Bluebird Bus & Coach
Encyclopedia
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
operator based in Middleton
Middleton, Greater Manchester
Middleton is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale, in Greater Manchester, England. It stands on the River Irk, south-southwest of Rochdale, and north-northeast of the city of Manchester...
in Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
. The company was formed in 1988 by three members of the Dunstan family). It operates a number of commercial and supported routes in the Middleton, Higher Blackley
Higher Blackley
Higher Blackley is an electoral district or ward in the north of the City of Manchester, England. Voters from this ward elect three councillors to Manchester City Council...
, Moston
Moston, Greater Manchester
Moston is a district of Manchester, in North West England, approximately 3 miles north east of the city centre. Historically a part of Lancashire, Moston is a predominantly residential area, with a population of about 12,500 and covering approximately .-History:The name Moston may derive...
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
Middleton Bus Station
Middleton bus station is a bus station located in the town of Middleton in Greater Manchester. The bus station is found next to the Middleton Arndale shopping centre on the site of the old bus station...
.
A Bluebird bus is also used by the University of Salford
University of Salford
The University of Salford is a campus university based in Salford, Greater Manchester, England with approximately 20,000 registered students. The main campus is about west of Manchester city centre, on the A6, opposite the former home of the physicist, James Prescott Joule and the Working Class...
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.
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 OldhamOldham
Oldham is a large town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amid the Pennines on elevated ground between the rivers Irk and Medlock, south-southeast of Rochdale, and northeast of the city of Manchester...
introducing buses on the 181, 182, 402, 410 and 411 routes..
In November 2008, Bluebird was the first operator to run the Bolton Metroshuttle
Metroshuttle
Metroshuttle is a free bus system that operates in Manchester city centre and Bolton and Stockport town centres, all in Greater Manchester, England. Manchester's Metroshuttle consists of three routes that traverse the city centre, linking the city's major thoroughfares and stations with its main...
service before being replaced by Maytree Travel
Maytree Travel
Maytree Travel is a bus operator based in Bolton in Greater Manchester. The company was formed in 2008 by owner Gary Hawthorne, who took over the Bolton operations of Tyrer Bus, who first starting operating in Bolton in 2007. The company now has over 20 routes and runs in the Bolton and Wigan areas...
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, although their Metroshuttle operation ended in March 2011, when the Stockport Metroshuttle service was taken over by Stagecoach Manchester.
Routes
This is a summary of Bluebird services.| No. | From | To | Via | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 | Swinton Swinton, Greater Manchester Swinton is a town within the City of Salford, in Greater Manchester, England. Located on the A6 road it stands on gently sloping ground on the southwest side of the River Irwell, and within the bounds of the orbital M60 motorway. It is west-northwest of Salford, and west-northwest of Manchester... |
Manchester Manchester Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater... Shudehill Shudehill Interchange Shudehill Interchange, known locally as just Shudehill, is a transport interchange located between Manchester Victoria station and the Northern Quarter in Manchester.It comprises a Manchester Metrolink station and a bus station.-Bus station:... |
Salford Royal Hospital, Weaste Weaste Weaste is an inner city area of Salford, in Greater Manchester, England. It is an industrial area, with many industrial estates. The A57 road passes through Weaste, which lies close to the M602 motorway... , Pendleton Pendleton, Greater Manchester Pendleton is an inner city area of Salford, Greater Manchester, England. It is about from Manchester city centre. The A6 dual carriageway skirts the east of the district.... , Broughton Broughton, Greater Manchester Broughton is an inner city area of Salford, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on the east bank of the River Irwell and A56 road, in the northeastern part of the City of Salford, north-northwest of Manchester city centre and south of Prestwich. Broughton consists of Broughton Park, Higher... |
|
| 44 | Manchester Airport | Manchester Piccadilly Manchester Piccadilly bus station Manchester Piccadilly Gardens Bus Station, often abbreviated to Piccadilly or Piccadilly Gardens is one of two main bus stations in Manchester's city centre.... |
Gatley Gatley Gatley is a suburban area of the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport, in Greater Manchester, England.-Toponymy:In 1290, Gatley was known as Gateclyve, which in Old English means "a place where goats are kept".-Early history:... , Cheadle Cheadle, Greater Manchester Cheadle is a suburb in the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport in Greater Manchester, England. It borders the districts of Cheadle Hulme, Gatley, Heald Green and Cheadle Heath in Stockport, and the East Didsbury area of Manchester. As of 2001 it had a population of 14,261.-Early history:There has... , East Didsbury, Fallowfield Fallowfield Ladybarn is the part of Fallowfield to the south-east. Chancellors Hotel & Conference Centre is used by the University of Manchester: it was built by Edward Walters for Sir Joseph Whitworth, as were the Firs Botanical Grounds.-Religion:... , University of Manchester University of Manchester The University of Manchester is a public research university located in Manchester, United Kingdom. It is a "red brick" university and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive British universities and the N8 Group... |
|
| 72 | Chadderton Sportsman | Manchester Piccadilly | New Moston, Newton Heath Newton Heath Newton Heath is an urban area of the city of Manchester, in Greater Manchester, England. It is east north east of Manchester city centre and has a population of 9,883.... |
|
| Manchester Albert Square (Peak times) | ||||
| 77 | Manchester Church Street | Manchester Piccadilly | Harpurhey Harpurhey -Landmarks:Harpurhey Edwardian Swimming Baths, situated on Rochdale Road was built between 1909-10 by Henry Price, Manchester's first City Architect. Listed grade II in, the baths were closed to the public in 2001 after serious defects were discovered and the entrance building is currently being... , Moston Moston, Greater Manchester Moston is a district of Manchester, in North West England, approximately 3 miles north east of the city centre. Historically a part of Lancashire, Moston is a predominantly residential area, with a population of about 12,500 and covering approximately .-History:The name Moston may derive... , 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 Oldham Oldham is a large town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amid the Pennines on elevated ground between the rivers Irk and Medlock, south-southeast of Rochdale, and northeast of the city of Manchester... |
Manchester Piccadilly | Limeside, Hollinwood, Woodhouses, Failsworth Failsworth At Failsworth lies north-northwest of London. It shares common boundaries with Manchester and Oldham, on its west and northeast respectively. Failsworth is traversed by the A62 road, from Manchester to Oldham, the heavy rail line of the Oldham Loop and the Rochdale Canal, which crosses the... , Newton Heath |
Evenings and Sundays only |
| 80 | Middleton | Manchester Church Street | Moston, Miles Platting Miles Platting Miles Platting is an inner city district of Manchester, England. It is east-northeast of Manchester city centre, along the course of the Rochdale Canal and A62 road... |
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 North Manchester General Hospital North Manchester General Hospital is a large NHS hospital located in Crumpsall in the north of the English city of Manchester. It is operated as part of the Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust.... , 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 Collyhurst Collyhurst is a locality in Manchester. It is 1½ miles northeast of Manchester city centre, on Rochdale Road and Oldham Road. The River Irk passes through the area... , Cheetham Hill Cheetham Hill Cheetham Hill is an inner city area of Manchester, England. As an electoral ward it is known as Cheetham and has a population of 12,846. It lies on the west bank of the River Irk, north-northeast of Manchester city centre and close to the boundary with the City of Salford... |
|
| 159 | Oldham | Middleton | Royal Oldham Hospital Royal Oldham Hospital The Royal Oldham Hospital is a NHS hospital in Oldham, Greater Manchester, England. It forms part of Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust and was opened with its present name on 1 December 1989. Its services are commissioned by NHS Oldham.... , Chadderton Chadderton Chadderton is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, in Greater Manchester, England, historically a part of Lancashire... , Hollinwood, Woodhouses, Failsworth, New Moston, Middleton Junction |
|
| 188 | Chadderton | Manchester Shudehill | Hollinwood, Failsworth, Newton Heath, Central Park | |
| 194 | Longsight | Wythenshawe Hospital Wythenshawe Hospital The University Hospital of South Manchester is a major acute teaching hospital in Wythenshawe, south Manchester, England. It provides services for adults and children at Wythenshawe Hospital and Withington Community Hospital... |
East Didsbury, Withington Hospital, Northenden Northenden Northenden is a suburban area and electoral ward of the city of Manchester in North West England. It lies on the south side of both the River Mersey and the M60 motorway, west of Stockport and south of Manchester city centre. Northenden is bounded by the districts of Didsbury, Gatley and... |
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 Trafford Park Trafford Park is an area of the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, in Greater Manchester, England. Located opposite Salford Quays, on the southern side of the Manchester Ship Canal, it is west-southwest of Manchester city centre, and north of Stretford. Until the late 19th century it was the... |
Manchester Piccadilly | Old Trafford, Universities | Weekdays only |
| 324 | Stockport | Stockport | Brinnington, Denton, Haughton Green, Denton, Brinnington | Monday-Saturday evenings only |
| 402 | Oldham | Royton Royton Royton is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies by the source of the River Irk, on undulating land at the foothills of the Pennines, north-northwest of Oldham, south-southeast of Rochdale and northeast of the city of Manchester.Historically a... |
Royal Oldham Hospital | |
| 406 | Oldham | Mills Hill Mills Hill railway station Mills Hill railway station is in the Mills Hill area of Middleton in the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale, in Greater Manchester, England. The station is 9 km north of Manchester Victoria on the Caldervale Line... |
Royal Oldham Hospital, Fitton Park, Parkway | Peak times runs Oldham-Parkway only |
| 495 | Prestwich | Simister | ||
| X5 | Stockport Stockport Stockport is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on elevated ground southeast of Manchester city centre, at the point where the rivers Goyt and Tame join and create the River Mersey. Stockport is the largest settlement in the metropolitan borough of the same name... |
Sale Sale, Greater Manchester Sale is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, in Greater Manchester, England. Historically part of Cheshire, the town lies on flat ground on the south bank of the River Mersey, south of Stretford, northeast of Altrincham, and southwest of the city of Manchester... |
Northenden | |
| X75 | Moston Gardener's Arms | Manchester Piccadilly | New Moston, Newton Heath | |
| Manchester Albert Square {peak times) |