Bluebird Bus and Coach
- Not to be confused with Blue Bird Corporation, an American manufacturer of buses.
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 Bluebird bus in Salford on service 151 |
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| Founded | 1988 |
| Headquarters | Alexander House, Greengate, Middleton, M24 1RU |
| Locale | North West England |
| Service area | Greater Manchester |
| Service type | bus service |
| Destinations | Manchester, Manchester Airport, Middleton, Oldham |
| Hubs | Middleton Bus Station |
| Web site | bluebirdbus.co.uk |
Bluebird Bus and Coach is a bus operator based in Middleton in Greater Manchester. The company was formed in 1988 by three members of the Dunstan family)[1]. It operates a number of commercial and supported routes in the Middleton, Higher Blackley, Moston and North Manchester area.
The company's most popular route is the 112 service, providing Bluebird's main service from Middleton to Manchester. Several of their services run from Middleton bus station.
A Bluebird bus is also used by the University of Salford as a free service for staff and students to and from University Campus's and university halls of residences. This runs during weekdays from university opening hours till late in the evening.
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[edit] History
The company was formed in 1988 when Tom Dunstan, a former Greater Manchester PTE area manager, bought a small coach company called Bluebird of Middleton. Tom Dunstan died in 2004 and the company is now run by his son Michael. The first route operated was commercial service 112, which was followed by a number of contracted routes. In 2006 and 2007, Bluebird expanded its operating area to Oldham introducing buses on the 181, 182, 402, 410 and 411 routes.[2].
In November 2008, Bluebird was the first operator to run the Bolton Metroshuttle service[3] before being replaced by Maytree Travel in January 2010, although the company would resume running a Metroshuttle service later that year, when they took the operation of the Stockport Metroshuttle service from Swan's Travel[4], although their Metroshuttle operation ended in March 2011, when the Stockport Metroshuttle service was taken over by Stagecoach Manchester[5].
[edit] Routes
This is a summary of Bluebird services[6]
Note:The 188 services to Chadderton and Ryder Brow are separate services.
| No. | From | To | Via | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 43 | West Didsbury | Manchester Piccadilly | Fallowfield, University of Manchester | Monday-Saturdays |
| 44 | Manchester Airport | Manchester Piccadilly | Gatley, Cheadle, East Didsbury, Fallowfield, University of Manchester | |
| 72 | Chadderton Sportsman | Manchester Piccadilly | New Moston, Newton Heath | |
| Manchester Albert Square (Peak times) | ||||
| 77 | Manchester Church Street | Manchester Piccadilly | Harpurhey, Moston, New Moston, Newton Heath | Circular, runs in both directions. Some journeys run Moston or Newton Heath to Manchester only |
| Manchester Albert Square (Peak times) | Manchester Albert Square (Peak times) | |||
| 78 | Oldham | Manchester Piccadilly | Limeside, Hollinwood, Woodhouses, Failsworth, Newton Heath | Evenings and Sundays only |
| 80 | Middleton | Manchester Church Street | Moston, Miles Platting | Monday-Saturday daytime |
| Manchester Piccadilly | Evenings/Sundays | |||
| 84 | Woodhouses | Manchester Piccadilly | Failsworth, Brookdale Park, Newton Heath | |
| Manchester Albert Square (peak times) | ||||
| 112 113 |
Middleton | Manchester Piccadilly | Moston, Harpurhey | 113 runs weekday mornings only via Albert Square |
| 115 116 |
Middleton | Middleton | White Moss, Moston, Harpurhey, North Manchester General Hospital, Higher Blackley | Circulars. Service 116 runs in opposite direction. |
| 131 | Boarshaw | Manchester Albert Square | Alkrington, Harpurhey | Peak times |
| Alkrington | Manchester Stevenson Square | Harpurhey | Monday-Saturday daytime | |
| 145 | Phillips Park | Manchester Piccadilly | Newton Heath, Moston, Harpurhey | One weekday morning journey only |
| 151 | Hollinwood, Morrisons | Mandley Park | New Moston, Failsworth, Newton Heath, Collyhurst, Cheetham Hill | |
| 159 | Oldham | Middleton | Royal Oldham Hospital, Chadderton, Washbrook, Hollinwood, Woodhouses, Failsworth, New Moston, Middleton Junction | |
| 188 | Chadderton | Manchester Piccadilly | Hollinwood, Failsworth, Newton Heath | |
| 188 | Ryder Brow | Manchester Piccadilly | Belle Vue, Gorton, Openshaw, Sportcity, Miles Platting | |
| 194 | Longsight | Wythenshawe Hospital | East Didsbury, Withington Hospital, Northenden | One weekday morning journey to Wythenshawe Hospital, one weekday afternoon journey from Wythenshawe Hospital to East Didsbury |
| 196 | West Didsbury | Cheadle | Withington Hospital, East Didsbury, Cheadle Royal | |
| 291 | Trafford Park | Manchester Piccadilly | Old Trafford, Universities | Weekdays only |
| 324 | Stockport | Stockport | Brinnington, Denton, Haughton Green, Denton, Brinnington | Monday-Saturday evenings only |
| 395 | Limehurst Farm | Ashton-under-Lyne | Waterloo | |
| 396 | Newton Heath | Ashton-under-Lyne | Failsworth, Hollinwood, Garden Suburb, Fitton Hill, Hathershaw, Waterloo | |
| 495 | Prestwich | Simister | ||
| X5 | Stockport | Sale | Northenden | |
| X75 | Moston Gardener's Arms | Manchester Piccadilly | New Moston, Newton Heath | |
| Manchester Albert Square (peak times) |
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ "About Bluebird". Bluebird Buses. http://www.bluebirdbus.co.uk/about.html. Retrieved 11 November 2009.
- ^ Lidstone, John G (April 2009). "Fleet in Focus: Bluebird Bus & Coach". Buses (649): 55.
- ^ "Bolton Metroshuttle takes off, Stockport's due by Christmas". Manchester Buses. http://manchesterbus.typepad.com/manchester_buses/2008/11/bolton-metroshuttle-takes-off-stockports-due-by-christmas.html. Retrieved 29 January 2011.
- ^ "GMITA - Metroshuttle Patronage and Performance" (PDF). GMITA. http://www.gmita.gov.uk/download/3285/item_12_metroshuttle_patronage_and_performance. Retrieved 29 January 2011.
- ^ "GMPTE - Buses - Latest Changes". GMPTE. http://www.gmpte.com/buses/service_changes.cfm. Retrieved 14 February 2011.
- ^ "Bluebird Routes". Bluebird Buses. http://www.bluebirdbus.co.uk/routes.html. Retrieved 11 November 2009.
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Bluebird (bus company) |
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