LEIGH'S NEW MUNICIPAL BUS GARAGE
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Brief Details of the Corporation's Latest Depot 'which is Built and Equipped on Modern Lines THE motorbus department of Leigh Corporation has recently opened a new garage, workshop and offices in Holden Road, Leigh, the mayor of the town conducting the opening ceremony .
on November 13th. The corporation was empowered to run buses inside the borough and along Leigh Road in the urban district of Hindley so long ago as August, 1920, and services were actually commenced in October of that year, when six Straker-Squire buses were commissioned for use. The number of passengers carried by the buses rapidly increased, and in March, 1922, it was necessary to extend the services and to purchase additional buses, a further six vehicles being acquired in order to meet the growing requirements of the travelling public.
Since that period the services have continued to expand, and at the present time the corporation is operating a fleet of 29 vehicles, which consists'of -17 Leylands, nine Straker-Squires and three, A.E.C.'8, 26 of the buses being 32-seaters and the others 48-seaters..
The corporation has co-operated With two adjoining municipalities and a company in the establishment-of 'joint ser:
vices to adjoining towns, and in January, 1928, the first joint service from the borough to Manchester was commenced. Since that date other joint services have been arranged and are now operating to Bolton, Farnworth, Horwich, Manchester, 'Warrington and Wigan.
From the commencement of the Leigh municipal bus undertaking over 32,000,000 passengers have been carried an the vehicles have run nearly 5,000,000 miles. At the end of March last the capital expenditure on the undertaking had amounted to £59,950. The buses are in operation on 14.83 miles of local route and on 36,49 miles of joint-service route.
As giving some idea of the growth of the Leigh municipal bus undertaking, it is .interesting, to note that, during the first full financial year which 'ended in March, 1922, 1,893,733 passengers were Carried, whereas during the municipal Year WhielS ended— in' March last
4,964,838 passengers were transported.
The site of the new garage covers an area of 4,643 sq. yds. The main entrance is 24 ft. wide and immediately inside is the petrol installation, which is followed by two washing bays leading to the main garage, two lubricating pits being provided on the left. There is a repair shop 70 ft. by 60 ft., having four pits, as well as paint and bodybuilding shops of good size. Other sections are set aside for general stores, staff offices, cloakrooms, recreation rooms, etc. The general store is 54 ft. by 30 ft. and it has direct access to the repair shop. The total sum involved in the contracts placed for the work was £10,488.
The corporation electricity department .carried out the electrical equipment of the new garage, whilst the fuelsupply arrangements consist of a Hammond lo*-pressure installation. The high-pressure washingplant was supplied by Brown Brothers, Ltd., of Manchester.
The manager of the municipal bus
undertaidng is Mr. P. Lytligoe, Mt. T. _
Grundy, J.P., being the chairman a the motorbus conimittee. '