Trip to St Helens 21-01-2012

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
7559	St Helens BS	Eccleston, adj Knowles House Avenue	35	Arriva NW&W
677	Eccleston, adj Millwood Avenue	St Helens BS	35	Arriva NW&W
2102	St Helens BS	Burnage Avenue, Four Acre Lane	32	Arriva NW&W
2702	Burnage Avenue, Four Acre Lane	St Helens BS	33	Arriva NW&W

Matthew has been away for a few days in respite and we didn't plan a trip this weekend. Having given Matthew a choice of places for today, Matthew chose St Helens We have never been before so we did not have much time to do research. Research consisted of a quick look up of directions for St Helens (just off the M6), and a quick look on the Merseytravel website. We saw that there was a travel office and it was open on Saturdays so we knew we could buy Saveaway tickets and get timetables. We set of around 11:30 today on a sunny but very old and windy day. We traveled out via The incinerator at Sideway and we also picked up LPG at Longport. Setting off North, we joined the M6 and traveled up to the A580. We decided to stop at Haydock on the way in and stop a chip shop. Using an App on her phone, mum located the chip shop as we traveled in. The Crisp E Cod in Haydock is situated just of the A580, and also on the bus route for the #20/#320 too. We had Small Fish and Peas twice and Chips, Sausage and Gravy twice. Along with 3 cans of pop it came to around £11. We sat and ate the chips in the car and watched the buses go past. There was a variety of buses including Scanias, pulsars and Volvo B10's. The fish was very nice and so were the peas! After eating we carried on into St Helens along the A58, parking up in the car park near the bus station around 13:10. When we got into town we purchase some Saveaway tickets, picked up a few timetables and then had a quick toilet stop. whilst passing the bus station we saw Arriva NW&W 1049. We then headed into the bus station and we saw 7559 & 7564 a Dart on a #35 services We decided to do 7559 to Gillars Green. We booked to the end and when we reached there a short time later, Matthew got a picture of the inside of the bus. We had passed 7559 on the way up too...

Inside Arriva NW&W 7559 at Gillars Green

We got off and Matthew got a picture of the outside too..

7559 at Gillars Green

As we had caught the #35 we had an approximate wait of 20 minutes. We had decided that if was something good we would go to St Helens Junction station, else we would get off back at the bus station. If Required, the next bus was going to be Matthew's 100th recorded Arriva NW&W bus, so we were hoping it was going to be something good. It turned out to be a Solo.. 677!

100! Arriva NW&W 677 at Gillars Green

I had tried to get Mathew to do a Peter Couch style celebration, but he wasn't interested :-). Anyway, we decided to go back just as far as St Helens bus station. On the way we passed 7571. When we arrived Matthew got another picture.

677 in St Helens Bus Station

At this point we were looking for something else to do. We knew 7571 was coming in Shortly. I went to get a St Helens bus map which I forgot to pick up before and Matthew took some more pictures. When I came out we saw 7650 arrive back in town.

7650 in St Helens Bus Station

We then saw 7571 arrive on a St Helens Junction bound service.

7571 in St Helens Bus Station

We were about to catch 7571 when Matthew spotted a wrinkly (original) Dart on a 32 to Clockface. We walked over to the bus and seeing it was required 2102 we got on. After asking the driver about the frequency, we booked to Clockface as there was a bus at least every 20 minutes depending on where we got off. After a short journey we appeared to passed the end point as the driver changed the blind. so we got off. Matthew took a picture of the rear step as we got off, also showing the blue Smartie seat moquette.

Inside Arriva NW&W 2102 at Clockface

As we got off Matthew got a picture of the outside.

2102 on Burnage Avenue

Consulting the bus stop timetable there didn't seem to be a #32 return from here. There was however a 10 minute frequency #33 back to town. We had a few minute so we crossed the road to look at the other stop. This stop had no information so we weren't sire if it was in use. Back at the original stop after a short while required Volvo B10 2702 appeared.

2702 on Burnage Avenue

We did this bus back which seemed to take a similar route back into town as the #32. We immediate passed a reverse #33 which was a Scania. The bus emptied out as we entered town bus as it is a through service somebody got on. As we got off Matthew took a picture of the inside of the nearly empty bus,

Inside 2702

He then got a picture of the outside of 2702 in the bus station.

2702 in St Helens Bus Station

We also saw Arriva NW&W Dennis Dart 2274. No trip to St Helens would be complete without a picture of one of their Scanias. 1061 was seen on a #34 as we got off in the bus station

1061 in St Helens Bus Station

It was now around 15:40 and it was very cold and windy. We headed back to the car taking pictures as we went. There were sausage rolls waiting for us of course! We set of around 15:45 and just caught the last minute of the First half of the Stoke game on the Radio. Back onto the A580, we were on the M6 in no time. We saw coach MIB 246 on the M6. We got off the M6 at junction 15 and headed South down the A500, passing near The Britannia Stadium we listened as Stoke came back into the game, and then lost in the dying seconds to West Brom. We stopped in Blurton for lottery tickets and pop and we got home just before 17:00...Mark