On Air Now Alex Cann 6:00am - 11:00am
Now Playing Hazell Dean Searchin' (I Gotta Find A Man)

Driftbusters

Thursday, 5 June 2025 09:00

By David Jones

The Chronicle was throwing the spotlight on two real life and local superheroes in the winter of 1986.

But these two caped crusaders - known as Batman and Robin by grateful High Peakers - didn’t wear masks, colourful tops and tights.

Rather, it was practical working clothes for Stan Waterhouse from Hollingworth and Ged O’Brien, who lived in Hadfield, which consisted of woolly hats, warm gloves, all-weather boots and hi-vis uniforms.

The pair manned one of Derbyshire County Council’s snow shifting and ploughing vehicles and our reporters caught up with them on a bitterly cold February day.

They had spent hours clearing drifts in blinding blizzards from roads including the Snake Pass, then weaving their way through thick freezing fog when the snow stopped falling.

“They call us Batman and Robin,” said Stan, before the tenacious twosome climbed into their Batmobile to tackle their arch-villain - Mr Freeze.

Share

More from Nostalgia

  • Stranded whales wash up in Mottram

    A Chronicle news team raced to Mottram when reports came through that whales from Scotland were heading for the village.

  • From the Chronicle files - 12th June 2025

    It is normally snow, ice or collisions that close Back Moor to traffic. But in the summer of 1950, it was gallons of linseed oil and as our picture from the time shows, there were plenty of volunteers to clear up the mess.

  • Banding together

    Pupils and staff at St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, Dukinfield were keen to ‘do their bit’ to Make Poverty History - the global campaign urging the G8 nations to cancel the debt of the world’s poorest countries.

  • Our champion

    One of Tameside’s most famous sons was officially honoured by the borough with a civic reception in his home town.

  • From the Reporter files - 12th June 2025

    Generous customers chipped in to help Bailey’s Fish Friers, Smallshaw Lane, Ashton raise an impressive £700 with their annual charity fish fry.

Weather

  • Mon

    23°C

  • Tue

    18°C

  • Wed

    20°C

  • Thu

    26°C