A TALE OF TWO STATIONS

We're arriving at Manchester Victoria station, sometime around 1967. Here's one of those unusual EMUs from Bury.

A few other shots at Manchester Victoria around the same time.

In the later years of the 1970s, a parcels DMU stabled in the station.

Now for a few shots from the 1980s.

47 645 departs westwards.

Back inside the station, the famous L&YR tiled map.

Preserved Oldham Corporation Leyland no. 304 photograohed outside Manchester Victoria station.

Greater Manchester PTE used this spot to stop their buses.

There was once a Victoria bus station.

A new bus station has been opened just outside Victoria station. It's called Shudehill.

Two generations of Metrolink trams near Shudehill.

Shudehill once had a hen market.

The Rovers Return (where have I heard that name before?) once served market goers.

Today, drinkers are catered for in the excellent Hare & Hounds.

Connected to Manchester Victoria station by Platform 11, Manchester Exchange closed in the 1960s. Here are the through platforms, circa 1967.

And here are the terminal platforms, out of use.

Exchange station was handy for the Cathedral and the trams.

 

Manchester Exchange No. 2 signal box in pre-grouping days.

The closed remains of Exchange station in 1980.

That's where I'll leave your for this post. Next time there'll be pubs, breweries and lots more.

A BIT OF SUBURBAN NORTH MANCHESTER

We start at Crumpsall, where this ex L&YR signal box controlled the DC electrified Bury line, before being replaced by the Metrolink trams. 

To see where we're going next, I advise you to see the map here, So, Blackley is our next stop, for the Pleasant Inn, only to find out that it closed in 2017.

Never mind, the Blue Bell at Moston is still seeing pints being pulled.

Newton Heath was one of the main locomotive sheds serving the L&YR in Manchester. 0-6-0 no. 85 is seen here with an "earth fault".

One of the famous L&YR Pugs photographed at Newton Heath shed.

Now, it's 1931 and LMS (ex L&YR) 12459 is in the shed yard.

Newton Heath was one of the last bastions of steam. Here are a few shots taken around 1967.

Around the same time, D2858, a Yorkshire Engine Company shunter was found on Newton Heath shed.

Newton Heath survived into diesel days.

Some housing built for railway employees in Graver Lane, Newton Heath (Mikey - Creative Commons License).

A lovely Holt's pub serves the residents of Newton Heath, the Railway Hotel.

Sadly the Grosvenor Arms and the Robin Hood Inn are now closed.

L&YR no 18 leaving Dean Lane station, Newton Heath, with a transfer to Oldham circa 1920.

To the west is the former Manchester Corporation bus depot on Boyle Street, now the Museum of Transport Greater Manchester. Here are a few buses within its walls.

There's a few other exhibits too.

Not far away is was Queens Road signal box, where two EMUs pass on the Bury line.

Nearby, at Cheetham, the Metrolink depot in 1991.

On our way into Manchester city centre we pass Holt's Brewery.

We would have our last pint of this post in the Queens Arms, but it is no longer open.

So we catch a bus down Cheetham Hill into the city, but you'll have to wait until the next post for that (Richard Huggins).

See you soon.