Over to Graham,....
"Here are some old photos of Hyde station that some of your readers might have an interest in. I worked at Hyde Central from 1950 until 1952 when I did my National Service. Working there was a very interesting experience for a young lad!
What was the original Hyde Station on Great Norbury Street , it was built in 1862 it was expanded in later years and was renamed Hyde Central in 1951. The original building is to the left on the second photo and housed all the usual offices and the Station Masters house, the newer addition is the taller building in the centre and the entrance hall with the roof lights. This part was the main entrance and booking office.Everything was gas lit until I left in 1952 and probably for a long time afterwards. The goods office was further up Great Norbury Street in the old coal yard.
I think that the first photo is very interesting and is from August 1960 and shows a crowd of people waiting for one of the several Wakes trains. If I remember correctly, there was a Friday night train to Liverpool and the ferry to the Isle of Man and Saturday "specials" to Blackpool and North Wales... perhaps some of your readers might recognise themselves!!"
As always, much appreciated!
Thank you, Graham :)
5 comments:
Some of the better and most interesting pictures I've seen on this blog.
I love the old station building, so imposing. There was pride when buildings like this was built. Much better than the mess that's there now!
I have to agree with Anonymous that these photos are among the finest for a long time. And what memories they evoke too. I remember being taken all over the place on the excursion trains by my parents. I may even have an old advert from the North Cheshire for them which I'll try to dig up and send. Compared to today's exhorbitant rail fares, I would say they were probably a good deal, even allowing for 50 years of inflation.
I recall sometime in the late 50s or early 60s a visit by Prince Philip to Hyde. He was arriving by train and, in his honour, the white lines of Hyde Central's platform edges were repainted. My mother went up in a blue light at the extravagance!
Most memorable though is that my first job on leaving school was at Gorton Loco Works, or Gorton Tank as we all knew it. We were given a travel pass to use on journeys to and from work and so I used to get the trolley bus from GX to the bridge on Manchester Road and walk up to the station. I used to hope that the waiting room fire would be lit as the station was so cold and, more often than not, it was - a lovely huge blaze in the old fireplace. Whilst waiting for the train to come, I remember always wishing it would be a diesel rather than steam because travelling on a steam train meant you were pretty mucky by the time you got off at Gorton & Openshaw. On the return journey I would walk from the station to the market via Gt Norbury Street and Greenfield Street and get my bus there.
And yes, the lighting at the station was gas!
Great old photos of Hyde Central Graham, don't recogize anyone waiting for the Wakes week train as yet, going to take a closer look! but what a brilliant picture. This is my kind of era
My Grandfather and his partner had a building business behind Hyde Central station, it was called A E Lowery, they had offices in the three storey building at the station.
He later bought out his partner and the company continued until the early 1980's run by my father Brian Hallows and his two brothers Derek and Michael.
I have great memories of playing in the sawdust in the woodworking department.
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