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 Both companies eventually withdrew and the services were withdrawn.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