Wigan Album

An invader: not a former Wigan Corporation bus, reg OTJ 334G. When the bus companys merged in April 1974, G.M.T. was formed and Wigan inherited other buses from across Greater Manchester, Why this happened I'm not sure, we had enough buses when it was operated by Wigan Corporation Transport.

This bus came from Ramsbottom UDC and was part of the fleet inherited by Selnec in 1969 and then GMT in 1974. GMT moved vehicles around because, as with many vehicles. Wigan's got older and GMT had to withdraw them when they became life expired. To ensure Wigan's conductors still had employment, they sourced similar buses from elsewhere in the area and Ramsbottom was the source of a number of newer ones that ended up in Wigan. The bus numbered 6411 by GMT was a 'celebrity' vehicle in bus circles as it was the very last front engined Leyland built for the UK market and it too came to Wigan for its final years. This was painted in the Wigan paint shop back into Ramsbottom colours for exhibition at the Museum of Transport in Manchester.

Stuart you must be a bus fanatic to know all that stuff<g>

Ron, I am very fanatical about Wigan buses especially the Corporation, LUT and Ribble. Not interested in the modern scene but up to 1986 there was always some interest.

This bus was an oddity in Wigan. As well as being from Ramsbottom, the bodywork was built by East Lancs in Blackburn which alien to Wigan's usual policy of buying from Massey and Northern Counties and keeping jobs in the town.

Here is a link to a picture of the museum vehicle I refer to actually in the Wigan workshops being made ready.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8050359@N07/7810016320/in/photolist-cU9nKN-9WcAax-e7bbNz-e3SMJy-fxPNo1-eCGrXu-7LdjnH-fxzvpX-fxzvfi-8up4aY-9tEo4T-9tmAge-9qocUK-9qodhp-8nGt9M-e3qsBR-eCDfmV-dCXf6c-8orWdF-8que4V-a2uL4u-97ysA1-9KBZn9-drcDmU-fk1mQA-8TXKL2-ekwxXv-cSrcm3-agirZ4-8q1XTb-iweTbv-eDWeyo-eDQcK4-bbnMFc-cHdWx5-aA4smj-eBKy29-ftk6xu-eFEoN9-hKdtAX-eLqtcN-eh6XEj-dGnAT9-cf7Caf-cf7yM5-eBUY4c-c1jcFm-9Kxx3c-cRvxvb-9Lz1QN-9KtGEn

THIS BUS AND 6411 WHERE THE LATER PD3/14 CHASSIS MAIN DIFFERENCE FROM PD3/4 WAS THEY HAD ATLANTEAN TYPE BRAKES REMEMBER DRIVING THESE AS OPOSED TU WIGANS SEMI AUTO PD3/2s THE EX RAMSBOTTON BUSES HAB 1/2 CRASH 3/4 SYNCROMESH GEARBOXES