Darwen Transport Museum Trust

19/06/2026

Darwen's architectural heritage includes some striking monuments and they will silently accompany us on Saturday. The India Mill chimney is one of them and the Jubilee Tower another.

18/06/2026

The Darwen Heritage Bus Running Day is fast approaching, so as we finalise our preparations for the event, here's an update on what to expect on Saturday in Darwen Town Centre.

There will be a display of buses and coaches on the Market Square 'piazza' mostly featuring vehicles with a connection with Darwen or the surrounding area. Some of them may appear on the free bus services during the day, so please be aware that there will be increased activity in the area as buses are manoeuvred into position.

As for the free bus services, there have been several requests about a timetable, but due to the extent of the work required to get our vehicles prepared for the event and the lack of available resources, all we can say is that we will endeavour to try and run services with our own and some visiting vehicles at roughly 15 minute intervals, commencing from 10:00 until 16:00 or thereabouts, according to demand.

The Trust expects to have Haslingden 2 (Leyland PS1 / Burlingham) Darwen 39 (Leyland PD2 / East Lancs) and Alexander-bodied Leyland Atlanteans VWM82L and VWM88L which were new to Southport in 1973. Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, the electrical issues that have beset Blackburn Atlantean 8 have not been resolved in time, so it won't be attending.

We're being supported by the Ribble Vehicle Preservation Trust, who will be bringing 3 vehicles. 2 of which will operate along part of the old Ribble 215 and 225 routes towards Bolton, but will go to Bromley Cross Station. They will be joined by Ribble Bristol RE 366 which the Fylde Transport Trust are bringing along to the event plus former Bolton Transport Leyland PD3 /East Lancs 122 (the 215/225 were jointly operated with Bolton back in the day).

Other vehicles attending will include Rossendale 102, representing a more modern element to the display, Yelloway AEC Reliance CDK172L which is owned by a Trust member and making a welcome appearance back on its home patch, Darwen 17, the Regent V/East Lancs badged as a Crossley and which resides at the North West Museum of Road Transport in St Helens.

There's even a chance we might have another former Darwen bus present, subject to availability. We'll leave you to speculate as to which one!

On the day itself, we have been granted rare access to the yard area of the former Darwen Corporation bus garage on Blackburn Road. Our Heritage Route 100 will stop here briefly on its journey to Lower Darwen and at the conclusion of the event we hope to have the former Darwen buses together at the yard for a photocall to mark the Centenary.

We're grateful to all the individuals and organisations who are supporting the event and have assisted with the preparations and look forward to seeing you all on Saturday for what promises to be an enjoyable day. The weather prospects look favourable, too, which always helps.

You'll notice the Trust's vehicles operating the free bus services will all have commemorative destination blinds fitted. These have been kindly provided by our friends at Replica Blinds by PWC and our photo shows the Haslingden Tiger being prepared for Saturday with its new display.

18/06/2026

Buses take us back invevitably to trams! The photo (bottom right) shows the preserved section of tram track still in situ at Whitehall, Darwen, where trams once turned. The green bus is one of the 20 bought by Blackburn to finish off the closure of their trams in 1949. The single-decker of the same year is from Haslingden. The through route from Darwen via Blackburn, Accrington, Haslingden and Rawtenstall to Bacup was once the longest tram run in the country!

17/06/2026

Come to Darwen to celebrate 100 years of bus services. There are many remnants of Darwen's transport past still to see, like the two tram shelters in the town centre.

16/06/2026

15/06/2026

Come celebrate 100 years of the motor bus in Darwen Lancashire - a chance to travel back in time and experience bus travel while surrounded by a town with a long industrial heritage!

14/06/2026

The queen even went on 88 😊

14/06/2026

If your dog is as well-behaved as this one you are welcome to come along with your little doggy or poodle 🤣😊👍

14/06/2026

Running day. 20 June. Please come along

13/06/2026

These are our planned bus routes we return to operate from Darwen bus station Circus starting at 10 o’clock and running up to 4 o’clock we look forward to seeing you there so take a trip back in time when perhaps you used to travel on the Bus to work or school and things were a little bit less complicated, remember the good old days 😉😊👍