Trip to Bury 21-05-2011

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
34029	Bury BS	Unsworth, Parr Lane/Unsworth Pole (SW-bound)‎	93	First Manchester
60273	Unsworth, Kennedy Drive/Parr Lane (nr House 2)	Bury BS	137	First Manchester
40343	Bury BS	Walshaw War Memorial	510	First Manchester
40347	Walshaw War Memorial	Bury BS	510	First Manchester
34069	Bury BS	Manchester Road, Dumers lane (Stop B)	524	First Manchester
34263	Manchester Road, Dumers lane (Stop A)	Bury BS	524	First Manchester

We asked Matthew last weekend where he would like to go this weekend and he chose Bury. Planning for this trip consisted of packing the Map and timetables we had picked up on previous trip and to take some sausage rolls with us! we set off just after 12:00 and arrived in Bury around 13:20 and we parked near to the Library. Walking towards or dinner destination we saw 40343 which we knew was required on a 510 Bolton. We ate in the Haymarket chip restaurant as per usual, and Matthew had Chips jumbo sausage and gravy with 2 rounds of bread and butter, the rest of us had pies peas and gravy. After dinner we walked to the bus station an immediately had a bit of selection problem. There were 3 First Manchester NC double deckers in and I couldn't remember which ones we had been on before! 34019 was on a 137, 34069 arrived on a 524 and 34029 was on a 93. I was convinced that we need 34019 & and 069. Matthew steered us towards 34069 but then the driver went for a break.


34069 between duties on service #524 (Matt)

I was thinking that we should do 34019 on a 137 before we could go for it, it was already leaving.


34019 departs Bury bus station (Matt)

That left 34029 on a service we had never done before. the destination blind was saying the bus was via Unsworth, so I was sure we could do something on this bus and possibly come back on a 137 which seem to produce quite a few NC double deckers. We got on the bus and booked to Unsworth.


Inside 34029 (Matt)

As we left bury bus station, 34262 came in on a 137. I got out my Bury area bus map and saw that the 137 and 93 share a route along Parr Lane. We got off at the point where the 2 route meet going South towards Manchester,


34029 departs Parr Lane, Unworth for Manchester on a service #93(Matt)

There was a co-operative food shop which Matthew visited and photographed. As we walked south looking for a stop to return to Bury, we realised there was no stop on the part of the road the two routes share going towards Bury. As we got to the junction Mercedes bus 60258 went towards Bury on a 93. At this point we decided to go onto Kennedy Drive to catch a 137. After a few minutes 34262 came around the corner from Bury going towards Manchester.


34262 on a 137 to Manchester in Kennedy Drive (Matt)

Another few minutes past and disappointingly 60273 turned up on the 137 to Bury.


60273 in Bury bus station (Matt)

Not only was this a Mercedes, but it was one of the 2 of this type that he had already travelled on! Never mind... As we were travelling back to Bury, I worked out that if we could get back to bury for 14:55, we could do the next #510 to Walshaw. We arrived back with a couple of minutes to spare and 40343 which we had already seen earlier was on stand. After a bit of kerfuffle with Matthew trying to say hello to someone, we got on the bus. It was quite full for a 510, and as he didn't get time to take a picture at Bury, I made sure he got a good picture in Walshaw.


40343 in Walshaw (Matt)

As always we didn't have to wait long for the return which was another P--- LND bus 40347. He didn't get a good shot at Walshaw, but he did photograph the empty bus when we returned to Bury.


Inside 40347 (Matt)

On getting back we were not sure what to do. We could head towards Unsworth and try to pick up one of the double deckers we saw earlier or we could maybe go to Radcliffe or to Walshaw on a Easyride bus. First bus in was 34260 on a 137, we decided not to do this,


34260 in Bury bus station on a #137 to Manchester (Matt)

There was also Ex Rock Ferry bus 61141 on a 98, and then 34069 returned from working a 524 to Bolton. On arrival the driver went on break. We decided to wait and eventually a new driver turned up. As we didn't have loads of time, we decide to do this onto the Manchester Road and then wait up to 15 minutes to catch something back. We did the bus down the A56 and just as it turned towards Radcliffe we got off.


34069 disappears towards Radcliffe on a #524 to Bolton (Matt)

On the way down we passed a Mercedes single decker going the other way so we thought the 524 would be out of the way. We walked around the corner to the bus stop on the A56. With services 93,135,137 and 524 all going past towards Bury we didn't think we would have to wait long for a bus. We saw several buses heading South including Ex Rock ferry bus 61141. Eventually the next bus that turned up was a 524. A double decker appeared to the side of the road about to turn into the A56. The bus turned out to be dud 34263.


34263 on a service #524 to Bury (Matt)

We did this short run back to Bury and then Matthew photographed the empty lower deck as we left the bus.


Inside 34263 (Matt)

We then had a few minutes in the bus station taking picture before we met uo with mum. Matthew took a picture of the departing 34263. Also seen in this period were 60184 and 60338 on Ramsbottom circulars, and 34291 and 34294 on 98 Manchester buses.



60184 in Bury bus station (Matt)

After we met up with mum, we retired to the car for the sausage rolls that we had brought with us. The drive home was fairly uneventful and we filled up with LPG in Longport... (Mark)