Reflecting on Automasters

Automasters Engineers were once one of the biggest employers in Hyde, but their huge factory on the side of the Peak Forest Canal has now been reduced to a pile of rubble.

I took this photograph from a bus passing the main entrance on Manchester Road in April 2008. Due to the reflections from the bus window, it isn't an especially good view so I never used the photograph at the time. There is no chance to take a better picture now, so here it is anyway.

The Crown Pole 2002

The "Crown Pole" is not a conventional signpost. The top eight fingers in descending order point to Audenshaw, Stalybridge, Dukinfield, Denton, Ashton-under-Lyne, Mossley, Longdendale (almost invisible here as it points directly at the camera) and Droylsden. The bottom finger, presumably added to give balance, merely points "South".


It was erected in 2002, along with others in Tameside, to commemorate the golden jubilee of HM Queen Elizabeth II.


On the market ground opposite Corporation Street, it replaced former flower tubs.

Read post update January 2012.

Godley Station 1989

This photograph is by Peter Whatley and used here with permission.

It was taken in March 1989 and shows the Manchester-bound platform and a train heading towards Godley Junction.

On Hyde Daily Photo you can see recent photographs of the platform (taken from the opposite end of the station) and of the line towards Godley East.

Adamson's Mills 1981

Photograph © Dr Neil Clifton and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

Dr. Clifton's photograph was taken in 1981 and he commented on Geograph UK that it "stood derelict and unlikely to find a future user."

Well compare it with my 2008 photograph on Hyde Daily Photo.

The chimney has gone but more or less everything else is still there and it is a thriving hub of activity.

Before there was a Woolworths

About a hundred years ago there was no Woolworths in Hyde Market Place. Instead there was Brownson's Clothiers.

I don't know when Woolworths moved in but now it seems they may well be on their way out.

Captain Clarke's Bridge

The City Daily Photo Blog theme is Circles or Spheres.

Question: How does a horse towing a boat perform a circle and cross to the other side of the canal without being unhitched?

Answer: Use a roving bridge.

Here is the famous Captain Clarke's Bridge on the Peak Forest Canal as photographed about 1900.

It is named after the navel officer, John Clarke who lived at Wood End in the 19th century.

The towpath changes sides at this point. The horse, pulling a narrowboat along with a towline attached to its harness, would walk under the bridge then up around the curve, over the canal and down the other side. If the boat was going the other way, the horse would cross the bridge then curve down and go under the bridge. Because the towpath goes under the bridge before circling upwards, the towline could remain attached the whole time, which would save the boatmen time and fiddling about.

Another roving bridge on this stretch is the Manchester Road Canal Bridge, of which you can see more on Hyde Daily Photo.

To view thumbnails for all participants to the "circles/spheres" theme, visit the CDPB portal.

Apethorn Farm

Originally this was a cruck-framed longhouse from the 15th century.

It was encased in rubble in the 17th century and later with brick.

In 1831 it was the scene of a murder.

In 1928 it was divided into cottages and then in 1993 a fire reduced to it to just the original cruck frame.

You can see how it looked in 2000 in this earlier post