Lancashire United Transport 53, Greengate arches, Salford
This photo from the archive of the Museum of Transport Greater Manchester just oozes atmosphere. Lancashire United was one of the UK's biggest independent bus companies, and most of its Manchester services terminated at this dark, dank terminus directly underneath Manchester Exchange railway station. Greengate must have been a candidate to be the country's worst bus station, and it is thankfully no longer used.
The photo dates from the postwar period when petrol rationing was still in force, and every bus that could be made to run was kept on the road well past its intended life span, and made to carry a full load.
53 fits straight into this category - when this photo was taken in 1948, it was already thirteen years old, and with the first type of metal-framed body made by Leyland that was notorious for weakness and cracking of the front bulkhead. In fact three years after this photo, in 1951, it was rebodied and lasted a further nine years until 1960 clocking up a remarkable quarter-century in service.
All that lay ahead as 53 picked up a peak-hour load for Swinton's Moorside Road, with smokers upstairs. Talking of upstairs, close inspection of the photograph shows that 53 is built to a 'lowbridge' style, with rows of long bench seats for four and a gangway that ran along the offside of the bus at lower level, to help take about 30 cm off the overall height of the bus to improve its ability to pass under low bridges.
Two Lancashire United buses are housed at the Museum of Transport Greater Manchester - 27 of 1959, and 97 of 1962.The Museum also houses the company's former recovery truck, an ex-military AEC Matador.
If you'd like to know more about the Manchester Museum of Transport and its collection of vintage buses, go to www.gmts.co.uk.
Lancashire United Transport 53, Greengate arches, Salford
This photo from the archive of the Museum of Transport Greater Manchester just oozes atmosphere. Lancashire United was one of the UK's biggest independent bus companies, and most of its Manchester services terminated at this dark, dank terminus directly underneath Manchester Exchange railway station. Greengate must have been a candidate to be the country's worst bus station, and it is thankfully no longer used.
The photo dates from the postwar period when petrol rationing was still in force, and every bus that could be made to run was kept on the road well past its intended life span, and made to carry a full load.
53 fits straight into this category - when this photo was taken in 1948, it was already thirteen years old, and with the first type of metal-framed body made by Leyland that was notorious for weakness and cracking of the front bulkhead. In fact three years after this photo, in 1951, it was rebodied and lasted a further nine years until 1960 clocking up a remarkable quarter-century in service.
All that lay ahead as 53 picked up a peak-hour load for Swinton's Moorside Road, with smokers upstairs. Talking of upstairs, close inspection of the photograph shows that 53 is built to a 'lowbridge' style, with rows of long bench seats for four and a gangway that ran along the offside of the bus at lower level, to help take about 30 cm off the overall height of the bus to improve its ability to pass under low bridges.
Two Lancashire United buses are housed at the Museum of Transport Greater Manchester - 27 of 1959, and 97 of 1962.The Museum also houses the company's former recovery truck, an ex-military AEC Matador.
If you'd like to know more about the Manchester Museum of Transport and its collection of vintage buses, go to www.gmts.co.uk.