Greater Manchester bus route 184
Encyclopedia
Greater Manchester bus route 184 is a frequent bus route, operated by First Manchester
with journeys between Huddersfield and Manchester jointly run by First Manchester and First West Yorkshire
. The service runs hourly Monday-Saturday daytime on its full route and also runs hourly to Diggle via Dobcross. The two hourly journeys are complemented by an additional two journeys an hour between Uppermill and Manchester. Combined with its sister service, the 180, which runs between Greenfield
and Manchester, there is a service every 10 minutes between Greenfield railway station
and Manchester. During evenings, the 184 runs an hourly service between Uppermill and Manchester and during the day on Sundays, the service run on from Uppermill to Huddersfield every two hours.
, with journeys running as a 13 changing into a 14 at Uppermill and vice-versa. Over the years, the service did not go through many changes to the service, with its only changes being the terminus in Manchester, using Lower Mosley Street, Parker Street, Chorlton Street and Piccadilly Gardens, and the name of the operator, which changed from North Western to SELNEC (during which was re-numbered to 184), and then to Greater Manchester Transport and to Greater Manchester Buses.
Following bus deregulation in Great Britain on 26 October 1986, the route was taken over by GM Buses
. On 31 December 1993, GM Buses was split into two, GM Buses North and GM South Buses, the former of which became the main operator of the 184 route.
In March 1996, GM Buses North was bought by First Group and was originally renamed Greater Manchester Firstbus before eventually changing its name to First Manchester
. In 2001, the service was extended from Uppermill to Diggle via Dobcross, replacing the 427, which was an all-stopping equivalent to the 184. The extension saw the end of the workings with the 183, which was extended to Greenfield to compensate for the loss.
In October 2004, the 184 underwent its biggest change, changing from an hourly express service, to an all-stopping service, running four buses an hour between Uppermill and Manchester, with one bus an hour extending to Diggle via Dobcross, while one bus an hour extended to Huddersfield via Marsden, replacing the West Yorkshire
service 365. Due to the length of the route, First Manchester would jointly run the Huddersfield service with First West Yorkshire, alternating between the two operators every two hours (First Manchester ran the first two journeys to Huddersfield, First West Yorkshire ran the first two journeys from Huddersfield).
The Huddersfield route ran slightly differently from the 365 route, as the 184 ran into Diggle village instead of by-passing it via Standedge Road and also originally diverted via Hard End in Marsden. The Hard End diversion stayed in played until January 2005. A Sunday service to Huddersfield was introduced in April 2006, replacing Speedwellbus
's 365 Sunday service. This meant in an 18 month period, the Huddersfield-Oldham route had changed from the 365 to the 184.
on Oldham Street. From here, it runs out along the A62, travelling through Newton Heath
, Failsworth
and Hollinwood. The service then turns off the A62 onto Hollins Road into Oldham town centre before continuing via Lees
, Grotton
, Grasscroft
into Uppermill
terminating outside the Commercial Hotel and using the nearby turning circle to return to Manchester. Journeys that terminate at Uppermill are wholly run by First Manchester.
and into Diggle via Huddersfield Road, before terminating at the old railway station, using the turning circle to return to Manchester. These journeys are only run by First Manchester.
, Slaithwaite
and Cowlersley
before terminating in Huddersfield
at the bus station. The service runs hourly Monday-Saturday daytime by First Manchester and First West Yorkshire and every two hours Sunday daytime by First Manchester only .
's, which were acquired in 2009. Most of the buses have route branding for the 184 and its sister service, the 180. The main alternative vehicle used by First Manchester on the route is Volvo B7RLE
's, which were the previous prominent vehicle on the route and also had route branding.
First West Yorkshire also use B9TL's on their workings of the 184. Two buses were obtained from First Manchester to be primarily used on the 184, so that double deckers are used on all journeys, when possible. When either of both of the B9TL's are not available, then Volvo B7TL
's are used on the route instead.
First Manchester
First Manchester is one of the bus companies serving Greater Manchester, a metropolitan county in North West England. It forms part of FirstGroup, a company operating transport services across the British Isles and in North America...
with journeys between Huddersfield and Manchester jointly run by First Manchester and First West Yorkshire
First West Yorkshire
First West Yorkshire is the trading name of the four First bus companies serving the area of West Yorkshire, England. It forms part of FirstGroup, a company operating transport services across the British Isles and in North America...
. The service runs hourly Monday-Saturday daytime on its full route and also runs hourly to Diggle via Dobcross. The two hourly journeys are complemented by an additional two journeys an hour between Uppermill and Manchester. Combined with its sister service, the 180, which runs between Greenfield
Greenfield, Greater Manchester
Greenfield is a village in the Saddleworth parish of the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham in Greater Manchester, England. It is east of Oldham, and east-northeast of the city of Manchester...
and Manchester, there is a service every 10 minutes between Greenfield railway station
Greenfield railway station
Greenfield railway station serves the village of Greenfield, in the Saddleworth parish of the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, in Greater Manchester, England...
and Manchester. During evenings, the 184 runs an hourly service between Uppermill and Manchester and during the day on Sundays, the service run on from Uppermill to Huddersfield every two hours.
History
The service started as the 14 on 15 May 1929, running between Uppermill and Manchester and was operated by Oldham, Manchester and North Western. A couple of months later, the 13 (later re-numbered 183) was introduced running between Uppermill and Manchester via DelphDelph
Delph is a village in the Saddleworth civil parish of the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amongst the Pennines on the River Tame below the village of Denshaw, east-northeast of Oldham, and north-northwest of Uppermill.The centre of the village has barely...
, with journeys running as a 13 changing into a 14 at Uppermill and vice-versa. Over the years, the service did not go through many changes to the service, with its only changes being the terminus in Manchester, using Lower Mosley Street, Parker Street, Chorlton Street and Piccadilly Gardens, and the name of the operator, which changed from North Western to SELNEC (during which was re-numbered to 184), and then to Greater Manchester Transport and to Greater Manchester Buses.
Following bus deregulation in Great Britain on 26 October 1986, the route was taken over by GM Buses
GM Buses
GM Buses was the main bus company serving Greater Manchester, a metropolitan county in North West England. The company was public owned by Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive, which is a public body responsible for helping to co-ordinate public transport services in the Greater...
. On 31 December 1993, GM Buses was split into two, GM Buses North and GM South Buses, the former of which became the main operator of the 184 route.
In March 1996, GM Buses North was bought by First Group and was originally renamed Greater Manchester Firstbus before eventually changing its name to First Manchester
First Manchester
First Manchester is one of the bus companies serving Greater Manchester, a metropolitan county in North West England. It forms part of FirstGroup, a company operating transport services across the British Isles and in North America...
. In 2001, the service was extended from Uppermill to Diggle via Dobcross, replacing the 427, which was an all-stopping equivalent to the 184. The extension saw the end of the workings with the 183, which was extended to Greenfield to compensate for the loss.
In October 2004, the 184 underwent its biggest change, changing from an hourly express service, to an all-stopping service, running four buses an hour between Uppermill and Manchester, with one bus an hour extending to Diggle via Dobcross, while one bus an hour extended to Huddersfield via Marsden, replacing the West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
service 365. Due to the length of the route, First Manchester would jointly run the Huddersfield service with First West Yorkshire, alternating between the two operators every two hours (First Manchester ran the first two journeys to Huddersfield, First West Yorkshire ran the first two journeys from Huddersfield).
The Huddersfield route ran slightly differently from the 365 route, as the 184 ran into Diggle village instead of by-passing it via Standedge Road and also originally diverted via Hard End in Marsden. The Hard End diversion stayed in played until January 2005. A Sunday service to Huddersfield was introduced in April 2006, replacing Speedwellbus
Speedwellbus
Speedwellbus is a bus operator based in Hyde, Greater Manchester, England. It operates a fleet of 25 buses on commercial and contracted services. Operations commenced in 2002 with a service between Glossop and Tintwistle, and were expanded with the addition of contracts from Derbyshire County...
's 365 Sunday service. This meant in an 18 month period, the Huddersfield-Oldham route had changed from the 365 to the 184.
Uppermill-Manchester
The service begins near to Piccadilly GardensPiccadilly Gardens
Piccadilly Gardens is a green space in Manchester city centre, England, situated at one end of Market Street and on the edge of the Northern Quarter...
on Oldham Street. From here, it runs out along the A62, travelling through 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....
, 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...
and Hollinwood. The service then turns off the A62 onto Hollins Road into Oldham town centre before continuing via Lees
Lees, Greater Manchester
The village consists of a small cluster of shops and businesses on either side of the A669 Lees Road, surrounded by some terraced houses and some small estates...
, Grotton
Grotton
Grotton is a relatively wealthy hamlet in Saddleworth, a civil parish of the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, in Greater Manchester, England. Grotton is a suburban area located along the A669 road, and forms a continuous urban area with Austerlands and Springhead, which in turn link to Lees and...
, Grasscroft
Grasscroft
Grasscroft is one of the Saddleworth villages in the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, in Greater Manchester, England.The village has two famous residents - current Manchester United and ex-England international Paul Scholes. Brian Cox also lives in the area....
into Uppermill
Uppermill
Uppermill is a village in Saddleworth—a civil parish of the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, in Greater Manchester, England, historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire. It lies on the River Tame in a valley amongst the South Pennines, east of Oldham, and east-northeast of Manchester...
terminating outside the Commercial Hotel and using the nearby turning circle to return to Manchester. Journeys that terminate at Uppermill are wholly run by First Manchester.
Diggle-Manchester
Services that terminate at Diggle follow the same route to Uppermill before running via the village of DobcrossDobcross
Dobcross is a village in Saddleworth—a civil parish of the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, in Greater Manchester, England. It is located in a valley in the South Pennines, along the course of the River Tame and the Huddersfield Narrow Canal, east-northeast of Oldham and west-southwest of...
and into Diggle via Huddersfield Road, before terminating at the old railway station, using the turning circle to return to Manchester. These journeys are only run by First Manchester.
Huddersfield-Manchester
Services to Huddersfield follow the same route to Uppermill before running a different route to Diggle than the terminating services in Diggle, by running via Wool Road and through Diggle before returning onto the A62 into West Yorkshire via MarsdenMarsden, West Yorkshire
Marsden is a large village within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England, west of Huddersfield and located at the confluence of the River Colne and the Wessenden Brook...
, Slaithwaite
Slaithwaite
Slaithwaite is a village within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England. It lies in the Colne Valley laying across the River Colne and the Huddersfield Narrow Canal, approximately southwest of Huddersfield. The pronunciation of Slaithwaite varies...
and Cowlersley
Cowlersley
Cowlersley is a district 2 miles west of Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England it is situated between Milnsbridge and Linthwaite....
before terminating in Huddersfield
Huddersfield
Huddersfield is a large market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England, situated halfway between Leeds and Manchester. It lies north of London, and south of Bradford, the nearest city....
at the bus station. The service runs hourly Monday-Saturday daytime by First Manchester and First West Yorkshire and every two hours Sunday daytime by First Manchester only .
Vehicles
The main type of vehicle used on First Manchester journeys on service 184 are Volvo B9TLVolvo B9TL
The Volvo B9TL is a low-floor double-decker bus built by Volvo Buses since 2002. It superseded the older Volvo B10TL and the Volvo B7TL.-Chassis:...
's, which were acquired in 2009. Most of the buses have route branding for the 184 and its sister service, the 180. The main alternative vehicle used by First Manchester on the route is Volvo B7RLE
Volvo B7RLE
Volvo B7RLE is a low-floor single-deck citybus launched initially in Australia in 2001, and then in the United Kingdom in 2003 to supplement the B7L single-decker, which was unsuccessful in both countries. It is similar to the B7L's predecessor, the B10BLE...
's, which were the previous prominent vehicle on the route and also had route branding.
First West Yorkshire also use B9TL's on their workings of the 184. Two buses were obtained from First Manchester to be primarily used on the 184, so that double deckers are used on all journeys, when possible. When either of both of the B9TL's are not available, then Volvo B7TL
Volvo B7TL
Volvo B7TL is a low-floor double-decker bus which was launched in 1999 and replaced the 2-axle version of Volvo Olympian...
's are used on the route instead.