Blue Bus and Coach Services



Blue Bus and Coach Services Ltd was a large independent bus company serving the area of Greater Manchester. The company operated within the area covered by the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive, as well as areas of Lancashire and Merseyside. It was active between 1991 and 2005, and is now part of Arriva North West.

History
Blue Bus was formed in 1991 by Roger Jarvis and Alan Turner, two former managers of Shearings. It was based at a former railway works in Horwich, six miles to the west of Bolton. The first type of bus to be acquired in bulk was the Leyland Leopard, which were followed by a number of Leyland Atlanteans.

The company launched its first local route in May 1991, running between Bolton and Horwich via Chorley New Road every 15 minutes in competition with GM Buses. Each of the five services introduced to give this combined frequency served a different estate in Horwich. A 20-minute service along Chorley Old Road from Bolton to the Johnson Fold estate was next to be introduced, followed by a series of routes in Wigan. The first of these ran to Shevington. It was decided to open an outpost at Appley Bridge to act as a local base for the Wigan routes.

New routes were added to the network following contract wins, and a number of commercial routes were also introduced, taking the company into new areas such as Manchester. In addition, the company gained work from a holiday company, Alfa Tours. Five coaches were acquired for this, with two were specially branded for Alfa.

Blue Bus purchased a depot in Huddersfield in August 1994, launching a service to Marsden in competition with Yorkshire Rider. This venture was later expanded into Bradford. Rider was taken over by First Group in 1996, and Blue Bus' West Yorkshire operation was withdrawn. Just weeks later, FirstBus took over Blue Bus's main Bolton rival, GM Buses North.

During 2001, after Stagecoach sold the East Lancashire end of the Ribble company to Blazefield, Blue Bus started intensive competition against newly formed Lancashire United in the Bolton area. Blue Bus took over operation of the Bolton end of Lancashire United in August 2002, acquiring the former Ribble depot, staff, services and several vehicles. The head office was moved to the former Lancashire United office at Bolton Bus Station, and the Horwich base was later closed down, with most buses moving to Bolton. This acquisition saw rivalry develop between Blue Bus and FirstBus, with Blue Bus moving onto the 400 TransLancs Express service and introducing an X9 Express service into Manchester. Both companies eventually withdrew and the services were withdrawn.

In early 2005 Blue Bus sold its Appley Bridge depot to South Lancs Travel along with six buses and all of the depot's routes. This allowed the company to focus on its depots in Bolton and Eccles, with a proposal to expand further having gained tenders in Salford and Manchester on eight routes.

On 31 July 2005, Blue Bus was acquired by the Arriva subsidiary Arriva North West and Wales.

Services operated
Blue Bus operated numerous bus services, including the following:
 * 6: Bolton - Little Hulton - Walkden - Swinton - Manchester
 * 6A: Bolton - Little Hulton - Walkden - Swinton - Manchester
 * 7: Bolton - Little Hulton - Walkden - Swinton - Manchester
 * 9: Bolton - Horwich - Blackrod
 * 25: Bolton - Farnworth - Walkden - Swinton - Weaste - Manchester
 * 36A: Bolton - Little Hulton - Walkden - Swinton - Manchester
 * 55: Pendleton - Westwood Park - Eccles
 * 61: Eccles - Westwood Park (circular)
 * 62: Eccles - Westwood Park (circular)
 * 63: Brookhouse - Eccles - Manchester
 * 64: Eccles - Brookhouse - Westwood Park (circular)
 * 65: Eccles - Brookhouse - Westwood Park (circular)
 * 69: Eccles - Westwood Park - Pendleton - Stretford
 * 70: Clifton - Swinton - Eccles - Pendleton - Manchester
 * 70: Hope Hospital - Eccles - Swinton - Clifton
 * 71: Clifton - Swinton - Weaste - Pendleton - Manchester
 * 73: Clifton - Swinton - Weaste - Pendleton - Manchester
 * 74: Pendleton - Agecroft (circular)
 * 75: Pendleton - Agecroft (circular)
 * 99: Sale - Northenden - Southern Cemetery - Manchester
 * 111: Preston - Penwortham - Leyland - Eccleston - Standish - Wigan
 * 113: Preston Hospital - Preston - Leyland - Standish - Wigan
 * 116: Wigan - Standish - Charnock Richard - Leyland - Preston - Faringdon Park* [* Saturdays only]
 * 126: Bolton - Horwich - Lever Park
 * 127: Blackrod - Westhoughton - Deane - Bolton
 * 200: Bolton - Atherton - Leigh - Golborne - Ashton - Haydock - St Helens
 * 243: Bolton - Ramsbottom - Rawtenstall
 * 273: Bolton - Ramsbottom - Rawtenstall
 * 290: Manchester - Trafford Park - Trafford Centre - Flixton - Partington
 * 291: Manchester - Trafford Park - Trafford Centre - Flixton
 * 293: Eccles - Trafford Park (circular)
 * 400: Bolton - Bury - Rochdale - Oldham - Ashton - Stockport
 * 478: Bolton - Breightmet - Radcliffe - Bury
 * 484: Hope Hospital - Eccles - Swinton - Pendlebury - Agecroft - Prestwich
 * 502: Bolton - Barrow Bridge
 * 505: Bolton - Markland Hill
 * 505: Bolton - Markland Hill - Middlebrook
 * 505: Bolton - Markland Hill - Middlebrook - Horwich (Pennine Road)
 * 508: Bury - Tottington - Hawkshaw - Tonge Moor - Bolton
 * 510: Bolton - Withins - Bury
 * 511: Bury - Ainsworth - Radcliffe
 * 515: Bolton - Ladybridge (circular)
 * 515: Bolton - Ladybridge - Middlebrook - Aspull - Wigan
 * 516: Horwich - Horwich Parkway Station
 * 516: Horwich - Westhoughton - Atherton - Leigh - (Trafford Centre, as 673)
 * 517: Horwich - Middlebrook - Horwich Parkway Station
 * 520: Bolton - Willows - Hulton Hospital - Morris Green
 * 521: Bolton Hospital - Westhoughton - Wingates - Blackrod
 * 523: Bolton - Bury
 * 525: Bolton - Halliwell - Astley Bridge - Hall i'th' Wood - Bolton (circular)
 * 526: Bolton - Halliwell - Smithills
 * 527: Bolton - Hall i'th' Wood - Astley Bridge - Halliwell - Bolton (circular)
 * 528: Bolton - Astley Bridge - Belmont
 * 529: Bolton - Astley Bridge - Eagley
 * 535: Bolton - Asltey Bridge - Belmont - Blackburn* [* Sundays only]
 * 538: Bolton - Astley Bridge - Andrew Lane
 * 538: Bolton - Astley Bridge - Bank Top - Dunscar - Bromley Cross - Bolton
 * 539: Andrew Lane - Astley Bridge - Bolton
 * 539: Bolton - Bromley Cross - Dunscar - Bank Top - Astley Bridge - Bolton
 * 540: Bolton - Westhoughton - Daisy Hill
 * 544: Bolton - Darcy Lever - Little Lever (circular)
 * 545: Bolton - Harwood
 * 547: Bolton - Westhoughton - Daisy Hill (circular)
 * 548: Bolton - Westhoughton - Daisy Hill (circular)
 * 550: Farnworth - New Bury - Walkden (circular)
 * 554: Bolton - Farnworth - Walkden - Peel Green - Eccles - Trafford Centre* [* Non-Schooldays]
 * 556: Bolton - Farnworth - Walkden - Peel Green - Eccles - Trafford Centre [Sundays only]
 * 557: Prestolee - Farnworth - Highfield
 * 563: Bolton - Bromley Cross - Edgworth
 * 570: Bolton - Lever Edge - Morris Green
 * 572: Bolton - Lever Edge (circular)
 * 573: Trafford Centre - Worsley - Little Hulton - Bolton - Lostock - Horwich - Blackrod - Aspull - Wigan
 * 573: Coppull - Standish - Horwich - Bolton
 * 575: Bolton - Lostock - Horwich - Blackrod - Aspull - Wigan
 * 575: Bolton - Lostock - Horwich - Blackrod - Aspull - Wigan - Bolton Hospital
 * 576: Horwich - Middlebrook
 * 576: Bolton - Middlebrook - Horwich - Blackrod - Aspull - Wigan
 * 577: Bolton - Lostock - Brazley - Horwich (Pennine Road)
 * 581: Atherton - Bolton Hospital - Farnworth
 * 605: Ashton Heath - Ashton-in-Makerfield - Bryn (circular)
 * 607: Ashton Heath - Ashton-in-Makerfield - Bryn - Marus Bridge - Wigan
 * 609: Leyland Park - Hindley - Pennington Green - Aspull - Wigan
 * 611: Wigan - Shevington - Wrightington Hospital (circular)
 * 612: Wigan - Shevington - Wrightington Hospital (circular)
 * 613: Wigan - Orrell - Kitt Green - Shevington - Wrightington Hospital - Standish
 * 613: Wigan - Orrell - Kitt Green - Shevington - Standish
 * 614: Wigan - New Springs (circular)
 * 615: Wigan - Aspull
 * 616: Shevington - Standish - Middlebrook - Westhoughton
 * 616: Bolton - Lostock - Horwich - Blackrod - Aspull - Wigan
 * 620: Bolton - Hag Fold - Atherton - Hindley - Ashton - Haydock - St Helens
 * 621: Haworth Road - Bradford Interchange - Bierley
 * 622: Wigan - Kitt Green
 * 622: Kitt Green - Wigan - Platt Bridge - Leigh - Astley - Worsley - Trafford Centre
 * 624: Wigan - Kitt Green (circular)
 * 627: Wigan - Pemberton - Kitt Green - Shevington - Wigan (circular)
 * 629: Wigan - Platt Bridge - Hindley - Castle Hill
 * 633: Wigan - Worsley Mesnes - Windy Arbour - Pemberton - Kitt Green
 * 634: Wigan - Shevington - Standish - Wigan (circular)
 * 635: Wigan - Shevington - Standish - Wigan (circular)
 * 637: Wigan - Shevington - Kitt Green - Pemberton - Wigan (circular)
 * 637: Wigan - Shevington - Kitt Green
 * 640: Standish - Boars Head - Wigan
 * 641: Standish - Red Rock - Boars Head - Wigan
 * 642: Wigan - Bradley Mills
 * 643: Wigan - Standish - Shevington - Wigan (circular)
 * 651: Atherton - Hindley - Ashton-in-Makerfield
 * 673: Leigh - Astley - Boothstown - Worsley - Trafford Centre
 * 700: Trafford Centre - Bolton - Ladybridge - Westhoughton - Wigan - Aspull - Wigan
 * 715: Bolton - Ladybridge - Westhoughton - Wigan - Aspull - Wigan
 * M9: Manchester - Farnworth - Worsley - Peel Green - Eccles - Pendleton - Lower Broughton - Manchester
 * M10: Brookhouse - Peel Green - Eccles -Hope Hospital - Pendleton - Lower Broughton - Manchester
 * M70: Clifton - Swinton - Eccles - Pendleton - Manchester
 * X1: Little Lever - Walkden - Atherton - Wigan - Blackpool - Fleetwood
 * X9: Bolton - Lostock - Blackrod
 * X9: Bolton - Farnworth - Manchester
 * X11: Doffcocker - Bolton - Westhoughton - Wigan - Blackpool - Fleetwood
 * X14: Pendleton - Walkden - Wigan - Blackpool - Fleetwood

Vehicle types
Blue Bus had a wide variety of buses in its fleet, including the following:
 * Single-deck buses
 * Dennis Dart / Alexander Dash
 * Dennis Dart / East Lancs EL2000
 * Dennis Javelin / Duple 300
 * Dennis Lance / Alexander PS
 * Leyland Leopard / Alexander AT
 * Leyland Leopard / Alexander AY
 * Leyland Leopard / Alexander AYS
 * Leyland Leopard / Duple Dominant Bus
 * Leyland Leopard / Duple Dominant IV
 * Leyland Leopard / East Lancs EL2000 (rebody)
 * Leyland Leopard / Marshall BET
 * Leyland Leopard / Pennine
 * Leyland Leopard / Plaxton Derwent
 * Leyland Leopard / Willowbrook BET
 * Leyland Leopard / Willowbrook 003
 * Leyland Leopard / Willowbrook Warrior
 * Leyland National (integral)
 * Leyland Tiger / Duple Dominant Bus
 * Leyland Tiger / Duple 300
 * Leyland Tiger / East Lancs EL2000 (rebody)
 * Volvo B10M-56 / Plaxton Derwent 3000
 * Volvo B10M-61 / Duple Dominant Bus
 * Volvo B58-56 / East Lancs EL2000 (rebody)


 * Double-deck buses
 * DAF DB250 / Northern Counties Palatine II
 * Leyland Atlantean / Alexander AL
 * Leyland Atlantean / East Lancs
 * Leyland Atlantean / Park Royal
 * Leyland Olympian / Alexander RL
 * Leyland Olympian (integral)
 * Volvo B10M Citybus / Alexander RV
 * Volvo Olympian / East Lancs Pyoneer


 * Low-floor buses (known as "Blue Buggy Buses")
 * DAF SB120 / Wright Cadet
 * DAF SB220 / East Lancs Myllennium
 * DAF SB220 / Ikarus 481
 * DAF SB220 / Ikarus Polaris 489
 * DAF SB220 / Plaxton Prestige
 * Dennis Dart SLF / Alexander ALX200
 * Dennis Dart SLF / Plaxton Pointer
 * Dennis Dart SLF / Plaxton Pointer II
 * Dennis Trident 2 / Plaxton President
 * MAN 14.220 / East Lancs Myllennium
 * MAN 18.220 / Alexander ALX300
 * Volvo B10BLE / Wright Renown


 * Minibuses
 * Dodge S56 / Alexander AM
 * Dodge S56 / Northern Counties
 * Mercedes-Benz 709D / Plaxton Beaver
 * Mercedes-Benz O814D / Plaxton Beaver II
 * Mercedes-Benz L608D / Rootes
 * Optare Metrorider Mk II (integral)
 * Optare Metrorider Mk III (integral)


 * Coaches
 * DAF SB3000 / Plaxton Premiere 320
 * DAF SB3000 / Van Hool Alizee
 * Leyland Tiger / Plaxton Paramount III 3200

Preserved vehicles
When Blue Bus was sold, one vehicle was not included in the transfer to Arriva. CSF 160W, a Leyland Leopard with Alexander AY bodywork, was retained by Roger Jarvis for preservation. After brief use with the Preston operation, it is now stored at the Wigan Coachways depot in Wigan, still in the later two-tone Blue Bus livery.

So far, this is the only Blue Bus vehicle in preservation.