Halton Transport was a bus operator running within the Borough of Halton (including the towns of Widnes and Runcorn) and into the surrounding area, including Warrington, St Helens, Prescot, Whiston, Huyton, and Liverpool. It ceased trading in January 2020.
Halton Transport’s origins can be traced back to April 1909 when Widnes Corporation Motor Omnibus Department commenced operating a bus service. Over the next few decades the network expanded to most parts of Widnes and in 1961 following the opening of the Runcorn Bridge extended to Runcorn. As part of local government organisation in 1974 control passed to the Halton Council.
To comply with the Transport Act 1985, the operation was transferred into a separate legal entity. Unlike many other municipal operators it was not privatised and remained owned by Halton Borough Council. Bus deregulation saw Halton Transport expand its sphere of operation to other areas including Liverpool.
The company was placed in liquidation in January 2020, after accumulating losses for several years.
The fleet consisted of 64 buses in January 2014.
Halton Transport were a long-time Leyland National operator, purchasing 20 new vehicles between 1972 and 1985, including the last one built. A further 27 were purchased second hand between 1986 and 1989. It then purchased 36 Leyland Lynxes between 1986 and 1992 including the last one built.
Between 1994 and 2005, Halton standardised on the Dennis Dart, purchasing a total of 80 new[9] and three secondhand. Bodywork for the majority was supplied by Marshall Bus, but the final 21, delivered between late 2002 and spring 2005, received East Lancs Myllennium bodywork.
From 2007 to 2010 sixteen examples of the Dart’s successor, the Alexander Dennis Enviro200, were purchased, the first twelve having MCV Evolution bodywork.
Between 2013 and 2015 Halton purchased a number of secondhand vehicles from various operators. These included six Optare Solo minibuses in 2013 and then 14 Scania Omnicities in 2014 from Metrobus, followed by three Plaxton Pointer Dennis Dart SLFs in 2015 from Abellio Surrey
been after this one for a while now and an opportunity arose so grabbed it with both hands…..enjoy
and if want to buy me a coffee as a way of showing appreciation for this video and other you can buy me a coffee with the link below
all money goes back in to the channel and of course on hot drinks…cheers
stay tuned for part 2 folks……
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/app/dashboard
#liverpool #halton #exploring
29 Comments
Awesome … love those buses, see them on Amazing Spaces being turned into 4 bedroom homes with a deck/awning 😂
Be careful climbing in through windows with all glass broken … you need gloves 🧤
that’s a MCV evolution and a dart
What lovely buses, shame the windows etc have been broken, use to visit my uncle and aunt in Baslow, Derbyshire in the 70's, Baslow was a lovely village, the buses were parked up over night in an open air depot, (no garage), just a big open parking space, the buses were mostly Leyland leopards, the bus company was called 'Hulleys', and was family run, it is now 'Hulleys of Baslow' with an upto date fleet, but I never forgot their original fleet of LL, s.
what a shame buses been shammed. Nice see inside
I was a driver back when Dave stead man was manager lol, we had the leyland lynx and many Dennis buses..And my father was a driver there for many years before me..
totally and utterly boring
The buses are even ulez comlient
There is a inconsistent mismatch with what we see in the poor physical state of the site, 1925 and, 2020. Millions live in homes constructed during the 1920's and their homes do not look remotely as aged as here. Something else to acknowledge and something I know our host can confirm, a business of this size will actively maintain the 'upkeep' of the fixed assets via a systematic maintenance program. This approach is superior, in terms of effectiveness and cost when compared to your average homeowners approach – this suggests we should expect to find the bus station looking in better condition than the same constructed housing, we don't. I hope the inconsistencies highlighted are helpful in the long run? Short term is a different kettle when we fast forward to the 2020 expiry date and yet again for many of the reasons identified earlier, I have trouble accepting that this site was an 'active business and operationally active' as late as 2020, based purely upon what I see here. Its 'alles uber the platz!' (Scouse German for 'its all over the place!') Cool share, so thank you.
It's dad when a bus company ceased operations here in the valleys many have gone Merthyr rhymney valley islwyn cynon valley national Welsh now mainly stagecoach but Newport and Cardiff still very much alive
been in here myself as i just live round the corner, love popping in for a peek when a new window pops open lol
It really does get to me that idiots get into such a beautiful building and place and absolutely destroy the place smashing all the bus windows it's such a shame and totally disgusting behaviour why can't todays youth have a little bit of respect and morals that our generation have got apart from all that absolutely fantastic video
I used to work for them.
Fantastic video – great to see all of the old memorabilia! It’s a fantastic building to explore not only for the buses but for the history behind it and the old architecture. The buses were definitely surprising to see; it’s a shame that kids have wrecked them though.
My understanding is the Traffic Commissioner revoked the Operators Licence due to questionable Fleet Mountainous, Drivers working with no valid CPC and or correct licence. According to word of mouth in the bus industry
So,what's the chance of the buildings bBeing preserved as a living transport museum, ?
I hope 2 buses will take them to the scrapyard. Halton transport 19 and 20.
pity the buses have been smashed up
I would love to rescue the busses
Just wondering mate how did you get in ? lived in Widnes my whole life would love to explore it
It's a very big shame the plaxton and MCV bodywork dennis dart buses have been badly smashed they need to be saved and restored.
Swindon's old bus garage has just had the last segment knocked down. Could have been kept as a transport museum or since there is plenty of space alongside it after the school and terraced houses were knocked down it could have been expanded. It was a lovely old red brick building with the coat of arms on it. We did have a tram there. Mystery to what happened to that.
Sad times. That was a place of work for many, for over 100 years and now just left to rot. Nice find
Great find guys. Watching from the US. Cheers
There’s now a Halton transport bus in its livery and stickers running for Howard’s/gray line motors doing the 62 between Warrington and Runcorn a friend of mine owns it and it’s nice to see one back on familiar roads
Absolut disgrace what they do. Its senseless vandalism#]
Oh my God. A bus garage with two knackered buses inside…wish I could get so excited😅😅😅☮️
Nice work 👏 👌
Remember the cmt buses? from Aintree
Halton transport traded for 108 years. But when Brian Stevenson took over as depot manager he destroyed it in less than 4 years and put all the staff on the dole. He sold loads of brand new buses and bought old rattling sheds to replace them and siphoned off the cash difference. He thinks he got away with it but god saw him. He will reap what he has sown. 😎