Wigan Album
St. Helens Corporation
11 Comments
Photo: Fr. Norman Price
Item #: 18075
Service 362 was actually a joint service normally operated by Ribble and I think St. Helens only operated occasional peak hour services. Here Leyland PD2 16 PDJ816 was seen in Wigan in full St. Helens livery but with Merseyside fleetname just visible. I cannot remember the exact year, but suspect it was late 1970s. My memory tells me that these vehicles were painted into Merseyside Green and Cream within a few years of the takeover.
I would say this was 75/76, the "merseyside logo" was shortlived from the takeover of St.Helens & Southport in April 1974. It was soon replaced by the "catherine wheel" logo used by Merseyside PTE until 1986.
A great ‘snapshot’ of the seventies, it’s good to see The Park and Cassinellis ice cream van - and the bus - even though it’s St Helens.
Plus you could win half a million on Vernons.
N/S rear light damaged, you wouldn't see Wigan Corporation buses out on the streets like that.
Not 1976. The streetlamp outside the 'Park', these were changed to red ones in 1975,
What route was 362?. The only service I remember St.Helens Corporation operating out of Wigan was the joint Wigan Corporation/St.Helens Corporation/Ribble/LUT Wigan/Liverpool 320 service. Fair comment about the broken rear light - a Wigan Corpy bus would never have been allowed out of the depot in that state!
Notice it's not one of their 'Let's play at being London' AEC Routemasters, which they operated. To be fair (even to St.Helens) they probably bought those because AEC had a repair depot in Fleet lane, St Helens.
I may be wrong(!) but I think there is still a 362 to St Helens via Billinge.
The 362 was indeed Wigan ~ St Helens via Orrell Station, whilst the 352 went direct at Orrell. As regards the logo, the catherine Wheel PRECEDED this one. The Catherine Wheel was introduced when Merseyside PTE was first formed in 1969 from Liverpool, Wallasey and Birkenhead. [St helens & Southport were absorbed in 1974]. It represented the number 69 ~ the year of formation.
They were Rts not Routemasters.
The 362 went from St Helens to Chorley,they were run by North Western(This was in the late 80's)It was one of the buses I used to catch going to school in Standish,Arriva runs it now,but just from Chorley to Wigan,the 352 goes from Wigan to St Helens.
St Helens front engined double deckers were all rear entrance Leyland PD2s or AEC Regents. Blue Leigh corporation, and maroon Bolton corporation buses would also be seen in town amongst Wigan corporation, Ribble and LUT.Note the gold two door Hillman Avenger parked outside the Park hotel, and Cassinellis ice cream trailer.