What now?

I’ve taken a rest from the blog as I’ve rented out my old place and I’m now living in Norwich, so I don’t know what to do with my blog. Originally it was there just to keep up with mates I lost touch with, as I’ve worked aboard quite a lot, but it evolved into a local blog. So as most people look at it because as it covers Ashton, I’m not sure how a switch to Norwich would go down. Badly probably.


So I’m still wondering what to do with it. Nothing for now...

Calvers.

Big Brother

Took the picture below in the Ladysmith shopping centre, but was spotted on the security cameras. They sent a security guard to stop me. You can't take photo's in here as it's a security risk, I was told. Anyway, turns out the security guard had seen this blog, and he also knows Oldham 100. So I got off lightly with just a telling off!

Later on, just to get my own back, I stood in front of another security camera and photographed it as they watched me.

Might keep a low profile now for a while... see ya!

New Lake

I wonder how many people know about this little lake, just by the Sheldon Arms. It appeared as the new roads round Ashton were built. It's squeezed into the triangle of land between Lord Sheldon Way, Manchester Road and Moss Way.

While I was there, one lonely Canada Goose was standing guard over the lake. Ready to peck me if I went too close.

Prince of Orange

The Prince of Orange, seen through a clutter of orange street furniture.


I did use this pub as a handy place for meeting people off the bus. The volume of the 1950's karaoke in here is outrageous and so I no longer use it.
I lived in Dublin for three years and there they had stricter laws on sound levels in pubs/clubs. The system used was truly excellent. They had a small traffic light system up on the wall for all to see.

Noise OK - Green
Loud - Yellow
Over limit - Red

Now bands could peek into the red (set at 75 decibels) but if they persistently did this, all power to the stage was cut dead. What a grand cheer this always brought! 10 seconds of relief from the wall of sound. Bands/DJ's soon learned to respect the rules.
I'd love that system in the UK.

and more tar

The tar gang have moved onto Union Road now.

Surreal

No one about. Didn't look like they were loading or unloading. Nothing else there. Just an abandoned old washing machine on Mossley Road.

Memorial Sunday

Memorial Sunday in Memorial Gardens, Ashton-under-Lyne.

Tarmac

Still working on the road, Canterbury Street. Now the new tarmac is being laid.

Canterbury Street

They're digging up Canterbury Street. We can see down to the old cobbles.

I guess they are just re-surfacing it.

Holmfirth

So here we are. A charming little square, just off the main road, containing Sid's Café as featured in 'Last of the Summer Wine'.

Holmfirth

This was the town near to the farm I stayed on. Quite a small place, but picturesque.
It's famous for the TV series 'Last of the Summer Wine'. There are special bus tours you can take showing all the memorable sites used in the program. Not a fan myself, but plenty people were climbing on the old bus.

Animal Farm

 

Spent the week in Hepworth looking after my girlfriends cousins farm (as you do!). It's not a full working farm, but there are chickens, rabbits, cats and dogs. Actually the girlfriend did all the work as she's the trustworthy one. But I did make great friends with Maggie the young Alsatian. She followed me everywhere. We played football, until the ball died a grizzly death. Good fun.

Yorkshire Sculpture Park

Last pics from the Yorkshire Sculpture Park.

Yorkshire Sculpture Park

Some more pictures of the sculptures from Yorkshire Sculpture Park

Yorkshire Sculpture Park

Pics from a visit to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park near Wakefield.

Big place, didn't get round all of it. Second visit required some time.

Sun Flowers

Local residents brightening up Mossley Road!

Pumpkins!

Ah, nearly Halloween.

Ashton-under-Lyne, Wellington Court

So this is where all the people from the knocked down flats on Wellington Road went to.

Wellington Court, next to Albion Mill.
Wellington Court was Ashton's Building of the Year 2005. And very nice too with it's matching brickwork.

This is the view up Crickets Lane.

Glory of the Garden

Glory of the Garden, by Paul Margetts.
The date on the sculpture tells us that it was finished on 1.3.1994

This fascinating sculpture sits in the ornamental gardens in front of the impressive and very blue Asherton House.

Wasteland

Wasteland may be, but this is rumoured to be the site for the Ashton Centre Metro stop. From memory there were some flats here, but they were knocked down a year or two back.

This site is on Wellington Road next to the bus station. Across the road from Gala Bingo.

Modern transport. M60

When the M60 opened in October 2000, I jumped in the car and drove all the way round. 35 miles.

Well I've not had a car for a few years now, and indeed the M60 claimed my car in a fury of rain, burnt rubber and multiple visits to the central barrier. See here.
But I still find the motorway an impressive piece of civil engineering.

This is the view clockwise from Lumb Lane, looking towards junction 23, the turn off for Ashton.

The Woodman Inn

The Woodman Inn.

This is the pub just to the side of our mystery twin towers at the Junction of Oldham Road and Wilshaw Road.

Waterloo & Taunton Conservative Club

Behind the stone pedestals is an old driveway leading to the 'Waterloo & Taunton Conservative Club'. Ian tells me it's an old Manor House. I've Googled it and can find no better explanation.

As it was built in 1891, the driveway would indeed have been the horse and cart entrance to the building. Now closed to all but pedestrian traffic as there is access via a side road.

I'm sure the unsightly entrance shed is a later and ill considered addition to the fine old building.

In case you were wondering about the name, Waterloo and Taunton, they are names of areas local to the building within Ashton-under-Lyne.

Twin Towers

Well I don't have any good shots to blog at the moment.
(I did have, but Martin beat me there :-)

But my girlfriend sent me on a different mission. She'd spotted these two stone posts from the windows of the 409 on Oldham Road. She didn't know what they were for.
















So here they are. I think I've worked out why they are here. Any one else have ideas?

The Clock Shop

Martin did a piece about how the Clock Shop didn't actually have a clock on it any more, as seen here.

Well, they've done it up a bit, and now once more, it has a clock on the Clock Shop. (Still doesn't actually sell clocks though).

Tameside Hippodrome Theatre

Now, where was I, oh yes. Tameside Hippodrome Theatre. Here it is next to the Theatre Tavern.

Tameside Theatre closed on 30th March 2008. I went a couple of times. Once to see a Pink Floyd tribute band and once to ... no, I've only been once I think. Not sure now.

Anyway, looks like it's going to be bulldozed.

See here and here.

How not to tile

OK. So here we are.

On the right, we have my first attempt. This tile fits round the sink perfectly, if I turn it over.

On the left is my second attempt, which fits round the sink the right way up.

I was going to smash the first one in anger when I saw my stupidity. But then realised I could use it as a template for version two!

And finally, here is the tile in place.

(Think calm thoughts, calm thoughts ...)

IKEA, good or bad.

I've heard people saying that the IKEA in Ashton is an eyesore.
Well it's not the best bit of architecture I've ever seen. Not even the best in Ashton, but I think it's good to have a world famous multi-national company in our town centre. So it gets the thumbs up from me.

So here it is, overlooking Oldham Road, dispassionately staring towards the Theatre Tavern, not that we actually have a theatre any more.

Ashton-under-Lyne, Taxi

Caught!

Taxi driver emptied his cab onto the road.
He just chucked out all the rubbish into Old Street, then got back in his cab a drove on.

Dukinfield - River Tame

Down on the River Tame by Rock Terrace on Park Road.

Someone told me Shaw's Brewery was alive and well and somewhere on Park Road.
Took a look, but I couldn't find it.

Harper Mill

Illegally parked car at Harper Mill?

Well the sign tells us that it will be towed away.



Don't think so!