Rossendale Transport buses in Bacup - circa 1977

Circa 1977 - Rossendale Borough Council was created in the local government re-organisation on 1st April 1974 and assumed control of the Rossendale Joint Transport Committee bus fleet and operations. RJTC had itself only been created some six years earlier when the Rawtenstall Corporation and Haslingden Corporation undertakings were merged.

In 1910 the Corporations of Rawtenstall, Haslingden and Accrington commenced a through tramway service from Accrington via Haslingden and Rawtenstall to Bacup which was fully replaced by motor buses in 1930. (The journey is approximately 11 miles/18 km).

The two Rossendale buses seen here Bacup town centre were typical of the East Lancs bodied Leylands purchased by both Rawtenstall and Haslingden before the merger. The single decker was one of the six Leyland Leopards new RJTC in 1971 numbered 60-65 (ETC 660-5J).The Leyland Titan double decker may possibly be one of the four delivered to Rawtenstall in 1964 numbered 30-33 (FTE 630-3B).