It is just possible that not all readers of this blog will be able to recollect the content of nearly 3,500 postings (Shame on you!) so a brief background may be of help.
Stocksbridge is a community to the north west of Sheffield where a farmer, Mr Stocks, built a bridge over the river Don.
Later, Samuel Fox arrived and converted a failing cloth mill into the base for a massive steelworks, pictured below in 1868.
He built a "garden village" for his workers specifying the every plot should have a tree planted. A few trees remain in the central "square" ...
Between the wars, housing began to spread and that splurge has continued into modern times.
One of the early bus services from Sheffield out into "rural parts" became service 57 running direct to Stocksbridge along the Manchester Road which would eventually traverse the Woodhead pass on its way from steel city to cotton city.
Post WW2, Sheffield Transport introduced "The Clipper", as it was affectionately known, bringing the good folk down the hill from estates to village and shops, and, more importantly, taking then back up again. The routes were numbered 257 and 357, the latter occasional venturing into real countryside to serve the village of Bolsterstone.
For the record 157 was used for a short working of the 57 (normally every 20 minutes) and 457 for a long working of the 57, somewhat further along the Manchester road to Sheephouse Wood works.
The next big change came when buses to Sheffield ran every 15 minutes, being a half hourly 57 plus two journeys an hour numbered 67 running up hill and down dale and serving the various housing estates replacing the Clipper.
Then came the tram; and Stagecoach's Supertram Link SL1. This made the 57 unviable for many users as mini and midi buses met every tram every 10 minutes. The traditional 57 bus route was diverted via Worrall in an ultimately failed attempt to make it commercially viable.
The ramifications of the 57, with a capitulation by First and a handover to Stagecoach ...
... have been complex in the extreme but we can summarise what little stability there was with an fbb map.
Cheers all round!
The 57 (DARK BLUE) now served some of the estates; newer private housing at Deepcar ...
... and between-the-wars Council housing (now refurbished) at Stubbin.
The SL1 and S1A (LIGHT BLUE) went via Stubbin and alternate ways round the more mountainous housing at East Whitwell.
The SL1/1A of course, required a change to the tram at Middlewood ...
... whilst the 57 went the "long way round" via Worrall and continued into the city centre.
With the reduction of the tram frequency to every 12 minutes, the "circulars" became unbalanced which probably did not help passenger numbers as times were harder to remember.
S
Se57 soldiered on manfully having been reduced from half hourly to hourly Monday to Saturday and only going as far as Hillsborough Interchange evenings and Sundays.
Which brings us to lockdown!
And The Shed?
Desirous of a short break friom the rigours of timetable editing for the Sheffield App, fbb decided to assemble the garden shed from the Wills (i.e. Peco) Garden Buildings set.
It consisted of four walls ...
... and two chunks of roof. Dead simple - even a child could do it - even a child could glue it!
Job done. Off went fbb to try it out on the layout, popping it into place in one of the very small back yards. And ...
... it doesn't fit!
Perhaps fbb's policy of a laxness in mensuration skills might need a rethink!
Metro West Yorkshire ...
... and their take on social distancing etc....
... but asking an age-old \question.
What goes around - comes around.
Breaking News
Two senior staff have suddenly (?) left First in Sheffieeld. One is MD Gary Birmingham! The first Midland people are taking command under the leadership on Nigel Eggleton.
fbb has met the gent on several occasions and he seems a good man.
In a quote reported in the local paper, Nigel said:
We aim to use our entrepreneurial skills and record of success in the Midlands and bring it to South Yorkshire. This is the time to do it. We have the comfort of a grant from government and time to stand back. We want to do our best to ensure the business is in better shape and to restore confidence.
How about telling people when and where the buses run?
That would be a start.
fbb has sent him an email of best wishes and hearty commiserations!
Then came the tram; and Stagecoach's Supertram Link SL1. This made the 57 unviable for many users as mini and midi buses met every tram every 10 minutes. The traditional 57 bus route was diverted via Worrall in an ultimately failed attempt to make it commercially viable.
The ramifications of the 57, with a capitulation by First and a handover to Stagecoach ...
Cheers all round!
The SL1 and S1A (LIGHT BLUE) went via Stubbin and alternate ways round the more mountainous housing at East Whitwell.
The SL1/1A of course, required a change to the tram at Middlewood ...
S
Se57 soldiered on manfully having been reduced from half hourly to hourly Monday to Saturday and only going as far as Hillsborough Interchange evenings and Sundays.
Which brings us to lockdown!
And The Shed?
Desirous of a short break friom the rigours of timetable editing for the Sheffield App, fbb decided to assemble the garden shed from the Wills (i.e. Peco) Garden Buildings set.
It consisted of four walls ...
Perhaps fbb's policy of a laxness in mensuration skills might need a rethink!
Metro West Yorkshire ...
... and their take on social distancing etc....
Breaking News
Two senior staff have suddenly (?) left First in Sheffieeld. One is MD Gary Birmingham! The first Midland people are taking command under the leadership on Nigel Eggleton.
In a quote reported in the local paper, Nigel said:
We aim to use our entrepreneurial skills and record of success in the Midlands and bring it to South Yorkshire. This is the time to do it. We have the comfort of a grant from government and time to stand back. We want to do our best to ensure the business is in better shape and to restore confidence.
How about telling people when and where the buses run?
That would be a start.
fbb has sent him an email of best wishes and hearty commiserations!
Stocksbridge (and shed!) part 2 blog : Weds 3rd June
Measure twice, buy shed once, perhaps?
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