A Mancunian in the Pennines
One of the most admirable features of the network of municipal and private bus operators that once made up the bus companies of Greater Manchester was that by and large, they shunned competition in favour of cooperation. Part of this was driven by the regulatory framework, but most municipal bus operators saw their first duty to offer a public service and only second to cover operating costs.
One the by-products of this was a dense network of joint services that criss-crossed the conurbation, taking a town's buses far beyond the borough boundary into the far end of a neighbouring operator's territory.
One of the more notable examples was the long 98 service from Manchester to Waterhead, beyond Oldham and nestled far into the Pennines. It was operated jointly by Manchester and Oldham Corporations, and it always seemed very odd to find a Manchester City Transport double decker out here among the fields and buildings of millstone grit stone buildings.
Even after Manchester and Oldam passed to SELNEC in 1969, the garages in Manchester and Oldham operated the 98 together, and here we see former Manchester 3706 on one of its concluding appearances in services at Waterhead just before withdrawal. It must have still been in good condition as if there was any doubt, the garage foreman would probably prefer to keep 3706 closer to home.
It's pleasing to note that 3706 still exists, restored in private preservation; while in the Museum of Transport Greater Manchester, we have several similar ex-Manchester buses on display.
If you'd like to know more about the Museum of Transport Greater Manchester and its collection of vintage buses, go to www.motgm.uk.
© Greater Manchester Transport Society. All rights reserved. Unauthorised reproduction is strictly prohibited and may result in action being taken to protect the intellectual property interests of the Society.
A Mancunian in the Pennines
One of the most admirable features of the network of municipal and private bus operators that once made up the bus companies of Greater Manchester was that by and large, they shunned competition in favour of cooperation. Part of this was driven by the regulatory framework, but most municipal bus operators saw their first duty to offer a public service and only second to cover operating costs.
One the by-products of this was a dense network of joint services that criss-crossed the conurbation, taking a town's buses far beyond the borough boundary into the far end of a neighbouring operator's territory.
One of the more notable examples was the long 98 service from Manchester to Waterhead, beyond Oldham and nestled far into the Pennines. It was operated jointly by Manchester and Oldham Corporations, and it always seemed very odd to find a Manchester City Transport double decker out here among the fields and buildings of millstone grit stone buildings.
Even after Manchester and Oldam passed to SELNEC in 1969, the garages in Manchester and Oldham operated the 98 together, and here we see former Manchester 3706 on one of its concluding appearances in services at Waterhead just before withdrawal. It must have still been in good condition as if there was any doubt, the garage foreman would probably prefer to keep 3706 closer to home.
It's pleasing to note that 3706 still exists, restored in private preservation; while in the Museum of Transport Greater Manchester, we have several similar ex-Manchester buses on display.
If you'd like to know more about the Museum of Transport Greater Manchester and its collection of vintage buses, go to www.motgm.uk.
© Greater Manchester Transport Society. All rights reserved. Unauthorised reproduction is strictly prohibited and may result in action being taken to protect the intellectual property interests of the Society.