Trip to Bury 16-11-2013

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
37291	Bury BS	Heap Bridge, o/s Old Boars Head Bury New Road/Heap Bridge	471	First Manchester
37431	Heap Bridge, Bury New Road/Heap Bridge (W-bound)	Bury BS	163	First Manchester
30871	Bury BS	Unsworth, o/s Hse 165 Parr Lane/Kennedy Drive	93	First Manchester
60282	Unsworth, o/s Hse 204 Parr Lane/Kennedy Drive	Bury BS	93	First Manchester
106	Bury BS	Radcliffe BS	486	Rossendale Easyride
33867	Radcliffe BS	Bury BS	512	stagecoach Manchester

Today we decided to re-visit Bury for the first time in nearly a year. The last time we visited Bury there were still step entranced Volvo operating for First Manchester. We didn't do any research for this trip other than to check the weather, which was forecast for grey, overcast skies but no rain! We did find our old Bury bus map to take with us. Matthew got up around 10:00 and had some toast and orange juice for breakfast. We set off around 11:45 and we headed onto the A5035. We headed along Stanley Matthews Way and onto the A50. We then went North on the A500 and up to Etruria to pick up LPG. We got onto the Westbound A53 and then back onto the Northbound A500. The traffic seemed much clearer today, perhaps this was related to there being no Premiership and Championship football during the international break. We carried on North on the M6 and we were overtaken by Parks of Hamilton / National Express LSK 513 on a #570 to Blackpool. We then went East on the M62 and clockwise on the M60. We headed North on The M66 and then we did the last mile into Bury along the A58 through Pimhole and into town. The traffic on this road was horrendous and it took us a while to get into town. We parked up near to the library and we walked over to Radleys which Matthew requested to visit for dinner. The downstairs area was full so after Matthew had used the toilet we took a seat upstairs. Breakfast had finished serving at 11:30, so Matthew had chips sausage and beans with bread and butter. This was washed down with a bottle of Coke. The food took a while becasue they were busy, and we didn't get out of there until after 14:30. The one good thing about being there was that we were able to see what buses were around even if we couldn't identify them. We saw 69166 in Ramsbottom livery, and we also saw a Rosso double decker and a First Manchester ALX400 Volvo. After we had finished eating we went down to the end of the bus station to take a few pictures before we caught our first bus of the day. As we walked up we saw recent arrival Rosso 232 on a #494 Bury - Fishpool circular.

'Rosso' 232 in Bury transport interchange

We also saw First Manchester 69186 on a #524 Bolton service.

First Manchester 69186 in Bury transport interchange

As we had been delayed in getting some food, we had to do a bus quickly. We then saw required First Manchester 37291 on a #471 to Rochdale.

First Manchester 37291 in Bury transport interchange

We walked down to the stop and we waited for the driver change to take place. We got on the bus and booked our System One bus tickets. We then went and sat upstairs. The bus was quite full and we didn't manage to get a picture inside. The bus set off out of the bus station and onto the ring road. The bus came to a stand out the market and the traffic was very slow all the way down to the M66. We decided to get of just the other side of the M66 as we were running out of time. We got off and Matthew decided to chase after another one of the passengers getting off to say hello. He was very lucky not to scare her... We then crossedthe road to wait for the next bus back. After a couple of minutes we saw #471 service coming down the hill. Just before it reached us another bus came out of Heap Brow on a #163 from Manchester so we decided to get on that instead. It was required First Manchester 37431.

First Manchester 37431 in Heap Bridge

We got on the bus and sat down upstairs. as it was around 15:00 now the bus was nearly empty. The bus went back up the A58 into Bury. We did the trip into town much quicker than we did the trip out. As we came past the market we saw Wints Mercedes coach NIL 8261 loading up with shoppers for their return trip to the Staffordshire Moorlands. When we got back to the bus station we spotted a First Manchester ALX400 Volvo in the bus station. We waited for 37431 to empty out and Matthew got a picture inside the empty bus.

Inside First Manchester 37431

We got off the bus and we walked straight to the crossing so we could get a picture of required First Manchester 30871.

First Manchester 30871 in Bury transport interchange

The driver set the destination to #93 Manchester and we got on the bus and booked to Unsworth. We went upstairs and Matthew took a picture inside the bus.

Inside First Manchester 30871

As we waited to go we saw another First Manchester ALX400 Volvo. It was required First Manchester 30873 on a #98 to Manchester. We set off out of the bus station and we saw Wints NIL 8261 was still loading up. We went down Market Street towards Fishpool. We passed the rows of coaches parked up. we then turn onto Manchester Road and headed South. As we passed Hollins Brow we passed First Manchester 60270 on a Northbound #92 service. The #92 replaced the old #137 service, a bus that we have not been on since we went to Bury regularly back in may 2011. We carried on South and then we went East along Sunny Bank Road. When we got onto Parr Lane we got off the bus and Matthew got another picture of First Manchester 30871 as it went South towards Manchester.

First Manchester 30871 in Unsworth

We crossed the road and consulted the bus stop timetable. We had around 5 minutes to wait, which was quite fortunate as the #93 was now only a 30 minute frequency! Bang on time we saw a Mercedes Citaro heading up the hill. We knew there was a good chance of it being required as we have avoided these buses in the passed when we used to chase after the step entranced Volvo's. As it got closer we saw that it was required First Manchester 60282.

First Manchester 60282 in Unsworth

We got on the bus and we sat down near the back. The bus was nearly empty as would be expected on an inbound bus at this time of the day. The bus set off back through Unsworth and along Sunny Bank Road. The bus then went North on the A56. We turned right at Fishpool and then headed into Bury up Market Street. When we got back to the bus station we waited for the bus to empty and Matthew got a picture inside the empty First Manchester 60282.

Inside First Manchester 60282

Almost immediately we saw Ross 106 on Stand C. It was on a #486 to Radcliffe so we decided to do this bus.

'Rosso' 106 in Bury transport interchange

We got on the bus and we went upstairs. Matthew got his empty bus picture as he got on the bus.

Inside 'Rosso' 106

Matthew decided he was going to say hello to someone in the bus station.Luckily for Matthew the bus was not due to depart until 16:10, so we were able to get back on it. Whilst we waited for the bus to depart we saw Rossendale 148 on the #480 to Bolton and 147 on the #483 to Burnley. The bus set off West towards Elton and then headed North towards Ainsworth. The bus then headed South down Bradley Fold Road and dark. We crossed the A58 and headed down into Bradley Fold. We passed the garden centre, and headed into Radcliffe. At the bus station we then got another picture of Rossendale Transport 106.

'Rosso' 106 in Radcliffe bus station

After using the disabled toilet by Radcliffe Market we walked back to the bus station to see what we could catch back. The #524's seemed to be all new buses, and there wasn't a #98 imminent. There was an #512 due just before 17:00. We had seen Stagecoach Manchester 25343 & 33867 working the #512/513's so we thought it would probably be one of these required buses. Just before 17:00 required Stagecoach Manchester rolls up into the bus station.

Stagecoach Manchester 33867 in Radcliffe bus station

The bus set off out of town. The bus down had taken close to 30 minutes to get into Radcliffe, and we were a little surprised at how quick the #512 takes to get to Bury. The bus headed North East along Bury Road. We were expecting a 20-25 journey back and we were back in just over 10 minutes! When we got back Matthew waited for the bus to empty before getting a picture inside Stagecoach Manchester 33867.

Inside Stagecoach Manchester 33867

We got off the bus and we decided to have a quick walk around taking picture before we set off homeward. On Stand R was Rosso 258 on a #483 Burnley service

'Rosso' 258 in Bury transport interchange

We walked around to the other side of the Tram terminus and we saw Stagecoach Manchester 33867 parked up between duties.

Stagecoach Manchester 33867 in Bury transport interchange

As we walked back passed the end of the bus station we saw another Ross double decker. It was Rosso 103 on the #487 to Nangreaves.

'Rosso' 103 in Bury transport interchange

We headed back to the car and Matthew had a sausage roll washed down with Irn Bru. We set off back onto the ring road and then East on the A58 to The M66. We headed south onto the M60 where we headed in the anti-clockwise direction. We headed West on the M62 and then South on the M6. On the M6 we passed Chalton Minicoaches KF52 UAG. We did the M6 down to the A500. We did the A500 South passing Z carz M372 NWN going north. We did the A500 down to the A50 and then into Longton to check out the buses parked up at Z carz. There were only 2 buses on the spare ground. At the back of the site was Mercedes minibus W221 CDN VW minibus OV05 WSW

Z Carz OV05 WSW in Longton

In front of the Mercedes minibus W885 PTS was volvo coach M534 RSO.

Z Carz M534 RSO in Longton

We went passed the Willow Row compound, were LDV minibus T408 JUX was still parked at the back of the yard with it's bonnet up. We headed Down Longton Hall Road and into Blurton. We headed onto the A5035 and we got back home around 18:45. For a late tea Matthew had bangers and mash followed by cheesecake. He then chilled out on his computer until around 01:00...Mark