Greater Manchester Transport - Pre De-Regulation

[gilesbus1]

RE: GREATER MANCHESTER TRANSPORT - PRE DE REGULATION
What would you like to know; I will start you off with a list of depots:-

AM Altrincham (Oakfield Road) rebuilt as a new shed in 1980, Closed December 1991
AN Atherton (Leigh Road, Howe Bridge) ex Lancashire United in 1976 - Main Workshop included, Area Office Included, Driver Training School
BN Bolton (Crook Street) - New shed built 1979 - Main Workshop Included, Driver Training School
BNA Bolton (Shifnal Street) - Closed 1979 workshop closed 1986 - Main Workshop included, Area Office Included, Driver Training School
BNB Bolton (Bridgeman Street) - Closed 1979
BNC Bolton (Crook Street) - Closed 1979 replaced by BN above.
BS Manchester (Birchfields Road, Fallowfield) - Closed 25th October 1986 now the site of Fallowfield Shopping Centre
BY Bury (Rochdale Road) - Closed 1985
BY Bury (Rochdale Road) New depot built 1985
BY® Ramsbottom (Stubbins Lane) sub of Bury closed 1977.
CS Stockport (Charles Street) main works and Charterplan coach fleet. - Area office Included - Main Workshops
FK Salford (Frederick Road, Wallness Bridge) - Closed 25th October 1986 - Area Office, Main Workshops, Driver training School
GA Sale (Washway Road) (Ex Goidfrey Abbott Depot acquired 1976 only used for coaches and Dial & Ride) (Closed 1979)
HE Manchester (Hyde Road, Ardwick) Area Office, Head Office, Main Workshops, Driver Training School and Skid Pan
HY Hindley (Capps Street off Liverpool Road, Platt Bridge) (Closed April 1986) Ex Lancashire United in 1976
LH Leigh (Holden Road) (Closed February 1986)
NN Northenden (Harlings Road, Sharston Industrial Area) (Closed 25th October 1986) (at time of construction in the 1930's/1940's had the largest single span roof in the UK
OM Oldham (Wallshaw Street, Mumps) (Main Workshops, Area Office from 1983),
PS Manchester (Princess Road, Moss Side)
PW Manchester (Wilmslow Road, Parrs Wood, East Didsbury) (Closed to buses 1972 transfered to Selnec Parcels - Sold to United Carriers and subsquently demolished site sold to Tesco, only depot clock tower now survives)
QS Manchester (Queens Road, Cheetham)
RE Rochdale (Mellor Street) (Closed December 1991) two seperate sites on opposite sides of Mellor Street.
RR Manchester (Rochdale Road, Collyhurst) Closed 1970
SN Swinton (Partington Lane) (Ex Lancashire United in 1976) (Closed December 1991)
ST Stockport (Heaton Lane) (Closed 1970) replaced by Daw Bank below)
ST Stockport (Daw Bank) - Main Workshops, Area Offices , Driver Training School (New in 1970)
TEA Tameside (Ashton, Mossley Road) (Closed 1977)
TEB Tameside (Tame Street, Stalybridge (Closed 1977)
TE Tameside (Whitelands Road, Ashton-under-Lyne) (New depot built 1977, Closed December 1991) Area Office until 1983 transferred to Oldham, Driver Training School
TEG Glossop (York Street)
UM Urmston (Higher Road) (Closed 1973)
WE Weaste (Eccles New Road) (Closed January 1986) (Now flats retaining frontage and sides), Driver Training School
WN Wigan (Melverley Street) Main Workshops included, Driver Training School

Any site with main workshops could do major repairs all other depots only did routine repairs. Area offices these where at AN, BNA, CS, FK, HE, OM, ST and TE.

Smallest depots where Glossop and Ramsbottom, Largest depots in terms of allocation where HE, PS, QS and ST, Most inpressive depot achitectually was FK which had a tramway style archway, WE was also unusual in that it had an unusual slanted side. An was also impressive as it had a Power Station that was a grade 2 listed building and NN was unique in having the largest single roof span anywhere in the UK at the time of construction, later surpast by Stockwell Bus Garage in London.