# Blue Bus and Coach Services

Blue Bus was a large independent bus company serving Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Merseyside.

## History

Blue Bus was formed in 1991 by former Shearings managers Roger Jarvis and Alan Turner. 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.
It commenced operating its first route in May 1991 between Bolton and Horwich via Chorley New Road 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 FirstBus in 1996, and Blue Bus' West Yorkshire operation ceased. 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 Ribble Motor Services 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 Both companies eventually withdrew and the services were withdrawn.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 Arriva North West & 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
534: Bolton - Asltey Bridge - Oldhams Estate
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:[3]
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