Kim's Nails

Kim's Nails is the lastest shop to open on Russel Street between the well established businesses of Oaklands Furniture store on one side and the plumber's merchants on the other.

It calls itself "American Style" whatever that means. Personally I've never really understood the fashion for painted finger-nails, but each to their own.

When the Google Streetview car went by last June, the shop was still awaiting new tenants. The gent's hairdressers that had been there for a while had relocated.

For more K posts visit ABC Wednesday.

The Treasurer's Little Daffodils

Among the pretty spring flowers in the window boxes at Hyde Town Hall are some dwarf daffodils.

You can see the latest flowertubs outside the Town Hall on Hyde DP Xtra.

Station Road, Godley

This is Station Road at Godley leading to Godley Junction station as was.

Godley Junction was where electric traction gave way to diesel. Coal wagons enroute from the Yorkshire coalfields to Fiddlers Ferry had to change here. When the Woodhead route closed in 1981, Godley Junction had no rationale as a passenger station and was replaced by a new station simply named Godley, but pending formal closure proceedings was renamed Godley East and served by a handful of trains on weekdays to fulfil legal requirements.

You can see the marshalling yards at Godley Junction on Old Hyde and the new station at the other end of Station Road on Hyde DP Xtra.

North from #8

Last week I showed you Bridge #8 on the Peak Forest Canal.

This week I am showing you the view looking North from the bridge towards Captain Clarke's Bridge.

You can see view looking South on Hyde DP Xtra.

You can see a closer view of the shadows on the towpath at Shadow Shot Sunday.

The Glowing Lights of Hyde

I'm sitting on a bench in Clarendon Place and looking towards the Market Place. On the left is the Clarendon Shopping Centre. On the right is the Jolly Carter.

This low angled street shot might have been a contender for the Eric Tenin Tribute, but in its original state the main focus would have been on the illegally parked car (ticket already slapped on the window) so partially to spare the owner's embarrassment I've used my imagination to create this glowing impression.

An Enigma in Wood

I was in Hyde Park again recently and came across this tree.

I didn't know anything about until I discovered a note on the TMBC Facebook page which informs

Mr Thompson Dagnall, a Preston-based artist, is creating a wood sculpture of a squirrel with a nut in Hyde Park.

The sculpture is being created from a Turkey Oak outside Bayley Hall in the park. The tree was diseased and had to be felled. Rather than remove the tree completely it was felled to a safe height so that it could be sculpted.

Frank's Barber's Shop

Frank's is an old-style barber's on Dowson Road.

If you want a straight hair cut then he's your man.

If you want trendy hair-styling then look elsewhere.

Hyde has quite a large a number of Gents hairdressers catering for all different tastes and there's even one or two "unisex" salons.

On average it seems women pay around five times more than men each time they visit their hairdesser and make four times as many visits in the same period as men.

Journey's End

Well it looks like it doesn't it?

Actually Journey's End is the name of the private house on the right which has an entrance off Cock Brow.

The public footpath from Windy Harbour leads left of Journey's End over Idle Hill towards Low End Farm.

For more J posts visit ABC Wednesday.

Edge of a Rainbow

Spring is coming in like a lion this year with a lot of wet weather.

Late yesterday afternoon dark clouds hovered over Werneth Low and heavy rain arrived.

Shortly afterwards a rainbow appeared. Because of the angle of roofs and windows that don't open wide, I wasn't able to capture the full semi-circle. I was however able to catch the edge of it on the left horizon in this shot looking towards the Hare and Hounds on the right horizon.

About ten minutes after I took this photograph, the skies darkened, the rainbow disappeared and the rain returned.

Spring Equinox

Saturday was officially the first day of Spring.

It rained solidly all day.

This is Grange Road South taken with my camera-phone while I stood waiting for the bus home.

See the view in the opposite direction on Hyde DP Xtra.

Bridge #8

Bridge #8 on the Peak Forest Canal is a wooden footbridge.

On the other side of the bridge is the towpath and the woods above Haughton Dale.

This side a muddy footpath leads to Church Fold - see Shadow Shot Sunday.

For a view of the footbridge from just down the towpath visit Hyde DP Xtra.

Cock Brow

Cock Brow is a road (yes, a road for vehicles, not a footpath) which links Lumn and Lower Cliff on Apple Street to Windy Harbour on Werneth Low Road.

A Path Through The Trees

A few days ago I showed you an impenetrable impasse.

However, walk a little further along the towpath and a footpath takes one to a bench which can be seen on Friday Bench.

From there a path leads down through the trees to the site of the former Gibraltar Mill.

Sharp-eyed viewers will notice that I've done a certain amount of photoshopping to create this image. If you prefer a more unadulterated version see the one on Geograph.

1893 Terraces

This group of terraced houses on Union Street were built in 1893.

When I photographed them in 2006, the Cherry Tree was in blossom.

Impenetrable Impasse

This thick wood, a western enclave of the of the once extensive Gower Hey Wood, lies south of Wood End Farm overlooking (if you could see through it) the river Tame as it flows through Haughton Dale.

For more I posts visit ABC Wednesday.

Zebra Makeover

The zebra crossing on Dowson Road has had a makeover.

I first showed you the crossing on 18th June 2009 when workmen were repairing one of the bent belisha poles.

I showed you it again on 1st August 2009. More than one person commented on the naked, unpainted post.

Well now it has finally been painted - a cardboard wet paint sign was still covering the bottom when I took this photograph. The other old-style bollard has been replaced by the modern pin-type one.

And where the belishas were previously cowled they now have new Zebrite surrounds with a double ring a flashing LEDs.

You can see a close-up of one of the belishas on Hyde DP Xtra.

Is it a Flowertub or ...?

You tell me.

It is only a few yards from my post of February 20th.

Woodend Lane (Sepia)

A shot of shadows along Woodend Lane.

In the opposite direction the lane leads to Captain Clarke's Bridge and Wood End Farm.

The original colour version of this photograph can be seen on Geograph.

A skewed view of the shadows can be seen at Shadow Shot Sunday.

Captain Clarke Sideways

A sideways look at Captain Clarke's roving bridge over the Peak Forest Canal.

Here you can see the towpath coming under the bridge and winding round over the top of the bridge. It then descends on the other side of the canal. The arrangement allows for horse-towed barges to negotiate the canal without the need to unhitch the horse when the towpath changes sides.

See a view of the canal from the top of the bridge on sithenah.

See the top of the bridge on Hyde DP Xtra.

Windy Harbour on Werneth Low

This is a similar photograph to the one I posted two weeks ago Hightailing it on Werneth Low. It was taken about half an hour earlier and a few feet further East. It shows the footpath leading onto the Low.

Winter Hill and the Lancashire Fells are in the far distance.

For visions of the sky around the world, visit Skywatch Friday.

Meanwhile, Renee of Rochester Daily Photo [dead link deleted] has sent us the Sunshine Award. Please see the details on Hyde DP Xtra. I've passed it on to 12 other deserving blogs. Please take a look and visit them if you can.

White Lion Corner:A Tribute to Eric Tenin

Today's photograph of the corner of the White Lion is a tribute to Eric Tenin of Paris Daily Photo.

Five years ago, Eric posted Snow in the Luxembourg Garden. It was the beginning of what became the City Daily Photoblog Movement.

One of Eric's techniques that endears him to his many fans is the low-angle or skewed street shot. On this 5th anniversary, other members of the CDPB community are taking part in a special theme day to celebrate.

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants.

Haughton Green Village Post Office

Haughton Green on the Lancashire side of the River Tame is politically part of Denton.

Originally a rural area, with most of its built up areas along the main roads and in the old village, it became more built up when the Manchester (Beswick) overspill estate was located here in the late 50s behind existing housing on Two Trees Lane. There was also building of new middle class housing in and around the original village at the same time. This increased its size significantly as housing now extended down into the valley and next to wooded areas.

The Post Office is at the top of Gibraltar Lane which leads down to Haughton Dale and, across the river, the long demolished Gibraltar Mill.

Beyond the river Apethorn Lane leads to Gee Cross. On the far horizion is Back o' th' Hill.

For more H posts visit ABC Wednesday

West from Windy Harbour

Last week I showed you the view North from Windy Harbour viewpoint.

This is the view East across the flank of Werneth Low. {Do click on the photograph to see it full size.}

In near-distance is the War Memorial on Hacking Knife. In mid-distance is Audenshaw Reservoir and beyond the Northern parts of the Manchester conurbation.

See the view East from Windy Harbour on Hyde DP Xtra.

Hospital Petitioners

Liz Degnen and her followers were in Hyde on Saturday collecting signatures for her petition that calls for the sacking of the management at Tameside Hospital.

You can read a report about her petition on the Tameside Advertiser.

According to their website Truth About Tameside Hospital [dead link deleted], they collected over 1000 signatures.

Whilst many people have received excellent treatment at and from the hospital, a lot of folk are seriously disatisfied with a number of failings. I'm not taking sides.

The hospital will feature on the BBC Panorama Programme at 8.30pm tonight.

Under The Godley Arches

These are the Godley Arches over the A57 on the East side of Hyde.

Just to the left, on the embankment, is Godley station and the entrance for Manchester-bound trains.

The entrance for Glossop-bound trains is on the other side of the arches.

Godley Station replaced the now closed and disappeared Godley East Station, aka Godley Junction, where a freight-only branch line ran towards Woodley.

The A57 is an old road that ran from Lincoln via Worksop, Sheffield, Glossop, Hyde, Manchester and Warrington to Liverpool. This section is now by-passed by the M67 Motorway.

The railway line carries trains from Manchester Piccadilly to Glossop, but at one time it went all the way to Sheffield via the Woodhead Tunnel. Nowadays at Dinting Junction all that is left of that old route is a short spur to Hadfield.

See the arches from the end of Station Road on Hyde DP Xtra.

Lumn and Lower Cliff

Lumn and Lower Cliff are a couple of farms off Apple Street on the South-East edge of Werneth Low overlooking the Etherow Valley.

Godley Hill War Memorial

Hidden away behind the trees on the left of Wednesday's photograph of Godley Hill Road is the War Memorial.

According to the Tameside.gov.uk website

Originally, the monument was in what the press of the time described as "a handsome park." Nowadays, the memorial is a little dilapidated and stands almost forgotten among a few trees - all that remains of the park.

The monument consists of a small granite obelisk in the centre of a circular flower bed and the area is surrounded by a low wall. Access is through the small metal gates, both of which bear the date 1953. In front of the memorial, on the flower bed, is a cube-shaped white receptacle for holding flowers bearing the words "In memory of the fallen of Godley Hill" On the flower-bed wall are stumps which once would have been connected with chains.

The front inscription reads "Erected in honour and deep gratitude to the men who fought for liberty and freedom in the great world war 1914-1919."

It was unveiled by Daniel Adamson of Longlands on July 17th, 1920.

Outside the memorial gardens is a bench which can viewed on Ackworth born, gone West.

Back o' th' Hill

A week or so ago I posted February Fields. In the background was Back o' th' Hill which is farmland on the Western slope of Werneth Low.

This is some two to three miles from the Eastern edge of the Low past Windy Harbour.

Godley Hill Road

The fine row of terraced houses are on Godley Hill Road.

The road behind us leads into the Kerry Foods Factory, which is visible from Windy Harbour and other viewpoints.

For other G posts visit ABC Wednesday.

The View from Windy Harbour

Looking over the plinth at Windy Harbour viewpoint towards the Lancashire fells beyond Oldham and Rochdale.

The building dominating the near background is the Kerry Foods Factory and West of that is Godley Reservoir.

A detailed view of the toposcope plinth can be seen on Hyde DP Extra.

Long Meadow Passage

Long Meadow Passage leads from the Clarendon Street Car Park to Market Street.

The car park is on the site of the Long Meadow Mill which was demolished in 1900 (yes that date is right - demolishing old mills isn't just a recent phenomena - they were doing it more than a hundred years ago).

As you can see from my post of 8th July 2008 taken from the opposite direction, the building on the left is a hairdressers and tanning studio and the one on the right is a funeral directors.

The CDPB theme today is Passageways. Click here to view thumbnails for all participants.