Museum of Transport Greater Manchester
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Museum of Transport Greater Manchester
@motgm.uk
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We'll take you back! Open Wednesdays, weekends and bank holidays 10 am to 4.30 pm. Adult admission £7.50, student/jobseeker £6, disabled/children free. https://motgm.uk
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motgm.uk
Until Christmas Day, we're bringing you an 'advent calendar' of vintage buses. Today it's number 7, which means a trip to Ashton under Lyne bus station to watch a bus on the short hop to Crowhill on the edge of town. By the way, this bus - in its original blue livery - is preserved in our museum.
A smart half cab double decker bus drives past the camera in orange and white SELNEC livery. The destination says Crowhill via Ullswater Avenue, 7.
December 7, 2025 at 9:15 AM
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Good morning! We’re all ready for the first day of our Christmas running event - Christmas food and cheer, and free bus rides linking us to Manchester City centre for the market. Buses in use today will be 1001, 612, 5871 and 11.
Two vintage buses stand inside the Museum of Transport. Each one is decorated with Christmas decorations. Four vintage buses stand outside the Museum of Transport. They’re the ones being used on the free heritage bus service today.
December 6, 2025 at 9:35 AM
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Until Christmas Day, we're bringing you an 'advent calendar' of vintage buses. We've gone east today - to Glossop, where the long service from there to Manchester was numbered the 6. This is the old bus depot in York Street - it lasted into the 21st century but is now the site of a housing estate.
We're looking at the open front of a bus depot, with red and cream buses facing the camera. The most prominent one is a double decker, and the destination on it reads Glossop, Norfolk Arms, 6.
December 6, 2025 at 9:15 AM
motgm.uk
Anyone looking forward to taking a Christmassy ride with us this weekend…? 🎅🎄
December 5, 2025 at 7:35 PM
motgm.uk
Until Christmas Day, we're bringing you an 'advent calendar' of vintage buses. Today we're in Salford, watching the 5 to Peel Green. Salford buses were kept in smart condition, and this one is no exception. We love the name of the 'Sincere Assurance Collecting Society' across the street!
A very smart single decker bus heads towards the camera. The destination says Peel Green, 5. The colour scheme of the bus is a bottle green with yellow bands, and it's clearly very well looked after. It's a main road, but there's little traffic.
December 5, 2025 at 9:15 AM
motgm.uk
Until Christmas Day, we're bringing you an 'advent calendar' of vintage buses. In Greater Manchester number 4 has to be the old 'Centreline' service that buzzed between Victoria and Piccadilly stations before Metrolink came along. Do you remember Centreline?
A small single deck bus stands in an open yard some time on the 1970s. Its top half is orange and the bottom half is white. The destination says Piccadilly station 4, and on the side there's a prominent signs that says Centreline, 5p fare, no change.
December 4, 2025 at 9:15 AM
motgm.uk
Until Christmas Day, we're bringing you an 'advent calendar' of vintage buses. We're off to Leigh today, where the number 3 is the short service to Hindley Green. We love the blue livery on this bus, complete with ornate numbers and lettering.
A smart blue half cab bus waits in a bus station. The destination says Hindley Green 3. There are two ornate gold and red numbers painted on the bus, which both say 54. There are other blue buses in the background.
December 3, 2025 at 8:18 AM
motgm.uk
Until Christmas Day, we're bringing you an 'advent calendar' of vintage buses. Today we're looking at number 2 - and an Oldham bus is about to set off on the long journey on service 2 from Manchester Stevenson Square to Newhey, between Oldham and Rochdale.
A rather dirty maroon and white bus rests in a gloomy Manchester street, while its crew stand chatting on the pavement. The destination on the front of the bus reads Newhey 2.
December 2, 2025 at 8:13 AM
motgm.uk
Until Christmas Day, we're bringing you an 'advent calendar' of vintage buses. Today is number 1, and it's the number 1 to Gatley (it was later the 161) in Piccadilly bus station.
A bright red double decker bus stands in Manchester's Piccadilly bus station. The destination says Gatley 1, and the yellow number on the front of the bus says 3498.
December 1, 2025 at 9:15 AM
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A couple of weeks ago, we were pleased to accept Stagecoach Manchester 19001 to join our collection. Here's a little taster of how the day went!
November 30, 2025 at 9:16 AM
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Our #SaturdayShowoff post shares an item from our collection with you and maybe tempts you to visit. This week it's #Manchester 3460, a 1956 Leyland. It's having an overhaul at the moment but will be on the road again in due course.

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Two smart red double deck buses pose for the camera. The front bus is thirty four sixty, a nineteen fifty six Manchester City Transport bus.
November 29, 2025 at 9:15 AM
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We *LOVE* running free heritage bus services - and you have one more opportunity this year to ride on our buses, at our Christmas running event on Saturday/Sunday 6/7 December. Christmas food, decorations, kids' treats and a free bus link to Manchester Christmas market!
November 28, 2025 at 9:15 AM
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#ThrowbackThursday this week takes us to #Farnworth, to the little bus station on King Street, watching the buses come and go. The one on the left is a bit special - it was a one-off and it was displayed at the 1974 Commercial Motor Show in London.
Two buses stand in a small bus station around 1980. The bus on the left is a single decker, in Greater Manchester Transport orange and white, and is heading to Atherton. This bus on the right is a red and grey double decker and its destination display reads Hollins 669.
November 27, 2025 at 9:15 AM
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Uh-oh, another #MysteryMonday puzzle to get your brain cells working at the start of the week. An orange bus, on the 71 to Old Trafford - but where was it? Tell us if you think you know, and we'll confirm the answer later.
An orange, brown and white bus is on an urban road. Its destination display says '71 Old Trafford'. There seems to be a small food supermarket to the right of the bus, and a man looks at the bus as its drives by. In the very far distance, there's a tall church tower on a hill.
November 24, 2025 at 9:15 AM
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We have for sale some brand new rolls of moquette. This is Manchester Corporation 1960s green, 1.3m wide x 24m long. £500 per roll, up to 10 rolls available. Free collection from central Manchester, or delivery by carrier can be arranged at extra cost. Contact partsales@gmts.co.uk.
A photo of a roll of green moquette seat material, which is mainly green in colour. A close-up of the green moquette material that the museum is selling.
November 23, 2025 at 9:15 AM
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Our #SaturdayShowoff brings our collection to you and maybe tempts you to visit. This week it's North Western 270, a characterful Bristol bus. Want to see the real thing? Visiting details at motgm.uk
A red single deck bus stands outside the Museum of Transport. It's a single decker, with the engine at the front next to the driver, with a rear entrance door. On the side there's yellow writing that says North Western, and the destination display says Mow Cop Church 298.
November 22, 2025 at 9:15 AM
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Manchester was already thinking about battery electric buses in 1973 - and in 2025, @BeeNetwork is leading the way in providing Zero Emission Buses to make travel more comfortable, helping to create cleaner and quieter streets.
November 21, 2025 at 9:15 AM
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What a lovely #ThrowbackThursday photo! This is #Stockport and we're watching the bus to Offerton, setting off with a puff of smoke. The bus is a locally-made Crossley, not surprisingly the town bought quite a few buses from the bus maker on its doorstep.
A black and white photo shows a Stockport Corporation bus heading out of the town centre. It's a busy street scene and the bus is followed by a Post Office Telephones Mini van, and a grocery company's lorry.
November 20, 2025 at 9:15 AM
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Well done if you got it right! This is Bury Kay Gardens, and this is a Lancashire United bus - a company that wasn't normally seen in Bury - on loan to SELNEC Passenger Transport Executive.
November 17, 2025 at 4:37 PM
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Now, what do we have here? A Lancashire United bus, and - yet again - our studio has removed the destination details because this is #MysteryMonday. Do you know where it is? Tell us if you think you know, and we'll post the answer (and a pic of the bus with its blinds intact) later today.
A red and grey Lancashire United Transport bus waits at a bus shelter in a town setting. There's no destination display on the bus. In the background we can see a couple of orange and white buses, and behind the bus there's a Whitbread pub.
November 17, 2025 at 9:15 AM
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Our #SaturdayShowoff post highlights an item from our collection and maybe tempts you to visit. This week it's GM Buses South 4706.

Want to see the real thing? Visit motgm.uk for details.
A 1980s orange bus stands on the turning circle outside the Museum of Transport. It's evening, and the sky is a deep blue. The bus has its lights on, and they shine brightly.
November 15, 2025 at 9:15 AM
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In our archive we have a set of 'pattern books' setting out the Manchester City Transport lettering styles, and exactly how they should be placed. They're just one of the thousands of artefacts that help tell the story of Greater Manchester's road passenger transport.
We see lettering on a page. In the upper half of the image there's wording that says 'emergency exit, to open' and in the lower half there are two panels - one red, one black - that describe some fairly complicated rules for how many standing passengers are allowed on a bus, and when.
November 14, 2025 at 9:15 AM
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This nostalgic view is this week's #ThrowbackThursday. It's London Road, near Piccadilly rail station, and we're watching the Manchester Corporation breakdown lorry heading towards the city centre - perhaps to rescue a broken-down bus? Most of the buildings you see here are still standing.
We see a view of London Road in central Manchester, close to Piccadilly railway station. In the centre of the photo, we see an unusual red lorry heading towards the camera. It's a breakdown lorry, with a crane on the back, and a large cab to accommodate the crew. We can also see vintage cars, a yellow lorry and a red bus in the background. Behind the red lorry, we can see the Manchester fire brigade building on the corner of London Road and Fairfield Street.
November 13, 2025 at 9:15 AM
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What a lovely street scene! But as it's this week's #MysteryMonday photo, we're not saying where it was taken. If you think you know, tell us and we'll confirm the answer later.
A black and white photo shows a Manchester trolleybus heading towards us along a crowded street. On the left there are classic cars, and on thh right the pavement is full of pedestrians in vintage clothing. The street is lined with commercial buildings, and we see a television shop; John Collier, the tailor; and a Yates's Wine Lodge.
November 10, 2025 at 9:15 AM
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Just a reminder, on Sunday next week (16th) we're 'launching' our latest acquisition, Stagecoach Manchester 19001. Come along if you want to watch the proceedings and have a ride!
Stagecoach Manchester 19001, a Dennis Enviro four hundred, travels through Manchester when it was new.
November 9, 2025 at 9:15 AM