Mellow Yellow Monday:A tram to Monsall

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Last Wednesday services began running on the Metrolink tramway extension from Manchester Victoria to Oldham Mumps. This Oldham-bound tram is just entering St Peter's Square from St Werburgh's Road. I caught it that afternoon and travelled as far as the first of the new stations on the line.


I alighted at Monsall and the tram continued on its journey to Mumps.


There is ramped access from the Oldham-bound platform up to Monsall Street.


Looking back at the station from near the top of the ramp.


Crossing over the line takes us into Rushwick Avenue and on to Ruislip Avenue where there is a disabled parking bay, five padlocked bicycle cages and some Sheffield stands.


As at many Metrolink stations a lift is provided to takes passengers from street level down to the platform. The lift wasn't in operation although I was informed it would ready for use in about half an hour. Fortuneatly I am still fit enough to use the stairs.


Looking from the end of the Manchester-bound platform. This section was built on the line of a former dismantled heavy rail line.


As the electronic screen tells us, a tram is approaching. We are also informed that the next tram to St Werburgh's Road will be along in 14 minutes. And if the time is correct then comparing it to the information in the photograph's EXIF data the clock in my camera is 12 minutes fast (less an hour slow as it's still set to GMT).

I took this tram to Shudehill where I changed for a tram to Piccadilly and there caught a Euston express to Stockport and a bus home.

A contribution to Mellow Yellow Monday.

Another account with some extra photographs can be viewed on the Geograph blog.

Weekend Reflections:Market Avenue, Ashton-under-Lynr

Reflections in the rainsodden pavement of Market Avenue, Ashton under Lyne.

In the foreground are two metal bollards which were erected in 2008 to celebrate the reopening of the market hall, rebuilt after being destroyed by fire in 2004.

On the right is a statue of a "street urchin" one of several dotted around the town.

More reflections too in the entrance to the market hall itself.


Market Avenue is a pedestrian walkway leading from Ashton market to Old Street. The amusement arcade on the right has a snack bar which is from where I took the first photograph.


This plaque on the left-hand bollard depicts a plan of Ashton Old Town as laid out in the 1740s by the 5th Earl of Stamford.


This is the plaque on the right-hand bollard.

For more bollards visit Bollards of Britain.

For more reflections visit Weekend Reflections.

Trans Pennine Trail: Green Pastures to East Didsbury

This is part of the Trans Pennine Trail leading out of Green Pastures, Heaton Mersey towards a tunnel under Parrs Wood Lane. The route is along a former railway line running from New Mills through Heaton Mersey and Chorlton-cum-Hardy to Manchester.

This is looking back under the tunnel. It looks better in monochrome.

  © Copyright Chris Wimbush and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

Chris Wimbush's photograph taken in January 2011 shows where the footpath used to continue along the line of the dismantled railway towards the bridge carrying Kingsway. The route has been diverted as the East Didsbury tram station at the end of the South Manchester Line is being built on the site.

Here is how it looks now with construction work ongoing. The station is due to open in Summer 2013 and according to the trammstop plan the line of the trail will be re-instated.

Plans were originally drawn up for a Metrolink tramway via East Didsbury to Stockport but the extended route was withdrawn in 2004 due to lack of funding. If they are ever revived then the path under the tunnel is unlikely to look anything like it does now.

A contribution to Sunday Bridges at San Francisco Bay Daily Photo.