I found this archive footage from the BBC from 1976 when Oldham wanted to attract tourists to the town. The opinions of the locals is great towards the end of the report but the interview with local band The Oldham Tinkers is brilliant, especially the bit where they reminisce about folk from Burnley and Blackburn going to the town for a night out then fighting at the end of the night at the train station.

5 minutes video.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/archive/visit-oldham/z7r8bdm

karatekid wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 30, 2020 3:10 pm

I found this archive footage from the BBC from 1976 when Oldham wanted to attract tourists to the town. The opinions of the locals is great towards the end of the report but the interview with local band The Oldham Tinkers is brilliant, especially the bit where they reminisce about folk from Burnley and Blackburn going to the town for a night out then fighting at the end of the night at the train station.

5 minutes video.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/archive/visit-oldham/z7r8bdm

Love it!

Some good memories there of the Oldham Tinkers from the times they appeared at Burnley CC folk nights.
I'd some hairy moments in my job working out of Higginshaw gas depot, when covering the Limeside and Sholver estates. Stoops was like a nursery school compared with the people living in those areas.

I worked on sholver for BT keep your van locked at all times.

Bfc wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 30, 2020 6:57 pm

Some good memories there of the Oldham Tinkers from the times they appeared at Burnley CC folk nights.
I'd some hairy moments in my job working out of Higginshaw gas depot, when covering the Limeside and Sholver estates. Stoops was like a nursery school compared with the people living in those areas.

I did a stint at Higginshaw in the offices in 1997, maybe 1998. Couldn't wait to get back to Manchester. Used to go in the Flower Pot for a pint at lunch. Was a deliver driver on Sholver before that and you didn't hang around up there. Went on Limeside (even my mother in law who was a district nurse in Oldham calls it Crimeside) about 18 months ago, they've spent a fair few quid doing it up. Think most of Sholver either fell down or got knocked down.

Who was the patronising presenter? I recognise him but can't put a name to the prat.

John Stapleton!?

That's him, thanks.

Bfc wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 30, 2020 6:57 pm

Some good memories there of the Oldham Tinkers from the times they appeared at Burnley CC folk nights.
I'd some hairy moments in my job working out of Higginshaw gas depot, when covering the Limeside and Sholver estates. Stoops was like a nursery school compared with the people living in those areas.

No problems when we played em in the FA Cup 73/74 at boundary park though.

Great post love looking at stuff like that and now I see where Steve Coogan got his inspiration for Alan Partridge!!!

No problems when we played em in the FA Cup 73/74 at boundary park though.

Yes- I was one of the group who found myself behind the wrong goals there initially. It was getting a bit lonely and hairy but company arrived.
I think that may be the last time I was in Oldham.

LeadBelly wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 31, 2020 3:46 pm

Yes- I was one of the group who found myself behind the wrong goals there initially. It was getting a bit lonely and hairy but company arrived.
I think that may be the last time I was in Oldham.

yes could see you were struggling.. didnt you attend the evening game under Chris waddle?

NLClaret, you were starting work there around the time I was made redundant and retiring at 50. My job area took me from the Manchester boundary to North of Barrow. I must have been in every gas depot in those areas of the North West.
I know what your mum was saying. I had an unmarked van and while sat for a while, with a colleague making some observations on a property, people were coming out of houses right left and centre carrying bin bags, scurrying off down the road.

Aye. Down benesth the Orange Groves in Werneth.......