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.

Something different.

I'm currently on the A6 at stockport watching 192s. This bus was in the depot. It was involved in an accident a few months ago and seems to have come out a little more colourful. The numbers above the door and the side logo are both very different to the rest of the fleet making this bus a little unique to anyonne slightly interested in buses.

Changes In Glossop

This the is Old Glossop terminus oddly in Old Glossop. From what i read the 236/237 services will be coming up here. Maybe 15 years ago when there was less cars about and people respected bus routes as important then that would be fine.
These days though i think it might be a rough ride for the drivers.
This terminus firstly needs double yellow lines. The main reason being, at weekends this area is full of the cars of walkers who head up into the Derbyshire moors and once they are gone there is no coming back for hours. I can sense now getting calls to go and reverse a MAN bus around the narrow roads surrounding this area.

And it's not just the terminus thats a difficult drive....

The route upto it is also a little tricky with overhanging trees that have not seen a double decker bus in many years and a nice challenging road which would be interesting if a waggon from the industrial units at the top of the road comes down at the same time!
Then there is the turn outside the Queens arms..

Looks simple enough but a 12 metre MAN bus makes it a challenge once more.
Then once you pass this, The parked cars all the way down Manor Park Road make for a tricky head on stand off with 4 x 4s who don't want to stop for buses.

However apart from all this. I think more people will be served by the bus coming this way and that the turning around procedure might be made a little easier. As for the folk who live up at the royal oak well maybe at some point the 390 might head up that way who knows.
Will be interesting times for the people of Glossop though.

Missing out! :(

It's a glorious day in manchester this morning. Lots of people in Piccadilly gardens and buses running well. However i'd much rather be at Ashton today. It's the stagecoach manchester, driver of the year finals. So no pictures of that today. Instead a lovely view of the fountain in the gardens. Finish at 4 so i'll get some sunbathing in before the end of the day.

Day Off

As I said earlier I was out on my bike today. Found this little gem of a
place and I didn't have to travel far for it. This is Medlock Valley way I
believe and runs from the Bay Horse at Clayton Bridge to the bottom of Bank
Street. I found it a very peaceful place indeed. Was nice to explore it a
little and will be using it as a cut through from now on. I'm back in work
tomorrow at Ashton. Although looking at the lights set up on the New Road at
the moment I would rather be doing something else!

Where am i

Another place that has turned up and suprised me. I didn't know this was here. Just out on a ride not sure where too yet though.