Trip to Wigan / Westhoughton 05-01-2013

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
27824	Wigan BS	Pemberton, o/s House 563 Ormskirk Road/Enfield Street‎	628	Stagecoach Manchester
2972	Pemberton, o/s House 563 Ormskirk Road/Enfield Street‎	Wigan BS	395	Arriva NW&W
13805	Wigan BS	Westhoughton, Market St/Westhoughton Town Hall (Stop F)	540	Stagecoach Manchester
27823	Westhoughton, Market St/Westhoughton Church (Stop E)	Daisy Hill, Leigh Road/Hartford Road (S-bound)	540	Stagecoach Manchester
21173	Daisy Hill, Leigh Road/Daisy Hill Station (Stop A)	Westhoughton, Market St/Westhoughton Church (Stop D)	540	Stagecoach Manchester
21239	Westhoughton, Market St/Westhoughton Church (Stop E)	Wigan BS	540	Stagecoach Manchester

Today we decided to go back to Wigan. No research was done or the trip other than to check out the weather and where Wigan Athletic were playing. It was forecast for sunny intervals and unseasonably warm weather of 10' C. We set off around 12:00 and we headed past The Hem Heath pub and along Stanley Matthews Way. We joined the westbound A50 and then onto the Northbound A500. We then joined the Northbound M6. Traffic was clear today and we made good time up to Wigan. Just before we reached the turn onto the A49 we caught up with a coach. It was Sea View Coaches 126 (PN57 CVU) we guessed that it was for Bournemouth supporters for their FA cup tie at the DW Stadium. When we reached the A49 traffic into was slow due to the match. We parked up near the bus station and then set of to the Courtyard Cafe. As we walked up we saw Arriva NW&W 4100 on a #385 to Southport.

Arriva NW&W 4100 leaving Wigan bus station

We carried on past the bus station and up to the cafe. Today Matthew had a breakfast and then he also had a chocolate fudge cake with custard or afters. Matthew finally finished his food and we got into the bus station around 14:00. There was nothing obvious to catch when we got into the bus station, so we walked to the bottom to take a few pictures. One of these pictures was of Arriva NW&W 2680 on the #362 to Chorley.

Arriva NW&W 2680 in Wigan bus station

Ater a few minutes, Stagecoach Transfer into Wigan, 22353 arrived and it had #628 on the front. I asked Matthew if he wanted to do it and he said yes. We walked up to the #628 stop and there was a new vehicle at the stop. We decided to this anyway as then we could view some of the other buses on #621/628 as we went around. This other bus was required Stagecoach Manchester 27824. We got on and booked our System One tickets (£5) and sat down near the back. I asked Matthew if he wanted to do this to Pemberton and he agreed. We headed o towards Kitt Green and the traffic was quite bad as we came close to the DW Stadium. There were dozens of football fans walking towards the stadium too. After we passed the stadium area the traffic eased. We quickly made our way through the quieter streets of Kitt Green and Norley Hall until we turned onto Ormskirk Road and got off. Matthew then got a picture of Stagecoach Manchester 27824.

Stagecoach Manchester 27824 in Pemberton

We looked at the timetable on the stop and the next bus due was an inbound #395 service. Bang on time required Arriva NW&W 2972 appeared, Matthew got the shot of this as i flagged the bus down.

Arriva NW&W 2972 in Pemberton

we sat down and the bus set off. We passed Arriva NW&W 2702 on a #395 Ormskirk service. We also saw dud Stagecoach Manchester Dennis Arrow 13805 arriving from Bolton on a #540 service. I asked Matthew if he wanted to do this and he said yes. When we got into Wigan bus station, Matthew got a picture of the inside of Arriva NW&W 2972.

Inside Arriva NW&W 2972

As we walked over to the Bolton Stand we saw required Arriva NW&W 4093 on a #715 to Bolton. We had a quick change of plan. We decided to do 4093. We got a picture from the rear at the crossing and as we were about to walk over to catch it, it pulled off! We stood and watched the bus go around the end before heading back to Bolton. We got another picture of this bus from the front.

Arriva NW&W 4093 in Wigan bus station

As the bus passed we saw the destination display that it was via Westhoughton. remembered that the #540 also went via Westhoughton, so maybe we could head it off? 13805 was due off 10 minutes later at 15:00 so we had a short wait for 13805 to be readied or service. Just before 15:00 13805 pulled onto the stand and we got on. We went upstairs of course and Matthew got his empty bus picture.

Inside Stagecoach Manchester 13805

We had not been on this bus since we dropped on it when it worked the #510 to Bolton from Bury back in February 2011. I remembered last time we rode on this bus the ride seemed a little unpleasant. Today the bus had little condensation on the windows this time and the ride didn't feel quite as bad as it did back then. I looked at the timetable or both the #540 and the #715 and it looked like Arriva 4093 would return to Westhoughton around 16:10. The journey up was 40 minutes which was 10 minutes slower than the Arriva journey. As we left 10 minutes later we were never going to catch it up Bolton bound! We headed through Hindley and up Daisy Hill and we reached Westhoughton around 15:40.

Stagecoach Manchester 13805 in Westhoughton

We got of by a co-op and we had spotted a toilet by the previous stop, so the plan was to visit the co-op or supplies and lottery tickets and then walk down to the toilets. Matthew chose a couple o chocolate bars and drinks and I sorted out the lottery tickets. I asked Matthew if we were winning the lottery tonight and he said "yes". We walked down to the market the market here we saw the toilets and Matthew used the facilities here. We crossed over the road to wait or the #715 and it was at this point that I wished I checked the timetable at the stop. I had got it in my head that the bus was due at 16:20 when it ws in fact due at 16:10! We saw a #540 to wigan approaching and I thought we had 30 minutes so we could probably do it to Daisy Hill for something back. The bus was required Stagecoach Manchester 27823 and Matthew got a picture as it approached.

Stagecoach Manchester 27823 in Westhoughton

We got on and the bus set off. We passed a South lancs Travel bus on a #516 service and then we got off just South of Daisy Hill railway station. It was 16:00 and it was starting to go dark. We walked up to the northbound stop and looked at the timetable. Buses were due at 15:55 (516) 16:00 (540) and 15:15 (540). We had passed the #516 but we hadn't passed anything since, so we assumed the next bus would be the 16:00. We waited until around 15:08 and we thought that we were going to miss the 16:20... The next 540 appeared from around the corner and it was required Stagecoach Manchester 21173.

Stagecoach Manchester 21173 in Daisy Hill

We sat down or the short journey back to Westhoughton. A GM official was surveying passenger on what tickets they were using. We got into town around 16:15 and then got off the bus. We saw Arriva NW&W 894 on a Bolton bound #715 and then we crossed over to the stop. I checked the timetable and realised the #715 was at 16:10! We had probably missed it... If we had gotten off earlier and caught the #516, if the 15:00 from Daisy Hill had been on time or if we would have just stayed put would have gotten Arriva NW&W 4093! I thought we had better catch the next bus as it was now fully dark. The next bus was required Stgecoach Manchester 21239 on a #540.

Stagecoach Manchester 21239 in Westhoughton

I checked to see if we could catch up 4093 at Wigan, but once gain e would miss it by 10 minutes! The journey back was in full darkness, and it took 40 minutes. When we got back Matthew got his empty bus picture.

Inside Stagecoach Manchester 21239

We met up with mum and then we decided to walk back to the car via dorning Street to look for parked buses. On Hallgate were Stagecoach Manchester 16957 & 36799. On Dorning Street was Stagecoach Manchester 22404.

Stagecoach Manchester 22404 in Dorning Street

Also on Dorning Street was Arriva NW&W 2677.

Arriva NW&W 2677 in Dorning Street

We got back to the car and tucked into sausage rolls and drank cans of Barr Shandy. We set off around 17:20 and went down Dorning Street on onto Frog Lane. W then headed through the one way system to Wigan Pier. As we passed the depot we saw Wigan Coachways N216 TDU, a 57 seater school bus. We then headed South down the Saddle relief road and onto the A49. We ten headed south down the M6 to the North end of the A500. We then headed down the A500 to the A50 and we came off at Longton so that we could go past the Z Carz depot. First in the row was coach V690 EBC.

Z Carz V690 EBC in Longton

Then was Mercedes minibus (as seen on TV )T131 SGA.

Z Carz T131 SGA in Longton

There other Mercedes minibus BV51 BNO was also present.

Z Carz BV51 BNO in Longton

last but not least, coach D104 XAN.

Z Carz D104 XAN in Longton

We then went down Longton Hall Road, letting out First Potteries 40143 on a #22. We then headed home seeing First Potteries 40145 one of the other 2 #22 diagrams. We got home around 18:20. We had sausage and mash with carrots for a late tea and Matthew chilled out before bedtime...Mark