Covering Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Lancashire and the Isle of Man, this book showcases the eighty functioning bus stations in the North West, as well as many more long-lost stations. Bus stations, comprising at least two bus stands where buses start, end or pause their journey, first appeared in the 1920s. In the ensuing decades through to the 1970s many buses had rear entrances, dictating the design of the typical bus station with buses parking parallel to their stands. From the 1980s boarding arrangements were from the front of the bus and required a different design of station. The introduction of low-floor easy-access buses from the late 1990s necessitated a level platform adjacent to the bus entrance, largely influencing the design of the many bus stations that have been built and modernised since then.
Some iconic bus stations have closed in the region, including Blackburn Boulevard, Bolton Moor Lane, Morecambe Euston Road and Salford Victoria Bridge. Some have been modernised or completely rebuilt, such as Lancaster Damside, Preston, Skipton and Stockport. A wide variety of architectural styles are on show across the North West, including Whalley bus station which has remained unaltered since it opened in April 1954.
Mike Rhodes explores the rich and diverse range of bus stations in the region through his collection of vibrant images.