Rochdale Corporation Transport (and successors)

November 1966 - Rochdale Corporation Transport 1 (HDK 701), an East Lancs bodied AEC Regal IV, seen in Littleborough Square working the High Peak service. All Littleborough local services were numbered 8. One of seven such two door buses new in 1951 and with fleet number 301. Originally passengers entered by the rearmost door (behind the rear wheels) alighting at the front. However, in the mid to late 1950s the rear doors were removed and the buses saw the rest of their operational lives with a traditional single front entrance/exit.

November 1965 - Rochdale Corporation Transport 23 (ADK 723B) seen at Falinge Park Gates working the Healey to Wardle service. It was an East Lancs bodied AEC Reliance new in October 1964.

November 1965 – In 1951 Rochdale Corporation added five East Lancs bodied AEC Regent IIIs to the fleet (233-237). 234 (HDK 834) was seen here turning from Falinge Road into Sheriff Street when working service 10 from Syke to Turf Hill. Service 10 had once used Hudson Street in both directions but in the early 1960s it was made one-way (eastbound) and was used by buses bound for Syke. Likewise Sheriff Street was made one –way for the westbound traffic and the buses bound for the Town Centre and Turf Hill were required to travel on three sides of a rectangle (Falinge Road-Sheriff Street-Spotland Road) to get from one end of Hudson Street to the other. A lot has changed on the right and in the background of the photograph but the house on the left, 26 Falinge Road where the Rush family lived at the time, can still be seen today between Higher Sheriff Street and Green Lane. The lorry parked in the background was operated by J & T Sharrocks Hauliers whose yard was alongside. Sharrocks later re-located to Shawclough.

November 1965 – Rochdale Corporation 288 (NDK 988), a Weymann bodied AEC Regent V new in 1956, is seen on Holland Street during a route diversion of service 10. At this time major alterations were taking place in St. Mary’s Gate area with the construction of the new market, shopping centre and inner ring road taking the buses away from their established route. The block of flats is Mitchell Hey and the houses on the extreme left of the photograph form part of East View.

November 1965 – What appears to be one of the NDK registered batch of Weymann bodied AEC Regent V buses bought by Rochdale Corporation in 1956 seen on a route diversion of service 11A turning from College Road into Holland Street. At this time major alterations were taking place in St. Mary’s Gate area with the construction of the new market, shopping centre and inner ring road taking the buses away from their established route. The former cricket ground on Dane Street is visible on the left beyond the power station. The River Roch, running along the back of Mitchell Hey Mill, is above the bus engine.

November 1966 - Rochdale Corporation Transport 332 (EDK 132C), a Weymann bodied Daimler Fleetline CRG6LX new in December 1965, seen in Littleborough Square. It was around 1300 and the bus was heading for Summit on service 6A. Rochdale operated 22 double deck Fleetlines which were numbered 323-327 (new 1964), 328-334 (new 1965) and 335-334 (new 1968). All passed to the SELNEC PTE receiving fleet numbers 6223-6234. In addition there were four single deck Fleetlines in the fleet.

Showbus, Donington - Sun 25 Sep 2016 Rochdale Corporation 235 (HDK 835) AEC Regent III East Lancs New September 1951

Showbus, Donington - Sun 25 Sep 2016 Rochdale Corporation 235 (HDK 835) AEC Regent III East Lancs New September 1951

Saturday 4 July 2015 – Former Rochdale Corporation Transport 280 (NDK 980) is a Weymann bodied AEC Regent V which entered service in June 1956. It is seen in Rochdale town centre when the ‘Yelloway 100’ event was in progress. Nicely set destination blinds other than the Bacup service was numbered 16 not 15.

Saturday 4 July 2015 – Former Rochdale Corporation Transport 280 (NDK 980) is a Weymann bodied AEC Regent V which entered service in June 1956. It is seen in Rochdale town centre when the ‘Yelloway 100’ event was in progress.

Saturday 4 July 2015 – Former Rochdale Corporation Transport 280 (NDK 980) is a Weymann bodied AEC Regent V which entered service in June 1956. It is seen in Rochdale town centre when the ‘Yelloway 100’ event was in progress.

Saturday 4 July 2015 (1732) – In 2014 First Manchester painted a number of buses in the liveries of the constituent municipalities that were absorbed into SELNEC in 1969. Wright bodied Volvo B9TL 37451 (MX58 EAC) carries the colours of Rochdale Corporation Transport. The numerals used for the fleet numbers were the exact style used by RCT.

Saturday 4 July 2015 (1732) – In 2014 First Manchester painted a number of buses in the liveries of the constituent municipalities that were absorbed into SELNEC in 1969. Wright bodied Volvo B9TL 37451 (MX58 EAC) carries the colours of Rochdale Corporation Transport. The numerals used for the fleet numbers were the exact style used by RCT.

Saturday 4 July 2015 (1739) – In 2014 First Manchester painted a number of buses in the liveries of the constituent municipalities that were absorbed into SELNEC in 1969. Wright bodied Volvo B9TL 37451 (MX58 EAC) carries the colours of Rochdale Corporation Transport. The numerals used for the fleet numbers were the exact style used by RCT.

Saturday 4 July 2015 (1729) – In 2014 First Manchester painted a number of buses in the liveries of the constituent municipalities that were absorbed into SELNEC in 1969. Wright bodied Volvo B9TL 37451 (MX58 EAC) carries the colours of Rochdale Corporation Transport. The numerals used for the fleet numbers were the exact style used by RCT.

Saturday 4 July 2015 (1729) – In 2014 First Manchester painted a number of buses in the liveries of the constituent municipalities that were absorbed into SELNEC in 1969. Wright bodied Volvo B9TL 37451 (MX58 EAC) carries the colours of Rochdale Corporation Transport. The numerals used for the fleet numbers were the exact style used by RCT.

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.