Ribble & North Western in Skelmersdale

[gilesbus1]

RE: Ribble & North Western in Skelmersdale
Also as a matter of point the short lived depot at Reliance Tankers at Altrincham was under care taker management of Skelmersdale depot and buses returned there for maintenance. Perhaps the down fall of Skem might have been when the Traffic Commisioners came round to Skem and placed prohibition notices on quite a number of vehicles and also the withdrawal of competition between GMN at Wigan and North Western/MTL and also thre take over by Arriva of MTL which mean't really spare capacity at St Helens depot which is really oversized fror that town, but neceasscvery because of ifs position, the towns population and competition, could be better utilised and subsequently the take-over for Blue Bus at Bolton which mean't some routes in Wigan went there from Skem such as the 362. Also capacity at Southport may have also mean't but i've no record on this was anble to take-over former North Western routes formerly operated by Southport Lord Street North Western depot but operated by Skem inbetween then and the MTL take-over.

It is rather sad that Skem only had something like a 38 year life cycle as it was a purpose built depot, built for what was a new town, rather than modern depots today that are no more than a cheap unit on an industrial estate.

The best buses there in my opinion where the G---EKA Volvo Citybuses that couldn't half get a good turn of speed on the Wigan Southport services.