SELNEC/GMPTE/GM Buses in Rochdale

September 1972 – SELNEC PTE 6165 (KDK 665) seen in Packer Street (Town Hall Square) in Rochdale working the cross town service 14 from Kingsway to Greave. It was one of 30 Weymann bodied Daimler CVG6 double deckers purchased by Rochdale Corporation Transport in the early 1950s, many of which lasted into SELNEC PTE ownership. The SELNEC PTE (South East Lancashire North East Cheshire Passenger Transport Executive) absorbed the Rochdale Corporation Transport undertaking in November 1969. The Gardner engine Daimlers were added to the fleet in two batches of 15, the first 15 were delivered in March 1953 and numbered 238-252 (JDK 738-752). The further 15 were delivered in December 1953/January 1954 numbered 253-267 (KDK 653-667). None of them were painted into the SELNEC orange and white livery and they continued to operate in Rochdale’s cream and blue livery until withdrawn from service.

Monday 17 July 1972 – SELNEC PTE 6143 (JDK 743) seen in Bury Road, Rochdale working the cross town service 14 from Greave to Kingsway. It was one of 30 Weymann bodied Daimler CVG6 double deckers purchased by Rochdale Corporation Transport in the early 1950s, many of which lasted into SELNEC PTE ownership. The SELNEC PTE (South East Lancashire North East Cheshire Passenger Transport Executive) absorbed the Rochdale Corporation Transport undertaking in November 1969. The Gardner engine Daimlers were added to the fleet in two batches of 15, the first 15 were delivered in March 1953 and numbered 238-252 (JDK 738-752). The further 15 were delivered in December 1953/January 1954 numbered 253-267 (KDK 653-667). None of them were painted into the SELNEC orange and white livery and they continued to operate in Rochdale’s cream and blue livery until withdrawn from service.

October 1972 – Rochdale Corporation Transport purchased 30 Weymann bodied Daimler CVG6 double deckers in the early 1950s many of which lasted into SELNEC PTE ownership. The SELNEC PTE (South East Lancashire North East Cheshire Passenger Transport Executive) absorbed the Rochdale Corporation Transport undertaking in November 1969. The Gardner engine Daimlers were added to the fleet in two batches of 15, the first 15 were delivered in March 1953 and numbered 238-252 (JDK 738-752). The further 15 were delivered in December 1953/January 1954 numbered 253-267 (KDK 653-667). None of them were painted into the SELNEC orange and white livery and they continued to operate in Rochdale’s cream and blue livery until withdrawn from service. In this view on the Smith Street bus park in Rochdale town centre taken in SELNEC days are five of the buses at rest. From left to right: 6140 (JDK 740), 6143 (JDK 743), 6138 (JDK 738), 6155 (KDK 655) (set back slightly) plus an unidentified fifth. 6138, third from the left, was numerically the first of them all and it was always possible to tell this bus from a distance because it was the only one which had had the black window rubbers painted cream.

October 1972 – Rochdale Corporation Transport purchased 30 Weymann bodied Daimler CVG6 double deckers in the early 1950s many of which lasted into SELNEC PTE ownership. The SELNEC PTE (South East Lancashire North East Cheshire Passenger Transport Executive) absorbed the Rochdale Corporation Transport undertaking in November 1969. The Gardner engine Daimlers were added to the fleet in two batches of 15, the first 15 were delivered in March 1953 and numbered 238-252 (JDK 738-752). The further 15 were delivered in December 1953/January 1954 numbered 253-267 (KDK 653-667). None of them were painted into the SELNEC orange and white livery and they continued to operate in Rochdale’s cream and blue livery until withdrawn from service. In this view on the Smith Street bus park in Rochdale town centre taken in SELNEC days are examples from the two different batches. Left is 6138 (JDK 738) and 6155 (KDK 655) which had been numbers 238 and 255 in the Rochdale fleet. They are flanked by two more similar buses. 6138 was numerically the first of them all and it was always possible to tell this bus from a distance because it was the only one which had had the black window rubbers painted cream.

January 1972 – For a time the SELNEC PTE service to Arundel Street off Ashfield Road in Rochdale ran as service 26 from Holland Street, College Bank. Because the latter was too close to the town centre to attract many passengers it was discontinued and Arundel Street linked with the 4A (later numbered 444) service to Bamford. 6016 (2116 DK) was seen at Arundel Street leaving for Bamford. It was a Weymann bodied AEC Reliance 2MU2RA, the first of a batch five such buses delivered to Rochdale Corporation in December 1961 with fleet numbers 16-20. I started secondary school in Rochdale town centre in September 1961 and these buses ran on service 5 to Bamford, one of my travel options to get home. In fact I would wait an excessive amount of time in order to use one of the shiny new buses. I finished school at 1600 and I could realistically catch a bus at 1605 and every five minutes thereafter but I would wait until 1630 for one of these. They were dual door buses, the first the Corporation had bought for some years and were one-man operated. The drivers would often forget to open the centre exit door leaving me standing like a lemon as he dealt with the boarding passengers. There was however the emergency push button for the use of but they were moved out of sight and reach in due course. Another amusing aspect I recall, in the days when bell push strips were mounted on the ceiling rather than in childhood reach, was that I regularly used by 12 inch school rule in order to press the bell strip!

January 1972 - SELNEC PTE (South East Lancashire North East Cheshire Passenger Transport Executive) 6038 (KKV 700G) seen approaching the bridge over the M62 Motorway on Broad Lane on the way from Shaw to Rochdale service 15, a service operated jointly with the North Western Road Car Company. It was a Willowbrook bodied Daimler Fleetline SRG6LX which started life in August 1968 as a Daimler demonstrator. Rochdale Corporation Transport had agreed to acquire the vehicle when it came to the end of the demonstration period but by the time it was available in early 1970 the Corporation had been absorbed by the SELNEC PTE. As a result it became SELNEC 6038 taking the fleet number that followed on from the last Rochdale Corporation single decker numbered 37 which had become SELNEC 6037.

August 1973 - Willowbrook bodied Daimler Fleetline SRG6LX KKV 700G started life in August 1968 as a Daimler demonstrator. Rochdale Corporation Transport had agreed to acquire the vehicle when it came to the end of the demonstration period but by the time it was available in early 1970 the Corporation had been absorbed by the SELNEC PTE (South East Lancashire North East Cheshire Passenger Transport Executive). As a result it became SELNEC 6038 taking the fleet number that followed on from the last Rochdale Corporation single decker numbered 37 which had become SELNEC 6037.

January 1972 – One of the Pennine bodied AEC Swifts that had been ordered by Rochdale Corporation climbing Broad Lane on the way to High Crompton and Shaw on service 15, a service operated jointly with the North Western Road Car Company. There were ten such buses that were eventually delivered to the SELNEC PTE (South East Lancashire North East Cheshire Passenger Transport Executive) in 1971. SELNEC had absorbed the Rochdale Corporation Transport undertaking in November 1969. The fleet numbers were 6040 to 6049 and due to the different delivery times the registration numbers became TDK 540/541J (new July 1971); TDK 542/543K (August 1971); and TDK 544K to 549K (new February 1972). It was appropriate that ‘DK’ series registrations were carried by these buses, ‘DK’ having been the letters issued by the Rochdale local authority under the old licensing system.

December 1973 - The SELNEC PTE (South East Lancashire North East Cheshire Passenger Transport Executive) absorbed the Rochdale Corporation Transport undertaking in November 1969. Between 1956 and 1959 the Corporation purchased 55 Weymann bodied AEC Regent Vs numbered 268-322 which all passed to SELNEC becoming their 6168-6222. SELNEC 6171 (NDK 971) was seen at Syke Chapel, the northern terminus of the cross town service 10 that ran via Rochdale town centre to Turf Hill. It had been new to Rochdale Corporation in June 1956 with fleet number 271.

December 1973 - The SELNEC PTE (South East Lancashire North East Cheshire Passenger Transport Executive) absorbed the Rochdale Corporation Transport undertaking in November 1969. Between 1956 and 1959 the Corporation purchased 55 Weymann bodied AEC Regent Vs numbered 268-322 which all passed to SELNEC becoming their 6168-6222. SELNEC 6171 (NDK 971) was seen arriving at Syke Chapel, the northern terminus of the cross town service 10 that ran via Rochdale town centre to Turf Hill. It had been new to Rochdale Corporation in June 1956 with fleet number 271.

September 1972– The SELNEC PTE (South East Lancashire North East Cheshire Passenger Transport Executive) absorbed the Rochdale Corporation Transport undertaking in November 1969. Between 1956 and 1959 the Corporation purchased 55 Weymann bodied AEC Regent Vs numbered 268-322 which all passed to SELNEC becoming their 6168-6222. Two examples seen here were parked on the Smith Street bus park in Rochdale town centre – on the site which later became the bus station. 6196 (NDK 986) and 6182 (NDK 982) were new to the Corporation as fleet numbersd 296 and 282 respectively. The Corporation’s route number system incorporated quite a few letter suffixes. Service 17 operated to Manchester via Castleton travelling out of town along the whole length Drake Street. It was supplemented with service 17T which travelled via Tweedale Street and terminated at the Rochdale boundary at Chesham Avenue, Castleton. 6196 displays the blinds for the latter. The Norden service had two variants between the town centre and Spotland Bridge. Service 11A travelled via Spotland Road and service 11C travelled via Mellor Street.

April 1974 – On 1 April 1974 the Greater Manchester Metropolitan County came to being and what had been the SELNEC PTE (South East Lancashire North East Cheshire Passenger Transport Executive) became the Greater Manchester PTE. Weymann bodied AEC Regent V 6196 (NDK 986) was seen at Birch Hill Hospital on hospital visitors service 876. It was new to Rochdale Corporation Transport in May 1956 numbered 286 and was one of the 55 Weymann bodied AEC Regent Vs placed in service by the Corporation between 1956 and 1959 numbered 268-322. The three aperture destination indicator layout was that of Rochdale Corporation. When SELNEC introduced their three digit service numbers in the Rochdale district new service number blinds were fitted which were smaller than those used by the Corporation and featured some masking on the glass. The final destination and via blinds were Corporation originals.

August 1974 – Greater Manchester PTE 6175 (NDK 975) seen in Rochdale. It was new to Rochdale Corporation Transport in May 1956 numbered 275 and was one of the 55 Weymann bodied AEC Regent Vs placed in service by the Corporation between 1956 and 1959 numbered 268-322. In November 1969 the Rochdale Corporation Transport undertaking was absorbed by the SELNEC PTE (South East Lancashire North East Cheshire Passenger Transport Executive) that assigned fleet numbers 6198-6222 to these buses. In April 1974 the SELNEC PTE became the Greater Manchester PTE. When SELNEC introduced their three digit service numbers in the Rochdale district new service number blinds were fitted at the front to accommodate same but those the rear remained in situ disused.

January 1974 – The SELNEC PTE (South East Lancashire North East Cheshire Passenger Transport Executive) absorbed the Rochdale Corporation Transport undertaking in November 1969. Between 1956 and 1959 the Corporation purchased 55 Weymann bodied AEC Regent Vs numbered 268-322 which all passed to SELNEC becoming their 6168-6222. 6202 (ODK 702) was new in 1956 with Rochdale Corporation fleet number 302 and was seen here parked on the Smith Street bus park in Rochdale town centre – on the site which became the bus station. The main daytime service to Spotland operated via Spotland Road as service 12A but there was also a peak time service numbered 12C which ran via Mellor Street which is the number displayed here. The large TBA (Turner Brothers Asbestos) plant was one of the main industries served on services 12A and 12C.

June 1975 – Greater Manchester PTE 6209 (RDK 409) seen in Rochdale. It was new to Rochdale Corporation Transport in November 1957 numbered 309 and was one of the 55 Weymann bodied AEC Regent Vs placed in service by the Corporation between 1956 and 1959 numbered 268-322. In November 1969 the Rochdale Corporation Transport undertaking was absorbed by the SELNEC PTE (South East Lancashire North East Cheshire Passenger Transport Executive) that assigned fleet numbers 6198-6222 to these buses. In April 1974 the SELNEC PTE became the Greater Manchester PTE. The three aperture destination indicator layout was that of Rochdale Corporation although more modern blinds were displayed now. When SELNEC introduced their three digit service numbers in the Rochdale district new service number blinds were fitted which were smaller than those used by the Corporation and featured some masking on the glass.

Wednesday 25 May 1977 - The SELNEC PTE (South East Lancashire North East Cheshire Passenger Transport Executive) absorbed the Rochdale Corporation Transport undertaking in November 1969. Between 1956 and 1959 the Corporation purchased 55 Weymann bodied AEC Regent Vs numbered 268-322 which all passed to SELNEC becoming their 6168-6222. Operation of rear platform style buses was coming to an end at this time and in this photograph SELNEC 6198 (ODK 698) was seen in the evening sunshine on Sherriff Street, Rochdale working service 440 from Syke.

April 1977 - The SELNEC PTE (South East Lancashire North East Cheshire Passenger Transport Executive) absorbed the Rochdale Corporation Transport undertaking in November 1969. Between 1956 and 1959 the Corporation purchased 55 Weymann bodied AEC Regent Vs numbered 268-322 which all passed to SELNEC becoming their 6168-6222. 6180 (NDK 980) and 6203 (ODK 703) were both new in 1956 and were seen here parked at the Mellor Street garage in Rochdale devoid of destination blinds and ready for disposal. Note the Daimler Fleetline bus just leaving Spotland Bridge in the background. These two buses represent the two batches totalling 40 buses which were fitted with Gardner engines rather than AEC engines which was the more common option. They originally carried Rochdale Corporation fleet numbers 280 and 302.

April 1977 - Between 1956 and 1959 Rochdale Corporation Transport purchased 55 Weymann bodied AEC Regent Vs numbered 268-322 which all passed to the SELNEC PTE when the PTE absorbed the Corporation’s bus undertaking in November 1969. SELNEC applied fleet numbers 6168-6222 to these vehicles. This is the driver’s cab of 6203, one of the second batch of Gardner engined models (Corporation fleet numbers 298-307) delivered in the Autumn of 1956. This bus carried the fleet number 303 with the Corporation.