On a wet summer Sunday on 26 July we successfully attracted 14 classic cars to the preserved bus station and museum, with cars coming from Yorkshire, Cheshire and Lancashire. The museum provided a dry and spacious venue, where owners and members of the public were able to enjoy a friendly chat over mugs of tea and hot pies served up in the old bus driver and clippies canteen. The Greater Manchester Museum provides an opportunity to wander through one of Britain’s biggest collections of restored trams, buses and coaches, and was an opportunity that day for visitors to see under the bonnet of the various Standard and Triumphs on show.

For those who remember the 1970’s TV series ‘On the buses’, you might expect to see the toothbrush-mustached Inspector Blakey with his eye on the garage clock, chasing skiving bus driver Stan Butler and his cheerful bucktoothed conductor Jack Harper out of the canteen. "I 'ate you Butler" scowled Blakey as Stan and Jack drove out their number 11 to Cemetery Gates, for the Luxton & District Traction Company

A nostalgic ride around Manchester for all the visitors was kindly provided by the Transport Museum on a 1959 Leyland, that once ran routes for the bus company Lancashire United. The event attracted new interest from outside the club, and an interesting mix of cars that ranged from the 1930 Standard flyer, 1950 Standard 8 and 10s, 1960 Triumph Vitesse convertible, to a wonderfully kept 1970 ‘s Triumph 2500s saloon and a TR6 convertible. Local club funds were raised from the sale of club members Graham Hart’s regalia and books, and helped cover the donation made to the museum. We will be back this time next year for anyone who would like to join us.

The Group's Calendar of forthcoming events is here ( needs update please)

For information on the club phone Bryan Jones, Manchester Group organiser on 0161 483 7121, or email him on Bedabrammerjones@aol.com

You can click on any of these thumbnails to see an enlargement: