Just done first trip thought i would call for a brew. It all looks so peaceful. For now! In 30 minutes the chaos that is monday morning will start lol.