We produce several colour photo sets of 10 6x4 ins prints of this important PTE and former municipals in the North-West. You can order one set or all sets. The details of the sets are as follows.

Selnec STOCKPORT Buses Set A; TEN 6x4 ins Colour Prints

This set of ten 6x4 ins colour prints recalls Stockport Corporation Transport, which fell victim to the Transport Act 1968, and the creation of a new unitary authority, the South East Lancashire North East Cheshire Passenger Transport Executive to operate buses in the Manchester conurbation. This was to take over all municipal bus services around Manchester from  1 October 1969, one of those being Stockport Corporation which had operated trams from 1901 and buses from 1919., with around 160 vehicles by the early 1960s, mostly double decker Leyland Titans, but with a few older Guy and Crossley vehicles. Stockport 299, EDB553, a Leyland Titan PD2/1 of 1951 with Leyland H30/26R body is by the railway viaduct in Stalybridge on 10 Oct 1970, still in full Stockport livery on a glorious day.  Stockport 30, FDB330C, a Leyland Titan PD2/40, in Stockport red and white, but carrying SELNC No 5830, is at Ashton bus station on 28 June 1970, whilst an immaculate red and white 5831, FDB331C is also at Ashton on the 31 route to Stockport. When 5864, HJA964E,  former Stockport No 64 was photographed in the vicinity of Manchester Picadilly on 8 December 1973, it had gone into SELNEC orange and white with green Selnec SOUTHERN branding. No 69,  Selnec 5869, HJA969E, is at Hyde Bus station on 2 October 1971, still in Stockport colours. A “St Helens front” PD2A/30 Titan from the Stockport fleet, Selnec 5808, YDB8, is on the right of this view.  An attractive view of No 76, Selnec 5876, KJA876F, a 1968 PD3/14, with traditional East Lancs H38/32R body shows late period Sotckport colours to perfection when filmed at Hyde on 2 Oct 1971.  Stockport 86, Selnec 5886, MJA886G, still carried Stockport paint but had a Selnec Southern logo when filmed in Manchester on 8 December 1973. This was another PD3/14 with rear door body, but dated from 1969.  The last half dozen of the 1969 PD3/14s, including No 93, Selnec 5893, MJA893G, were fitted with H38/32F bodies, the window arrangements on the drivers side differing on account of the front staircase on the last batch, these two views recalling the differences. A few Stockport buses have survived into preservation and we see Stockport 321, EDB575, a Crossley DD42/7with crossley 56 seat bodywork of 1951 in traditional Stockport red and white, and 5871, the first of the rear door 1968 PD3/14s in Greater Manchester PTE livery with M logo. An interesting fleet that is sadly but a memory.  A copy of these notes accompanies the set. These views are copyright. Reproduction by any means is prohibited without prior written permission

 

 Selnec/GMPTE Buses Set B; TEN 6x4 ins Colour Prints

This set of ten 6x4 ins Colour prints recalls the development of the standard Selnec bus from 1970 to 1984.  When SELNEC was formed in 1969, it inherited a large fleet of traditional front-engined double deckers. The PTE carried out various trials to develop an improved body using the popular Leyland Atlantean and Daimler Fleetline chassis. The first “production” standard bus, 7001, VNB101L, of 1972 was one of the improved AN68/1R Leyland Atlanteans, with Park Royal H43/32F body, and is seen at Rochdale on 13 August 1972, with Selnec Central flash. One man Standee single deckers enjoyed popularity with operators, if not with passengers at the start of the 1970s, and Selnec tried a small batch of Scania BR111MH single deckers, with Metro-Cammell B44D bodywork. EX45, also of 1972, “EX” for experimental, is seen at Rochdale on 13 August 1972. Within a short while, it became 1345. No 7248, VNB219L, a Daimler Fleetline CRG6LXB was one of a small batch fitted with Northern Counties H45/27D bodywork and is seen on 8 December 1973. Apart from 5 “EX” dual door buses, only 48 dual door Fleetlines were completed due to the decision to revert to a single entrance.  No 7305, XJA561L, is a single door Fleetline, with H43/32F body, the differing window arrangements on the drivers side being apparent in these two studies. The take over of Daimler by Leyland led to the Fleetline being renamed the Leyland Fleetline, and 8114, HDB114V was one of 150 Fleetline FE30GR series built in 1978-80 with Northern Counties H43/32F bodies. It was specially painted in Liverpool & Manchester Railway 150^th Anniversary livery of white and blue with the L&MR crest on the side. Trial batches of new chassis continued to be ordered, included No 1438, HDB438V, one of three Dennis Dominator DD110s of 1980, with Northern Counties H43/32F bodies. 1980 also saw the completion of a batch of the new Leyland Titan double deckers. 4001-4011 were on TNLXB1RF chassis, but 4012-4015 were on TNTL111RF chassis, and 4012 is caught at Stockport with the railway viaduct in the background. With the Leyland decision to produce the integral Titan, MCW, a leading body builder had entered the chassis field, with its Metrobus, the first of which came in 1979.  Selnec had long since been renamed the Greater Manchester PTE, and No 5031, later to become MRJ31W, was displayed in orange and white PTE colours at the 1980 Motor Show at the NEC in Birmingham. It was the first of the DR102/21 Metrobuses with MCW H43/30F bodywork.  Another interesting GMPTE vehicle on display at the 1984 motor show was No 1751, the prototype Dennis Domino midi bus, holding 24 seated and 14 standing passengers. It carried GMPTE “Centreline” livery of white and orange with a brown skirt.  An interior view shows how standee capacity was achieved by having a single row of seats on one side. A copy of these notes accompanies the set. These views are copyright. Reproduction by any means is prohibited without prior written permission

 

Selnec/GMPTE Buses Set C; TEN 6x4 ins Colour Prints

This set of ten 6x4 ins Colour prints recalls the development of Selnec buses. We open with 7048, VNB148L, a Leyland Atlantean AN68/1R with Park Royal H43/32F body new in December 1972. No 7233, VNB204L is the alternative Daimler CRG6LXB Fleetline with NCME H45/27D bodywork!  A Leyland-built Fleetline,  8114, HDB114V, was one of 150 FE30GR series built in 1978-80 with Northern Counties H43/32F bodies. It was painted in Liverpool & Manchester Railway 150^th Anniversary livery of white and blue, with the L&MR crest on the side. GM 3001, ANA1Y, a Bristol Olympian B45 –TL11-2R with NC H43/30F is seen at the Commercial Motor Show  in 1982. The slogan, “The 1250^th standard body supplied by Northern Counties to Greater Manchester runs below the upper deck windows. Ex60, VVM609L, was a 10m Metro-Scania BR10MH single decker with advanced sound insulation, and was branded the “Hushhhhhhhhh Bus” It is seen on the 203 route from Manchester Victoria to Reddish soon after it entered service. Manchester briefly flirted with Dodge S56 minibuses. 1841 was part of the second batch and was displayed by Northern Counties at the 1986 motor show. As well as an exterior, we see the patterned red saloon seating and the driver’s position. Manchester Corporation bought some Bedford VALs for the Airport Service, No 214 was a VAL70/Plaxton C52F of 1969, and when taken over by Selnec, retained pure white upper panels, rather than the standard off-white. It is outside Blackpool Tower. 255 was a heavy weight Leyland Leopard PSU3 with Duple C49F body and is at the Hoylandswaine Roundabout near Penistone, another rare vehicle for a municipal/PTE operator. A copy of these notes accompanies the set. These views are copyright. Reproduction by any means is prohibited without prior written permission.

 

Selnec/GMPTE Buses Set D Ashton & Rochdale; TEN 6x4 ins Colour Prints

This set of ten 6x4 ins Colour prints recalls two municipal fleets on the north and east of Manchester that were gobbled up by SELNEC. We open with the municipal arms of Ashton-under-Lyne Corporation transport from an era when the town trams or buses were a source of municipal pride. 21NTD on the left is a former Ashton Leyland Titan PD2/40 with Roe H37/28R body and is now Selnec 5429. On the right, Ashton 26, 226YTB still sports Ashton blue, and is a contrast to the garish Selnec orange. 26 is another Roe bodied PT2/40 and dated from 1962. Ashton 42 is a PD2/37 with Roe H37/28F body. It is alongside Ashton 61, PTF861G, a Leyland Atlantean PDR1A/1 of 1965 with NCME H43/28D body in Ashton colours. We see the nearside and offside of sister bus No 44, PTE944C. Former Ashton No 40, DTL140B is seen as Selnec 5440 in the centre of Manchester. It is a 1964 PD2/40 with Roe body. At the take-over, Ashton has six PDR1A/1 Atlanteans on order. They were used by Selnec as test beds to try out features for the new standard front entrance double decker, and were numbered in a special EX series. EX3, PNF943J carries a NCME H43/32F body, Selnec having found twin entrances to be of little value. Ramsbottom acquired an Albion Nimbus N53AN with Weymann bodywork, No.12, RJX 258, from Warrington, which had been new to Halifax, for its service to Holcombe Village. It passed to SELNEC as No 6082.  It is next to Selnec 6182, an AEC Regent V D2RA6G of 1956 which had been Rochdale No 282. Our next view concentrated on the handsome lines of former Rochdale Regent 282 Our final view is of Selnec 6217, RDK417, the former Rochdale 317, a 1957 AEC Regent V D2RA6B with Weymann H33/28R body. A copy of these notes accompanies the set. These views are copyright. Reproduction by any means is prohibited without prior written permission.

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Manchester Corp Buses, Set E 10 6x4 ins Colour Prints