Trip to Ellesmere Port & Chester 02-01-2010

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
2435	Ellesmere Port BS	Chester BS	401	Arriva NW&W
50025	Chester BS	Plas Newton Lane	51	First Potteries
50025	Plas Newton Lane	Chester BS	51	First Potteries

Matthew started the Christmas holidays with Flu, and was in bed for most of the first week. After the Christmas itself, I was working and the weather was awful, so we were only able to take Matthew to some nearby shop where he took a few bus pictures. In order to make sure Matthew got at least one good trip out, mum arrange to have the weekly shop delivered between 18:00 - 20:00, which should give us plenty of time to take Matthew to Ellesmere port & Chester.

Setting off at around 12, the sky was a little bit dark, although the forecast for the Chester area was suppose to sunshine and snow showers. By the time we got onto the M6 it was black skies, heavy snow and poor visibility due to spray! Having fought our way through the storm, it was sunny by the time we reached Ellesmere. Even though it was sunny, the wet floors and the only just above freezing temperatures made dining al fresco at the Grace Arms a non starter today. Instead we opted for the Cafe on the high street, which we have been once before. Matthew chose a brunch (Breakfast and chips) with extra hash browns...



Brunch... (Matthew)

Matthew also checked out the toilets at the cafe, as he often does and found a different sink that he had not seen before.



Fordham Sink... (Matthew)

After dinner we drove to Asda, so mum could go shopping, and Matthew could go to the bus station. We spent about 3/4 here in the cold awaiting a 401 to Chester, in which time Matthew took a few bus pictures. During this time we saw a doudle decker on a #401, but it was heading in the opposite direction...:-(



Arriva North West & Wales 3308 on a Liverpool bound #401. (Matthew)

Eventually 2435 turned up on #401 ,a little more crowded than usual, probably because it was late!



2435 at Chester on the #401 back to Liverpool (Mark)

Once we got to Chester at around 15:00 Matthew stood in his usual spot and took pictures. The highlights of this trip were GHA bus N9_GHA, and GHA bus Dennis dart M166 XMA



N9 GHA on the #82 at Chester bus station. (Mark)



M166 XMA on the #H4 at Chester bus station. (Mark)

Mum got to Chester at around 16:00, and the plan was to let Matthew choose a bus to catch and I was going to pick them up from a convenient point. Having just missed being able to catch M166 XMA, Matthew chose to catch First PMT bus 50025. the bus was displaying Kingsway on the roller blind and had a Plas Newton board in the front window. Assuming it was a #53 Kingsway, I had told mum to take him to Gorse Stacks where I would pick them up. Unfortunately after I had left them they found out that the bus was a #51 Plas Newton, which did not stop at gorse Stacks! Mum decide to do the full circuit, and I said I would get the lottery and met them back at the bus station...



50025 on the #51 Plas Newton at Chester bus station. (Mark)

Matthew and mum got back just before 17:00 and we set off home via a petrol station. Back on the M6 we encountered heavy traffic due to an accident! We eventually got back home at 18:50 to find out that Asda had tried to deliver the shopping at 18:35...Drat!