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.

Another loss.

Cycled to work today 7c wind 300mph. On the way i came through the centre of ashton. This place is where me and my mates used to meet. Was a very popular pub.the loss of this is nothing to do with the smoking ban but the opening of places like the ash tree. It was the pitt and nelson!

Scary shark.

Just kidding it's not real. It's annoying that this driver didn't check his lights properly this morning one of them is out. This bus has only just left the depot. Seems to be getting a regular thing. But i won't get on the subject of defects!

Trip out.

Finished fighting my way through the chaos of a water leak on hyde road which closed the road and made my number 7 1 1/2hr late. Now i have just arrived at princess road depot to collect a new bus. Not been here for ages. It really is everything you think a bus depot should be. It's a lovely building and a shame it's been sold for house building. Of course another old depot. Charles street closes in july and we have lots of things happening in july which will change the entire way stagecoach manchester is run for the better hopefully! but i'll save that one for now as i have not taken the picture i need.

Tickets please!

This lucky lady outside the neighbourhood center in Gorton got a bargain today. A ticking off from there traffic wardens. Followed by a parking ticket. Oh happy days.

Hyde road chaos!

Thursday rush hour. Hyde road (a57) closed both ways at Gorton what else could go wrong. This bus broke down just before the turn onto hyde road making matters worse. It was quickly moved but hyde road is still shut so i'm so glad i'm not on the 7's again this morning. Got in 40 minutes late last night!

Not My Fault!

Now a few weeks ago i had a little mishap. It was when we turn the bus around at the Royal Oak at Glossop. It was not my fault may i add but it was very embarrasing as the bus was blocking the road.
This is what a normal turnaround should look like!!






And this is what mine ended up as!! It was a fault with the gears may i add which was resolved as soon as one of our engineers came out.

I never seem to manage the turn in one go lol.

It's horrid.

What a terrible week it is going to be with the weather. Sideways rain! I'm freezing waiting for my taxibus to work. 4am too. Not my favorite time of day.

Another one!

Yet another person who thinks stopping at a bus stop to collect takeaway is ok. This one is 24 hour buses only.

Part two.

Bit bored now. This is the royal oak at Glossop looking up towards the snake pass. Wonder how far up a would have to go to turn round if i missed the turning. On here until finish now. Glossop! Feels like i'm here more than i am home.might get a few more routes at ashton when our charles st depot shuts in july.

Gloomy monday!

Oh well. Back to work. On a late today should finish about 1030. It's not stopped raining yet and i think it will all week. It's hard getting back into it after 4 days rest. Sat in ashton bus station wondering why there are people waiting for my bus when i don't go anywhere for 15 minutes?