Stockport indie favourites Blossoms have released their new single, 'Additional Driver', featuring Declan McKenna, alongside a music video filmed earlier this month aboard Greater Manchester's iconic 192 bus route, which connects Manchester and Stockport.
The track comes with a distinctly Greater Manchester twist. Inspired by a real-life journey that went spectacularly wrong, the song arrives at its punchline with a simple refrain: "Should've got the 192."
A route woven into daily life
For many, the 192 is the route to work, college, university, nights out, gigs, football matches, shopping trips and family visits – a thread running through everyday life across the city-region. More than 180,000 journeys are made on the 192 every week, with 15.6 million journeys made since the service became part of the Bee Network.
Now, thanks to Blossoms, one of the region's best-known bus routes is stepping into the spotlight.
From the road to the record
TfGM's Chief Network Officer Danny Vaughan said: "For many people across Greater Manchester, the 192 is more than a bus route – it's part of daily life and part of the story of growing up, working, studying and socialising in our city-region. It's brilliant to see a hometown band like Blossoms put the route centre stage and introduce it to audiences beyond Greater Manchester. Now we can say don't just take our word for it. Listen to Blossoms and catch the 192!"
There was also one very important person behind the wheel. Ben Gamble, the Stagecoach driver who drove the 192 featured in the video, said: "I really enjoyed meeting Blossoms. They are a really good bunch of lads, very polite and chatty, and it was a pleasure to drive them around while they filmed their music video."
A new night service
As the Bee Network continues to invest in and expand bus services across Greater Manchester, a new 192 night bus is also launching, serving communities on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. So whether you're heading home after a gig, meeting friends for a night out or simply making your everyday journey, there's now an even easier way to take the route that inspired a Blossoms lyric.
The 192: a Greater Manchester icon, is now, officially, a star.
