| Bus | From | To | Service | Operator |
| 27 | Crewe BS | Crewe railway station | 127 | D&G |
| 92 | Crewe railway station | Crewe BS | 85 | D&G |
| 23 | Crewe BS | Sandbach, Military Arms PH (o/s) | 38 | D&G |
| 41 | Sandbach Common | Crewe BS | 38 | D&G |
Another short trip out we arranged last weekend after he cam out of respite. Given a choice of Stafford or Crewe, Matthew choose Crewe. I think he was hoping to ride on some more Winsford based double deckers, but unlike anywhere else nearby Chesire East council decided to run a mainly Sunday service on Good Friday. This meant that the 38 would be D&G. Also, the fridays only #127 to Chesteron was down to run today. Having seen what was happening we persuaded Matthew to have a D&G day today. We set off around 12:00 but it took longer than expected to get in to Crewe town centre as people were forced to drive into town by a lack of public transport. As we passed the railway station we passed D&G long Solo 36 on a 38. We parked up in Delamere Street and Walked across to the bus station. As we only has around 25 minutes before the 13:15 chesterton, we could not eat in and we decided to share a potion of chips and 2 cans of coke from Les's fish and chips shop. As ever the chips were very nice! With 3 D&G buses laying over, we guessed correctly that the #127 would be the short Solo 27. A few minutes before it's 13:15 departure, D&G 27 moved onto it's book stand #2.
27 on the 127, D&G Optare Solo works the FO #127 Chesterton service (Matt)
On the bus Matthew photographed the maroon coloured seat moquette, not dissimalr to some in the bakerbus and Wardle's fleets.
D&G 27 moquette (Matt)
The bus filled up quite well, and Matthew was having trouble with hay fever and runny eye. A kind lady gave Matthew a few tissues to dab his eye with, so if you ever read this thank you again! When we got to The railway station we bailed off not quite sure what we catch back.
27 departs to Staffordshire from Crewe railway station (Matt)
As we got off the bus the Morecombe team coach went past Which Matthew got a picture of.
Options Irizar bodied Scania K2 PRS, the Morecombe team coach (Matt)
We crossed the road and waited for a return bus, We must have already past the 38 due at 13:26 and we worked out that the next bus would be a #85 Newcastle Crewe, fortunately also a D&G bus. As we waited a small contingent of morecombe fans cam out of the station in Hawaiin shirts and shorts. The gave a small chant as they passed...
"we want to go home,
We want to go home.
Crewe's a s**thole,
We want to go home."
Not a chant I wholly agree with, but it did make me smile. D&G 41 went passed on another 38 Macclesfield. A short while later D&G bus 92 appeared on the #85
D&G 92 at Crewe railway station (Matt)
A short journey later we were back at the bus station. As the bus emptied out Matthew took a picture of the inside of the bus.
inside D&G 92 (Matt)
When we got back and realised that there was a 35 minute wait for the next 38, however D&G 23 pulled in displaying 38. We realised that because of the traffic the buses were unable to keep up the correct timing and therefore they were using an extra bus to lay over to make sure the Crewe Macclesfield departure left on time. The bus pulled up and pulled off and sat adjacent until a few minute before 14:35.
23 on the D&G #38 Macclesfield service in Crewe bus station (Matt)
Have D&G been acquiring a few newer vehicles recently then, I don't remember them having so many newer Solos? I was last down in Crewe in 2009 I think and I saw a lot of early low floor Darts and Mercedes minis
23 on the D&G #38 Macclesfield service at sandbach Common (Matt)
2498 on the 37E Northwich service (Matt)
Sorry about the slight delay in replying, it has been a busy weekend...
In a word yes
according to D&G's published fleet list http://www.dgbus.co.uk/fleetlist.htm all 3 buses operating the 38 on Friday are new to D&G as is 27 which was on the Fridays only 127 service. There has been discussion of this on the Yahoo Staffordshire and Merseyside bus group and I believe there is a relatively up to date fleet list available there.
A couple of years ago they had a batch of Solos in Cheshire Connect livery (64-69) which were not new but consecutively registered, presumable on loan from Cheshire East county Council. I'm sure we saw another on Friday (62)
last year in buses magazine in an article on D&G, the boss was talking about the fuel efficiency of Mercedes minibuses and the fact that these were going to have to be replaced probably by then end of 2010. I can only assume that the Solos are giving them a slight competitive edge over running Darts.
37E Northwich (Matt)
41 on the D&G #38 Crewe service (Matt)
inside D&G 41 (Matt)
41 lays over between #38's in Crewe service (Matt)
In the cafe on the town side of the bus station, we bought Matthew a portion of chips, and mum had a Derby scone which Matthew also pinched. During the day and during our snack it had been noted that service seemed to have a few working. We missed as we finished our meal so we waited for the next #X37. this turned out to be another of the Mercedes minibus. A moved was
We up to the bus station, met with mum and went back to the car for sausage rolls...
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