I lived in Manchester for about eight years and returned in 2005 to find a much altered bus scene (when I was there most of the buses were orange!). The following pictures were taken on 21st May 2005 except where stated.

Piccadilly bus station (referred to in my comments) has of course, gone in the form in which I remember it. Bus shelters and stops have replaced the long canopy opposite Piccadilly Plaza.

See also Greater Manchester Transport

Click on the thumbnail to enlarge the image

	Single deckers were fairly rare in Manchester when I lived there. First Manchester 66814, a Wright bodied Volvo seen in Oldham Street with a service 82 journey to Oldham and Waterhead. This is the eastern end of the former Chorlton - Waterhead service, normally operated by GMT 'standard' double deckers from Princess Road and Oldham depots.
	Bluebird 3, a Caetano bodied Dennis Dart single decker (MX54BLU) seen in Oldham Street. Bluebird were established in Middleton in 1988 and operate services mainly in the north and east of the conurbation.
	Stagecoach Manchester 17649 (X792JHG) a Dennis Trident with East Lancs bodywork seen in Piccadilly. Similar vehicle 17699 can be seen behind. These Hyde Road based buses were acquired with the Dennis of Dukinfield business in April 2005.
	Magic Bus 15362, a Scania N113 with Northern Counties bodywork. When I first arrived in Manchester, Stockport Corporation PD2s (in GMT colours) still made occasional appearances on the 192 despite having difficulty in displaying a three digit route number.
	Stagecoach 17626 (V626RND) in London Road.
	Magic Bus 13289 (F289DRJ), a Leyland Olympian with Northern Counties bodywork seen in London Road.
	Stagecoach 18184 (MX54LPK), a Dennis Trident with Alexander bodywork
	Magic Bus 15362 (K862LMK), a Scania N113 with Northern Counties bodywork.
	Stagecoach 18043 (MX53FMJ) a Dennis Trident with Transbus bodywork. Note the unusual split upper front screen, also favoured by London operator Metrobus.
	Stagecoach 22161 (T161MVM), a Volvo B10 with MAN SLF bodywork in Piccadilly bus station.
	Stagecoach 17667 (Y167DFT), a Dennis Trident with Alexander bodywork.
	UK North 110 (R396XDA) a DAFSB220 with Northern Counties bodywork. UK North adopted the GM Buses fleetname for some of their services before having their operators licence suspended in the winter of 2006-07.
	Magic Bus 13511 (C167HBA) a Leyland Olympian transferred from Kowloon (Hong Kong) to Manchester.
	UK North 207T (R359XVX) a Volvo Olympian with East Lancs bodywork at Piccadilly bus station
	Stagecoach 16756 (R756DRJ), a Volvo Olympian with Alexander bodywork with a service 42 departure via the Wilmslow Road.
	First Manchester 30376 (G691PNS), a Volvo Citybus with Alexander bodywork at Piccadilly bus station
	Megabus 15197 (M379TJA), a Dennis Dragon allocated to Princess Road operating Magic Bus service 86, a Chorlton circular.
	First Manchester 60200 (X271USH) a Scania L94 with Wright Fusion bodywork at Piccadilly with a service for Swinton.
	Magic Bus 15183 (M683TDB) at Piccadilly bus station. This bus formerly carried Megabus branding for Manchester to Liverpool services.
	Stagecoach 17717 (MK02EFW), a Dennis Trident with Alexander bodywork at Piccadilly bus station.
	R. Bullock Scania/East Lancs (M675PTD) at Piccadilly bus station with a departure to East Didsbury via the Wilmslow Road
	Arriva Manchester 2241 (X241ANC), a Dennis Dart SLF with Plaxton bodywork at Piccadilly bus station with a service 263 journey to Stretford, Sale and Altrincham.
	Stagecoach 20863 (P863GND), a Volvo B10M with Alexander bodywork
	Finglands 1768 (MF51MBX), a Volvo B7TL with Plaxton bodywork enters Piccadilly bus station.
	Stagecoach 22156 (S156TRJ), a Volvo B10 with MAN SLF bodywork in Piccadilly bus station.
	Three non-low floor double deckers. From left to right, Finglands 1746 (Volvo Olympian/Northern Counties), Stagecoach 16792 (Volvo Olympian/Alexander) and Stagecoach 16103 (Volvo Olympian/Northern Counties) at Piccadilly bus station.
	Stagecoach 17651 (V151DFT), a Dennis Trident with Alexander bodywork allocated to Princess Road. The bus is arriving with a service from the Wilmslow Road.
	Stagecoach 20865 (P865GND), a Volvo B10M with Alexander bodywork. Two passers by ponder the destination of the bus - the Alexander bodied Olympian seems equally secretive as to where it is going.
	First Manchester 60442 (P541BSS), a Mercedes Benz 0.405 with Prisma bodywork seen in Oldham Street.
	First Manchester 60261 (W339RJA), a Mercedes Benz Citaro seen in Oldham Street with a service to Waterhead.
	Formerly a Southbus, Mayne Scania N112/East Lancs (E704EFG) in Oldham Street, a vehicle new to Brighton & Hove in 1986 (as their 704). The bus seems to be a little vague as to its destination.
	First Manchester 60418 (L512KSA), a Mercedes Benz 0.405 with Wright Endurance bodywork seen in Oldham Street.
	Bluebird 32, a MAN 14.220 with East Lancs bodywork seen in Lever Street on 22nd May 2005.
	The Fabulous Fifty, a route which I used frequently when I lived in Manchester. Stagecoach 18027 (MX53FLG) a Dennis Trident with Transbus bodywork waits in Corporation Street, Victoria with a departure for East Didsbury.
	Mayne 29, an Dennis Trident with East Lancs bodywork seen departing Victoria Station with a departure for Mossley, Stalybridge and Carrbrook.
	Stagecoach 16746 (R746DRJ), a Volvo Olympian with Alexander bodywork still carries original Stagecoach stripes at Victoria Station. The bus is waiting to depart with a service
	Blue Bus 189 (J109WSC), a Dennis Lance with Alexander bodywork waits in Corporation Street, Victoria with a service M10 departure to Pendleton, Eccles and Brookhouse.
	An original Greater Manchester bus. First Manchester 30207 (F287DRJ) is a Leyland Olympian with Northern Counties bodywork and was delivered to GM Buses in 1988. The bus is preparing to depart for its home base of Wigan.
	First Manchester 12008 (YN05GYF) a Scania Omnicity delivered in March 2005. Manchester's new bendies seemed to allude me for most of the afternoon until I photographed this one at Victoria heading towards Cheetham Hill.
	A rear end view of First Manchester 12008 (YN05GYF) as it turns into Cheetham Hill Road.
	First Manchester 12007 (YN05GYE), a Scania Omnicity heading towards Victoria and Piccadilly. This bus forms part of a major investment by First, who have faced criticism in recent years for the age profile of their Mancunian fleet.

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Web links

Bluebird - Middleton bus operator

Blue Bus - Manchester's largest independent (according to their web site), formerly based at the railway works in Horwich

GM Buses - web site of the Greater Manchester Buses group who support the preservation of former GMT and GM Buses vehicles. A good source of information about bus operations in Greater Manchester.

A. Mayne & Son - Long established east Manchester independent

Updated 08/05/2008