Trip to Leek 17-08-2010

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
L809 CJF	Leek BS	Leek Haregate	165	Clowes Coaches
L809 CJF	Leek Haregate	Leek BS	165	Clowes Coaches
M129 YCM	Leek BS	Macclesfield Business Park	108	Clowes Coaches

Matthew had decided last week that he wanted to visit Leek as he hadn't been there since last December. Matthew hadn't been on a Clowes Coaches bus for over a year and we had seen that they had a new minibus on Andrew Rowland's fotopic site. The original plan was to go to Biddulph to pick up the Tuesdays Congleton - Leek. Followed by a ride on a couple of other Clowes Coaches buses. we set off at around 13:30 an arrived in Biddulph around 14:10. Due to there being major roadworks in Biddulph town centre, we decided to abandon this move. I had thought we could have picked up the bus at Norton, but mum persuaded Matthew we would be better off going straight to Leek and not catch the #195. We drove from Biddulph to Leek via Biddulph Moor and Brown Edge. Just as we arrived in the car park adjacent to Leek bus station, we spotted a Clowes Coaches bus. We knew it had to be a new bus because it was not an Alexander bodied bus and had a prominent roller blind display box. We leapt out quickly and Matthew took the two pictures below.


Matthew's first glimpse of Clowes Coasches new bus L809 CJF on Leek town service #165. (Matt)


Clowes Coasches new bus L809 CJF on Leek town service #165. (Matt)

After we had worked out that the bus was on a Leek Town service, I had discussed with Matthew if we should do this bus to Haregate and back into town on a First PMT bus. We got on the bus and left mum behind, I told her we shouldn't be more than 30 minutes...When we got to Haregate, Matthew decided he wanted to stay on the bus and do the full circuit, so when the next passengers were dropped off, I went and told the driver, flashed the pass and told her to make sure recorded the journey to make sure Clowes got paid for the journey. We arrived back at the bus station at approximately 15:35.

The next planned move was to do the 108 to Rushton Spencer. This time mum was going to travel on the bus with Matthew, and I was going to follow behind in the car and pick them up. After doing the Rushton Spencer move, we were going to return to Leek so Matthew could do the Cheadle bus. We
had approximately 30 minutes to wait for the Rushton Spencer bus, so we had a quick drink and toilet stop. After the toilet stop matthew nearly decided to break the plans by doing the 493 brown edge bus, which on this occasion was D&G 95.




Clowes Coaches M129 YCM enters Leek bus station on service #108 from Ashbourne - Macclesfield. (Matt)

Details to follow...