Maynes sells bus operation to Stagecoach

[Phil Blinkhorn]

The Greater Manchester Museum of Transport has 8860 VR, a 1964 30 foot long rear entrance AEC Regent V double decker of Mayne's in its collection. This is finished in the deep maroon and turquoise livery.

The vehicles at Devonshire St will probably be sold on as few of them, if any, will fit the Stagecoach fleet profile.

There is a need to preserve at least one vehicle from the period from 1977 to reflect the rear engine and red and cream era at the company.

[aidanorourke]

Perhaps they should preserve the rather unusual looking bus depicted in my photo, the one with the high front platform. I wonder how much one of those would cost - not that I'm thinking of buying one!

[Phil Blinkhorn]

The 20 year old Scania with East Lancashire Coachbuilders' body would reflect Mayne's penchant for purchasing second hand vehicles in recent years.

Built for Brighton and Hove, the bodywork was one of East Lancs' standards at the time. The front platform is no higher than standard, the low position of the camera and the position of the black bumper conspire with the position of the fleetname to draw the eye and trick the brain - though this is no 21st century low floor vehicle as your previous photo in the thread.

[joe1992]

I Remember travelling one particular journey on a mayne bus very well. I was about 6/7 and the colour of the busses burgondy and light blue stripe. Only reason i remeber this particular journey because there was lots of teenagers from local high schools were smoking on it and it was very cramped.

[Pushooka]

Oh I remember that Devonshire Road Bus Depot! Thats where we did our training! But it's the skid pan I remember most!

[aidanorourke]

NOTE FROM PHIL BLINKHORN

This message and my reply were deleted when the reply tried to post.

The gist of this message was that Aidan had heard stories about the Devonshire St skid pan but had never been there. He commented that the original facade of the Devonshire St premises had been replaced in the 1960s, a fact he noted as his mother had worked at GUS, Trafford Mills, close by.

He noted that the Mayne's fleet in the Devonshire St yard seemed to have diminished when he had passed earlier on Friday on a train.

My reply stated that the ex Mayne Scanias and Dennis/Transbus vehicles all appear in the March Stagecoach Manchester fleetlist and have been given fleet numbers in sequence with similar chassis.

Whilst there are examples with similar bodies to Stagecoach vehicles and some of the reduction in numbers in the yard may be due to a visit to the paint shop, the older and least standard vehicles will doubtless be sold.

[aidanorourke]

Thanks for the information and for re-posting the gist of my previous message. There have been a few technical problems with the Forum. We will have to keep monitoring things.

[Phil Blinkhorn]

Originally Posted by Pushooka

Oh I remember that Devonshire Road Bus Depot! Thats where we did our training! But it's the skid pan I remember most!

See my reply of January 1st on the 45 years ago today thread