LAYOUT AT PREMISES IN LEIGH AND WIGAN

Over the years, as we have secured more and more vehicles, we have had to be more scientific in the way in which we utilise the space at the premises we occupy in Leigh, Wigan, Croft, Blackburn and East Manchester, and by using scale diagrams have planned over the years not only how to fit the vehicles in using the minimum amount of space, but how to achieve various move rounds in terms of getting the vehicles into position and allowing access to those vehicles that are more likely to be used than the longer term projects. We have also had to create some working space to allow vehicle rectification to be undertaken.

Most of the restoration work is carried out at Leigh depot, with other tasks carried out at Wigan, Croft and Blackburn. As East Manchester is outside accommodation, no restoration tasks are carried out here.

Diagrams appear below as at the current layout of vehicles at our depots at Leigh, Wigan, Croft, Blackburn and East Manchester.

LEIGH (Updated 2008)

When we first moved into these premises in 1992 they were in a particularly run down state and at that time we had a considerable number of roof panels refitted and we undertook some work on repairing the front folding doors and gave them a full repaint in black gloss paint. Since that time, over the years various work has been carried out on the roof and on the guttering and some years ago we had a roller shutter fitted to the side entrance door.

What we embarked upon, in 2001, was a complete inspection of the roof. A number of new panels have been fitted and certain aspects have been re-felted which has put the roof in a better condition now than it has ever been in since we first occupied the premises in 1992. We have also undertaken to have some further repair work done to the wooden doors and they have been fully repainted for the first time since we first occupied the premises in 1992.

Most important of all, we have always had difficulty opening and closing the doors, because the metal channel that is supposed to be on the floor guiding the doors along has been missing in places since when we first secured the premises in 1992. However, we embarked upon a programme in early 2001 to finally resolve this difficulty, and had made an entirely new metal channel for the front of both sets of opening doors and this has been put in place, welded and re-concreted in. The doors have been greased and for the very first time they now open and close smoothly. We have also fitted new vertical bolts that lock into the floor keeping the doors in place.

Consequently, since this work was concluded in April 2001, taking buses out of the premises and returning them again has been easier than ever before. Along with the repair work to the doors and the roof, the premises really do look the best they have done for a long time.

WIGAN (Updated 2008)

CROFT (Updated 2008)

BLACKBURN (Updated 2008)

EAST MANCHESTER (Updated 2008)

Since these drawings were updated in 2008, a small number of buses have been acquired and not added to these diagrams. Also many vehicles have moved around for various restoration tasks to be carried out.

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