List of vehicles at the Museum of Transport, Greater Manchester facts for kids

The Museum of Transport, Greater Manchester is home to an amazing collection of vehicles that tell the story of how people moved around Greater Manchester over the years. From old horse-drawn buses to modern electric trams, this museum shows off some really cool machines! It's like a time capsule of travel, letting you see how transport has changed and improved.

Journey Through Time: Early Transport

Imagine a time before cars and big buses! The museum has vehicles from the very beginning of public transport.

Horse-Powered Journeys

Before engines, horses did all the hard work!

• Horse Bus (1890): One of the oldest vehicles is a horse bus from the Manchester Carriage and Tramways Company. This bus, named L2, would have been pulled by horses, carrying people around the city. It shows how simple public transport started.

A horse bus from 1890, showing early public transport.

First Trams and Special Vehicles

As technology grew, so did the vehicles.

• Early Tram (1906): The museum also has an early tram from the South Lancashire Tramways. Trams were a big step up from horse buses, running on tracks and often powered by electricity.
• Recovery Vehicle (1926): Even in the early days, vehicles broke down! The museum has a recovery vehicle, like a tow truck, from Stockport Corporation Transport. This vehicle, YM 9410, helped fix or move other vehicles that got stuck.

This recovery vehicle from 1926 helped other vehicles.

Buses Through the Decades

Buses are a huge part of Manchester's transport history, and the museum has many different types from various eras.

Single Deck Buses

These buses were common for shorter routes or when fewer people needed to travel.

• Ribble Bus (1927): A single deck bus, C295, from Ribble Motor Services shows what buses looked like almost a hundred years ago.

A single deck bus from Ribble Motor Services, 1927.

• Manchester Corporation Bus (1930): The Manchester Corporation Transport also had single deck buses, like VR 5742, which served the city's residents.

A Manchester Corporation single deck bus from 1930.

• North Western Bus (1946): Another single deck bus, BJA 425, from the North Western Road Car Company (1923) is part of the collection, showing how bus designs evolved after World War II.

A single deck bus from North Western Road Car Company, 1946.

Double Deck Buses

Double deckers are iconic, especially in British cities, allowing more passengers to travel at once.

• North Western Double Decker (1939): A double deck bus, AJA 152, from the North Western Road Car Company (1923) shows the early designs of these tall buses.

An early double decker from North Western Road Car Company, 1939.

• Manchester Corporation Bus (1949): The museum has several Manchester Corporation double deckers, like JND 791, which were a common sight in the city after the war.

A Manchester Corporation double deck bus from 1949.

• Stockport Corporation Bus (1951): Stockport also had its own fleet, including EDB 562, a double deck bus that served its community.

A Stockport Corporation double deck bus from 1951.

• Bolton Corporation Bus (1956): JBN 153 is a double deck bus from Bolton Corporation Transport, showing the variety of operators in the region.

A Bolton Corporation double deck bus from 1956.

• Manchester's Iconic Atlantean (1968): The Leyland Atlantean was a very important bus model. The museum has Manchester Corporation's 1001, HVM 901F, which was a key part of modernizing bus fleets.

Manchester's Leyland Atlantean, a famous double decker from 1968.

• SELNEC Bus (1972): The SELNEC Passenger Transport Executive took over many local bus companies. Their Leyland Atlantean, VNB 101L, was one of the first buses designed for easier passenger flow.

A SELNEC Leyland Atlantean, a double deck bus from 1972.

• Modern Double Decker (1984): The museum also showcases more recent double deck buses, like A706 LNC from Greater Manchester Transport, showing how buses continued to change.

A Greater Manchester Transport double deck bus from 1984.

Coaches and Minibuses

Beyond regular city buses, the museum also has vehicles for longer journeys or smaller groups.

• Single Deck Coach (1947): Coaches, like HTF 586 from Warburton Bros (Bury) Ltd, were used for longer trips or tours.

A single deck coach from Warburton Bros, 1947.

• Yelloway Coach (1961): Yelloway was a well-known coach operator. Their coach, YDK 590, represents the era of comfortable long-distance travel.

A Yelloway coach from 1961, used for longer journeys.

• Minibus (1986): For smaller routes or fewer passengers, minibuses became popular. The museum has D63 NOF from The Bee Line Buzz Company, showing this trend.

A Bee Line Buzz Company minibus from 1986.

Special Purpose Vehicles

Not all vehicles at the museum were for carrying passengers. Some had very important jobs!

Emergency and Utility Vehicles

These vehicles kept the city running and safe.

• Fire Engine (1941): A bright red fire engine, BRJ 333, from the Salford Corporation Fire Brigade is a highlight. It reminds us of the brave firefighters who used these machines.

A fire engine from Salford Corporation Fire Brigade, 1941.

• Lorry (1946): Lorries, like AHL 622 from Beverley's Beers, were essential for moving goods and supplies around the region.

A lorry from Beverley's Beers, 1946, used for transporting goods.

• Road Sweeper (1948): Keeping streets clean was important! The museum has a road sweeper, JNA 256, from the Manchester Corporation Cleansing Department.

A road sweeper from Manchester Corporation Cleansing Department, 1948.

Unique Transport

Some vehicles represent specific types of transport that were once common or very specialized.

• Trolleybus (1950): A trolleybus, LTC 774, from Ashton-under-Lyne Corporation Passenger Transport is a special exhibit. These buses ran on electricity from overhead wires, a bit like trams but without tracks on the road.

An Ashton-under-Lyne Corporation trolleybus from 1950.

• Invacar (1966): The museum even has a unique car, NPB 840D, called an Invacar. These small, three-wheeled vehicles were specially designed to help people with disabilities get around.

An Invacar from 1966, designed for people with disabilities.

• Light Rail Vehicle (1990): Looking towards modern transport, the museum has a prototype light rail vehicle, 1000, from Manchester Metrolink. This shows the shift towards modern tram systems.

A prototype light rail vehicle from Manchester Metrolink, 1990.

The Museum of Transport, Greater Manchester, offers a fantastic look at how people and goods have moved around the region for over a century. It's a great place to see these historic machines up close!

Images for kids

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  Single deck bus from Manchester Corporation Transport, 1930.

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  Double deck bus from North Western Road Car Company, 1939.

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  Fire engine from Salford Corporation Fire Brigade, 1941.

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  Recovery vehicle from Lancashire United Transport, 1943.

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  Lorry from Beverley's Beers, 1946.

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  Single deck bus from North Western Road Car Company, 1946.

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  Double deck bus from North Western Road Car Company, 1947.

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  Single deck coach from Warburton Bros (Bury) Ltd, 1947.

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  Road Sweeper from Manchester Corporation Cleansing Department, 1948.

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  Double deck bus from Manchester Corporation Transport, 1949.

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  Single deck coach from R Bullock, 1949.

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  Trolleybus from Ashton-under-Lyne Corporation Passenger Transport, 1950.

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  Single deck bus from W Alexander & Sons, 1950.

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  Trolleybus from Manchester Corporation Transport, 1951.

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  Double deck bus from Manchester Corporation Transport, 1951.

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  Double deck bus from Stockport Corporation Transport, 1951.

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  Double deck bus from Stockport Corporation Transport, 1951.

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  Double deck bus from Rochdale Corporation Transport, 1951.

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  Single deck bus from Manchester Corporation Transport, 1953.

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  Double deck bus from SHMD Board, 1955.

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  Double deck bus from Bolton Corporation Transport, 1956.

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  Double deck bus from Manchester Corporation Transport, 1956.

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  Double deck bus from Rochdale Corporation Transport, 1956.

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  Double deck bus from Oldham Corporation Passenger Transport, 1957.

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  Double deck bus from Manchester Corporation Transport, 1958.

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  Double deck bus from Manchester Corporation Transport, 1958.

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  Double deck bus from Wigan Corporation Transport, 1958.

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  Double deck bus from Lancashire United Transport, 1959.

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  Double deck bus from Manchester Corporation Transport, 1960.

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  Double deck bus from Wigan Corporation Transport, 1961.

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  Single deck coach from Yelloway, 1961.

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  Double deck bus from Salford Corporation Transport, 1962.

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  Double deck bus from Bury Corporation Transport, 1963.

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  Double deck bus from London Transport, 1963.

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  Double deck bus from Manchester Corporation Transport, 1963.

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  Double deck bus from A Mayne & Son, 1964.

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  Double deck bus from Ashton-under-Lyne Corporation Passenger Transport, 1965.

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  Double deck bus from Leigh Corporation Motors, 1965.

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  Single deck bus from Manchester Corporation Transport, 1965.

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  Double deck bus from North Western Road Car Company, 1965.

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  Double deck bus from Salford Corporation Transport, 1965.

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  Car (Invacar) from Private transport, 1966.

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  Double deck bus from Salford Corporation Transport, 1966.

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  Double deck bus from Manchester Corporation Transport, 1968.

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  Double deck bus from Stockport Corporation Transport, 1968.

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  Double deck bus from Ramsbottom Urban District Council Transport, 1969.

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  Double deck bus from Stockport Corporation Transport, 1969.

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  Double deck bus from Stockport Corporation Transport, 1969.

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  Double deck bus from SELNEC Passenger Transport Executive, 1970.

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  Leyland Atlantean (double deck bus) from SELNEC Passenger Transport Executive, 1972.

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  Leyland National (Single deck bus) from SELNEC Passenger Transport Executive, 1972.

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  Midibus from Greater Manchester Transport, 1974.

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  Double deck bus from Greater Manchester Transport, 1981.

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  Double deck bus from Greater Manchester Transport, 1984.

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  Double deck bus from Greater Manchester Transport, 1984.

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  Minibus from The Bee Line Buzz Company, 1986.

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  Minibus from GM Buses, 1987.

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  Light rail vehicle from Manchester Metrolink, 1990.

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  Minibus from Ring and Ride, 1994.