Wigan Album

Memories. Running for this bus after the Monaco in Hindley on a Monday night.

That livery wasn't very inspired, was it?

The livery is not the best but unlike other PTEs, GM decided not to adopt the largest operator's colours. If they had, we would have had all-red buses similar to Manchester City Transport and that was very drab and would have not suited Wigan at all. After all, we had the smartest fleet in the north west and Manchester had the scuffiest!!!

Stuart, I agree fully with your comments. With the scrutiny
that some of my pictures get, I am surprised that nobody so
far has mentioned what is unusual about this bus, compared with many other modern double deckers on Wigan Album.

This bus was unusual among Greater Manchester Transport buses as it is one of three trial vehicles that spent their lives at Wigan Melverley street and where on Volvo Ailsa B55-10 chassis 1446 NNA134W (built 1980 and transferred in 1982 from Stockport depot), 1447-1448 WRJ447/8X (New to Wigan depot), they were unusual as these, where the only three in the PTE's fleet of their type, they had Front Engines and the cabs if I am not mistaken could become very warm on a hot day, unlike other double-decker GMT buses, the driver had to exit from the offside of the cab through a separate door and had no access to the passenger compartment from the cab. The counter was built above the engine. They lasted until the early 1990's and then were sold to Lancaster City Transport, who kept them till they ceased trading.