#AYearOfBuses 263: Sapphire Manchester – Altrincham

We’re heading back to Manchester today on #AYearOfBuses for a look at another of the city’s core bus routes.

Arriva’s 263 is a long-established route linking the city centre with Hulme, Stretford, Sale and Altrincham. Now upgraded to Sapphire spec, it runs every 15 mins through the daytime, directly competing with the parallel Metrolink line to Altrincham, which runs along a former heavy rail route.

Previously, it was a mainstay of the perennial Plaxton Pointer 2-bodied Dennis Dart – a route branded batch bought new for the route in 2000 were, for a good number of years, fanatically allocated to 263, and it was rare to see them straying elsewhere!

Image credit: Wikimedia Commons