Oops

Something just doesn't look right with this 216 in Piccadilly yesterday. Not put my finger on it but something seems a little different. Been a crazy couple of days. The works at droylsden are causing us all sorts of issues for the 216s and 7s. Today was made worse because city were playing a home game so the traffic was worse than ever with some buses taking over an hour to get from Piccadilly to Ashton. I really wished they would hurry up with this stupid tram rubbish. Back Monday in Ashton again for more fun and games.

Monday blues

Just arrived at Chorlton bus station. It's one of our earliest starts and not exactly my favorite. Not enough going on for me and a long way from home. Luckily we can swap our duties just like drivers can but didn't get the chance to on Friday. Not to worry off to owens park later although with it being half term i doubt the excitement will increase. The picture is the police station at chorlton which has now been boarded up. The toilets have also been shut down too so nothing here now apart from a few bus stops.monday morning moans over with. On with the job in hand.

All Gone

If you saw the smoke then this is whats left of a building that was well alight on Friday evening. I noticed the smoke from the other side of Manchester, and Oldham road was still closed in one direction this morning. I believe First buses are using Rochdale road for the Oldham buses.

Not again!

Had a nice break from work and back now to find road works have returned onto Great Ancoats street. Well, more like cones have returned. This little lot are doing nothing at all apart from jamming the road up at peak times. The actual works are just before you reach this section so i don't see the point of these. Today i'm in Piccadilly on the early and it's pretty quiet at the moment but as with all derby days i'm sure it will be a busy day.

Ouch

This was the result of an impact with a car hitting this bus at about 30 mph. It will take a lot to get it fixed but it shows how tough these buses are when they are hit. Am off for a couple of weeks so not many posts and the weather means no bike rides either sadly. I'm back next friday. Not sure how this picture will look, it was sent by a friend at Ashton.

Ashton Metrolink

This is the new Metrolink station at Ashton. Obviously a long way to go but the foundations have been laid and I'm sure it will start rising from the ground very soon. The track laying is Ashton is cracking on too. Shame it isn't so quick in Droylsden.

Oops

This dart on a school service run by M travel comes into the bus station every day. Sadly someone didn't check the spelling of it's destination lol. In ashton again today although it's going cooler now so the fleece will be out tomorrow i think.

Another Gem

This is another Little Gem leaflet from the late 80s. This time the 168. Got loads of these timetables from a friend at work. Still find it so interesting to see what was running then and how things are now.Don't want to overdo it though and bore everyone with them. But since not much happening where i have been thought i would post a few more.

Add caption

These have been supplied by Richard Grenfell who is always interested in any pictures you may have, new or old. He can be emailed directly at dickgrenfell@live.co.uk

Worst bus

Big thanks to the driver of this 135 bendy bus who thought it would be fun to stop on the 216 stand. I did mention that he would probably have plenty to moan about if we parked two 216s on thier stand. He mumbled something and then moved it.

Nice ride

was on the 192s in piccadilly today and so was this trident. Great to drive these buses and the bench seats are nicer too for the punters. Well i think so anyway. Was quiet in town today. On a couple of late duties now so i get a nice lie in tomorrow.

Something unusual

Just noticed this 216 come into ashton. The destination blinds appear to be all in capital letters. It does stick out more and i think it looks better although i have not seen any other bus with the same style. Working in the bus station today. I'm expecting a tough day as Manchester city are playing everton at home.

Taking the trash out.

This fire damaged Trident has been in the back of Hyde Road for a good few
years now. I took this as PVS were taking it away yesterday.
I'm off today so catching up on a few things.
Also managed to scan more old Little Gem leaflets so might upload some of
them this weekend if I get chance.
Looking like a good day today so tempted to get the bike out later.
Last night was so busy at Owens park. Freshers week is totally manic. It was
more like a Manchester derby the way they tried boarding the buses at 1030.
Not too enjoyable at all.

Somewhere different

Today is something very different. I'm at the freshers event at owens park in fallowfield. This is our stall where we are selling uniriders to the students and telling the new people what buses we would like them to catch. Very different to my normal day indeed.

The vision

This is the vision that was the Metrolink. It's interesting to see the design of the tram on the leaflet compared with how it actually turned out.

This next leaflet is the introduction of the 757 Airport shuttle from Piccadilly. I remember this very well from my youth, as  i would often jump on this bus whilst out on my bus rides to get to the airport quicker.The seats were like the normal express seats downstairs but blue and had a larger luggage area.

Going cold

Today has changed a little to the plan. I was supposed to be in a training session but that was cancelled. Instead i'm doing a survey on the 219 service at grey mare lane. It basically tells us if the buses are on time and how many are travelling. Its not the nicest part of the job especilly since it's a cold wet day but it has to be done now and again.

More Gems

This one is another Little Gem leaflet but this time its the A1.

Another one

This leaflet is obviousley the information for the Little Gem service when it started up in Ashton.
These buses arrived in Greater Manchester in the late 80s and promoted a frequent service connecting estates with town centres and went where the bigger buses had never been before.
I remember the O service around Oldham but this one is the A2 and A3 services which ran around the Tameside area. Don't remember seeing any MCW minibuses like the one on the picture. I think they had Ivecos at Tameside depot.

Blast From The Past

A colleague of mine has been kind enough to lend me some old literature from the Ashton area from the late 80s and 90s so i thought i would scan a few things and post them on here.
Sadly i don't get chance to post much with the current job i do, so it's nice to be able to share stuff like this instead. Although i have no doubts a few readers will already have these lol.
Today is the leaflet which was advertising the 153 Express route which went from Mossley to Manchester via Stalybridge. Hope you enjoy. One thing i did notice though was the bus on the poster is 3258! If memory serves right this was actualy a Bolton bus often seen on the 401 service.

Somewhere different.

Not been here in a while. I'm currently at Southern Cemetery watching the small but busy bus station. Whilst the passengers around here are relatively small, sharston drivers take meal breaks here and today i'm making sure the buses are back on the road on time. Hoping the rain stays away too. Although i think i might be getting the waterproofs out of my car sometime today. Back in Ashton on monday.

Nuisance

It seems the metrolink roadworks are getting closer to the bus station. Whilst i have seen a great service on the 216s for the past few days, the narrowing of oldham road and Lord Sheldon way is causing all sorts of issues with the 7, 217, 168 and 169. Not helped by stupid car drivers stopping in the yellow box on the bus station exit. Had 4 days in Ashton today and last day in town tomorrow before 4 days off. Well deserved days off too if i may say so myself. Hoping to hit the trans pennine trail on saturday weather depending.

Nice change

I'm in Manchester centre today and thought a trip in on the bus would be a nice change. Seems a while since i came in on the bus. Roads look ok at the moment on the 216 but thats always the case until lunchtime. It's also nice to see how the tram works are getting on.

Paint shop

Took this the other day. I don't really get chance to snap anything obscure anymore due to the job. But here we are. This is ashton bus 19066 which has had new panels as well as a new coat of paint coming up. They do look pretty nice when they come out though. Especially the older buses. Ashton bus station today and for once it's been a pretty nice day. The only problem being the 330 suffering due to roadworks both in Gee Cross and in Stockport. But all in all nice quiet day. Tomorrow is a nice change too. Piccadilly tomorrow on an early so early night for me. Need a new phone too i think. There is a glow with the pictures i take with this and it's getting annoying now. Will have a look around. Oh and forgot to mention. Not much happening on the bike this summer due to injury but all ok now, back in the gym and hoping for some nice rides out soon.

Far away

I'm at chorlton bus station this morning for a while before heading into manchester to finish the day off. Early duties this week but this is the furthest i have to travel from home. It's a 30 mile round trip today which doesn't do my fuel tank anygood but suppose it's part of the job. Been a scary week this week with the riots in town but luckily i was off when it was going on. Back in Ashton tomorrow for a couple of days.

Stupid drivers.

I forgot to post this the other day. This is sunnyside road in littlemoss. The council have kindly abolished the bus layby at the bus stop outside the shop so that cars can use it. However this half wit seemed to have trouble doing the simplest of driving tasks luckily no bus came whilst she was in the shop. 4 days off at the moment before my Ashton bus station stint continues. It's not an easy day at the moment working up here. Everything goes great until 1130 then all of a sudden droylsden comes to a standstill. Someone somewhere must be able to make the temporary lights a little more efficient. I here the trams will be running to the stadium for match days. That should take some pressure off us i hope. Anyway not much else to mention. Off car booting this morning. Not been for years so here hoping for a bargain lol.

Working hard

Was out earlier doing revenue checks around stockport and came across this old scania bus. Bowers normally run a solo on here but today the locals are treated to a classic. Been a nice interesting yet quiet day out and about. I learnt the 384 route whilst checking tickets and got rid of some fare dodging scum at the same time. Back in Ashton bus station for a couple of days now so i think i'll need an early night as the roadworks are hitting us hard once again.

Bad practice

Back to work today after a long weekend off. Was walking through Ashton
yesterday on the way to look around the shops and noticed this first bus
emptying the bus in the middle of the crossing. I don't like seeing this
sort of thing because if anyone trips the bus is stuck there until an
ambulance comes. Not ideal at all. Not posted for a while as I have had a
weeks holiday and then only a few days in before my long weekend which
included the Stagecoach Ashton trip to the Southport Airshow. It's hard to
take pictures of planes going silly speeds through the air so I won't post
too many. I did notice though Southport looks like a great cycling area so
might be visiting on my bike very soon. On a late today so I got to have a
good lie in before heading down to Stockport later.

Small Trip Out

On holiday this week so today i managed to get out on my bike. Headed into Manchester first of all where i found this tram broken down at the market street stop causing all sort of problems. Someone said is had derailed but i couldnt see where.

Then i headed off down to St Peters square to find a car on the roof of the library. Odd way of advertising. But interesting.

Finally i ended up going through Flixton, Urmston and ending up at Chorlton Water park. On the way back i passed the new tram line at St Werburghs Road. I believe it is already running here and will finally go on to East Didsbury.

Rare site

It's not often you see a London bus in stagecoach colours but here is one just out of the paint shop at Hyde Road. Still with it's London blinds installed it's looking very well indeed. Don't think it will be working in Manchester though. There are 4 ex London tridents in Hyde road at the moment all having there rear doors removed and i assume, all being painted up in Stagecoach colours. Been working in town today doing a few different things but back in Ashton tomorrow. Off next week so i'm looking forward to a week of rest. Although i'm sure i'll be out on my bike most of the week.

New arrivals

Just coming in for my late shift in town and noticed a few new buses parked out the back. Not sure why they are here yet though. I'm hoping for an easy evening.

Big job

Been in ashton all week and have had a ride out on my bike everynight after work. Earlier i just went into Manchester and then back up the Rochdale canal heading for home. I had to come off the canal just outside town as the tow path was shut. It looks like a big job going on to link the canal to the newly built islington wharf. Should be nice when it's done. Thats if the plan is to do that! Tomorrow is a treat for me. Overtime driving at Ashton. A couple of trips on the 330 with two trips to Glossop bringing up the rear. Should be busy as the carnival is on up there tomorrow. Looking forward to getting behind the wheel.