Preserved Yelloway coaches at Rochdale - 5 Jul 2015 (DSCF0706)

Sunday 5 July 2015 - In 1915 Holt Brothers established their transport business which evolved to become the well respected Yelloway Motor Services Limited. To mark the centenary an event was held over the weekend of 4/5 July 2015.

On Saturday 4 July there was a display of preserved Yelloway coaches outside Rochdale Town Hall where a staff reunion was held.

The next day featured a road run along a route that many Yelloway services had once travelled from Manchester via Oldham, Rochdale, Bacup and Rawtenstall to Bury. The road run started from the Transport Museum in Manchester ending at the Transport Museum in Bury.

In Rochdale on the Sunday the 'Yelloway 100' road run paused in Smith Street, as close as is now possible to where the Yelloway offices and coach station once were. A new council building now occupies the site out of shot to the left. On the left is the bus station which opened in November 2013 and on the right is the terminus of the Metrolink tram system which opened a few months later on 31 March 2014. Collectively they form the Rochdale Interchange. The tower of Rochdale town hall stands proud over all the changes.

The convoy comprised four AEC Reliance coaches for which Yelloway was renowned. The last in line from where this photograph was taken was NNC 855P (a 1976 Duple Dominant – which contains the Yelloway Museum collection). In front are WDK 562T (a 1979 Plaxton Supreme) and YDK 590 (a 1961 Harrington Cavalier). The leading coach which is obscured is CDK 172L (a 1973 Plaxton Panorama Elite).

An album of photographs taken over this nostalgic weekend may be seen at www.ipernity.com/doc/davidslater-spoddendale/album/801926