SELNEC/GMPTE/GM Buses in Rochdale

Friday 18 October 1991 – Three Northern Counties bodied buses parked inside the GM Buses garage in Mellor Street, Rochdale. From left to right they are 8142 (GNF 17V), a Leyland Fleetline FE30AGR new in July 1980; 3290 (F290 DRJ), a Leyland Olympian ONLXB/1RZ new in September 1988; and 5305 (D305 JVR), a MCW Metrobus DR102/51 new in October 1986. The latter bus is fitted with higher backed seating and sports a colour scheme and branding for ‘GM Express’. Rochdale Corporation Tramways established the site in 1904 replacing a smaller property in Entwistle Road near the town centre. These buses stand under one of the garage extensions carried out in the early 1960s. Rochdale Corporation Transport continued with bus operation until the SELNEC PTE (South East Lancashire North East Cheshire Passenger Transport Executive) took over in November 1969. The SELNEC PTE became the Greater Manchester PTE (operating as Greater Manchester Transport) on 1 April 1974, the day that the Greater Manchester County was created. In October 1986 in the lead up to privatisation Greater Manchester Transport was renamed GM Buses and became an ‘arms length’ operation of the Passenger Transport Executive. Facing the need to reduce operating losses the Rochdale garage was closed after operations on 29 November 1991 with services covered from the garages in neighbouring towns. The property was subsequently occupied by a fruit and vegetable wholesaler and, as far as I know, the terracotta lettering still remains as part of the building.

Saturday 21 March 1992 – GM Buses 5202 (C202 FVU), a Northern Counties bodied MCW Metrobus DR132/8 in July 1986, seen in Rochdale. Fitted with higher backed seating and sporting a colour scheme with branding for ‘GM Express’, it had just departed from the bus station heading to Manchester Airport on service 400. This service had its origins under the SELNEC PTE as the ‘Trans Lancs Express’. The bus bears the ‘OM’ (Oldham) garage code above the fleet number. Follwing behind is another Northern Counties bus wearing normal GM Buses fleet colours. The bus station was located out of shot to the right of the black glass council offices building – both have now been demolished.

Saturday 21 March 1992 – GM Buses 8316 (MNC 513W), a Northern Counties bodied Leyland Atlantean AN68A/1R new in September 1980, seen in Rochdale. It had just departed from the bus station and was heading to Spotland (Daniel Fold) on service 438. The bus station was located out of shot to the right of the black glass council offices building – both have now been demolished. Since GM Buses closed their Rochdale garage a few months earlier this service appeared to be covered by a Bury garage vehicle presumably interworked with a service from Bury to Rochdale via ‘Bury, Bamford and Bury Road’ which is totally incorrect for a service to Daniel Fold. A lazy driver that had left the blind unchanged.

Friday 18 October 1991 – Two Northern Counties bodied Leyland Fleetline FE30AGR double deckers passing in Spotland Road, Rochdale. On the left climbing away from Spotland Bridge, possibly running empty from the garage which was quite close by, is 8091 (BVR 91T) new in May 1979. Heading down the hill (or I should call it ‘brow’ although pronounced ‘brew’) towards Spotland Bridge, from where it would then face an even steeper climb up Rooley Moor Road to Daniel Fold, is 8148 (MNC 491W) new in August 1980. Alongside the fleet numbers is the Rochdale garage code ‘RE’. Unfortunately the Rochdale garage closed after operations on 29 November 1991 with services covered from the garages in neighbouring towns.

Friday 18 October 1991 – Climbing away from Spotland Bridge is GM Buses 8091 (BVR 91T), a Northern Counties bodied Leyland Fleetline FE30AGR new in May 1979. Just above the fleet number is the Rochdale garage code ‘RE’. Unfortunately the Rochdale garage closed after operations on 29 November 1991 with services covered from the garages in neighbouring towns. Surrounded by industrial buildings, the River Spodden flows through the lower ground beyond.

December 1973 - The SELNEC PTE (South East Lancashire North East Cheshire Passenger Transport Executive) was created in 1969 absorbing 11 former municipally owned transport fleets. In due course SELNEC began to introduce large numbers of new vehicles and 7163 (WWH 21L), a Park Royal bodied Daimler Fleetline delivered in April 1973, was assigned to the former Rochdale Corporation Transport garage. Later still SELNEC renumbered all the inherited services into a unified route number system but at the time of this photograph this had still to be done. In this view taken at Lowerfold 7163 was still sporting the former RCT service number 7 as it headed to Rochdale town centre then on to Wardle. The destination and ‘via’ blinds were both from the days of the Corporation.

July 1976 - Greater Manchester PTE 7440 (GND 506N), a Northern Counties bodied Daimler Fleetline new in November 1974, seen in Newgate, Rochdale.

August 1976 - A Greater Manchester PTE bus at the Norden terminus on the outskirts of Rochdale. It appears to be one of the Northern Counties bodied Daimler Fleetlines from the YNA xxxM batch of buses delivered to the SELNEC PTE from August 1973. (Might it be 7335 (YNA 290M)?) Comprising 100 buses the batch was not completed until July 1974 by which time SELNEC had been replaced by the GMPTE. The bus shelter and time clock had their origin with Rochdale Corporation Transport which was absorbed by SELNEC in November 1969. The time clock was originally painted in the Corporation’s dark blue but now sported the orange of the later Passenger Transport Executives.

Monday 17 July 1972 – One of the early creations of the SELNEC PTE (South East Lancashire North East Cheshire Passenger Transport Executive) after its formation (November 1969) was the Bolton to Stockport ‘Trans Lancs Express’ coach service. Initially former Manchester City Transport Plaxton Panorama bodied Bedford VAL coaches were employed which were subsequently replaced with Plaxton Panorama Elite bodied Seddon Pennine 4 coaches in the summer of 1970. 219 (OND 736H), new in July 1970, had a healthy load when seen picking up in the morning sunshine outside the General Post Office on the Esplanade in Rochdale (approx. 0812 I think). The SELNEC buses in Rochdale were part of the PTE’s Northern area and carried the fleetname ‘Northern’ within a crimson/magenta whatever coloured lazy S logo. However, as may be seen here, the coaches on the ‘Trans Lancs Express’ carried the SELNEC name within an orange lazy S logo. Consequently the service was commonly referred to by the local populous as ‘the SELNEC’. ‘Are yer going ont SELNEC then?’

Saturday 18 March 1978 – Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive 172 (RBU 172R), a Leyland National 1 new in March 1977, seen on Spotland Road at the Sheriff Street junction. Assigned to Rochdale garage it was working service 460 to Norden.

January 1972 - A former North Western Road Car Company Limited Marshall bodied Bristol RESL6G climbing Broad Lane above Rochdale heading to Shaw on service 15, a service once jointly operated by Rochdale Corporation Transport and NWRCC. In November 1969 the SELNEC PTE (South East Lancashire North East Cheshire Passenger Transport Executive) was created which absorbed Rochdale Corporation Transport. On 1 January 1972 the PTE absorbed the NWRCC services that operated in its designated area.