I took a job at Preston Bus Station at 16 - now I'm marking 50 years serving the community
Mohmed Hanif Panchbhahya, known as Panchy, marks five decades in the bus industry, starting from his days as a parcel lad at Preston Bus Station.
A Preston bus driver is celebrating an extraordinary milestone, after beginning his career at just 16 years old.
Known to his Stagecoach colleagues as Panchy, Mohmed Hanif Panchbhahya started his journey at Preston Bus Station as a parcel lad.
He explained: “I started when I was 16. They used to do parcels in those days. I used to put parcels on the buses and internal mail.”
What began as a job in his teenager years gradually became a remarkable, lifelong career, with the now-66-year-old also working as a conductor before becoming a driver.
“You had to be 18 to be a conductor and 21 to be a driver. So I did about two and a half years in the parcel office, then two and a half years as a conductor, and since 1980 I’ve been driving at Preston Depot all the time,” Mohmed said.
Originally from India, Mohmed moved to Preston with his parents when he was five years old and has lived in the town since 1967. Throughout his career, he has remained based in the same area.
When the grandfather-of-three began his career, the company was known as Ribble Motor Services. Stagecoach then took over in the late 1980s.
Reflecting on his experience working for the company, Mohmed said: “I’ve had no complaints. You get your ups and downs — it’s normal life. Sometimes you have a good day, sometimes you have a bad day. Managers come and go, but that’s just how it is.”
Although officially retired, Mohmed continues to drive, with no immediate plans to stop.
“I’m supposed to be retiring — I got my pension in June 2025 — but health-wise I’m fine, so I just take it day by day. I’ve got a good rapport with my workmates and I enjoy my time at work. I might cut down my hours later on, maybe in a couple of years, and see how we go,” he said.
Tom Waterhouse, managing director of Stagecoach Cumbria and North Lancashire, said everyone at Stagecoach is “incredibly proud” of Mohmed, noting: “50 years of service is an extraordinary achievement.”
“His dedication, reliability and commitment to serving the people of Preston over five decades is truly commendable. Panchy is a much-valued member of the depot team.
“On behalf of Stagecoach, I would like to thank Mohmed for his outstanding contribution and congratulate him on this remarkable career,” he added.