Magic Bus does disappearing trick after 30 years

The Magic Bus was a key transport link for Manchester students

A bus service on which drivers dressed as wizards to transport students around Manchester has been retired after nearly 30 years.

The Magic Bus, with its recognisable blue livery, has covering 65 million miles since passengers first climbed aboard in 1996.

Claire Miles from operator Stagecoach Group, said the bus had been an "iconic symbol of the city" and bowed out as the provider moved into Transport for Greater Manchester's integrated Bee Network.

Former Magic Bus driver Michael Fletcher said the "students were always a pleasure to drive - some of them were a bit loud but that's young people for you".

Michael Fletcher said he had happy memories of the "heaving" Magic Bus

The 142, 143 and 147 Magic Bus routes along Wilmslow Road have been replaced by yellow-liveried Bee Network buses.

Passengers can only buy the standard £2 ticket since fares were simplified across the region.

Mr Fletcher told BBC Radio Manchester Wilmslow Road used to be "heaving" with students of a morning, waiting to get on.

He said Magic Buses were there "in abundance", adding "once you filled up with passengers, you didn't stop".

The Magic Bus' blue and yellow liveries have disappeared from Manchester.

Rob Jones, managing director of Stagecoach Manchester said the Magic Bus was set up as a "new concept".

The provider wanted it to "stand out from the crowd, and used older parts of the fleet so it could afford to offer lower fares", he said.

One of Stagecoach's low floor double-decker Magic buses, will be donated to the Museum of Transport to "ensure its place in Manchester's transport history", a spokesperson said.

The last Magic Bus of the day usually came between 03:00 and 04:00.

In 2010, a Facebook petition initiated by students from Manchester universities, encouraged the Magic Bus to introduce 'Wizard Wednesdays'.

This saw drivers don wizard costumes to raise awareness and funds for a prostate and testicular cancer charities in a campaign that lasted several years.