Like many of the conurbations across Britain, the Greater Manchester region in the 1990s offered a fascinating mixture of buses from operators both large and small, new and established. The deregulation of the bus industry that began in October 1986 created a lively if sometimes chaotic environment. Operators came and went; some were rather spectacular in their demise. As the 1990s progressed there was gradual consolidation, as increasing areas of operation came under the control of the emerging larger groups – the likes of First, Stagecoach and Arriva. In this book, Howard Wilde reflects on some of the choice moments of this eventful decade, with a wide selection of photographs from Manchester and the numerous surrounding towns to show a period that was fascinating for the enthusiast, if not always beneficial for the passenger.

Howard Wilde was born in Hyde, Cheshire in 1966, and has had a strong interest in buses since early childhood. Away from buses and his ‘day job’ in the banking industry, he is also a keen amateur musician, and has played saxophone and clarinet in several wind bands over the years. He is married with one grown-up son.