Birkenhead buses
Encyclopedia
Birkenhead buses started to operate in on 12 July 1919 with a service from Rock Ferry
to Birkenhead Park railway station
, this service was extended to Moreton
in the August of that year. The buses supplemented an earlier tram service.
In 1860, Birkenhead
on the Wirral Peninsula
, England
, had become the first town in Europe to operate a street tram
way. It was started by George Francis Train
, an American, when he laid track from Woodside Ferry
to Birkenhead Park Main Entrance
and ran a horse drawn car service. In August 1901 the Corporation of Birkenhead opened an Electric Tramway, first to New Ferry
and later around the town, it operated until 1937.
on trams and buses was maroon and cream with a white roof, but in 1934 Birkenhead's famous blue and cream livery was applied to a new AEC Q-type
double-deck bus. It was the only one of its type operated by the Corporation but the blue and cream livery was applied to all future delivered buses with the legend "BIRKENHEAD CORPORATION MOTORS" applied in gold on the lower cream band. In 1951, the Transport Department was reorganised, with the bus and ferry departments merging. A slight livery change gave more cream coverage around the lower deck windows and the legend was changed to read "BIRKENHEAD TRANSPORT". White roofs had been overpainted blue during the war and with this revised livery the white roof was never re-applied.
, Birkenhead and Wallasey
came together as a result of the 1968 Transport Act, to form the Merseyside Passenger Transport Executive
. This lasted until 1986, when most of Britain's municipal, PTE and national bus companies were privatised, again because of government legislation.
Rock Ferry
Rock Ferry is an area of Birkenhead on the Wirral Peninsula, England. Administratively it is a ward of the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral. Before local government reorganisation on 1 April 1974, it was part of the county of Cheshire...
to Birkenhead Park railway station
Birkenhead Park railway station
Birkenhead Park railway station is situated in Birkenhead, Wirral, England. It lies on the Wirral Line 5 km west of Liverpool Lime Street on the Merseyrail network.- History :...
, this service was extended to Moreton
Moreton, Merseyside
Moreton is a town on the north coast of the Wirral Peninsula, England. In the 2001 Census, it had a population of 17,670 ....
in the August of that year. The buses supplemented an earlier tram service.
In 1860, Birkenhead
Birkenhead
Birkenhead is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral in Merseyside, England. It is on the Wirral Peninsula, along the west bank of the River Mersey, opposite the city of Liverpool...
on the Wirral Peninsula
Wirral Peninsula
Wirral or the Wirral is a peninsula in North West England. It is bounded by three bodies of water: to the west by the River Dee, forming a boundary with Wales, to the east by the River Mersey and to the north by the Irish Sea. Both terms "Wirral" and "the Wirral" are used locally , although the...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, had become the first town in Europe to operate a street tram
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
way. It was started by George Francis Train
George Francis Train
George Francis Train was an entrepreneurial businessman who organized the clipper ship line that sailed around Cape Horn to San Francisco; he organized the Union Pacific Railroad and the Credit Mobilier in the United States, and a horse tramway company in England while there during the American...
, an American, when he laid track from Woodside Ferry
Woodside, Merseyside
Woodside is a small riverside locality in Birkenhead, on the Wirral Peninsula, England, situated almost opposite Liverpool Pier Head across the River Mersey.-History:...
to Birkenhead Park Main Entrance
Birkenhead Park
Birkenhead Park is a public park in the centre of Birkenhead, on the Wirral Peninsula, England. It was designed by Joseph Paxton and opened on 5 April 1847...
and ran a horse drawn car service. In August 1901 the Corporation of Birkenhead opened an Electric Tramway, first to New Ferry
New Ferry
New Ferry is a small town located on the Wirral Peninsula, England. Situated to the east of Bebington, it is part of the Bromborough Ward of the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral and in the parliamentary constituency of Wirral South...
and later around the town, it operated until 1937.
Livery
Birkenhead's first liveryLivery
A livery is a uniform, insignia or symbol adorning, in a non-military context, a person, an object or a vehicle that denotes a relationship between the wearer of the livery and an individual or corporate body. Often, elements of the heraldry relating to the individual or corporate body feature in...
on trams and buses was maroon and cream with a white roof, but in 1934 Birkenhead's famous blue and cream livery was applied to a new AEC Q-type
AEC Q-type
The AEC Q-type is an AEC-built single- and double-deck bus that was launched in 1932.It was designed by G. J. Rackham, an employee of the American firm Yellow Coach from 1922 to 1926, leading him into contact with the Fageol Twin Coach...
double-deck bus. It was the only one of its type operated by the Corporation but the blue and cream livery was applied to all future delivered buses with the legend "BIRKENHEAD CORPORATION MOTORS" applied in gold on the lower cream band. In 1951, the Transport Department was reorganised, with the bus and ferry departments merging. A slight livery change gave more cream coverage around the lower deck windows and the legend was changed to read "BIRKENHEAD TRANSPORT". White roofs had been overpainted blue during the war and with this revised livery the white roof was never re-applied.
Bus fleet
During the 1950s and 1960s the average size of the Birkenhead fleet was 225 buses, the last traditional British half cab chassis were delivered to Birkenhead in 1967, 15 in all.Merger
On 1 December 1969, the municipal fleets of LiverpoolLiverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, Birkenhead and Wallasey
Wallasey
Wallasey is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral, in Merseyside, England, on the mouth of the River Mersey, at the northeastern corner of the Wirral Peninsula...
came together as a result of the 1968 Transport Act, to form the Merseyside Passenger Transport Executive
Merseyside Passenger Transport Executive
The Merseyside Passenger Transport Executive is the Passenger Transport Executive responsible for the coordination of public transport in the metropolitan county of Merseyside, England...
. This lasted until 1986, when most of Britain's municipal, PTE and national bus companies were privatised, again because of government legislation.