Timeline

• On 1 January 1824, the first horse bus service started by John Greenwood (I)
  John Greenwood (bus operator)
  John Greenwood , transport entrepreneur, was the keeper of a toll-gate in Pendleton on the Manchester to Liverpool turnpike. In 1824 he purchased a horse and a cart with several seats and began an omnibus service, probably the first one in the United Kingdom, between Pendleton and Manchester...
  
  , the proprietor of the Pendleton Toll Gates
• On 1 March 1865, the Manchester Carriage Company
  Manchester Carriage Company
  The Manchester Carriage Company was established on 1 March 1865 to provide horse-drawn bus services throughout Manchester and Salford, in England. The company was the result of a merger between the competing transport interests of local rivals John Greenwood, Robert and James Turner, and...
  
  was formed which brought together a number of horse bus operators in the Manchester area.
• In 1880 this became the Manchester Carriage and Tramways Company
  Manchester Carriage and Tramways Company
  The Manchester Carriage and Tramways Company was incorporated in 1880, the result of a merger of the Manchester Suburban Tramways Company and the Manchester Carriage Company, to provide horse-drawn tram services throughout Manchester and Salford, England, and surrounding districts...
  
  with some further consolidation, including the Manchester Suburban Tramways Company
  Manchester Suburban Tramways Company
  The Manchester Suburban Tramways Company was set up in 1877 to provide horse-drawn tram services throughout Manchester and Salford, in England. The company's, and Manchester's, first tram service ran on 17 May 1877. The MSTC was merged with the Manchester Carriage Company in 1880 to form the...
  
  .
• On 7 June 1901, Manchester Corporation Tramways Department
  Manchester Corporation Tramways
  Between 1901 and 1949 Manchester Corporation Tramways was the municipal operator of electric tram services in Manchester, England...
  
  started electric tram operations, as the public operation. The former Carriage Company was wound up in 1903
• In 1929 the name was changed to Manchester Corporation Transport Department to reflect the changing to motor buses
• In mid-1966 the name of this public operation was changed to Manchester City Transport
• On 1 November 1969, control of MCT and other surrounding council transports departments were transferred to South East Lancashire North East Cheshire PTE, or SELNEC PTE
• On 1 April 1974, the operating name became Greater Manchester Transport, and its coverage was expanded.
• On 27 February 1986, this operation was separated from public ownership, and became Greater Manchester Buses Limited
  GM Buses
  GM Buses was the main bus company serving Greater Manchester, a metropolitan county in North West England. The company was public owned by Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive, which is a public body responsible for helping to co-ordinate public transport services in the Greater...
  
  .
• On 13 December 1993, GMBL was further split to GMB North Ltd, and GMB South Ltd, on an approximate geographic basis. Just under 4 months later they were sold to employee buy out teams
• In February 1996, GMB South was sold to Stagecoach Group
  Stagecoach Group
  Stagecoach Group plc is an international transport group operating buses, trains, trams, express coaches and ferries. The group was founded in 1980 by the current chairman, Sir Brian Souter, his sister, Ann Gloag, and her former husband Robin...
  
  , becoming Stagecoach Manchester.
• In March 1996, GMB North was sold to First Bus, eventually becoming First Manchester
  First Manchester
  First Manchester is one of the bus companies serving Greater Manchester, a metropolitan county in North West England. It forms part of FirstGroup, a company operating transport services across the British Isles and in North America...
  
  .