Pitt and Nelson

The redevelopment of the former pub goes on. This was the Pitt and Nelson / Bedroom. It closed a couple of years back and was left boarded up. Part of it is already a shop (the Xmas shop!) and now it looks like the rest of it is converted to a shop and ready to be let.

I remember when Ashton was the place to be on a Sunday night. The pavements were difficult to navigate with all the people visiting the numerous pubs. Now it’s very different. No one goes to Ashton for the pubs. They are mostly frequented by a few hardy locals only. Around half have close their doors for good.

Disused Vicarage

This is house in the grounds of St.Peters Church.

1 Stockport Road. It’s the disused vicarage.

There is a sign on it telling us that planning permission has been sought to extend it and turn it into offices. Well it’s better than leaving it derelict. Of course the style of the house never did fit in with the church. I’m surprised that planning permission was ever granted. Hopefully the people who are redeveloping it (St Peter Partnership) will do something to help it fit in with the old church. I wont hold my breath though.

Ashton-under-Lyne Stamford Park

Well I did visit Stanford Park but could find no trace of the monument in yesterday’s blog.

I did find some cactus plants in the conservatory.

On my recent return to Ashton after working away, the plants in my apartment were looking very sad (slightly dead) so I think cacti will be the plant of choice when I next go to the garden centre.

Small Monument revealed

While I was away, they cut all the bushes down around the Memorial Park. Hope they’re going to plant something else and not just concrete it over. Anyway with the bushes gone, a small monument has been revealed. So I strolled over to see what it was.

There is a plaque on it, a little hard to see now, but reads:

Replica of the Old Cross erected 1723 in St.Michaels Square the original of which is sited in Stanford Park.

Is it? Well I guess I’d better get over there take a look for myself.

Belle Vue Stock Cars

The Formula 1 Stock Cars rolled into Manchester’s Belle Vue yesterday.

Here’s a peek into the pits after heat 1.

Fellow Contractors

As promised, some of the guys I worked with at Aviva.

Chris, Grahame, Alan, Iona.

Norwich

My local in Norwich was this pub, The Gardeners.

But no one called it that, it was known to all as The Murderers. It has pictures of famous murderers from England and across the world up on the walls. Obviously this included Myra Hindley and Ian Brady.

When ever I go somewhere new, and they ask where I’m from, if I tell them Saddleworth (actually Grotton) they always say, oh the moors murderers. So I felt at home in this pub. Almost!

Couple of shots from the city centre.
 
 

Norwich

Well, a slow and hesitant return to the blog world.

The gods have been conspiring against me.

My broadband connection is still a month off being restored, so I’m using one of those very slow, intermittent, expensive mobile dongles.

My old laptop died a couple of days after getting home from my contract in Norwich. It did fall off the pannier on my bike while on the train back to Ashton, I thought I’d got away with it, but apparently I didn’t.

My new laptop is all well and good, but the old one died with my picture manipulating software still on it. And no, I don’t have it backed up. And also I cannot get back to the original copy as sadly that route was closed to me some years back.

Anyway, some snaps from my days in Norwich where I was working for Aviva.

This is where I stayed in Norwich, very handy as it was just across the road from work.

And this the grand front entrance to work - Aviva (Norwich Union as was).

The old Norwich Union clock.

Well, my time in Norwich is coming to an end, so I'll be back in good old A-u-L shortly.


Now, where did I put that camera...

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.