Stretford Omnibus Company Limited

By the mid 1840s Stretford was a popular location for weekend trips by the people located in Manchester city centre with the Old Cock Inn being the local terminus. The landlord of the Old Cock Inn, Thomas Higson and a local farmer John Brundritt started a local horse bus service in 1845 to Manchester.

Two omnibus companies based in Stretford went bankrupt in October 1863. These were the partnership of Parker Robinson and Cooke and the partnership of Pearce and Quinn. The Stretford Omnibus Company is first mentioned in October 1864 when one of the drivers was charged along with a Standring driver with racing. This implies that the Stretford Omnibus Company was started in 1863, causing the collapse of the other two companies, or early 1864 as a result of the collapse of the two other companies

Daniel Busby and William Turton, owners of the Manchester Carriage Company, promoted a tramline to Streton and Gorton that was authorised by the Manchester Suburban Tramway Act of 1877. The tramline from Piccadilly to Streton was completed in 1879, with the terminus at the Old Cock Inn. This included a depot next to the Inn with accomodation for upto 20 tramcars and 165 horses. The Manchester Carriage Company started the services in 1880.

The Stretford Omnibus Company went into voluntary liquidation in 1882, selling all of it’s equipment in July. The sale included 49 horses, 31 omnibuses that could carry upto 40 passengers and one two horse omnibus that could carry 13 passengers. The company may also have ran a hiring or cab business as the stock also included varies smaller carriages.

The company colours were dark green and yellow.

Stretford Omnibus Company Limited
	Source	(Smith)
	Filename	SOL.002
	Value	0
	Add Desc.	'2'
	Size (mm)	27x18
	Manufacture	0 Brass
	Notes	Manchester
	Source	(Smith)
	Filename	SOL.003
	Value	0
	Add Desc.	'3'
	Size (mm)	32x24
	Manufacture	0 Brass
	Notes
	Source	(Smith)
	Filename	SOL.004
	Value	0
	Add Desc.	'4'
	Size (mm)	39x26
	Manufacture	0 Brass
	Notes