Transport to Ardwick Green

Transport to Ardwick Green

From the 1920s, those pupils residing in local parishes might well have walked to school; others would have cycled. However, many boys came from afar and some even travelled from parishes beyond the Manchester boundary. For these, the journey to school necessitated the use of public transport. In the Twenties and Thirties, this meant the use of tramcars and motorbuses for most, with a train journey for some.

Five major roads converged at Ardwick Green, these being Ardwick Green South, Higher Ardwick, Hyde Road, Stockport Road and Brunswick Street. They intersected at a very busy and important nodal point through which traffic passed from such districts as Ashton-under-Lyne, Hyde, Stockport and Hazel Grove, as well as from Piccadilly and other districts of the city. In the pre-roundabout era, this intersection featured a multiplicity of criss-crossing tramways, together with all the street equipment required for the running of the trams – such as the posts supporting the overhead wires.

Throughout the week thousands of people used public transport at or through Ardwick Green. At weekends thousands more would have journeyed there in order to enjoy the various forms of entertainment on offer at local cinemas, theatres, sports clubs, public houses and so on. Ardwick was like a ‘Mecca’ for those looking for enjoyment. In addition, many would have travelled from Piccadilly and other places via Ardwick Green on their way to Belle Vue, which was a hugely popular attraction for many years. Shops and markets in the area were another attraction.

Tramcars were mainly electric and had been introduced in Manchester in 1901. The electric tram – often known as a ‘trolley-car’ – ran on steel rails and was powered by a current drawn from overhead electric wires. Many pupils and staff would have used the tram in the Twenties and Thirties. Although much used, some people were dismissive of trams claiming that they were uncomfortable, noisy and liable to breakdown.

Motorbuses had been in use in the 1920s and they increased in popularity, eventually taking more and more passengers from the trams. From the 1930s, Manchester Corporation Transport greatly expanded its fleet of motorbuses on its routes.

The Manchester trolleybus system was opened in March 1938, although trolleybuses provided by neighbouring municipal operators had been seen on some Manchester roads for some years prior to this date. The trolleybus ran on rubber tyres and was powered by electricity from two overhead wires. It had a trolley-wheel which was attached to an arm used for collecting the current from the overhead wires to drive the vehicle. The trolleybus was cheap and clean to run and did not require the expense of digging up the roads.

All three modes of transport co-existed for a number of years before, for a variety of reasons, trams went into decline.  Manchester Corporation’s last tram made its final run in 1949, although Stockport’s tram system continued until 1951.

The observant Gregorian would have noticed a wide variety of styles in public transport. Each neighbouring municipal operator had its own types of trams, buses and trolleybuses – different in design, size, capacity and colour.

In the Fifties and Sixties, the double-decker motorbus and trolleybus remained the main forms of transport, with Manchester Corporation’s trolleybus service continuing until December 1966.

There were occasions when mishaps occurred to pupils on buses, especially when they attempted to jump off from the open platform as the bus was turning a sharp corner.

The images shown here are reminders of the types of public transport that operated in Manchester; they would be similar to those that carried the boys to school.

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