THANKS to award winning bus operator Jim Stones for taking me back in time for a ride through the history of Leigh’s blue buses.

It was in 1919 that Leigh Corporation decided to run its own buses and the Leigh Corporation Act of 1920 empowered it to operate within the boundary and on one route into Hindley UDC territory.

The first buses ran from Plank lane to the cemetery across the town centre and within a week routes to Glazebury and Wigan Road had been added.

South Lancashire Tramways, who had provided transport in the town until then were not too chuffed and over the years differences of opinion on policy and operating matters recurred, until the formation of SELNEC and the LUT agreement with that body brought complete rationalisation.

In 1933 the LUT (part of the SLT) converted its tramways to trolleybuses. Leigh successfully opposed the conversion and the trolleybus route stopped at Leigh, LUT buses covering the Lowton routes.

Other services were obtained and the Holden Road garage, a former engineering works, was opened to house the growing fleet. Because Leigh was plagued by low “Lanry” raikway bridges all the double deckers had to be of a lower height than normal. The garage too only accommodated vehicles at that height and even after the bridges were demolished these low height vehicles continued to operate.

Major expansion began at the start of WW2 when the fleet was 39 strong. It grew to 72 vehicles to serve the Royal Ordnance Factory at Risley. The war over the fleet was reduced to 56.

The town centre streets became congested as post war traffic developed and in May of 1955 the new King Street bus station opened. Previous to that passengers used to catch their buses all along Cook Street! I remember that well.

Three years later LUT decided to convert the trolley bus routes to buses and negotiations took place until a compromise on services was worked out.

In 1969 the end came when the corporation's premises, fleet and operations were passed to SELNEC (the South East Lancashire and North East Cheshire Passenger Transport Executive) becoming the Leigh District of the Bolton-based Northern Division (Later Selnec Northern Bus Company).

The fleet history written in 1972 says the garage was unable to accommodate high bridge buses – and it seems that the Leigh fleet will come to consist only of single deckers.

A prediction that has almost come to pass.

Thanks Jim, for a fascinating potted history of the Corpy buses.