East of the M60

East of the M60 The Official Weblog of Stuart Vallantine, 'The Travelling Poet'. Independent since 2006.

East of the M60 started life as an introspective weblog based around the musings of Stuart Vallantine and 'The Madness In His Area'. Over the last year, it has focused on transport issues whilst retaining its hyperlocal focus on the area East of the M60 motorway. It is a joyous mix of heady transport debate and opinion, brass band concert reviews and the like, plus the odd irreverent post of a popular cultural nature.

New on East of the M60 tonight:Wither the Superstore Cafe?Is there still a place for the superstore café? Could you see ...
20/08/2025

New on East of the M60 tonight:
Wither the Superstore Cafe?

Is there still a place for the superstore café? Could you see a future for them, whether in-house or contracted out? Could there be a niche for community groups to step in?

Are superstore cafés undervalued? There are two types of public space in our once soggy island of ours. In one corner, there are publicly owned public spaces like community centres, libraries, and …

Tonight on East of the M60: a look at burgers through the ages in Tameside in A Hamburger Hagiography: From Walls to Wet...
31/07/2025

Tonight on East of the M60: a look at burgers through the ages in Tameside in A Hamburger Hagiography: From Walls to Wetherspoon via Wimpy.

A potted history of how the burger has taken Tameside by storm No two burgers are the same. One burger might have less meat than another one. There might be more cereal to bulk it up what little me…

Tonight on East of the M60: an exciting new Rebellious Mixtape feature in That Was Then… This is Now.
28/07/2025

Tonight on East of the M60: an exciting new Rebellious Mixtape feature in That Was Then… This is Now.

Rebellious Mixtape is back with a fresh new mixtape Rebellious Mixtape goes back in time – this time, to the year of Captain Sensible, Dexy’s Midnight Runners, and… The Goombay Dance Band. Pr…

Tonight on East of the M60: we look at WHSmith’s metamorphosis to TG Jones.
22/07/2025

Tonight on East of the M60: we look at WHSmith’s metamorphosis to TG Jones.

Ashton Review of Shops Extra TGJones’ Congleton branch. On the 1st July 2025, WHSmith’s town and city stores were officially taken over by Modella Capital, a private equity firm whose portfol…

Tonight on East of the M60:Me and You and a Bus Named ChicoOur review and travelogue of the 2025 Brighouse March and Hym...
07/07/2025

Tonight on East of the M60:
Me and You and a Bus Named Chico

Our review and travelogue of the 2025 Brighouse March and Hymn Contest. Bus replacement services, changeable weather, real ales, and familiar friends - all in East of the M60’s latest blog post.

Two Go Mad at the Brighouse March and Hymn Contest Skelmanthorpe Brass Band at the 2025 Brighouse March and Hymn Contest. It had been 10 years since yours truly went to Brighouse for the town’s Mar…

East of the M60 is back! Long time no post is quite an understatement. This time with a little post on why the Ghost Tra...
24/06/2025

East of the M60 is back! Long time no post is quite an understatement. This time with a little post on why the Ghost Train (Stockport to Stalybridge) should link up with The Bee Network’s Ghost Bus (the 220 from Piccadilly Gardens to Stalybridge Bus Station).

Stamford Road diversion offers potential for linking two unappreciated bus and train links Tameside has a dubious claim to fame in having both the most infrequent bus route and most infrequent trai…

East of the M60 is back with a capital B - or should that be Bee due to The Bee Network's latest transport interchange? ...
19/03/2024

East of the M60 is back with a capital B - or should that be Bee due to The Bee Network's latest transport interchange? Here's our look at the brand new Stockport Interchange.

State-of-the-art transport interchange quantum leap on 1980 predecessor This Sunday saw the opening of Stockport’s bus and coach interchange. Situated on the site of GMPTE’s bus station…

Tonight on East of the M60: our review of Littleborough Band’s very Christmassy concert at Boarshurst Band Club (3rd Dec...
08/12/2023

Tonight on East of the M60: our review of Littleborough Band’s very Christmassy concert at Boarshurst Band Club (3rd December 2023).

Higgins and Co.’s Christmas Countdown opens the first Sunday in Advent with styleWhat is The Most Wonderful Time of The Year like without a brass band? What if Your Most Wonderful Time of the Year …

Tonight on East of the M60: our review of Loxley Silver Band’s 26th November 2023 concert at Boarshurst Band Club. ...
29/11/2023

Tonight on East of the M60: our review of Loxley Silver Band’s 26th November 2023 concert at Boarshurst Band Club.

Impressive concert with enjoyable programme from Bolt and Co.For the last concert before the First Sunday in Advent, Loxley Silver Band gave us all a most entertaining night of music with a well th…

It's here! East of the M60's review of the joint concert with Boarshurst Silver Band and Fountain City Brass Band. ...
25/11/2023

It's here! East of the M60's review of the joint concert with Boarshurst Silver Band and Fountain City Brass Band.

Transatlantic concert of two halves makes for amazing spectacle There are Sunday brass nights, and there are Sunday Brass Nights. There are concerts that keep us entertained for the best part of th…

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