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First Manchester Wright Eclipse Gemini in new livery in Manchester city centre.

SloganWe believe the Buses are the Future
Parent companyFirstGroup plc
Founded1996, formerly GM Buses North
HeadquartersWallshaw Street, Oldham
LocaleNorth West England
Service areaGreater Manchester (some services overlap into other counties)
Service typeBus
HubsManchester, Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford.
OperatorFirstGroup
Web sitewww.firstgroup.com
File:First Manchester bus 37415 (MX58 DYG), 4 February 2012.jpg

A Wright Eclipse Gemini in the old 'Barbie' livery on route 36 in Manchester city centre.

File:The Waterhouse - geograph.org.uk - 2397806.jpg

A First Manchester Optare Versa, running on the Metroshuttle routes.

File:First Manchester Volvo B10B Alexander Strider learner bus.jpg

A 1993 built Alexander Strider bodied Volvo B10B, pictured as a training bus for First Manchester, new to Eastern Scottish.

First Greater Manchester (formerly First Manchester) is one of the bus companies serving Greater Manchester, a metropolitan county in North West England. It forms part of FirstGroup. The company operates within the area covered by Transport for Greater Manchester, a public body responsible for helping to co-ordinate public transport services in Greater Manchester. Along with Stagecoach Manchester it is one of the two major bus operators in the city region.

History[]

See also: Timeline of public passenger transport operations in Manchester

Before bus deregulation in 1986, buses in the Greater Manchester area were publicly funded and went under the name of Greater Manchester Transport. In 1986, with de-regulation, Greater Manchester Transport became known as GM Buses, which were effectively owned by the metropolitan borough and city councils of Greater Manchester, but were at arms' length from the local town halls. During the mid-1990s GM Buses was divided into two compaines: GMN (GM Buses (North)) and GMS (GM South Buses). British Bus looked set to acquire GM North, but eventually both were bought out by their management and employees. Within a year, however, GM South Buses were bought by the Stagecoach Group and rebranded as Stagecoach Manchester.

When GM Buses North were eventually bought by First the whole GMN fleet was rebranded as Greater Manchester. This was just a trade name as legal name of the company remained GMBuses North however in 1998 the company was renamed First Manchester Ltd and likewise the trading name also changed to First Manchester.

After a period of experimentation with the livery, a lighter shade of orange was adopted and all other colours were dropped, leaving a fleet of plain light orange buses.

First Manchester soon ended up managing two other First subsidiaries: First Potteries and its sister First Pennine. That even included many GM Standard Atlanteans making their way to those two fleets. Eventually the First Pennine and Manchester subsidiaries were merged, adding a number of routes in the Tameside area to First Manchester. A new management team was put in place and First Manchester was relieved of its responsibility for the Potteries subsidiary.

Several years on and many of the old orange fleet have been replaced by new vehicles in the white, magenta and blue livery featured on most other First Bus fleets.

The fleet over the previous years has been of interest and initially consisted on First's takeover of Dodge S56, Mercedes-Benz 709D and 811D and Iveco 59.12 minibuses, Dennis Dart, Volvo B6 and a solitary Volvo B6LE midibus, Leyland National, Leyland National 2, Leyland Lynx and Volvo B10B single-deck vehicles and Leyland Fleetline, Leyland Atlantean, Leyland Olympian, MCW Metrobus and Volvo Citybus double-deck vehicles. Most of the double-deckers were to the standard GMPTE body design with Northern Counties coachwork.

Over the course of the early years the fleet had new vehicles introduced in the form of further Dennis Darts, Volvo B6-50s, Volvo B6LEs and new types consisting of the Mercedes-Benz Citaro O530, Optare Solo, Volvo B6BLE, Volvo B10L, Volvo B10BLE, Volvo B7L, Volvo B10LA and Scania L94UA. The policy was to swing away from buying any more new double-deck vehicles at this stage however second-hand vehicles came mainly from other FirstGroup subsidiaries or via takeovers, these consisted of further Mercedes-Benz minibuses; Volvo B10B, Scania L113CRL and L94UB, Volvo B10L, Volvo B10BLE and Mercedes-Benz O405 single-deckers; MCW Metrobus MKII, Leyland Olympian, Leyland Olympian tri-axle, Volvo Olympian, Volvo Citybus, Dennis Dominator, and Scania N112DRB and N113DRB double-deckers. Many of these vehicles have subsequently moved away including all Volvo B10Ls, most Scania L94UBs, all Volvo Citybuses, all Leyland Olympians and tri-Axle Leyland Olympians, all Dennis Dominators, all Scania double-deckers, some Volvo B10BLEs (some of these even came back again), all Volvo B7Ls (most of which had been purchased for use during the 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games and were never used in normal service) and all Mercedes-Benz minibuses. Withdrawals of Mercedes-Benz 0405s recently commenced as have withdrawals of Volvo B10Bs. All non-low-floor Dennis Dart and Volvo B6 midis have also been withdrawn and scrapped.

In 2005 a start was made on renewing the fleet. Phase 1 involved the purchase of 256 Wright Eclipse Urban bodied Volvo B7RLE saloons and 18 Scania CN94UA OmniCity articulated buses. These were delivered throughout 2005 and 2006. In 2007 a fleet of 36 Volvo B9TLs with Wright Eclipse Gemini bodywork followed. These were the first new double-deckers for some years. In 2008 a new Phase commenced of replacing Volvo B7RLEs bought in 2005 and 2006 along with about 100 older saloons with 110 Volvo B9TLs with Wright Eclipse Gemini bodywork over a two-year period of 2008 and 2009, expected in 2011/2 are a fleet of 14 Hybrid Vehicles of an unknown type for New Cross City Routes.

Over the years several fleets have been taken over; these have included Timeline Travel (Leigh) (North GM Area Bus Operations), Pioneer (Rochdale) (Bus Operations), Coachmasters (Rochdale) (Bus Operations) as well as the transfer of First PMT's Dukinfield fleet to First Manchester control.

Various depots have been closed over the past 12 years including Atherton (1998), Bolton Crook Street (2004) (replaced by a new depot at Weston Street), Knowsley (2008), Rochdale (2004) and Trafford Park (2005) sites at Lowton, Bolton and Manchester Piccadilly have also been used temporarily for either acquired fleet (Lowton/Bolton) in 1998 or for the Commonwealth Games in 2002 (Manchester Piccadilly).

As of September 2010 First Manchesterhas taken over the management of the Cheshire and Merseyside depots of First Potteries with the Staffordshire depots transferring to the management of the new First Midlands division. The Cheshire and Merseyside depots fell to a First Manchester license.

In February 2012, the company came under fire from Department for Transport North West's traffic commissioner Beverley Bell[1] after a performance survey found an average of 26% of First Manchester services were not running on time.[2] The company were fined £285,000 in March 2012 for their poor reliability.[3]

In Spring 2012 First Manchester revised its name to First Greater Manchester.

In June 2012, it was announced that First Group were looking at selling off some of its operations, which included First Manchester's Wigan depot.[4] On 31 October 2012, an agreement was reached by First Manchester Ltd and Stagecoach Group for Stagecoach Manchester to acquire the Wigan operations, including the depot and buses, for £12m.[5] The deal will see the 300 employees and 120 vehicles (although 20 are owned by Transport for Greater Manchester) to Stagecoach's Greater Manchester East Buses Ltd subsidiary, which was also used for Stagecoach's takeover of Mayne in 2008.[6][7] The transfer of operations from First to Stagecoach took place on 2 December 2012.[8]

Depots[]

  • Bolton depot: Weston Street

Types operated from Bolton
30000s: Enviro 400s, Volvo B9TL, Dennis Arrow
40000s: Optare Versa Hybrid
60000s: Volvo B7RLE, Scania L94UB, Iveco Vehixel Scolabus

  • Bury depot: Rochdale Road

Types operated from Bury
10000s: Scania OmniCity CN94UA artics, plus one Scania L94UA/Wright
30000s: Volvo B9TL, 60000s: Mercedes-Benz Citaro, Volvo B7RLE,

  • Tameside depot: Rothesay Garage, Broadway, Dukinfield

Types operated from Dukinfield
30000s: Volvo B9TL, Dennis Arrow
40000s: Dennis Dart SLF, Optare Solo
50000s: Optare Solo SR Hybrid

  • Manchester depot: Queens Road, Cheetham

Types operated from Manchester Depot
30000s: Volvo B5L Hybrid, Volvo B9TL
40000s: Volvo B6BLE, Optare Versa Hybrid
50000s: Optare Solo SR Hybrid
60000s: Volvo B10BLE, Volvo B7RLE

  • Oldham depot & HQ: Wallshaw Street

Types operated from Oldham Depot
30000s: Enviro400, Volvo B9TL, Volvo Olympian
40000s: Dennis Dart SLF, Optare Solo
60000s: Volvo B7RLE, Iveco Vehixel Scolabus, Mercedes-Benz Citaro

Fleet[]

First Greater Manchester's fleet consists of around 860 active vehicles. Over half are of Volvo manufacture.

Fleet Numbering System[]

As with all FirstGroup Fleets a 5 digit Numbering System is used which groups types of vehicle to fleetnumbers, these are:-

10000 Bendybuses
20000 Coaches (None currently Operated)
30000 Double-Deck Buses
40000 Midibuses
50000 Minibuses
60000 Single-Deck Saloon Vehicles and Single-Deck Yellow Schoolbuses
80000 Ancillary Vehicles not based on buses
90000 Ancillary Vehicles that have never been operational buses

The series are not always applied consistently, for example First Greater Manchester's longer Optare Solos are numbered in the 50000 series (nominally for minibuses), whilst the shorter ones are numbered in the 40000 series (midibuses).

Articulated buses[]

First Greater Manchester followed the lead of Travel West Midlands in using low-floor articulated buses in the United Kingdom with the delivery in 1998 and 1999 of fifteen Volvo B10LAs with Wright Fusion bodywork. These were initially used on service 135 between Manchester and Bury, these then transferred to Bolton and have been used on the 8 Bolton - Manchester and more recently on the 582 Bolton - Atherton - Leigh services. Their introduction on the 582 was somewhat controversial, with users claiming that the reliability and frequency of the service had suffered. In April 2009 these Volvo artics were placed into storage, with the possibility of them being cascaded within First Group.

In 2005, eighteen new Scania OmniCity articulated buses arrived to take over operation of the 135. A single Scania L94UA / Wright Solar Fusion bendybus is also owned and was again initially used at Bury but has been used since on services 8 and 582 from Bolton. It is now reallocated back to Bury.

Double-deck buses[]

Double-deckers were once the mainstay of urban bus services in Greater Manchester and many other UK cities. After a period out of favour, they are now becoming popular again due to rising passenger numbers, to the extent that the Wright Eclipse Gemini is now the most numerous vehicle type in the fleet. The first 36 were delivered in 2007 followed by a further 110 of a similar type in 2008/2009. These are mainly used on services 8, 12, 17/18, 33, 36/37, 58/59, 67, 83, 100, 135, 162/163, 180/184, 350, 409, 471 and X34. First Manchester also have 14 Hybrid buses, which mainly serve the red 17 and 18 overground routes between Manchester and Rochdale (17) and Manchester and Langley (18) via Middleton. Beginning in August 2012 First Greater Manchester took delivery of new Enviro 400 vehicles which operate on routes 8, 36/37, 83, 180/184 and 409.

A small fleet of Volvo Olympians is maintained at Bury and Oldham Depots along with a fleet of Dennis Arrows which are primarily for the schools fleet at Bolton and Dukinfield depots, although they regularly appear in normal service.

Single-deck buses[]

The Volvo B7RLE/Wright Eclipse delivered in 2005/06 still form the majority single-deck type, although about 40% of the original 256 have already been cascaded to other FirstGroup fleets. Other low floor types present in significant numbers include Volvo B10BLE/Wright Renowns and Mercedes-Benz Citaros. Step entrance single deckers are limited to eight Mercedes-Benz O405 with Optare Prisma bodywork used on school/college services from Birkenhead (Rock Ferry) depot. The last remaining Volvo B10B with Wright Endurance bodywork have been withdrawn from service, apart from examples that are used for driver training.

Also operated are a fleet of Vehixel bodied, Iveco Scolabuses that are operated from Dukinfield and Ince Depots on behalf of GMPTE who also own these vehicles.

Midibuses[]

These are primarily Dennis Dart SLFs with Plaxton Pointer or Wright Crusader bodies, also operated are a fleet of Volvo B6LE and B6BLE low-floor midibuses with Wright Crusader and Crusader 2 bodies from Manchester depot.

Minibuses[]

A small fleet of minibuses is operated on MetroShuttle Contracts and one or two other routes based on Manchester, Oldham and Dukinfield depots. The entire minibus fleet consists of Optare Solo integral models.

Ancillary Vehicles[]

The support fleet is quite a varied one and consists mostly of Volvo B10B driver training buses with bodies by Alexander (Strider model) or Wright (Endurance). Aside from training vehicles it also includes five recovery lorries: three Volvo FL6, a Leyland T45 and an ERF. A large fleet of vans and pick-ups are operated, these are usually Vauxhall Combos or Corsas (smaller vans) or Ford Transits (bigger vans and pick-ups). Also owned are various fork lift trucks, and garage floor cleaning equipment known as 'Floor Scrubbers'.

Fleet List[]

As of March 2013, the First Manchester fleet is as follows:

Single Deckers

  • 18 Dennis Dart Plaxton Pointer II
  • 56 Mercedes Benz O530 Citaro
  • 54 Optare Solo
  • 41 Optare Versa
  • 18 Scania L94UB Wright Axcess Floline
  • 18 Scania L94UA OmniCity Articulated
  • 28 Volvo B10BLE Wright Renown
  • 7 Volvo B6BLE Wright Crusader
  • 149 Volvo B7RLE Wright Eclipse Urban

TOTAL: 389 VEHICLES

Double Deckers

  • 95 Dennis Trident Alexander Dennis Enviro 400
  • 14 Volvo B5LH Wright Eclipse II Hybrid
  • 149 Volvo B9TL Wright Eclipse Gemini
  • 22 Volvo Olympian Alexander Royale/ Northern Counties

TOTAL: 280 VEHICLES

MANCHESTER TOTAL: 669 VEHICLES

Services[]

First Greater Manchester mainly run services in central Manchester and the northern area of Greater Manchester including Oldham, Rochdale, Bury, Bolton, Tameside and Salford. However, some services do run outside of these areas. These services are the 18 (Langley - Rusholme), 22 (Bolton – Stockport) which is shared with Stagecoach and Arriva, the 53 (Cheetham Hill - Pendleton), 100 (Warrington / Irlam - Manchester), X35 (Walmersley - Manchester via Edenfield) and the 184 (Huddersfield - Manchester).

First also operate services in the Wigan area, although following the sale of their Wigan depot to Stagecoach Manchester in December 2012,[8] First only serve Atherton, Leigh and Tyldesley, which are served by services 12, 25, 26, 39, 516, 582, 584 and X34 (jointly operated with Stagecoach) from their Bolton and Manchester depots.

List of routes[]

This is a summary of First services in Greater Manchester. Any service with a coloured line runs every fifteen minutes or better.
N.B. some services are operated by First West Yorkshire, where First Greater Manchester tickets can be used and bought.

No. From To Via Depot Notes
1 Manchester Piccadilly station Deansgate Manchester depot Metroshuttle Orange
3 Manchester Piccadilly station Salford Central station Metroshuttle Purple
6 Rochdale Kirkholt Oldham depot Circular. Monday-Saturday evening journeys operated by Manchester Community Transport
12 Middleton Moorclose, Boarshaw Oldham depot
24 Rochdale Manchester Piccadilly Royton, Chadderton, New Moston, Newton Heath Oldham depot
25
26
Leigh Atherton (25), Tyldesley (25), Astley, Boothstown, Worsley, Swinton, Pendleton Salford Shopping Centre Bolton / Manchester depots 25 runs Monday-Saturday daytime
26 runs evenings and Sundays plus one weekday morning journey to Manchester
31 Farnworth Manchester Shudehill Little Hulton, Walkden, Pendleton Bolton / Manchester depots Daytime only
38
39
Ashton-under-Lyne Hazelhurst Hurst Cross Tameside depot Circulars
41 Crowhill Dukinfield Ashton-under-Lyne Tameside depot Evenings and Sundays run between Ashton and Dukinfield
58 Rochdale Middleton Milnrow, Newhey, Shaw, Oldham, Chadderton, Mills Hill Oldham depot Sky Blue Line
59 Rushcroft Manchester Piccadilly Shaw, Oldham, Chadderton, Mills Hill, Middleton, Rhodes, Cheetham Hill Sky Blue Line
64 Oldham Manchester Shudehill Royton, Mills Hill, Boarshaw, Middleton, Rhodes, Blackley, Harpurhey Manchester / Tameside depots Evening/Sunday journeys run Oldham-Middleton only
81
81A
Derker (81) Manchester Piccadilly Lees (81A), Waterhead (81A), Oldham, Werneth, Coalshaw Green, Moston, Harpurhey Oldham depot Claret Line
Holts Estate (81A)
83 Sholver Manchester Piccadilly Oldham, Hollinwood, Failsworth, Newton Heath Oldham depot Orange Line. Extra services between Oldham and Manchester.
100 Warrington Manchester Shudehill Hollins Green, Irlam, The Trafford Centre, Eccles, Pendleton Manchester / Bolton depots unmissable Trafford Centre Link. Most journeys run Trafford Centre-Manchester only. Some journeys run Hollins Green/Cadishead-Manchester. Warrington-Manchester runs hourly daytime only.
125 Middleton Rhodes, Birch, Hollin, Middleton, Alkrington Oldham depot
135 Bury Manchester Piccadilly Whitefield, Heaton Park, Cheetham Hill Bury depot Yellow Line
135
night bus
149 Alt Estate (Evenings/Sundays) Oldham, Coppice, Coalshaw Green (Evenings/Sundays), Hollinwood, Moston, North Manchester General Hospital, Cheetham Hill, Broughton Oldham depot
154 Bury Cheetham Hill Pilsworth, Unsworth, Prestwich, Crumpsall, North Manchester General Hospital Manchester depot Service runs one-way circular around Crumpsall, North Manchester General Hospital and Cheetham Hill.
162
163
Norden (162) Manchester Piccadilly Heap Bridge (163), Darnhill (163), Bamford (162), Heywood, Langley, Middleton, Harpurhey Bury / Manchester depots Turquoise Line. 162 runs peak times only
Bury (163)
168 Chorlton Ashton-under-Lyne Levenshulme, Longsight, Belle Vue, Droylsden Tameside depot Sundays only. Evening journeys run Chorlton-Droylsden only. Other journeys run by Stagecoach and Manchester Community Transport
180
184
Greenfield (180) Manchester Piccadilly Slaithwaite (184), Marsden (184), Diggle (184), Uppermill (184), Greenfield railway station, Grotton, Lees, Oldham, Hollins, Failsworth, Newton Heath Oldham Depot Purple Line; one bus an hour runs past Uppermill to Huddersfield. Some trips ran by First Huddersfield.
Huddersfield (184)
181
182
Rochdale Milnrow, Shaw, Royton, Royal Oldham Hospital (182), Chadderton, New Moston, Newton Heath Oldham depot
205 Dane Bank Gorton Tameside depot Evenings only. Other journeys run by Stagecoach
220 Dukinfield Boyd's Walk Audenshaw, Openshaw Monday-Saturday evenings only. Other journeys run by Stagecoach and Checkmate
221 Dukinfield Tennyson Avenue One Saturday journey. Other journeys run by Stagecoach
231 Ashton-under-Lyne Tameside General Hospital, Smallshaw, Littlemoss, Clayton Monday-Saturday evenings only. Other journeys run by Stagecoach
328 Bridge Hall Reddish Edgeley, Stockport, Heaton Chapel Monday-Saturday evenings only. Other journeys run by Stagecoach and M Travel
331 Ashton-under-Lyne Smallshaw, Hurst Cross Circular
332 Hurst Cross, Hartshead, Smallshaw Circular. Evenings/Sundays only
333 Hurst Cross, Smallshaw Circular
335 Ashton-under-Lyne Denton Dukinfield, Audenshaw, St Anne's Estate Runs circular route around Denton
338 Ashton-under-Lyne Waterloo Crowhill, Ashton Moss Circular. Evenings/Sundays only
343 Oldham Hyde Lees, Grotton, Mossley, Stalybridge Tameside / Oldham depots Evenings/Sundays only plus some weekday afternoon journeys between Oldham and Mossley. Other journeys run by Stotts and JPT
345 Ashton-under-Lyne Denton Pendle Road Dukinfield, Audenshaw Tameside depot Evenings/Sundays only. Other journeys run by Stagecoach and Checkmate
346 Gee Cross (Evenings) Dukinfield, Newton, Hyde Evening journeys run to/from Gee Cross
Other journeys run by Stagecoach (Ashton-Hyde).
348 Carrbrook Stalybridge, Copley Yellow Line
350 Oldham Ashton-under-Lyne Greenacres, Delph, Uppermill, Greenfield, Hey Farm, Mossley, Tameside General Hospital Brown Line. Most journeys run Hey Farm-Ashton.
353
354
Carrcote (353) Ashton-under-Lyne Delph, Dobcross, Uppermill, Greenfield (354), Friezland (353), Grasscroft (353), Top Mossley (353), Mossley, Stalybridge Both operate a two hourly service, combined to give an hourly service between Carrcote and Ashton. Serve various minor roads. Evening and Sunday journeys run Ashton-Uppermill only
Denshaw (354)
380
381
Stockport Stockport Bredbury, Woodley, Greave, Romiley, Bredbury, Brinnington Monday-Saturday daytime circular routes
Greave Bredbury, Romiley Sunday daytime route. 380 runs from Stockport, 381 runs to Stockport
386
387 Hyde Ashton-under-Lyne Godley, Hattersley, Mottram, Stalybridge, Ridge Hill, Tameside General Hospital
389 Gee Cross (Evenings/Sundays) Hyde, Newton, Dukinfield, Stalybridge, Ridge Hill Tameside / Oldham depots Gee Cross-Hyde runs evenings and Sundays only
393 Ashton-under-Lyne Hurst Cross, Hartshead, Smallshaw Tameside depot Circular.
402 Oldham Royton Royal Oldham Hospital Oldham depot
403
404
Shaw Buckstones, Rushcroft, High Crompton Circulars. Service 404 runs in opposite direction.
406 Oldham Middleton (Sundays) Royal Oldham Hospital (Monday-Saturday), Fitton Park, Parkway, Mills Hill, Firwood Park (Monday-Saturday) Daytime. Peak times runs Oldham-Parkway only. Monday-Saturday journey runs circular between Mills Hill and Firwood Park
408 Shaw Wren's Nest (Evenings/Sundays) Stalybridge Buckstones, Shaw Centre, High Crompton, Royton, Royal Oldham Hospital (Evenings/Sundays), Oldham, Alt (Monday-Saturday evenings), Abbeyhills, Smallshaw (Monday-Saturday daytime), Hurst Cross, Tameside General Hospital (Evenings/Sundays) Oldham / Tameside depots
409 Rochdale Ashton-under-Lyne Thornham, Royton, Oldham, Hathershaw Oldham depot Mauve Line
410
410A
411
411A
Oldham Glodwick, Clarksfield, Waterhead (410A/411A), Littlemoor, Derker, Higginshaw Circular routes. Service 411/411A runs in opposite direction. Services 410A/411A runs schooldays only via Waterhead Academy
415 Oldham Middleton Butler Green, Foxdenton, Alkrington
419 Middleton Ashton-under-Lyne Mills Hill, Chadderton Park, Chadderton, Werneth, Hathershaw Tameside depot
425 Holts Estate Fitton Hill Abbeyhills, Alt, Glodwick, Oldham Oldham depot Lime Green Line
428 Oldham Buckstones Royton, Thornham, High Crompton, Shaw Circular route around Shaw and Buckstones. Weekdays only
438 Rochdale Lane Head Spotland Bridge, Daniel Fold Evening/Sunday journeys run by Rossendalebus
451 Peppermint Bridge Milnrow, Bentgate, Newhey Monday-Saturday evening journeys run by Rossendalebus
Sunday daytime journeys run by Manchester Community Transport
452 Littleborough Milnrow, Hollingworth Lake
454 Stansfield Smallbridge, Littleborough, Shore Bury depot
455 Littleborough Smithy Bridge, Hollingworth Lake Oldham depot Monday-Saturday daytime route
Stansfield Smallbridge, Smithy Bridge, Hollingworth Lake, Littleborough, Shore Evenings and Sundays route
456 Hollingworth Lake Rochdale Wardle, Smallbridge
457 Rochdale Stansfield Smallbridge, Littleborough Bury depot
458 Littleborough Rochdale Stubley, Wardle, Smallbridge Oldham depot One Monday-Saturday evening journey run by Rossendalebus (Rochdale-Wardle)
Sunday daytime journeys run by Manchester Community Transport (Rochdale-Wardle)
462 Ladyhouse Milnrow
469 Rochdale Tottington Bamford, Jericho, Bury Bury depot Rose Pink Line
471 Rochdale Bolton Sudden, Heywood, Bury, Breightmet Lilac Line
472
474
Bury Walmersley, Ramsbottom, Holcombe Brook Circular. Service runs in opposite direction Lime Green Line
510 Bury Bolton Walshaw, Ainsworth, Withins Bury depot Monday-Saturdays only. Sunday journeys run by Arriva
524 Bury Radcliffe, Little Lever, Moses Gate Bury depot Purple Line
589 Rochdale Burnley Littleborough, Walsden, Todmorden, Portsmouth Todmorden depot Run by First West Yorkshire
590 Halifax Littleborough, Walsden, Todmorden, Hebden Bridge Run by First West Yorkshire. Calderdale Overground: Green Line
719 Rochdale Middleton (some) Castleton, Hopwood Hall College Oldham depot Collegedays only.
X34 Lowton (Peak times) Manchester Piccadilly Leigh, Astley, Boothstown (most),, Pendleton Bolton / Manchester depots Limited Stop. Some journeys operated by Stagecoach Manchester
X35 Walmersley Bass Lane Manchester Piccadilly (terminates)
or
Stevenson Square (Commences from)
Edenfield, Stubbins, Ramsbottom, Holcombe Brook, Bury, M66 motorway, Heaton Park Bury depot Limited Stop. Peak times only. Journeys call at Shudehill towards Bury.
X82 Milnrow Manchester Piccadilly Newhey, Shaw, Buckstones, Royton, New Moston Oldham depot Limited Stop. Peak times only
X84 Carrcote Delph, Uppermill, Grotton, Lees, Hollinwood, Failsworth

Metroshuttle[]

First Greater Manchester runs the three Metroshuttle services that operate around Manchester city centre. These services are free for passengers.

Main article: Metroshuttle

Route branding[]

File:First Manchester 17.jpg

A First Manchester Wright Eclipse Gemini, showing the prominent branding used for the Overground services, in this case the 17/18 services.

First Greater Manchester originally branded their frequent services as an 'Overground'. Based on the London Underground network where each frequent service is given a recognisable colour, each Overground service was also allocated its own colour line. The concept was a prominent fixture on network maps and coloured vinyls applied to the buses frequently serving those routes. However, the brand "overground" has largely been dropped from the route branding. The colours still remain on network maps but the vinyls for the most part have disappeared from the fleet's vehicles, apart from buses serving the 17/18 routes between Rochdale/Langley and Manchester. The coloured routes are those with Monday - Saturday daytime frequencies of 15 minutes or better.[9] This has allowed services such as the 67, 98, 519, 540 and 598 to keep their coloured line despite the frequency of the service dropping under the 10 minutes minimum frequency.

Usually, the colours are allocated randomly. However, the 180/184 was allocated the Purple line when the services was made into an Overground route in 2004 and the 184 was extended to Huddersfield replacing service 365. The extension also saw the 184 service incorporated into the Huddersfield Overground with services 348, 350 and 352 (which was later re-numbered 181, 182, 183 and 185 to fit in with the 184) already branded as the Purple line (as had the 365 previously).

Due to ongoing fleet modernisation most Overground services are currently unbranded, with only the 8, 17/18, 36, 37, 82/83, 135, 163, 180/184 & 582 having significant route branding along with route 100 which is branded as "unmissable" & X34 branded as "Spinning Jenny" (this services is not frequent) rather than with a colour line.

The services that form the Overground network in Greater Manchester are:

8
Green
17
Red
18
Red
36
Cyan
37
Rose Pink


Monday-Saturday daytime: 10 mins
Evenings: 30 mins
Sunday daytime: 20 mins
Nightbus: 30 mins (from Piccadilly Gardens)


Monday-Saturday daytime: 10 mins
Evenings: 30 mins
Sunday daytime: 15 mins
Nightbus: 30 mins (from Piccadilly Gardens)

Combines with service 18 between Middleton and Manchester


Monday-Saturday daytime: 10 mins
Evenings: 30 mins
Sunday daytime: 15 mins

Combines with service 17 between Middleton and Manchester


Monday-Saturday daytime: 10 mins
Evenings and Sundays: 30 mins
Nightbus: 30 mins (early night journeys to Manchester only)


Monday-Saturday daytime: 10 mins
Evenings and Sundays: 30 mins

58/59
Sky Blue
67
Lime Green
81/81A
Claret
83
Orange
88/89
Olive


Monday-Saturday daytime:
15 mins each (58 and 59)
7/8 mins combined (Shaw-Middleton)
Evenings and Sundays:
60 mins (Rushcroft-Manchester) (59)
30 mins (Rushcroft-Middleton) (59)
Sunday daytime: 30 mins (59)


Monday-Saturday daytime: 15 mins
Evenings and Sundays: 30 mins
Nightbus: 30 mins (from Piccadilly Gardens)

Combines with service 100 between Eccles and Manchester


Monday-Saturday daytime:
20 mins (Derker-Manchester)
20 mins (Waterhead-Manchester)
10 mins combined (Oldham Mumps-Manchester)
Evenings:
60 mins (Derker-Manchester)
60 mins (Holts-Oldham)
30 mins (Moston-Manchester)
Sunday daytime:
30 mins (Derker-Manchester)
30 mins (Holts-Manchester)
15 mins (Oldham-Manchester)


Monday-Saturday daytime: 6-8 mins
Evenings:
30 mins (Sholver-Manchester)
4 per hour (Oldham-Manchester)
Sunday daytime:
30 mins (Sholver-Manchester)
15 mins (Oldham-Manchester)
Nightbus:
See service 82


Monday-Saturday daytime: 10 mins (Manchester Piccadilly-White Moss)
4 per hour (full circular)
Evenings/Sundays: run by JPT

98
Blue
100
Unmissable
135
Yellow
162/163
Turquoise
180/184
Purple


Monday-Saturday daytime: 15 mins
Monday-Saturday evenings: 60 mins
Sunday daytime: 30 mins
Sunday evening: Run by JPT


Monday-Saturday daytime:
60 mins
30 mins (Cadishead-Manchester)
15 mins (Trafford Centre-Manchester)
Evenings:
60 mins (Hollins Green-Manchester)
30 mins (Trafford Centre-Manchester)
Sunday daytime:
60 mins
4 per hour (Trafford Centre-Manchester)

Combines with service 67 between Eccles and Manchester


Monday-Saturday daytime: 7-8 mins
Evenings: 20 mins
Sunday daytime: 10 mins
Nightbus: 30 mins


Monday-Saturday daytime: 10 mins (163)
Peak times: 30 mins (162), 4 per hour (163)
Evenings:
30 mins (163 Middleton-Manchester)
60 mins (163 Bury-Manchester)
Sunday daytime: 30 mins (163)


Monday-Saturday daytime:
60 mins (180)
60 mins (184 Diggle-Manchester)
60 mins (184 Huddersfield-Manchester)
3 per hour (184 Uppermill-Manchester)
15 mins combined (Greenfield station-Manchester)
6-8 mins combined (Grotton-Manchester)
Evenings:
30 mins combined
60 mins (Greenfield or Uppermill-Manchester)
Sunday daytime:
15 mins combined (Oldham Mumps-Manchester)
30 mins combined (Greenfield station-Manchester)
60 mins (Greenfield or Uppermill-Manchester)
120 mins (184 Huddersfield-Manchester)

348
Yellow
350
Brown
409
Mauve
425
Lime Green
469
Rose Pink


Monday-Saturday daytime: 10 mins
Evenings: 60 mins
Sunday daytime: 30 mins


Monday-Saturday daytime:
30 mins
10 mins (Hey Farm-Ashton)
Evenings: 60 mins
Sunday daytime:
60 mins
30 mins (Uppermill-Ashton)


Monday-Saturday daytime: 9 mins
Evenings:
20 mins (Monday-Saturday)
30 mins (Sundays)
Sunday daytime: 15 mins


Monday-Saturday daytime: 12 mins
Evenings and Sundays: 30 mins


Monday-Saturday daytime:
30 mins
10 mins (Tottington-Jericho)
Evenings and Sundays: Run by Rossendalebus

471
Lilac
472/474
Lime Green
501
Yellow
507
Red
519
Indigo


Monday-Saturday daytime: 10 mins
Evenings:
60 mins
30 mins (Bury-Rochdale)
Sunday daytime: 30 mins


Monday-Saturday daytime: 10 mins
Evenings and Sundays: 30 mins


Monday-Saturday daytime: 10 mins
Evenings and Sundays: 30 mins


Monday-Saturday daytime: 15 mins
Sunday daytime: 30 mins
Evenings: 60 mins


Monday-Saturday daytime: 10 mins
Monday-Saturday evenings: 60 mins
Sunday daytime: 30 mins
Sunday evenings: Run by Arriva

524
Purple
575
Turquoise
582
Claret


Monday-Saturday daytime: 9 mins
Evenings and Sundays: 30 mins


Monday-Saturday daytime: 10 mins
Monday-Saturday evenings: 60 mins
Sunday daytime: 30 mins
Sunday early evenings: 60 mins


Monday-Saturday daytime: 9 mins
Sunday daytime: 20 mins
Evenings: 30 mins

Overground Link[]

In Spring 2006, First Manchester re-routed its 67 service between Cadishead and Manchester to run direct along Liverpool Road during the day. This was designed to speed up the service running between Eccles and Cadishead. As a result, buses were withdrawn from running via Merlin Road and surrounding areas in Irlam. To help passengers, First introduced OvergroundLink, which is described by First as a feeder service.

The 67L service, which uses a small bus or vehicles with low floor access for wheelchairs and pushchairs, runs a clockwise circular service from the White Lion pub on Liverpool Road, running via Cutnook Lane, Merlin Road, Morillon Road and Silver Street, returning to the White Lion, where the service connects with the 67. The service takes 5 minutes to complete its route and runs Mondays to Saturdays with a frequency of every 10 minutes from 0640 (0800 on Saturdays) until 1900.

This service was the first one introduced by First and still runs today. Other attempts were not so successful. Another 67L service was introduced in July 2006 to serve the Brookhouse estate. The service was designed so that passenger could board or alight the bus at any point along the route in Brookhouse, also known as 'Hail and Ride' before alighting the service at the Unicorn pub in Peel Green to connect with the 67. This service was withdrawn in January 2007. The main reason for the service not succeeding is probably down to the fact that the estate is served by the 10, which is run by First, and the M10, which is run by Arriva. Both services run services from Brookhouse to Manchester without the need to changing buses.

Another OvergroundLink service was introduced in July 2006 and withdrawn in January 2007 was the 98L. This was designed to link up with the 98 service running between Bury and Manchester on Bury New Road at the junction with Butterstile Lane. The 98L would operate around the Carr Clough area using Hail and Ride. Like the 67L Brookhouse service, the 98L was probably withdrawn because another service already links Carr Clough and Manchester, the 93 which runs between Bury and Manchester.

In April 2007, First introduced the 598L, which was introduced when First replaced its 593 daytime service with a new Overground route, the 598. However, while the 593 ran via Castle Hill and Belle Green, the 598 runs direct between Hindley Green and Wigan. Castle Hill was still served by the 540, whose frequency increased from every 30 minutes to every 10 minutes and the 32 was re-routed to serve Castle Hill, the 598L was withdrawn in 2009 and replaced by rerouted 598 buses directly serving the Estate.

In May 2007, First introduced another 67L service in Irlam. Starting at the White Lion, the service runs via Fiddlers Lane, Mond Road, Princes Avenue, Addison Road and Liverpool Road to the White Lion. The service was re-routed at the end of July 2007 to run via Boundary Road instead of Princes Avenue and Addison Road. This route was withdrawn at the end of August 2007. Another 67L route was introduced on 2 September 2007 running via Liverpool Road, Vicarage Road, School Lane, Parkston Road, Cutnook Lane and Silver Street.

In August 2008, service 67L was extended to serve the local Tesco superstore in Irlam with buses running to the store between 9.45 am and 2.45 pm, whilst reducing the number of journeys running around Irlam from every 10 minutes to every 30 minutes. The link was withdrawn in January 2010, when the 67L was withdrawn and replaced by a re-routed 100 service, which would cover the route. The withdrawal saw the end of the Overground Link services.

Nightbus[]

First Greater Manchester offer several night bus services in Manchester every Friday and Saturday night to help people get home from a night out. The routes are mainly the same as the normal routes with some exceptions. Services 8, 17 and 67, which during the day start from Shudehill Interchange, start their journeys from Piccadilly Gardens. Services 82 and 135 leave from different stands in Piccadilly Gardens, with the 82 leaving from stand D instead of stand A, while the 135 leaves from stand N instead of stand E. The 135 also serves Shudehill, which it doesn't do during the day, while the 67 doesn't serve Shudehill.

The services run every 30 minutes or every hour from midnight to 3am. The fare system on the night bus services are different to the normal fares offered by First, as there is only a flat fare offered. For passengers travelling from Wigan, the price is £2.00 while in Manchester, it is £3.00. A FirstNight ticket is priced at £4.00 for passengers who uses the Nightbus in both directions.

Until December 2012, First also operated the Nightbus network in Wigan town centre, providing a number of services to the various area in the Wigan area plus the 598 to Leigh, which allowed connection with the 39 to/from Manchester. The services were mainly a replicated route of its normal services with a few exceptions. The 600 normally runs from Wigan to Leigh while the night bus runs a circular service to Ashton-in-Makerfield before returning to Wigan via Platt Bridge. The 629 Nightbus service was based on the former daytime service between Wigan and Castle Hill. The 631 & 632, which normally run circular services from Wigan to Highfield Grange are re-routed to serve Pemberton and Hawkley Hall. The 635, normally run by South Lancs Travel from Wigan to Shevington Vale, while First's night bus service 635 runs a circular service to Shevington, Shevington Moor and Standish. The 695 service, which was not based on any First route, ran to Upholland along Arriva North West's 375/385/395 route.

First also ran Arriva's 362 service to Standish & 385 service to Orrell and Maytree Travel/Wigan Buses service 612 to Wrightington Hospital on New Year's Eve evening.[10]

From 2 December 2012, the Wigan Nightbus network transferred from First to Stagecoach Manchester.[8]

Nightbus services that operate in Greater Manchester by First are:

Manchester Piccadilly
Number To Via Notes
8 Bolton Pendleton, Pendlebury, Kearsley, Farnworth Service also serves Shudehill Interchange
17 Rochdale Harpurhey, Middleton, Castleton Service also serves Shudehill Interchange
39 Leigh Pendleton, Swinton, Walkden, Little Hulton, Tyldesley, Atherton Service also serves Shudehill Interchange
67 Peel Green / Cadishead Pendleton, Eccles Last two journeys continue to Cadishead, terminating at Coach and Horses instead of Glaze Estate
82 Oldham Mumps / Lees Newton Heath, Failsworth, Hollinwood Saturday journeys run by Stagecoach Manchester. Last journey runs to Lees via Waterhead
135 Bury Cheetham Hill, Heaton Park, Whitefield Service also serves Shudehill Interchange

Easter services[]

First Greater Manchester operate to a different timetable during the Easter weekend with Sunday services used on most services. The following usually apply to First Manchester services during the Easter holidays:

  • Good Friday: A Sunday service on all services apart from:
    • 83 - Sunday timetable with some journeys slightly re-timed[11]
    • 100 - Will operate to the Public Holidays timetable[12]
    • 180/184 - An hourly service between Greenfield/Uppermill and Manchester with daytime journeys on service 184 continuing to Huddersfield (based on Saturday service).[11][13] This is due to buses in Huddersfield running to a Saturday service.
    • 589/590 (Run by First West Yorkshire) - Saturday services.
  • Easter Saturday - Normal Saturday service.
  • Easter Sunday - Normal Sunday service.
  • Easter Monday - Sunday service apart from service 100, which runs to Public Holidays timetable[12].

Summer services[]

Due to a reduction of traffic on the roads of Greater Manchester during the summer holidays, First Greater Manchester changed some of the timetables on busier services. The period that the summer timetables are introduced coincide with the school summer holidays, starting in mid-July and ending in late-August/early-September. Usually, buses are retimed to run to similar times to the off peak timetable, while some service introduce additional journeys, as buses that would be used for school services are made available.

Services that run summer timetables are:

Number Route
8 Bolton - Manchester via Farnworth and Pendlebury
12 Leigh - Manchester via Tyldesley and Walkden
17 Rochdale - Manchester via Middleton
18 Langley - Rusholme via Manchester
25 Leigh - Manchester via Tyldesley and Worsley
33 Worsley - Manchester via Eccles
36 Bolton - Manchester via Little Hulton, Walkden and Swinton
37 Bolton - Manchester via Farnworth, Walkden and Swinton
52 Failsworth - Pendleton via Newton Heath, Harpurhey and Cheetham Hill
53 Cheetham Hill - Pendleton via Harpurhey, Gorton, Rusholme, Universities and Old Trafford
81 Derker - Manchester via Oldham and Moston
81A Holts Estate - Manchester via Lees, Waterhead, Oldham and Moston
83 Sholver - Manchester via Oldham and Failsworth
88/89 Manchester - Higher Blackley Circulars via North Manchester General Hospital and White Moss
93/94 Bury - Manchester via Unsworth and Prestwich
98 Bury - Manchester via Radcliffe, Whitefield and Prestwich
100 Warrington - Manchester via Irlam, Trafford Centre and Eccles
110 Trafford Centre - Manchester via Eccles, Pendleton and Broughton
135 Bury - Manchester via Whitefield, Heaton Park and Cheetham Hill
180 Greenfield - Manchester via Oldham
184 Huddersfield - Manchester via Diggle, Uppermill and Oldham
409 Ashton-under-Lyne - Rochdale via Hathershaw, Oldham and Royton
425 Holts Estate - Fitton Hill via Oldham
471 Rochdale - Bolton via Bury
501 Moss Bank - Farnworth via Bolton
507 Harwood - Bolton via Tonge Moor
510 Bury - Bolton via Ainsworth
524 Bolton - Bury via Radcliffe
561/562 Bolton - Withins Circulars
575 Bolton - Horwich
582 Bolton - Leigh via Atherton
X34 Lowton - Manchester via Leigh
X84 Carrcote - Manchester via Uppermill and Hollinwood

See also[]

References[]

  1. Traffic Commissioner profiles. Department for Transport. Retrieved on 4 April 2012.
  2. Template:Cite news
  3. Template:Cite news
  4. Template:Cite news
  5. Acquisition of Wigan bus operations. Stagecoach Group. Retrieved on 3 November 2012.
  6. Template:Cite news
  7. GREATER MANCHESTER BUSES EAST LIMITED 00308157. Companies House. Retrieved on 3 November 2012.
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 Stagecoach Wigan. Stagecoach Bus. Retrieved on 28 November 2012.
  9. First Manchester High Frequency Network map (PDF). First Group. Retrieved on 23 January 2010.
  10. First Manchester New Year Eve Evening and Night Bus Service (PDF). First Group. Retrieved on 30 November 2010.
  11. 11.0 11.1 83 & 184 timetable - Good Friday. First Group. Retrieved on 29 March 2013.
  12. 12.0 12.1 100 timetable - Good Friday & Easter Monday. First Group. Retrieved on 29 March 2013.
  13. 180/184 Good Friday timetable (PDF). First Group. Retrieved on 7 March 2008.

External links[]

Template:Commons category

Template:Bus companies in North West England

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