This was Wigan!
Local Government re-organisation in 1974 saw the creation of the Greater Manchester County Council, and in which SELNEC became the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive. The changes, which took place and on the 1st April that year, also embraced Wigan as part of the GMC area, therefore control of Wigan’s municipal bus fleet, and its 127 buses passed into the ownership of the newly formed GMPTE. The first notable changes to the buses in Wigan were the 32XX prefix before the fleet number and that the routes were renumbered into the 600 series to fall into line with the rest of the GMPTE network, however, Wigan were slow to repaint their fleet into the orange and white corporate livery of GMPTE.
Wigan Corporation No28 (FEK4F), a Massey bodied Leyland PD2/37 dating from May 1968, is seen on service in its hometown prior to the GMPTE takeover in 1974. The former Ritz ABC Cinema in Station Road, which can be seen behind the buses, was the venue for a Beatles concert, when the Fab-Four visited the Town on 14th October 1964. Sadly, this grand old building and most of the surrounding area in this picture has since been demolished.
This was Wigan!
Local Government re-organisation in 1974 saw the creation of the Greater Manchester County Council, and in which SELNEC became the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive. The changes, which took place and on the 1st April that year, also embraced Wigan as part of the GMC area, therefore control of Wigan’s municipal bus fleet, and its 127 buses passed into the ownership of the newly formed GMPTE. The first notable changes to the buses in Wigan were the 32XX prefix before the fleet number and that the routes were renumbered into the 600 series to fall into line with the rest of the GMPTE network, however, Wigan were slow to repaint their fleet into the orange and white corporate livery of GMPTE.
Wigan Corporation No28 (FEK4F), a Massey bodied Leyland PD2/37 dating from May 1968, is seen on service in its hometown prior to the GMPTE takeover in 1974. The former Ritz ABC Cinema in Station Road, which can be seen behind the buses, was the venue for a Beatles concert, when the Fab-Four visited the Town on 14th October 1964. Sadly, this grand old building and most of the surrounding area in this picture has since been demolished.