M56 Traffic Jam

As I'm away for a while, Pamela from Tenerife is posting a series of photographs from the environs of Hyde rather than the town itself.

A typical traffic jam on the M56 near to Manchester Airport.

Piccadilly Gardens, Manchester

As I'm away for a while, Pamela from Tenerife is posting a series of photographs from the environs of Hyde rather than the town itself.

The gardens in the centre of Manchester have been done away with in recent years and replaced by cooling fountains. Below shows how it looked in 1998.

Sport City

As I'm away for a while, Pamela from Tenerife is posting a series of photographs from the environs of Hyde rather than the town itself.

Here is a view of Sport City and the City of Manchester Stadium as seen from a train travelling out of Manchester Piccadilly towards Guide Bridge, Hyde and Glossop.

B of the Bang

As I'm away for a while, Pamela from Tenerife is posting a series of photographs from the environs of Hyde rather than the town itself.

This shows the B of the Bang. At 183ft (56m) it is the tallest self-supporting sculpture in the United Kingdom. It was designed by Thomas Heatherwick and erected outside the Sports City stadium built to host the 2002 Commenwealth Games. It is now called the City of Manchester Stadium and is home to Manchester City FC.

The sculpture takes its name from a Linford Christie quotation in which he said that he started his races not merely at the 'bang' of the starting pistol, but at 'The B of the Bang'.

The picture below shows it under construction in 2004.



On a clear day with the sun shining in the right direction, I can see this from my bedroom window.

Manchester Airport Roof

As I'm away for a while, Pamela from Tenerife is posting a series of photographs from the environs of Hyde rather than the town itself.

This is the view from the roof at Manchester Airport. Hyde lies just under the hills you can see on the horizon towards the top right-hand corner.

Passing Old Trafford

As I'm away for a while, Pamela from Tenerife is posting a series of photographs from the environs of Hyde rather than the town itself.

Today we are on a bus passing Old Trafford, the home ground of Manchester United FC.

Tram at Victoria Station, Manchester

As I'm away for a while, Pamela from Tenerife is posting a series of photographs from the environs of Hyde rather than the town itself.

Today we are in a metrolink tram at Victoria Station in Manchester.

Mottram Old Road

This road lying under the shadow of Werneth Low goes from Gee Cross through Hattersley to the end of the M67.

Before the building of Alder Community School the left hand side displayed an array of beautiful mature trees.

Tin'stle Bells

Tin'stle Bells are a longstanding group of handbell ringers based in nearby Ashton.

Here they are seen performing in St George's for the Mayor and others at the recent Heritage Open Weekend.

There used to be handbell ringers in St George's more than forty years ago, but the bells were lost. Tin'stle Bells found, bought and restored them. They now form part of the group's large collection.

Last Orders Inn

This is the entrance to the Last Orders Inn on Market Street.

This pub used to be called the Clarendon Arms. There was a fatal shooting here a few years ago, which probably accounts for the change in name.

Fallen Chestnuts

The morning after the night before under the chestnut tree on Richmond Hill

Calligrapher

Here we see calligrapher Qiang Ren at work on his stall inside Clarendon Shopping Centre.

He'll do a painting of your name for £1 a letter.

Emptying the litter bins

I always wondered how they emptied the litter bins.

It seems there's a door on one side to which the workmen have a key. They then slide out the metal bin, remove the plastic sack, line it with a new bin-bag and shove it back before closing and locking the door.

Note the council coat-of-arms on the side.

Projector

This projector inside the Theatre Royal is still kept in good working order by projectionist Arthur Wilde.

Firemen Washing Cars

Last Saturday there were four fire engines in the Asda carpark.

The fireman were washing cars. I've still not figured out why.

A public-relations exercise perhaps?

This is the kind of thing usually done by scout groups and the like to raise funds.

Twin Pack

These two posters were juxtaposed on the side of the health food kiosk in Clarendon Shopping Centre.

I'm saying nowt about the one on the right [click on picture to enlarge and read] but as regards the other - why one on earth would you want to buy two?

Stonepit Reservoir again

Remember in July I showed you the diggers at Stonepit Reservoir?

Well the other week I went down to take a look. I managed to get this closeup of twigs and barbed wire.

Difficult as it is to see through the railings, I stuck my camera lens through a gap and found this.



An anonymous commentator said

I've heard that Stonepit is opening again for fishing. A 'leak' has been sorted and the fish are coming back from Glossop.

Taxi

Here is a typical Tameside Taxi at the taxi stand near the bus station.

Mayor rings a bell

Mayor of Tameside, Margaret Sidebottom, ringing a bell in St George's Church as part of the Heritage Open Day event last Saturday

Postal Sorting Office

Can't wait for your mail to be collected from a pillar box?

Take it down to the sorting office in Hamnett Street and ensure it gets off speedily.

Don't be as speedy though as the owner of the car seen parked here. Watch out for pedestrians crossing near the Bike 'n' Hound and don't hit them.

St. George's Church

St George's was built in 1831-2 as a fine example of Georgian Perpendicular architecture.

Inside the Theatre Royal

Yesterday was a Heritage Open day and an opportunity to get inside the Theatre Royal

You can view a full set of the pictures I took at http://www.geraldengland.co.uk/gx/royal.htm

Multi-story Carpark

This is the multi-story carpark on the edge of town.

The ground floor and the open land adjacant is Pay & Display but there is free parking on the upper levels.

The upper levels are closed though in the evening so make sure you get back in time!

Clarkes Arms

The Clarkes Arms is at the top of Lumn Road at its junction with Stockport Road.

Twigs & Barbed Wire

Remember in July I showed you the diggers at Stonepit Reservoir?

Well the other day I went down to take a look. The site is all locked up and barred. I managed to get this closeup of twigs and barbed wire.



I'll post more on this next week.

Rain

When it rains it pours and gushes from the drains.

Alder Community High School

Alder Community High School was opened in 2003 by Sir Alex Ferguson, manager of Manchester United.

Its siting was controversial for several reasons, but despite local protests it finally went ahead.


Here is how the site looked in March 2002.

Pillar Box

Need to post a letter?

Don't want to trek all the way down to the Post office?

Well provided it is correctly stamped and it isn't urgent you can still post your mail in the local pillar box. They tend to get collected from only once a day and never on a Sunday.

Taxi stand

This new improved taxi stand was completed at the same time as the new bus station opened. There is now a shelter and better access for wheelchairs.

Taxis will be the Daily Photo theme for 1st October but I won't be able to post on that day so this is a month early as a taster. Around fifty DP sites participated in the Doorways theme on 1st September.

Exit Only

Today's theme for Daily Photobloggers is Doorways.

This is one of the exits from the Theatre Royal. Next Friday, September 8th, it will be possible to take a look inside as it will open from 8 am to 4 pm as part of the Heritage Open Weekend

50 Daily Photo sites have participated in the 1st September theme.

Please visit them using the links below.

1 Porto - 2 Copenhagen - 3 Trier - 4 Hyde - 5 Greenville - 6 Trondheim - 7 Manila - 8 Stayton - 9 St Paul - 10 Alexandria - 11 Kuala Lumpur - 12 Guadalajara - 13 Szentes - 14 Sydney - 15 Buenavista del Norte - 16 Sharon - 17 Albuquerque - 18 Washington - 19 Chattanooga - 20 Antigua - 21 Rotterdam - 22 Portsmouth - 23 Ryde - 24 Saarbrücken - 25 London - 26 Newcastle - 27 Singapore - 28 Aliso Viejo - 29 Seattle - 30 Delta - 31 San Diego - 32 Jakarta - 33 Vallauris - 34 Brussels - 35 Freemont - 36 Stavanger - 37 Paris - 38 Sainte Maxime - 39 Hong Kong - 40 Oulu - 41 Trujillo - 42 Berlin - 43 Vanta - 44 Melbourne - 45 Edinburgh - 46 Nottingham - 47 Dubai - 48 Budapest - 49 Santiago - 50 Tuzla