Where The Museum of Transport is about a mile north of the city centre, on the road to Bury. The closest landmark is Manchester’s Victoria railway station.
What “Our museum reflects the history of public road transport in the greater Manchester area from its beginnings in 1824 to modern times,” says Chris Lonergan, the volunteer liaison officer at the museum. It is on the site of an old bus garage in Cheetham Hill that previously housed the post office.
Opened The museum opened in 1979 as a partnership between the charity Greater Manchester Transport Society and Transport for Greater Manchester.
Collection The vehicles range from an 1890s horse bus to a prototype of a Metrolink tram from 1992. There are around 80 vehicles in the collection, mostly buses. The public have contributed photographs, ticket machines and vehicle accessories to the collection. There is also an extensive archive for research purposes. “People are pleased that they can find out things about their relatives that they wouldn’t anywhere else,” Lonergan says. “If they worked in transport, we probably have the records.”
Highlights Visitors like to identify vehicles from the past. “One of the most common things people say is, ‘I went to school on that’. It takes them back and gives them a great deal of pleasure to remember.” Lonergan also points to the changing times, with some younger parents admitting that their children have never been on a bus. This leads to great excitement among young people when they ride on one in the museum. Another highlight is the commemoration of the two world wars. Videos are shown throughout the museum and associated exhibits tell the story of the role of women in wartime, such as those who drove trams in the absence of men who had left to fight for their country.
Help at hand About 50 volunteers and a few paid staff in the shop and tearoom.
Budget Admissions provide revenue, although there are no entry fees for children or those with special needs and carers. The gift shop and tearoom are popular. Owners of vehicles in the collection contribute to storage costs and the museum holds 10-12 events a year. Items from the collection are hired out to the film and television industry. “About a year ago we provided a vehicle for a film about Steven Morrison from the Smiths who was brought up in Manchester,” Lonergan says.
Sticky moment The museum doesn’t own the building, which makes it difficult to make major structural changes. These restrictions on increasing the capacity mean the collection buildings are full.
Visitors The museum has exceeded its annual target this year, with over 20,000 visitors.
Future plans It is seeking new funding through sponsorship and more TV and film work. A significant number of special-needs visitors come to the museum, which Lonergan is keen to encourage, partly to develop a new base of volunteers. “It’s about increasing awareness of the museum and encouraging people to visit.”
Emily Bright is a freelance writer.
www.gmts.co.uk
What “Our museum reflects the history of public road transport in the greater Manchester area from its beginnings in 1824 to modern times,” says Chris Lonergan, the volunteer liaison officer at the museum. It is on the site of an old bus garage in Cheetham Hill that previously housed the post office.
Opened The museum opened in 1979 as a partnership between the charity Greater Manchester Transport Society and Transport for Greater Manchester.
Collection The vehicles range from an 1890s horse bus to a prototype of a Metrolink tram from 1992. There are around 80 vehicles in the collection, mostly buses. The public have contributed photographs, ticket machines and vehicle accessories to the collection. There is also an extensive archive for research purposes. “People are pleased that they can find out things about their relatives that they wouldn’t anywhere else,” Lonergan says. “If they worked in transport, we probably have the records.”
Highlights Visitors like to identify vehicles from the past. “One of the most common things people say is, ‘I went to school on that’. It takes them back and gives them a great deal of pleasure to remember.” Lonergan also points to the changing times, with some younger parents admitting that their children have never been on a bus. This leads to great excitement among young people when they ride on one in the museum. Another highlight is the commemoration of the two world wars. Videos are shown throughout the museum and associated exhibits tell the story of the role of women in wartime, such as those who drove trams in the absence of men who had left to fight for their country.
Help at hand About 50 volunteers and a few paid staff in the shop and tearoom.
Budget Admissions provide revenue, although there are no entry fees for children or those with special needs and carers. The gift shop and tearoom are popular. Owners of vehicles in the collection contribute to storage costs and the museum holds 10-12 events a year. Items from the collection are hired out to the film and television industry. “About a year ago we provided a vehicle for a film about Steven Morrison from the Smiths who was brought up in Manchester,” Lonergan says.
Sticky moment The museum doesn’t own the building, which makes it difficult to make major structural changes. These restrictions on increasing the capacity mean the collection buildings are full.
Visitors The museum has exceeded its annual target this year, with over 20,000 visitors.
Future plans It is seeking new funding through sponsorship and more TV and film work. A significant number of special-needs visitors come to the museum, which Lonergan is keen to encourage, partly to develop a new base of volunteers. “It’s about increasing awareness of the museum and encouraging people to visit.”
Emily Bright is a freelance writer.
www.gmts.co.uk