AEL 173B in the murky depths of the depot yard at Cheddleton, full of character if not state of the art

LCM 160G is a former Birkenhead Leyland Atlantean PDR1/1, of the first batch bought by that operator, numbering thirteen in all. The Northern Counties of Wigan bodywork is boxlike and uninspiring

LAK 289G's rear end gives strong clues to its Weymann origins with that classic Orion style upperdeck window

NSG 869 is an ex-demonstrator Albion Nimbus of 1955 which has since been restored in Berresfords colours

A classic "ballon roof" lowheight Alexander-bodied Daimler Fleetline, NXA621H is ex Scottish Bus Group and waits between duties in Hanley Bus Station

This little Seddon minibus with its front-mounted Perkins diesel and manual gearbox was not a sophisticated vehicle but it gave a loud and lively ride!

SWL 49J lurks in Byrne Brothers depot alongside one of their own liveried buses, a former LUT Bristol LH6L

UTD 299H i s a relatively uncommon Northern Counties bodied Bristol LH6L, new to Lancashire United Transport, one of a batch of twenty delivered to Howe Bridge, Atherton in 1969

UTD 299H, the Bristol LH6L, shows off its dual-door layout and quite attractive proportions, a crisp looking body by NCME, which looks well in Byrnes blue colours, relieved by offwhite suspiciously like Berresfords own shade!

SWL 49J is seen at the Leek premises of Byrne Brothers, a Berresfords associate. SWL was new to City of Oxford Motor Services and is an AEC Reliance with AH505 engine and the D197 six-speed crash gearbox. It originally had dual-purpose seats but had by now received leatherette bus seating which appears to be of Alexander origins. This bus later formed the basis of a diecast Corgi model in South Midland colours!

UVT 49X was visiting on an enthusiasts' tour, which I participated in and has the main depot building as a backdrop at Cheddleton - the faded company name can be seen on the gable end. The bus is a Bristol VRTSL3/6LXB, one of the very last built and fitted with moquette full-coach seats in an otherwise standard ECW body, as specified by the NBC for its vast numbers of such vehicles

AEL 173B is a former Bournemouth Corporation Atlantean with Weymann body, despite the Alexander lookalike front end, seen in the depot yard at Cheddleton on an enthusiasts tour

LAK 289G is a former Bradford Atlantean with Weymann body, front end styling mimicking Alexander practice. The bus is on service opposite Berresfords Cheddleton HQ

The Bradford Atlantean looks striking in Berresfords colours, best described as Scarlet and cement!

One Time recovery truck, an AEC Mammoth Major MM6, in Berresfords yard - a real Aladdin's Cave of a place

An early Plaxton Panorama coach which I believe is a former PMT Leyland Leopard, by this time withdrawn and parked up in the depot yard, which contained many years' worth of ancient and rotting motors, an enthusiast's mecca!

TDK543K sports a winged triangle AEC badge, not that common on AEC Swifts and a real souvenir hunter's item today! Parked up in Stonier's yard, a real Aladdin'sCave of bits and bobs, I think it ran again.

EDJ256J is a neat AEC Swift'505' with dual-door Marshall body, new to St. Helens Corporation, seen here in Longton Bus Station before my ride.

TDK543K is an AEC Swift with a Pennine Coachcraft body (Seddon's subsidiary bodybuilder) and ex Greater Manchester PTE but ordered by Rochdale Corporation. Note the early standard SELNEC moquette trim.

EDJ256J seen with a backdrop of Longton Bus Station, proudly displaying its PMT heritage. This was a real flagship building back in the early 1960's. How it must once have echoed to the sound of PMT's fleet of 58 Daimler Roadliner buses with their loud Cummins V6 engines, now but a memory, the last going in 1975. Nice that the Swifts carried on the rear-engine tradion, even if not quite so loud and tuneful!