independent transport videos welcome you to this, our 13^th edition DVD programme featuring the Merseyside Transport Trust's (MTT) annual September Buses Running Day.  For the previous 12 editions the locations have been in and around the city of Liverpool, but due to redevelopment of the Pier Head area the event had to be moved.  This time it takes place slightly northwest of Liverpool, towards the coast at the seaside town of Southport, which is still within the Merseyside area. 
   
Motorbuses first ran with Southport Corporation as far back as 1924.  The Corporation ran buses in a smart red and cream livery up until local government reorganisation took place on 1^st April 1974 when the metropolitan county of Merseyside was formed.  The Merseyside Passenger Transport Executive (MPTE) was formed on 1^st December 1969 taking over the buses of Liverpool, Birkenhead and Wallasey.  In 1974 Southport and St Helens joined the newly created metropolitan county.  The MPTE livery of Verona green and jonquil was introduced in the summer of 1974. 
   
The 2022 MTT September Running Day reflects the buses that ran in Southport from the MPTE days.  As usual the independent transport videos cameras were on hand to record the day’s events for you to enjoy.  We start the day on the Promenade adjacent to the erstwhile Floral Hall, once a feature of the Promenade, but now replaced, as the buses arrive to take up their duties as well as the arrival of the feeder buses from Liverpool, Preston, Ormskirk and Kirkby.  There are a few visiting buses also seen, such as former Devon General ‘Sea Dog’ Leyland Atlantean, 931 GTA adding interest to the day as well as former Southport Corporation open-top Leyland Titan PD2, 87 (FFY 404) and a fleeting glimpse of its former shed mate, 12 (CRN 993), an open-top Leyland Tiger single-decker! 
   
Our cameras take a ride on former Birkenhead Corporation 93 (RCM 493), a Massey-bodied Leyland Leopard L2, which was actually transferred to Southport in 1975 to operate the 15 service, which it does in our programme, travelling to Haig Avenue and returning to Lord Street.  Here we film the action on Southport’s most prestigious street reliving the days of the mid-1970s and see MPTE and Ribble buses running in service.  Our next ride is a special treat!  We have placed a camera in the cab of MPTE Leyland Atlantean PDR1A/1 Alexander-bodied 1236 (BKC 236K), as it operates the 10/10B service to Woodvale and Pontins.  As well as the driver’s view, a further camera in the lower saloon gives you the passenger’s view.  On returning to the promenade we join a unique vehicle.  0087 (C844 OBG) is one of only six Quest 80/Locomotors 23-seat midibuses that was the final delivery of new buses to the MPTE in 1984.  We take a ride on this amazing bus with its powerful Perkins Diesel engine and travel on circular route 35 to Walnut Street where we take a break to see Leyland Panther 1054 and Leyland National 6045 (originally Southport Corporation number 4) connecting with each other, passing by.  Our arrival at the Floral Hall bus stop B gives our cameraman a chance to film the final departures of the feeder buses and buses leaving for their home depots. 
   
To complete our programme we have a short sequence of the contemporary bus scene featuring the buses of Arriva, Stagecoach and Cumfybus of Southport operating in Lord Street during the late summer of 2022.  We hope you enjoy your visit to Southport.