We’re celebrating 200 years of buses in Britain
In 1824, Salford toll keeper John Greenwood started a horse bus service between Pendleton and Manchester, five years before anything similar happened in London. It was the start of a story that continued all the way to today’s Bee Network, and throughout 2024 we’ll tell the story of the region’s buses from yesterday to today and even tomorrow.
200 Years of the Bus - Omnibus
Saturday 20 April 2024
Sunday 21 April 2024
10am to 4.30pm
Celebrating 1824-1940
We’ll retrace part of the very first bus route, calling at Salford Museum and Art Gallery where a typical Victorian street has been recreated. Period buses will be on display in the Museum with special displays.
Admission charges:
Standard charges apply
Getting to the Museum:
The Museum will be very busy for the event and we recommend that you use public transport, or our free Heritage Bus service (see below). Don’t forget you can use rail tickets showing Manchester CTLZ as the destination to reach Manchester Victoria via Metrolink. You can use the TfGM Journey Planner to help you get here.
Free heritage bus services
Heritage Bus 3/5: Museum of Transport - Manchester city centre - Museum of Transport
Heritage Bus 1: Museum of Transport - Pendleton - Salford Museum & Art Gallery - Museum of Transport
Museum of Transport: 1105 and every 30 minutes until 1605
Pendleton, Ford Lane: 1125 and every 30 minutes until 1625
Salford Museum & Art Gallery: 11:35 and every 30 minutes until 1635
Refreshments
An expanded selection of light meals and refreshments, including a greater range of hot food, will be available
What's On: Calendar
200 Years of the Bus - Fares Please
Saturday 1 June 2024
Sunday 2 June 2024
10am to 4.30pm
Celebrating the 1940s and 1950s
We’ll be running heritage buses along part of the once very busy 53 route between Queens Road and Belle Vue. There’ll be opportunities to ride on buses from the period and special displays in the Museum.
Admission charges:
Standard charges apply
Getting to the Museum:
The Museum will be very busy for the event and we recommend that you use public transport, or our free Heritage Bus service (see below). Don’t forget you can use rail tickets showing Manchester CTLZ as the destination to reach Manchester Victoria via Metrolink. You can use the TfGM Journey Planner to help you get here.
Free heritage bus services
Heritage Bus 3/5: Museum of Transport - Manchester city centre - Museum of Transport
Heritage Bus 53x: Museum of Transport - Belle Vue - Museum of Transport
Museum of Transport: 1040, 1110, 1140 and every 30 minutes until 1610
Belle Vue arrive: 1055, 1125, 1155 and every 30 minutes until 1625
Belle Vue depart: 1100, 1130, 1200 and every 30 minutes until 1630
Museum of Transport: 1115, 1145, 1215 and every 30 minutes until 1645
Heritage Bus 54: Museum of Transport - Oldham Road (Playhouse) - Museum of Transport
Museum of Transport: 1055, 1125, 1155 and every 30 minutes until 1555
Oldham Road (Playhouse): 1100, 1130, 1200 and every 30 minutes until 1600
Museum of Transport: 1115, 1145, 1215 and every 30 minutes until 1615
Refreshments
An expanded selection of light meals and refreshments, including a greater range of hot food, will be available
What's On: Calendar
200 Years of the Bus - Ticket to Ride
Saturday 27 July 2024
Sunday 28 July 2024
10am to 4.30pm
Celebrating the 1960s
A decade of significant change, with the end of the decade seeing all buses in Greater Manchester brought under SELNEC. There’ll be opportunities to ride on buses from this decade and special displays.
Ken Mortimer to give 'Mancunian' talk
We're pleased to say that Ken Mortimer, the designer of the revolutionary 'Mancunian' bus and Design Officer for Greater Manchester Transport, will give an illustrated talk at this event.
Ken will give the talk at 1pm on both days, outlining his early career and the process of developing this iconic design. It's a must-see!
It will last for 30-40 minutes and is based on his early influences, his view of the Manchester scene in the 1960s, leading to the development of the Mancunian bus. It will be accompanied by a slide show using some of his illustrations.
Admission charges:
Standard charges apply
Getting to the Museum:
The Museum will be very busy for the event and we recommend that you use public transport, or our free Heritage Bus service (see below). Don’t forget you can use rail tickets showing Manchester CTLZ as the destination to reach Manchester Victoria via Metrolink. You can use the TfGM Journey Planner to help you get here.
Free heritage bus services
Heritage Bus 3/5: Museum of Transport - Manchester city centre - Museum of Transport
Heritage Bus 35: Museum of Transport - Whitefield - Grand Lodge - Museum of Transport
Museum of Transport: 1030, 1100, 1130 and every 30 minutes until 1530
Whitefield arrive: 1050, 1120, 1150 and every 30 minutes until 1550
Whitefield depart: 1055, 1125, 1155 and every 30 minutes until 1555
Grand Lodge arrive: 1105, 1135, 1205 and every 30 minutes until 1605
Grand Lodge depart: 1110, 1140, 1210 and every 30 minutes until 1610
Museum of Transport: 1120, 1150, 1220 and every 30 minutes until 1620
Heritage Bus 62/75: Museum of Transport - Grand Lodge - Museum of Transport
Museum of Transport: 1055 (75), 1125 (62), 1155(75), 1225(62) and every 30 minutes until 1525(62), 1555(75)
Grand Lodge arrive: 1105(75), 1135(62), 1205(75),1235(62) and every 30 minutes until 1535(62), 1605(75)
Grand Lodge depart: 1110(75), 1140(62), 1210(75), 1240(62) and every 30 minutes until 1540(62), 1610(75)
Museum of Transport: 1120(75), 1150(62), 1220(75), 1250(62) and every 30 minutes until 1550(62), 1620(75)
Refreshments
An expanded selection of light meals and refreshments, including a greater range of hot food, will be available
What's On: Calendar
Heritage Open Days
Saturday 7 September 2024
Sunday 8 September 2024
10am to 4.30pm
Free admission & free heritage buses between the Museum, Science and Industry Museum & People’s History Museum
Heritage Open Days is England's biggest heritage festival involving 40,000 volunteers. It celebrates our fantastic history, architecture and culture; offering people the chance to see hidden places and try out new experiences - all of which are FREE to explore.
Admission charges:
Admission is free for this event
Getting to the Museum:
The Museum will be very busy for the event and we recommend that you use public transport, or our free Heritage Bus service (see below). Don’t forget you can use rail tickets showing Manchester CTLZ as the destination to reach Manchester Victoria via Metrolink. You can use the TfGM Journey Planner to help you get here.
Free heritage bus services
Heritage Bus 5: Museum of Transport - Manchester city centre - Museum of Transport
Heritage Bus 7: Museum of Transport - Science and Industry Museum - People’s History Museum - Museum of Transport
Museum of Transport: 1000, 1100 and every 60 minutes until 1600
Science and Industry Museum: 1025, 1125 and every 60 minutes until 1625
People’s History Museum: 1030, 1130 and every 60 minutes until 1630
Refreshments
Our usual selection of light meals and refreshments will be available all day
What's On: Calendar
200 Years of the Bus - Orange Times:
Saturday 28 September 2024
Sunday 29 September 2024
10am to 4.30pm
Celebrating the 1970s and 1980s
Come and travel on some of Greater Manchester’s famous orange buses from the period which saw more traditional buses replaced with a uniform fleet of standardised modern buses.
Admission charges:
Standard charges apply
Getting to the Museum:
The Museum will be very busy for the event and we recommend that you use public transport, or our free Heritage Bus service (see below). Don’t forget you can use rail tickets showing Manchester CTLZ as the destination to reach Manchester Victoria via Metrolink. You can use the TfGM Journey Planner to help you get here.
Free heritage bus services
Heritage Bus 3/5: Museum of Transport - Manchester city centre - Museum of Transport
Heritage Bus 56: Museum of Transport - Swinton - Museum of Transport
Refreshments
Our usual selection of light meals and refreshments will be available all day
What's On: Calendar
200 Years of the Bus - Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow
Saturday 9 November 2024
10am to 7.00pm
Sunday 10 November 2024
10am to 4.30pm
We round off our celebrations with an opportunity to ride on and compare buses from different generations. Explore vehicle design changes over 150 years from horse bus to Bee Network buses.
The Museum of Transport will remain open on Saturday 9 November 2024 until 7pm, with free heritage buses running throughout
Admission charges:
Standard charges apply
Getting to the Museum:
The Museum will be very busy for the event and we recommend that you use public transport, or our free Heritage Bus service (see below). Don’t forget you can use rail tickets showing Manchester CTLZ as the destination to reach Manchester Victoria via Metrolink. You can use the TfGM Journey Planner to help you get here.
Free heritage bus services
Saturday Heritage Bus 3/5 (Twilight running): Museum of Transport - Manchester city centre - Museum of Transport
Sunday Heritage Bus 3/5: Museum of Transport - Manchester city centre - Museum of Transport
Heritage Bus 6: Museum of Transport - Heaton Park Tramway - Museum of Transport
Heritage Bus 22: Museum of Transport - Woodthorpe - Museum of Transport
Refreshments
An expanded selection of light meals and refreshments, including a greater range of hot food, will be available
