GM Buses (former Rochdale Corporation) offices - 18 Oct 1991

Friday 18 October 1991 – This entrance door to the offices to what had originally been the offices of Rochdale Corporation Tramways in Mellor Street, Rochdale. The building was opened in 1904 replacing a smaller property in Entwistle Road near the town centre.

Above the door are the words ‘Tramway Offices’ in ornate terracotta lettering supplemented by the GM Buses plate in whose ownership the building had become by this time.

Rochdale’s trams ceased operation in November 1932 and the Corporation continued with bus operation until the SELNEC PTE (South East Lancashire North East Cheshire Passenger Transport Executive) took over the operation in November 1969. The SELNEC PTE became the Greater Manchester PTE (operating as Greater Manchester Transport) on 1 April 1974, the day that the Greater Manchester County was created.

In October 1986 in the lead up to privatisation Greater Manchester Transport was renamed GM Buses and became an ‘arms length’ operation of the Passenger Transport Executive.
Facing the need to reduce operating losses the Rochdale garage was closed after operations on 29 November 1991 with services covered from the garages in neighbouring towns.

The property was subsequently occupied by a fruit and vegetable wholesaler and, as far as I know, the terracotta lettering still remains as part of the building.