Stagecoach celebrates 125 years of historic Queens Road Bus Garage with spectacular Greater Manchester open day
- Historic Queens Road depot marks 125 years of continuous service since opening as Manchester’s first electric tram depot on 6 June 1901
- More than 2,000 transport enthusiasts and local residents attend milestone celebration delivered in partnership with the Museum of Transport
- Event showcases the evolution of Manchester transport, featuring heritage ‘SELNEC Central’ livery alongside state-of-the-art Bee Network vehicles
Stagecoach, the UK’s leading bus and coach operator, successfully welcomed approximately 2,000 visitors to its historic Queens Road Bus Garage last weekend for a spectacular community Open Day celebrating 125 years of transport heritage at the site.
Opening its doors on 6 June 1901 as Manchester's very first purpose-built electric tram depot, the landmark Queens Road garage has stood as a cornerstone of the city’s public transport infrastructure for a century and a quarter. The milestone event, delivered in close partnership with the neighbouring Museum of Transport, provided an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at an operational hub that continues to move Greater Manchester forward today.
Since 24 March 2024, Stagecoach has operated the Queens Road facility as part of the region's franchised Bee Network. Today, the garage remains a vital asset to local transport, housing 153 modern vehicles and serving as the workplace for a dedicated team of 504 local employees.
Throughout the day, attendees were treated to fully guided garage tours, offering a unique glimpse into modern fleet maintenance and daily operations. A major highlight of the celebration was a series of joint shuttle bus tours linking the garage to central Manchester and the Heaton Park Tramway, bridging the gap between old and new transport corridors.
The event offered an extraordinary contrast between the past and present of North West transport. Stagecoach showcased a curated selection of its training buses beautifully presented in legacy Greater Manchester liveries, aligned side-by-side with the latest Bee Network vehicles. The Museum of Transport complemented the garage displays by exhibiting an impressive collection of around 15 historic Manchester buses within the building, outlining the rich visual timeline of municipal travel.
Capturing the imagination of enthusiasts and families alike, the standout exhibit of the day was a newly repainted Alexander Dennis Enviro400 MMC vehicle. The modern double-decker was finished in a striking, authentic 'SELNEC Central' heritage livery, representing the iconic orange and white branding utilized in the region between 1969 and 1974.
Rob Jones, Managing Director of Stagecoach Manchester & Merseyside, said:
"Queens Road is not just a building; it is a living piece of Manchester's industrial and social history. From the electric trams of 1901 to the modern Bee Network buses of 2026, this garage has kept generations of Mancunians moving.
"To see 2,000 members of our community turn out to celebrate this 125-year milestone is a testament to the deep-rooted pride the city has in its public transport network. We are incredibly proud to steer this depot into a sustainable future alongside our partners at the Museum of Transport and our 504 fantastic colleagues on site."