Speech Day, 1967

Wythenshawe buses

With a large number of pupils residing in Wythenshawe and other parts of south Manchester, the provision of two double-decker buses to transport them to and from school came as a much-welcomed relief. For the school-bound journey in the morning, one bus departed from near the Cornishman pub close to the junction of Portway and Cornishway and then followed the 103 route; the other bus departed from near the Eagle pub on Greenbrow Road and then followed the 101 route. Both buses headed towards Princess Parkway, picking up pupils along the way. Once on the Parkway the buses became limited stop services, stopping at Wythenshawe Road, Southern Cemetery and Great Western Street, as well as at a few stops thereafter in order to pick up more pupils. After alighting on Ardwick Green North, most of the pupils entered the school via the Durling Street entrance at the rear of the premises.

For the homeward journey in the afternoon, the buses were at first boarded on Ardwick Green North from where they travelled along Brunswick Street and towards Princess Road. A few years later boys queued for the buses outside the day nursery on Union Street, from where the buses then wended their way towards the Mancunian Way and then on to Princess Road. They stopped at Great Western Street to let boys off and, at the same time, allowed on members of the public who became fare-paying passengers on what were now effectively the 101 and 103 limited stop services. Needless to say, the buses were the old- fashioned models and had both a driver and conductor.

The buses were of great benefit in that they ended the age-old and time-consuming practice of boys having to travel home to Wythenshawe via Piccadilly. Another benefit at this time was the fact that the school day ended increasingly earlier. Gone were the days when, finishing at 4.10pm and travelling into town, Wythenshawe-bound boys often arrived home well after 5pm. In addition, from a public relations perspective, the boisterous behaviour of some pupils was contained and Manchester city centre adult passengers were spared having to compete with them for bus places during ‘rush hour’.

There were occasions when the driver would make an ‘unofficial stop’, as for instance when an after-school football match was being played or trials were being held at Hough End Playing Fields on Princess Road. On some occasions teachers travelled on the buses too.

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