Transport Museum Greater Manchester

Photographed at the Museum of Transport Greater Manchester

The Museum of Transport Greater Manchester has a fabulous collection of vintage buses and trolleybuses, as well as memorabilia.

Photographed at the Museum of Transport Greater Manchester
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Restoration work in progress: Photographed at the Museum of Transport Greater Manchester
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The ‘might-have-been’ Manchester Routemaster #

This text was taken directly from the fact sheet in front of the bus, but due to all the myriad reflections in the garage that sunny day, I could not edit the fact sheet photograph to a readable form.

From time to time, bus operators have always tried out new types either loaned from elsewhere or using demonstrators provided by a manufacturer looking for sales. The London Routemaster was developed specifically for London but a batch was sold to Northern General of County Durham where they were successful. Manchester Corporation decided to try the Routemaster out and borrow RM1414 for two weeks in February 1963, working with Parrs Wood Garage in Didsbury. None were bought by Manchester, but when RM1414 was taken out of service in September 1982, it was presented to the Museum in the November as an interesting ‘might-have-been’.
Text © Museum of Transport Greater Manchester

Manchester’s Routemaster: Photographed at the Museum of Transport Greater Manchester
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The reason why Manchester rejected the Routemaster #

Manchester’s Routemaster - text: © The Museum of Transport Greater Mancheste
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Conductors Uniforms #

Conductor uniform 1900s: Museum of Transport Greater Manchester
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Conductor uniform 1940s: Museum of Transport Greater Manchester
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Conductor uniform 1980s: Museum of Transport Greater Manchester
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Operation Pied Piper #

Like most towns and cities in the line of fire from the German bombers during World War II, the citizens had the heartbreak of seeing their children taken away by strangers for their own safety. Their parents did not know if they would see them again, if ever. The very real threat of German bombs finding their targets, or a rogue bomb being dropped at the end of the bombing run, could quickly make the children orphans and they would only find out much later.

Manchester played its part in organising the children, grouping them all together and making sure they left the city in safety. The same evacuation process was being carried out in vulnerable towns and cities across the UK.

Liveries and Coats of Arms #

Various districts had their own liveries.

Greater Manchester various districts coats-of-arms.
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Sources #

Museum of Transport Greater Manchester