THE SHORT FLIGHT OF THE BEE LINE BUZZ - Part 01 of 18: Photographs and story

In June 1986 it was rumoured that the BET group were planning a re-entry into British bus operation via their subsidiary United Transport International. During November and December recruitment ads appeared in the local press for various positions at the Stockport and Altrincham depots of Manchester Minibuses and by January the plain yellow minibuses were a familiar sight on the local roads coupled with a full scale publicity programme as training of the 600 new staff began. Under the leadership of Bob Montgomery, ex Red Buses in North Devon where he helped to convert their standard bus operation into a minibus hail and ride system, the Bee Line Buzz Company started service on January 26th amid a blaze of publicity. The now fully liveried bright red and yellow buses were not the only new service to hit the streets as GM Buses Little Gems soon shadowed the Bee Line route for route resulting in