The Annual Trans Lancs Rally is the largest event of it's kind held in the North West and was set in Heaton Park, Manchester, Europe's largest municipal park. Over 200 vehicles were on display from the popular buses to the smaller groups of classic cars, motorcycles, trucks, vans and fire engines, etc.
This event was free to the public, and as we simple had to venture over the road to get there, it was an event not to miss. The event was organised by the volunteers of the Greater Manchester Transport Society (GMTS), operators of the Museum of Transport, Boyle Street, Manchester. Several of the vehicles at the event are from the museum collection itself.
It soon became apparent as each bus arrived, how many bus enthusiasts (spotters) there are, with each bus being subjected to the onslaught of camera's and note pads. People were collecting the registration numbers, bus numbers, route numbers, chassis numbers, make and model, colours, in fact anything and everything. Although a lot were ex-passenger transport workers, others simply had memories of journeys, to schools, towns, shops, or work etc. from the past.
The weather was forecast as wet, well it is Manchester, but surprisingly was sunny and dry throughout the day. The rally also had many stalls with model cars and buses, bus photo's, bus badges, lights, spares, and memorabilia (inc. bus stop signs!), and with the decent weather the stall holders were all kept busy.
Unfortunately the Salford bus registration number TRJ112 (the no.15 to Worsley) on the programme cover was not at the event. We would have liked to have seen/photograped it, because as you will see elsewhere in this site we have the SALFORD registration TRJ222.
All of the vehicles on the rally field were photographed, and can be found using the links above. |
