User:TENBOB

Birkenhead Buses
TENBOB 18:58, 25 August 2007 (UTC)

Before the Bus
In 1860, Birkenhead became the first town in Europe to operate a street tramway. It was started by George Francis Train, (see Wikipedia Birkenhead Trams), an American, when he laid track from Woodside Ferry to Birkenhead Park Main Entrance, Europe's first public funded Park, (see wikipedia - Birkenhead Park), and ran a horse drawn tramcar service. (Google - George Francis Train for his name sake society),

The Begining 1901 to 1937
In August 1901 the Corporation of Birkenhead opened an Electric Tramway, first to New Ferry and later around the town, the system operated until 1937. New Ferry tramcars had to be of lower construction than all other tramcars purchased by the department, to pass under a low railway bridge which spand Chester Street to to the main gate of Cammell Lairds the Ship Builds. A depot was built at New Ferry, which was actually outside of Birkenhead's Borough Boundary at that time.

(see T.B. MAUND A.M Inst.T. Local Transport in Birkenhead and District. January 1959 published by Douglas H. D Spray 111Baker Street London W1.

1919 to 1951
In 1914 the Town's Tramways Committee hired a London bus for a trial run, the whole committee went on this vehicle to Moreton and back, a 12 miles return trip. The out break of World War One, clearly put their plans on hold until a Bus service started to operate in Birkenhead on 12th July 1919 with a service from Rock Ferry to Birkenhead 'Park Railway Station', this service was extended to Moreton in the August of that year. Birkenhead's first livery was maroon and cream on the trams and buses with a white roof, but in 1934 Birkenhead's famous Blue and Cream livery was applied to a new AEC 'Q' double deck bus. It was the only one of its type operated by the Corporation but the blue and cream livery was applied to all future delivered buses with the legend 'BIRKENHEAD CORPORATION MOTORS' applied in gold on the lower cream band. In 1951 the Transport Department was reorganised and the Woodside Ferry Boat Service and bus service department joined together. A slight livery change gave more cream coverage around the lower deck windows and the legend was changed to read 'BIRKENHEAD TRANSPORT'. White roofs had been overpainted blue during the war and with this revised livery the white roof was never re-applied.

The 1950's and 60's
During the 1950s and 60s the average size of the Birkenhead Fleet was 225 buses, and fleet unit numbering reached 386 in December 1956, with the delivery of East Lancashire Bodied Guy Arab EBG 758 (FD73398), and the last Guy vehicle to enter service with this operator. In July 1957, fleet unit numbering restarted at No.1 with the entering into service of Massey Bodied Leyland PD2 FCM 992. Number one FCM 991 actually entering service in December of this year.

The last ten years
Between 1957 and 1967 only Leyland PD2 units with Masseybody work were delivered, except for the 1962 batch 46 to 60 LCM446 - 460, which had East Lancashire Bodywork fitted, almost identical to the last Guy's 382 to 386 of 1956. This batch remained instantly identifiable thoughout their service lives for they were the only units to have square number plates fitted to the front of the vehicle. In May 1964 four single deck Leyland Leopard L1's were delivered to replace four elderly Leyland Tiger PS1's new in 1948. Later on in August of 1964, the first rear-engined buses entered service with the dilvery of nine Daimler Fleetlines with M.C.W Bodywork, being ordered mainly for use on the busy Woodchurch Road services. The last traditional British half cab chassis was delivered to Birkenhead in 1967, there were 15 in all. Massey Bodied Leyland 154 LCM 154 E being the last unit and the last bus in the fleet delivered with the bodywork. The first Leyland Atlanteans were delived in 1968 with Northern Counties Bodywork, as this company had taken over the Wigen based Massey Bros Company, ending a 30 year association with the company.

The End
In 1969 Birkenhead's last order of 15 units commenced delivery, but only ten had been delivered by December 1969, when the Municipal fleets of Liverpool, Birkenhead and Wallasey came together because of Government Legislation, to form the Merseyside Passenger Transport Executive which lasted until 1986, when most of Britain's Municipal, PTE and National bus companies were privatised, again because of Government Legislation. Tese last buses had a revised livery of full cream surround around the top deck windows section. They were also had centre door and stairway configurement to allow for easier movement of passengers in 'One Man' operation.

The above imformation was in part taken from the books mentioned and from authors own personal observations and notes, collected between 1957 and 1986. Verify through Wirral Transport Museum.

Wirral Transport Museum
facebook/wirraltransportmuseum e-mail robertXtennant@wirral.gov.uk (remove the X to obtain email address

Other books
Birkenhead Bus by Tom Turner published by Wallasey Tramcar Preservation Group and Edited by T.B.Maund. - The 1994 publication of The Birkenhead Bus by T.B.Maund published by Ian & Marilyn Boumphrey.

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