The History of the 346

From Tram to Stagecoach [Manchester] (Page 4)

Towards the present day (2002 - 2011)

The start of this year also saw Park Road devoid of public transport after 96 years continuous service. Following First's withdrawal of the 33 and 35, Mayne of Manchester stepped in, operating a shuttle service between Ashton and Stalybridge. Numbered 222, this was an extension of its 221 (Dukinfield, Tennyson Avenue) route. The service was withdrawn in late January 2001, replaced by a demand responsive transport service.

March 2001's service changes also saw evening journeys on the 346 transfer to Mossley company Checkmate Coaches from First Pennine. The summer also Bank Holiday journeys introduced to First routes - too late for the 346.

By September 2001, the withdrawal of Stagecoach Manchester route 397 saw Gee Cross being served by the 346 all day (except for Sunday daytimes and Bank Holidays). This arrangement continues to this day.

A month after, further rationalisation affected the Albion Hotel stage. The 1 was discontinued and replaced by the 41, which combined the 1 route with the 40 route into Hyde. The 41 was cut from every 20 minutes to every 30 minutes in the daytime.

Though little happened to the 346 itself since 2002, most of the activity has been around its sister routes [339/340/348/349]. From 2002 - 2008, the timetable of the 346 has been virtually unchanged give or take slight retimings.

Whilst all was quiet on the 346, the opposite applied to the 41. In 2004, its Hyde link was withdrawn. The section between Yew Tree Lane and Hyde (via Newton) became part of route 387.

By July 2006, there was another change: Speedwell Bus took over First Manchester's daytime services, whilst leaving the 339 and 340 (its evening equivalents) to First Manchester. In line with the daytime service, September 2006 saw the 339 and 340 replaced by the 41.

Things could have been worse had it not been for swift action from First, whose First Manchester subsidiary was facing cuts in its vehicle allocation by the VOSA due to poor maintenance. In March 2005, most Tameside services were transferred to First Pioneer, a company name which was dormant following the acquisition of the Rochdale independent company in 2003. The Pioneer name was resurrected to avoid swingeing cuts in Tameside's bus network. The transfer had a minimal effect on services, apart from Sunday evening journeys on the 220 route, which were transferred to JP Travel, Middleton.

As for its other sister routes, the 348 and the 349, the following year saw the withdrawal of the latter service. October 2007 saw the 349 replaced by a residual daytime service terminating at Stalybridge. This was an extension of the 419 (Ashton - Middleton) route. With only eight journeys each way outside peak periods, it was doomed to failure. The Ashton - Stalybridge section of the 419 was withdrawn in January 2008. By then, frequencies from the Albion Hotel to Stalybridge were halved - the worst since 1995.

The 348 saw its frequency increased from every 30 minutes to every 10 minutes throughout the daytime. Though evening services remained once hourly, Sunday services were given a boost as the frequency was doubled to every 30 minutes during shopping hours.

However, 2008 did leave passengers of the 346 with something to smile about. For the first time since 1999, Bank Holiday services were restored to the 346 by Stagecoach Manchester - operating to their Sunday timetable. Passengers for Ashton no longer needed to wait till dinner time for the first bus, or even board a 220 to King Street for the 330.

Recent Changes

Between 2008 - 2010, only minor changes have affected the route, by means of timetable tweaks. This was to change in the summer of 2010 when The Coachmasters took over Checkmate Coaches' evening journeys. Its smart yellow buses were among the most modern seen in Tameside with Enviro 200s a common sight.

2011 has seen further changes made to the 346. From April, Stagecoach Manchester's daytime Sunday and Bank Holiday services were taken over by First Pioneer. Stagecoach's Hyde to Gee Cross section was added the following month, with no change to the timetable between Ashton and Hyde. Stagecoach's 346 journeys increased from every half hour to every 20 minutes - with a welcome later departure at 1810 from Ashton. New Enviro 200s have taken over ageing low-floor MAN vehicles, though they have made the odd cameo appearance.

One other welcome appearance to the 346 is the reinstatement of evening Bank Holiday journeys, starting from August 2011. These will be operated by First Manchester, who have taken over the evening service from The Coachmasters. By the end of October, First increased their daytime service from every 30 minutes to every 20 minutes, giving the 346 a daytime frequency of every 10 minutes, shared by First and Stagecoach.

Even now, the 346 performs the same function which its predecessors have done before then, of carrying its travelling public uphill to Dukinfield or downhill to Ashton. Long may this continue for another 106 years.

Route summary:

Monday - Saturday:

Daytime: First Manchester (2 per hour to Gee Cross)/Stagecoach Manchester (3 per hour to Hyde);
Evenings: First Manchester (1 per hour to Gee Cross).

Sundays and Bank Holidays:

Daytime and evenings: First Manchester (1 per hour to Gee Cross).

The core route of the 346 from Ashton to Hyde enters via Crescent Road, Lodge Lane, Cheetham Hill Road, Talbot Street and Victoria Street before entering Hyde bus station via Clarke Way. From the bus station, First Manchester journeys continue to Gee Cross terminating at Stockport Road/Dowson Road junction. This route takes the Stockport Road route via the village of Gee Cross rather than Apethorn Road, which is taken by the evening 389 service.

Connections with other routes:

Bus and rail routes which may connect well with the 346 service. Please note that connections cannot always be guaranteed due to traffic conditions. Timetables may also be subject to change.

Manchester Piccadilly: if you are travelling from Dukinfield, the best railway station for connecting with the 346 is Flowery Field. Alight at the Cheshire Cheese pub and allow 5 - 7 minutes walk from there along Bennett Street to the railway station;
Saddleworth: change at Ashton-under-Lyne for the 350/353/354 services to Uppermill, Dobcross, Delph and Denshaw (Sundays and evenings excepted with the latter);
Stockport: change at Hyde or Ashton-under-Lyne for the 330 service. The 7 and 317 routes also offer alternative services to Stockport via Reddish from Ashton-under-Lyne;
Glossop: change at Ashton-under-Lyne for the 236/237/239 services. The Stagecoach Manchester 346s offer the best connections with the 236/237 service. From Hyde, the 202/341/397 routes serve Glossop;
Liverpool Lime Street: change at Ashton-under-Lyne for stopping service via Manchester Victoria.

Stuart Vallantine,

Sunday 24 July 2011.