Late Autumn in Hyde Park

Although some of the UK has been buried in snow for a week, here we have had just a light sprinkling until this morning. Today's photograph was taken about a week ago in Hyde Park when it was still decidedly Autumn.

For a cycle ride through the park check out the video on Hyde DP Xtra.

At The Switching on of the Christmas Lights

This is the last of six photographs taken at the switching on of the Christmas lights outside Hyde Town Hall.

On the right can be seen the stage built across Market Street. On the left are the market stalls doing good trade with the gathered crowd.

It was a cold evening and I'd seen enough so I went off to catch a bus before the lights were actually switched on.

As likely as not though I'll be down again before the year is over for a less crowded look.

Shadow Shot Sunday Switching On

This is the fifth of six photographs taken at the switching on of the Christmas lights outside Hyde Town Hall.

The area in front of the Town Hall was cordoned off and only people involved in the event were allowed through. Lady Gonegaga had just finished her act and Mossley Brass Band were now entertaining the crowd. The lights from the stage cast shadows around the Hyde Seal.

See more Shadow Shot Sunday posts at Hey Harriet.

Weekend Reflections Christmas Lights Switch On

This is the fourth of six photographs taken at the switching on of the Christmas lights outside Hyde Town Hall.

Although the actual Christmas lights had not yet been switched on, there were plenty of lights illuminating the area and being reflected in this barrage of balloons.

See more weekend reflections at Newtown Area Photo.

Switched on Market

This is the third of six photographs taken at the switching on of the Christmas lights outside Hyde Town Hall.

Whilst the main crowd was being entertained, several stalls were open on the market. The one in the foreground is a charity stall selling cakes and home-made jam.

Other stalls sold toys, cards and gifts, decorations, sweets &c.

Clarendon Mall was still open. Many shops were closed but Greggs the bakers was doing good trade as was the coffee shop in the centre and Argos.

Lady Gonegaga

This the second of six photographs from the switching on of the Christmas lights outside the Town Hall.

If I heard correctly the singer on stage is called Lady Gonegaga and she was entertaining the crowd with some loud rock music. I could hear her from above Union Street as I was making my way down Market Street.

Her act was followed by Mossley Brass Band.

ABC Wednesday S is for Switching on the Christmas Lights

This is the first of six photographs taken at the Switching on of the Christmas Lights outside Hyde Town Hall.

Market Street was closed off and a stage had been erected across it. The gathered crowd was being entertained by a variety of acts including a rock singer, a brass band and a children's choir.

The lights had been erected back in September.

For more S posts visit ABC Wednesday.

The Bell of St Thomas the Apostle

When I recently showed you the back of St Thomas you may not have noticed the bell, so here is a closer view.

Wheelie Bins on Albert Road

Although these bins are on Albert Road they belong to the houses on Croft Street the backs of which are on the right. On the left are the backs of houses on Bowling Green Street.

Shadow Shot Sunday:Jamia Mosque

Yesterday I showed you reflections at the Jamia Mosque on Corporation Street.

Now I show you shadows on the side of the Mosque.

I've done this in sepia to bring out the depths of the shadows.

You can see the original photograph from which this was cropped on Geograph.

See more Shadow Shot Sunday posts at Hey Harriet.

Reflections at the Mosque

I showed you a reflection of the Jamia Mosque in a car parked on Corporation Street in March 2009.

This time not only is the mosque reflected in a car, the mosque itself reflects the houses across the street in its own windows.

See more weekend reflections at Newtown Area Photo.

Marlborough Road

Marlborough Road, Gee Cross is a typical street of post-war semi-detached houses. The view here is from the corner of Gloucester Road near Dowson Primary School.

Trans Pennine Trail behind Hattersley

A section of the Trans Pennine Trail behind Hattersley.

In the background are houses on the other side of Stockport Road. There used to more houses on the East side but these have since been demolished.

ABC Wednesday R is for Runners

On Sunday 31st October a group of around thirty runners gathered at Swains Valley for a Halloween Race.

Here one runner is just lumbering up before the start whilst another is washing down a banana.

There are more photos of the start of the race on Hyde DP Xtra.

For more R posts visit ABC Wednesday

Back Entrance to Clarendon Mall

This unpretentious passage leads to the rear entrance to the Clarendon Mall from Reynold Street.

Winterbottom View

The waste ground in the foreground of this shot used to be Winterbottom Grove on the Hattersley Estate. It is part of the area East of Stockport Road that was demolished in recent years.

We are here overlooking Mill Hill Green with Mottram church in the background.

Cinder's Shadows

A couple of weeks ago some of the cast of Cinderella were casting shadows across Hyde Market.

Casey-Lee Jolleys is Cinderella; Lee Ottway is Prince Charming, Bruce Jones is Doc Hardup and Caroline Hacking is the Fairy. They will be playing at Hyde Town Hall from December 3rd to January 2nd.

See more shadows at Hey Harriet.

Weekend Reflections: Ayesha Saree Emporium

On a day of heavy rain the Ayesha Saree Emporium on Chapel Street is reflected in a huge puddle.

See more Weekend Reflections on Newtown Area Photo.

White Gates Inn and the Wellington

As I walked down Manchester Road a few weeks ago workmen were busy erecting scaffolding outside the Wellington Hotel. I presume it is a prelude to its final demolition.

Meanwhile on the other side of the road the White Gates Inn appears to be still thriving.

Welcoming Home the Troops

Last Monday 450 soldiers from the Mercian Regiment, who had recently returned from Afghanistan, marched through Hyde. Despite the heavy rain a huge crowd lined the route. This was the scene outside the market opposite the Town Hall about half an hour before the parade was to take place.


I was at the doctor's and came out after my appointment just in time to see the tail end of the march at the bottom of Market Street.


On Hyde DP Xtra you'll find three videos of the march past and links to other reports and photographs of the event.

ABC Wednesday Q is for Quadrant House

Quadrant House is an office block at the end of Reynard Street.

It used to be the home of the AMI group before they moved to Phoenix House.

Currently it is occupied by the Beacon Association, a Christian charity. It is an accessible charity shop and they brew a mean cup of tea for 50p.

For more Q posts visit ABC Wednesday.

Bus Station repairs

After last weeks surreal view of Hyde Bus Station, an all too real view from last week.

The carriage-ways are being repaired forcing all services to use one side of the bus station only. With only one way through, many routes (the 330 in particular) have been diverted and no longer stop on Market Street to the inconvenience of many users.

See the notice on Hyde DP Xtra.

Looking Up Church Brow

Church Brow is a path that leads from the bottom of Church Steps up to Woodend Lane.

This view is from half-way up.

See the coloured version on Geograph.

Check the view looking down on Hyde DP Xtra.

Pylons over Hattersley

These pylons (or towers as they are known as in the electricity transmission industry) form an electrical bridge over Ashworth Lane at Hattersley and across the site earmarked for a new Tesco superstore before marching on towards Harrop Edge.

A source I'm unable to name told me that this line was due for renewal in 2011 and opined that if a supermarket was to built here then their route would need to be realigned.

A wider view of these pylons can be seen on Geograph.

A closer view of the top of a pylon can be seen on Hyde DP Xtra.

See more Sunday Bridges at San Francisco Bay Daily Photo.

Weekend Reflections of Hyde Market

Hyde Market is reflected in the windows of the entrance to Clarendon Mall as a Hyde United fan talks with the lady who is collecting for the Lifeboat charity.

For more Weekend Reflections visit Newtown Area Photo.

Morning Sky

The morning sky just a week or so ago before the clocks went back and the wind and rain came to remove most of the remaining leaves from the trees.

For more sky shots visit Skywatch Friday.

Mill Hill Green

This green sward off Ashworth Lane is the new home for the displaced Hattersley Monkey Puzzle Tree.

Below the dip is Chain Bar Lane.

The houses in the background are on Stringer Avenue.

ABC Wednesday P is for Plastic Fantastic

The offices and showroom of Plastic Fantastic is on the corner of Manchester Road and Clark Way.

This was formerly the Red Lion. When I first showed it here in September 2007 the pub was open for business as usual, but by August 2009 it had closed.

At least it has found a new use and not been demolished.

For more P posts visit ABC Wednesday.

Morning outside The Cotton Bale

Remember the days when pubs opened about 11 or 11.30am and then closed in the middle of the afternoon?

These days they can open at 7am and serve tea and coffee and breakfast.

Hyde Bus Station: A Surreal View

Mark Delahoyde wrote to me a little while ago saying

I've been a fan of your Old Hyde blog for a while now being from Hyde myself... I love seeing how it's changed over the years! I recently stumbled across Sergey Larenkov's blog showing images of war-time Europe overlaid with modern shots, and thought I'd try the same with some of your shots.

As the CDPB theme today is Public Transport I thought today might be the ideal time to show his blending of a photograph from Old Hyde with mine taken some 50 years later.

For an intermediate version see Old Hyde for a 1999 view of the bus station.

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants to the theme day.