Stagecoach, Transport for Greater Manchester and the Museum of Transport Greater Manchester (TfGM) will celebrate this year’s 125th anniversary of Queens Road depot in the conurbation with an open day there on Saturday 6 June.
The operating centre is to the north of Manchester city centre. Stagecoach is its third tenant in recent years, having won the Bee Network franchise contract to deliver services from there. In its more recent history, Queens Road was previously part of Go North West and before that, First Manchester.
Described as “Manchester’s original bus depot” by the museum, it has provided public transport to the north of the region since the city’s tram system opened in 1901. The museum is adjacent in a separate part of the same building on Boyle Street.
The event in June will showcase vintage buses and the latest Bee Network vehicles. Tours of the facility will be available, and a recruitment stand will be on hand seeking newcomers who are interested in driving or maintaining the current-day fleet.
Other attractions including a merchandise stall will also be present, as will members of the Stagecoach Manchester heritage-liveried bus fleet. Free services operated with vehicles from the museum will run between there and Manchester city centre, and the Heaton Park Tramway Museum.
Stagecoach took over Queens Road depot in March 2024 as part of its victory in all three large franchise contract awards in the second tranche of Bee Network rollout. Garages at Middleton and Oldham were also part of that award.
Plans to electrify Queens Road within a commitment by TfGM to move the Bee Network to an all-zero-emission bus fleet by 2030 remain current, the body has confirmed.
Further details of the depot open day on the museum website.
