Roger said: “From 1880 Burnley was a tram town. The first internal engine buses were privately owned and introduced about 1900.
“The council became involved some years after its purchase of the tram system, in 1901, but it was not until 1924 that the first 12 buses were purchased for new routes which had not been laid to trams. The builder of these buses was the Burnley firm of Knape’s who had a well-established carriage works, part of which still stands, near Bank Top Station.
"In 1933, the public transport departments of Burnley, Colne and Nelson merged into BCN which provided bus transport for the whole area. Two years later the trams were finally replaced by a bus system which has operated since then. Of course, buses have been bought and withdrawn continuously since 1924 but, at the present time, the bus undertaking is no longer in the ownership of Burnley and Pendle Councils.”
1. Leyland
These are Leyland TD4C buses 32 of which were purchased to replace trams when the town’s tram system was closed in 1935. They are photographed in Leyland, Lancashire, before their departure for Burnley Photo: S
2. Tram centre
A view of Burnley Tram Centre on St James Street, in Burnley. On the right is an early Corporation owned bus, a Knape, which was purchased in 1924. After good service the Knape’s were withdrawn 10 years later Photo: S
3. Corporation
Burnley’s first Corporation owned bus was a Burnley built Knape bus, with a Leyland engine, twelve of which were purchased in 1924 Photo: S
4. Habergham
The Habergham, an early privately owned open top bus on Colne Road, near the St Andrew’s Conservative Club at the beginning of the twentieth century. Photo: S