Mancunian memories

15/10/2024 Ashleigh Sinclair Features, Industry Heritage

Jonathan Welch takes a trip down Memory Lane courtesy of the Museum of Transport Greater Manchester as part of its ongoing 200 years of buses celebration

A fortnight ago, we featured the parade of classic buses organised by the Glasgow Vintage Vehicle Trust to celebrate 100 years of the motorbus in the city. As regular readers will know, further south in Greater Manchester, an even bigger anniversary is being celebrated this year as the Museum of Transport, based in a former bus depot, marks two centuries of bus services in Britain, the very first example of a local stage carriage service having been operated in the city in 1824.

It’s quite an achievement as an industry to reach our 200th birthday, and it’s a milestone that CBW is happy to help the museum celebrate.

The contrast couldn’t be more stark; this feature is appearing in print a week after we took to the road for a proper long-distance test drive of one of the most modern, high-tech and expensive vehicles on the road today. A little earlier this year, CBW was invited to take to the roads of central Manchester in two vehicles which represent earlier generations of public transport, although despite having a horse bus in its collection, we were thankful to be invited to drive two types which come complete with diesel engines.

The museum’s collection is a veritable treasure trove of classic vehicles and associated equipment; alongside the vehicles, most of which have a clear local connection, the museum houses a vast selection of ticketing memorabilia which explains the story of, and importance of, ticketing throughout the eras, whilst its archives provide an invaluable record of local transport history and heritage. Wrapped up in the evocative surroundings of a former bus depot, the museum is always worth a visit, whether just on an open day or one of its special event days.