‘Scene’ in Manchester

A day out in the Greater Manchester (GM) area with members of my local U3A group recently enabled me to get a good cross section of images.

 

I live in Derbyshire and am able to buy the ‘GM’ ‘Wayfarer’ ticket on the train. The Wayfarer being a go anywhere on any transport mode day ticket. The nearest railway station for me being at at the Southern end of the ‘GM’area is at Grindleford. 

 

The ‘Wayfarer’ ticket is excellent value for money at £12 for adults and £6 for child and seniors concessions.

 

A look at any of the many maps that GMPTE have online will give a flavour of what is available.

 

Most of the images seen here were taken in a quarter of an hour or so either in Piccadilly Gardens or very close by.

 

MX60 BVF

A Dennis Trident 2 Electric Hybrid with Alexander Dennis Ltd. (ADL) Enviro 400 bodywork working for ‘Stagecoach Manchester’ (SM) based at Sharston depot.

 

The livery is the green version of the ‘Stagecoach’ standard which is the same as I have seen elsewhere in England.

SL63 FZN

 

Another of the same wears the same livery but with the addition of route branding for service 256 to Flixton. This is the first time I have seen branding on the ‘Green’ livery.

 

MX09 ASU

 

A Diesel engined Dennis Trident 2 ‘ADL’ Enviro 400 bodywork with ‘SM’ carrying branding for route 38 which links Manchester to Farnworth.

 

‘Magic Bus’ is a Stagecoach brand that was first introduced in Glasgow in 1986. Its purpose is to provide a no frills cheaper service. Usually in areas where strong competition is experienced. Generally operated with older, written down in value buses.

 

That is not to say that the buses used are in any way inferior to the main fleet. Far from it, the buses I saw were immaculate and very well loaded.

 

MW52 UJE

A Dennis Trident 2 with East Lancs Loline bodywork which worked at one time for ‘Dennis of Dukinfield’ an operator that became part of the ‘Stagecoach’ group.

 

 

V168 DFT

A earlier Dennis Trident with Alexander’s ALX 400 bodywork which at one time carried the old ‘Stagecoach’ livery of Orange, Red and Blue stripes on a White base.

 

R291 CVM

A rare Optare Spectra that came into the ‘Stagecoach’ empire when Bullocks Coaches to whom the Spectra was new were taken over in 2008.

 

T705 PND

A Volvo B6BLE with Wright Crusader bodywork.

 

 

YJ60 KCY

 

An Optare Versa Hybrid working on one of the free to all ‘Metroshuttle’ city centre routes operated by ‘FM’.

 

BN61 MWG

Another ‘FM’ bus and another Hybrid, this time a Volvo B5LH with Wright Eclipse Gemini bodywork.

BF63 HCO

Another Wright Gemini Eclipse this time powered by a Volvo B9TL chassis. These magnificent coach seated vehicles work ‘Transdev Burnley & Pendle’s operation branded as’ the witch way’ into Manchester from Nelson, Burnley, Rawtenstall and Prestwich.

 

What a way to travel to work....!

 

TIL 7200

A Volvo B10M with Van Hool Alizee bodywork working for ‘Rigby’s’. Previously believed registered as P76 OEW.

 

Rigby’s are a well known operator based in Accrington.

 

YN06 NZA

Just what a coach branded ‘Stansted-London Non Stop’ is doing in Manchester is anybody’s guess (although I think it was working a service to Manchester Airport).

 

A Scania with Irizar Century bodywork operated by ‘Terravision’

 

YJ05 PWE

A VDL SB4000 with Van Hool Alizee T9 bodywork working for ‘Selwyns Coaches’. 

 

'Selwyns' are a long established operator working across Lancashire and Cheshire with bases in Runcorn, Liverpool and Manchester.

 

The driver of this coach was waiting for traffic lights to change.

 

As I was preparing to take the picture, i noticed him waving. He was trying to tell me that I needed to remove the lens cap from my camera. A nice gesture on his part and certainly better than some other gestures that I get from time to time....!