It was produced when the new Tameside Depot was built in 1978. I thought i would share it. Interesting some of the comments in the publication." The pits have been designed for vehicles 12mtrs long - The maximum envisaged in the forseeable future" Now with 15 mtr coaches on megabus work its easy to see how quickly technology moves on in the industry. Hope you enjoy.
an excellent read, thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeletedoes the building still stand? i think the depot looks, and sounds, modern even today. it makes you wonder why they bothered abandoning such a modern, purpose-built facility, especially when only 15-20 years later they were back, just around the corner!
just seen a bus that use to be based here and Glossop aswell this been 5120 SND 120 X looking well looked after
ReplyDeleteYep - the building is here...
ReplyDeleteIt only lasted a few years as a bus depot didn't it?
i believe 1991 it closed, could be wrong though
ReplyDeleteI thought it was early 1992.
ReplyDeleteThere was a massive campaign for it to stay open as it was belived services in Tameside would suffer, which once it closed did, then a manager left to start his own company, Pennine Blue which today in one form or another is First Dukinfield. So if GM Buses hadn't shut Tameside depot all them years ago things could have been very different now.
I'm glad you posted this.
ReplyDeleteIs the site now Olympia Furniture Warehouse?
The site of the texas and Minerva Mills in bygone days
ReplyDeleteSorry didnt notice the comment. Yes its still the Olympia warehouse. Still the exsisting building with extra built around it.
ReplyDeleteDepot closed or should i say operations ceased on 26-10-1991 but remained open a little longer whilst it got stripped of its assets...from a still very disgruntled ex employee.
ReplyDeletegot great memory's of this depot,was taken on after school helping clean graffiti from the buses,was only short term as it closed soon afterwards,often wonder what i would be doing as in employment had this depot not shut.remember the 2 employees who started there company in dukinfield,one was called pete,cant remember at this time who the other guy was called.what i do know is they was mass bus enthusiast,s..greatest memory of this place was the pink ladys,the fleet of 2001-2010 all ready for there express service,s ie the 400 think the reg was C201GBU-C210GBU,one of my favourite buses was 5089,aka the beast.happy days.
ReplyDeletesorry it was c201fvu just came back to me
ReplyDeleteKen!
ReplyDeleteThe metrobuses on the 400 were C201FVU-C210FVU 5201-5210 all were cummins engined buses till first bus came in and scrapped them, but 5208 is at the Manchester museum of transport being restored.
ReplyDeletehttp://darryl-p-jones.fotopic.net/p67815777.html
Bring back GM Buses(1986-1994)
ReplyDeleteSeem to recall one being fitted with a gardner engine after the original cummins duffed it...think 5208...those cummins engines were just too expensive and does anyone remember 5203 when it went like a rocket with the wrong fuel pump fitted...0-40 in like 5 seconds and the skin on your face rippled like you were in a wind tunnel!!
ReplyDeleteIt was 5207 that had a gardner engine fitted at bury after transfer from oldham as its cummins engine failed.
ReplyDeleteDepot opened 1977
ReplyDeleteYes November 1977
ReplyDelete