STORAGE PREMISES

Over the years, as we have secured more and more vehicles, we have had to be more scientific in the way in which we utilise the space at the premises we occupy in Congleton, Croft, East Manchester and Blackburn. All of the restoration work is carried out at our Congleton outstation, with all of the other depots being storage sites for preserved and future restoration projects.

Congleton

We have a number of secured buildings in the Congleton area, hosuing a number of vehicles awaiting restoration or Preserved..

East Manchester

This is our secured external accomondation which houses a number of vehicles awaiting restoration or acquired for spares for future preservation.

Croft

Croft is an undercover accommondation for the safe storage of 6 preserved deckers. This currently includes Bristol VR 408, MCW Metrobus 5001 and restored Manucian 2130.

Blackburn

This site accomondates 3-4 group vehicles, included restored Exhibus 1066 (LNA 166F) and Scania 1461 (FWH 461Y).

East Cheshire

The group accomondated this site in January 2016 following various adverts for accomondation following the lease closure at Stockport. The new site accomondates the group's ancillary vehicles, number of single deck and preserved double deck vehicles, including EX19 and 7501 which are awaiting restoration.

Previous Depots

Leigh, (Robertshaw Street) - 1992-2019

Leigh Depot was where most of the restoration work was carried out. Most of our restored vehicles have had the extensive prepwork undertaken by our group members here, before the vehicles were sent away for final stages of work required to complete the restoration.

When we first moved into these premises in 1992 they were in a particularly run down state and at that time we had a considerable number of roof panels refitted and we undertook some work on repairing the front folding doors and gave them a full repaint in black gloss paint. Since that time, over the years various work has been carried out on the roof and on the guttering and some years ago we had a roller shutter fitted to the side entrance door.

What we embarked upon, in 2001, was a complete inspection of the roof. A number of new panels have been fitted and certain aspects have been re-felted which has put the roof in a better condition now than it has ever been in since we first occupied the premises in 1992. We have also undertaken to have some further repair work done to the wooden doors and they have been fully repainted for the first time since we first occupied the premises in 1992.

Most important of all, we always had difficulty opening and closing the doors, because the metal channel that is supposed to be on the floor guiding the doors along has been missing in places since when we first secured the premises in 1992. However, we embarked upon a programme in early 2001 to finally resolve this difficulty, and had made an entirely new metal channel for the front of both sets of opening doors and this has been put in place, welded and re-concreted in. The doors were regularly greased and remained to be used until the end.

Consequently, since this work was concluded in April 2001, taking buses out of the premises and returning them again has been easier than ever before. Along with the repair work to the doors and the roof, the premises really do look the best they have done for a long time.

Sadly, the society had always had difficulties with Wigan Council during it's residence. And sadly in 2019 - the council condemned the building (which was also destined for future planning permission) and the group had to relocate to Congleton.

Stockport 2014 - 2016

Following the closure of Wigan, a short term lease was acquired at Crossley Park, Stockport where a number of vehicles were stored. This included all of the ancillary vehicles, collection of Rover 800 and the site was ideal for double deckers.

Due to redevelopment, the vehicles has to move a number of times around the site before leaving the site on 31st January 2016. Most of the vehicles went to our East Cheshire Depot, with the remaining moved to East Manchester.

Wigan

This ex-council depot was undercover accomondation for our single deck vehicles like the National 105, Seddons, ancillary vehicles, and a couple of deckers were parked outside in the yard.

The society had to move out in 2010 due to safety issues with the building. Vehicles were moved to East Manchester and an temporary storage accomondation at Stockport (Crossley Park)