Weekend Reflections and Shadows in Black & White on the Peak Forest Canal

The Peak Forest Canal from the towpath just above Manchester Road bridge.

See how it looked in April 2009.

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

A contribution to The Weekend in Black and White and Weekend Reflections and Shadow Shot Sunday.

Transient cloudscape

I saw this, took the photograph, and five minutes later it had gone.

A contribution to Skywatch Friday.

Sustrans Milepost at Swain's Valley

Yesterday I showed you a glimpse of the new signpost on the Trans Pennine Trail.

1000 Millennium cast iron mileposts were funded by the Royal Bank of Scotland to mark the creation of the National Cycle Network, and they are now to be found along the cycles routes throughout the UK.

There are four different types of posts, "Fossil Tree" by John Mills, "The Cockerel" by Iain McColl, Rowe Type by Andrew Rowe, and "Tracks" by David Dudgeon. The four artists are from each country of the UK though all posts can be found in all four countries.

This one is designed by David Dudgeon. Six mileposts are to be erected on this stretch alongside the former Godley Junction to Apethorn railway line. I expect it will be coloured over in the next few weeks.

A closer view of the top and bottom of the sign can be seen on Hyde DP Xtra.

A contribution to signs, signs.

ABC Wednesday: T is for the Trans Pennine Trail

The Trans Pennine Trail is a 215 mile (346Km) long coast-to-coast route from Southport to Hornsea. The local section is along the trackbed of the former Godley Junction to Apethorn Railway.

Open to walkers, cyclists and horseriders, the path is divided to provide a hard track for the former and a separate bridleway.

Newly erected on this section of what is also the National Cycle Network Route #62 is a Sustrans Millennium Milepost of which I'll show you more tomorrow.

A contribution to ABC Wednesday and to Outdoor Wednesday.

New houses on Manchester Road

These new houses on Manchester Road past the bridge over the Peak Forest Canal are part of Moorfield Place built on the site of the former Automasters Engineering Works.

See how they looked under construction in August 2013.

A contribution to Ruby Tuesday and Our World Tuesday.

Lifeboats and ice cream

A week last Saturday was a hot day on Hyde Civic Square.

Behind the charity stall for the RNLI is Madge's ice-cream van (established 1897). That business is about as old the children's carousel glimpsed on the right.

In the background are bookies William Hill and the Santander Bank (a former Abbey bank and the only Santander in town now the former Bradford & Bingley has been closed).

A contribution to Blue Monday.

Canada Geese close-up

I recently posted a view of geese on the towpath of the Peak Forest Canal on Hyde DP Xtra.

Here is a closer view.

A contribution to Saturday Critters and
Camera Critters and
I'd rather b birdin.

Weekend Reflections: Peak Forest Canal 2014

The view from Nursery Road looking north up the Peak Forest Canal.

Compare it with the same view three years ago in March 2011;
a year before in February 2010;
a few months before that in November 2009;
earlier still in August 2009.

A contribution to Weekend Reflections
and Scenic Weekends.

Rain clouds over Gee Cross

The weather is changeable.

Before I took this photograph, about half an hour ago, it had been raining heavily; then it cleared up.

Shortly after the photograph was taken there was a short sharp shower but now as I upload this post the sun has come out again.

Just typical British weather.

A contribution to Skywatch Friday.

Oops - now it's raining again!

Signs on the demolition site

There's a security sign on the fencing surrounding the now cleared site of the Clarendon Square multi-storey car park.

Beyond is a welcome sign by the entrance to the shopping centre.

The whole scene will change again once construction of the proposed KFC outlet gets under way.

A contribution to signs, signs.

ABC Wednesday: S is for Sluice

This sluice gate on the Peak Forest Canal allows water to run off into Wilson Brook. The houses behind the fence on the right are part of Moorfield Place which was built on the site of the former Automasters Engineering Works.

See how it looked in August 2013;
a year before that in September 2012;
earlier in February 2012;
a year earlier in March 2011;
three years before that in March 2008 before the Automasters Works was demolished.

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

A contribution to Outdoor Wednesday and
Water World Wednesday as well as
ABC Wednesday and
Good Fences.

Dukinfield Road at Throstle Bank

The A627 from Hazel Grove via Hyde to Ashton under Lyne, Oldham and Rochdale.

The driver of the "Acumen" lorry has stopped at a bus stop to buy something from Wahid's off-license.

A contribution to Ruby Tuesday and Our World Tuesday.

Hyde Convenience Store

One of nearly 3000 stores operated under the "Premier" brand with their prominent yellow nameplates.

It was previously A&M Multisavers - see our post from July 2013.

Before then it was called simply Multisavers - see our post from May 2009

The building was originally the offices of the Philanthropic Mutual Life Assurance Collection Society - see our post from July 2007.

A contribution to Monday Mellow Yellows.

Hyde Town Team

Hyde Town Team was formed in October 2012 to "try and bring vibrancy back into Hyde Town Centre". They have arranged a series of events, mostly on Hyde Civic Square, throughout the year.

Last Saturday they were giving away balloons whilst collecting donations for local food banks.

A contribution to Shadow Shot Sunday and Blue Monday.

Weekend in Black & White: Chinese Chimney

The flue at the rear of the "Simply Chinese" takeaway on the corner of Dowson Road and Green Street.

The original photograph can be seen on Geograph.

A contribution to The Weekend in Black and White.

Skywatch Friday: Haughton Street

From the corner of Green Street looking down Haughton Street towards Market Street and the foot of the Pennine Hills in the distance.

A contribution to Skywatch Friday.

New fencing in Vincent Park

Where the footpath in Vincent Park crosses the Godley Brook some new fencing appears to have been erected recently.

A contribution to Good Fences.

ABC Wednesday: R is for Removing the Rubble

The Clarendon Square multi-storey car park has been demolished and workmen are busy removing the rubble.

This view is from the side of Clarendon Place. See how it looked two weeks earlier on Hyde DP Xtra.

A sign on the fencing promotes Hyde Markets.

A contribution to ABC Wednesday and signs, signs.

Cyclists on the Trans Pennine Trail

Approaching Dowson Road bridge on the TransPennine Trail. This section of Sustran's National Cycle Network Route 62 is along the trackbed of the former Apethorn to Godley Junction railway line.

A contribution to Our World Tuesday.

A close look at a Bluebell

I found this alongside the footpath that leads from the top of Gower Road to Church View.

See the whole clump on Hyde DP Xtra.

A contribution to Blue Monday and Macro Monday.

On Top of the Job

I took this photograph earlier this afternoon during a brief respite from the heavy rain and blustery winds that have been blowing.

As you can see, the demolition workers are on top of the job of clearing the rubble that was formerly the Clarendon Square multi-storey car-park.

A contribution to Skywatch Friday.

The view across Hyde Central

Looking across the platforms at Hyde Central Station.

Behind the fencing are the roofs of houses on Station Close.

The white building beyond is the Asda superstore.

In the distance are the war memorial on Werneth Low and the communication masts on Idle Hill.

A contribution to signs, signs and Good Fences.

ABC Wednesday: Q is for Queues

A queue of traffic on the A57, Mottram Road.

A contribution to ABC Wednesday.

The Side of Hyde Library

The foundation stone for Hyde Library was laid in 1897 by Elizabeth Ashton and the building was opened in 1899 by Letitia Mary Ashton as Hyde Technical School and Free Library.

See the foundation stones on Old Hyde.

It replaced the former Mechanics Institute.

The car park at the side is on the site of the former Hyde Swimming Baths.

I posted about the library in January 2014 and published further photographs of the library on Hyde DP Xtra.

I reported then that whilst in the first round of "council austerity cuts" the public were presented with three "choices" regarding the future of library services. Smaller local libraries were closed in the light of promised improved facilities at main libraries such as Hyde, but now, in a new round of service cuts, the proposal is to move services to the Town Hall and then sell the library building.

An e-petition opposed to those plans can be found at http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/62460.

A contribution to Ruby Tuesday and Our World Tuesday;

On top of the demolition

On Friday I showed you a glimpse of how the demolition of the multi-storey car park had opened up the view along Clarendon Place.

This view taken the same day shows the big yellow machines sitting on top of the rubble and clearing it away into lorries.

A contribution to Monday Mellow Yellows.

And then there were none

Originally there were a set of six shops on Grosvenor Road but by 2009 (see Hyde DP Volume 1) the middle shops had all been converted into housing. The hairdressers at the bottom end was converted into offices for a heating engineers by January 2013 and by Xmas 2013 even Yogi's convenience store at the top end had also closed and was being converted to residential use.

Now the offices at the bottom end are empty also.

The shadow of a tree at Knott Fold crosses the road.

A contribution to Shadow Shot Sunday.

Catkin reflections

Strong winds last week led to catkins on the trees falling and been blown on top of cars parked on the other side of the fence.

The trees are reflected by the morning sun on the car roofs.

A contribution to Weekend Reflections.

Car Park demolished

A week ago I showed you Clarendon Place fenced off in preparation for the demolition of the multi-storey car park.

Here is how it looked a couple of days ago.

The metal and orange fences are still in place but the car park has been reduced to rubble.

I've more photos of the demolition but they'll have to wait for another day.

A contribution to Good Fences; to Skywatch Friday and Orange You Glad It's Friday.

Through a Square Window

On a day of heavy rain, looking through the window of Lady Lavender's Tearoom outside Clarendon Square Shopping Centre across Hyde Civic Square (formerly referred to as the market ground) towards the offices on the other side with their square windows.

A contribution to the City Daily Photo theme Squares.