Trip to Middleton / Oldham 07-12-2013

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
16949	Middleton BS‎‎	Moston, before Moston Lane/Leighton Street	112	Stagecoach Manchester
516	Moston, opp Moston Lane/Blue Bell	Middleton BS	112	JPT
69420	Middleton BS	Oldham BS	58	First Manchester
40364	Oldham BS	Middleton Junction, Greengate/Middleton Junction (Stop D)‎	415	First Manchester
171	Middleton Junction, Greengate/Middleton Junction (Stop D)	Moston, o/s Moston Lane/Moston Cemetery	112	JPT
154	Moston, opp Moston Lane/Moston Cemetery‎	Middleton Junction, Greengate/Middleton Junction (Stop C)‎‎	112	JPT
27599	Middleton Junction, Greengate/Middleton Junction (Stop C)‎‎	Middleton BS	112	Stagecoach Manchester

Today we decided to return to Middleton. We only decided to go the night before and the only research we did was to check which First Darts are still operating from Oldham depot on the Dennis Dart Forum and of course to check the weather, which was for cloudy and cool. Matthew got up around 10:00 and had toast and orange juice for breakfast. We set off around 11:30 and we headed onto the A5035 and then onto Stanley Matthews Way. We carried on to the Westbound A50 and then onto the Northbound A500 which we did up to Shelton New Road. we picked up LPG and then we headed West on the A53 and back onto the Northbound A500. When we reached the M6we hit traffic. We passed Hollinshead Coaches RIL 1017 going South presumably heading to today's Stoke match. As headed North the matrix displays were warning of 3 different traffic problems. The A556 North was busy, the M62 East was busy as was he M6 North of Warrington. I made an executive decision to go onto the M56 Eastbound. We did the M6 up to Lymm services and then headed East on the M56. We hit a few odd pockets of traffic on the M60 anti clockwise but it was generally plain sailing up to Junction 19 and onto the A576. We drove the last couple of miles into Middleton and then we parked up near to MacDonalds. We walked through the pedestrian area and matthew visited the toilet in the bookies before we went to the pavement cafe adjacent to the bus station. Matthew had a bacon barm and some fries washed down with a can of Coke. Whilst we ate we saw dud First Manchester 40406 on one of the #415 turns. After we had had something to eat we walked to the bus station to see what we could catch. One of the first buses we saw was required JPT Dart 154.

JPT 154 in Middleton bus station

We had another quick walk around and then we spotted required Stagecoach Manchester 16949 on a #80 service.

Stagecoach Manchester 16949 in Middleton bus station

A quick check of the destination board by the stop revealed that the #80 went through Moston, so we got on and booked our System One tickets. Matthew photographed the inside of the downstairs before of this bus before we went upstairs and sat down.

Inside Stagecoach Manchester 16949

Upstairs Matthew photographed the upstairs too before the bus set off out of town. The #80 route seems to be more direct than the #112 and we got down to Moston in no time, passing JPT 513 and 512 on #118 services. When we were approaching the Blue Bell we got up and got off the bus. Across the road was required Stagecoach Manchester 22362 on a #112 but new knew we wouldn't get across the road in time to catch it so we got a picture of it instead. After we crossed over the road we saw JPT 182 going in the other direction. We then saw an unfamiliar looking JPT double decker approaching so we decided to flag it down. As it got closer we saw it was required JPT 516 on a #112 to Middleton.

JPT 516 in Moston

We got on the bus and went upstairs. The bus carried on Northwards and headed into town via Greengate and Middleton Junction. We headed along Grimshaw Lane and into town. Just before we reached the town centre we passed dud First Manchester 40369 on an another #415 turn.When we got to Middleton bus station Matthew got a picture inside JPT 516 with it's Arriva past well and truly obvious with its turquoise interior.

Inside JPT 516

We got off the bus and Matthew took another picture of this bus as it waited it's next #112 turn.

JPT 516 in Middleton bus station

We then had a quick walk around the bus station taking pictures. First we saw required Stagecoach Manchester 22131 on the #80 to Manchester.

Stagecoach Manchester 22131 in Middleton bus station

We then saw required first Manchester 41788 on the #415 to Oldham.

First Manchester 41788 in Middleton bus station

We had a quick walk around the shopping centre. We visited Wilkinson where we brought some cans of pop and a large Galaxy Caramel. We then walked back into the bus station. Spotted across the way was required First Manchester 69420 on a #58 to Rochdale.

First Manchester 69420 in Middleton bus station

We decided to do this up to Oldham. We got on and sat down near the back. The bus wasn't full but there wasn't anywhere he could photograph inside the bus apart from the adjacent empty seats.

Inside First Manchester 69420

The bus waited for a few minutes, and whilst we waited we saw required First Manchester 40364 on the final #415 turn. We had turned this bus down last time we had seen it back in October. We set off along through Chadderton and then up into Oldham. As we climbed the bank in Oldham bus station we passed required First Manchester 34093 which was running out of service in the opposite direction. When we got to Oldham, Matthew got another picture of First Manchester 69420.

First Manchester 69420 in Oldham bus station

First Manchester 41788 arrived too. The #415 route take longer to get to Oldham than the #58 due to it's indirect route. Matthew had a picnic adjacent to the bus station which consisted of some squares off his Galaxy Caramel and his small bottle of Coke. We then visited the toilet before walking around the other part of the bus station taking pictures. We walked back up to the level end of the bus station and we visited the newsagent where Matthew brought more pop and chocolate bars. We were eying up a #184 towards Manchester, but his was going away from Middleton so we had to turn it down. Required First Manchester 40364 came in and I persuaded him that it would be a good idea to do this bus as he might not get another chance to do it with ADL Darts arriving in Ashton from Devon and Cornwall. We got a picture of this bus before walking around and getting on it.

First Manchester 40364 in Oldham bus station

We got on the bus and sat down near the back. The set off om time at 15:40 and we headed down the bank towards the college. We passed another First Manchester Olympian, required 34091 heading into the bus station running out of service. It was starting to go dark and as we headed through Chadderton we passed broken down First Manchester 40369. We decided to get off the bus and not do it all the way to Middleton over the speedbumps. This also gave us a chnace to get a few extra buses in before we went home. The bus empty a little and I took a picture inside First Manchester 40364.

Inside First Manchester 40364 (Mark)

We turned the corner at Middleton Junction and we got up and got off the bus. We decided to head South towards Moston so we could get at least another 2 buses in before we went home. We didn't have to wait for long before we saw a JPT Excel approaching. We knew it was going to be required as we have never done any of there Excels previously. It turned out to be required JPT 171.

JPT 171 in Middleton Junction

We got on the bus and we sat down near the back. We headed down Greengate and after the bus had dropped a driver off at the Stagecoach depot Matthew got a picture inside the bus facing forwards with its turquoise coloured seats.

Inside JPT 171

We carried on down to Moston, intending to get off at the Bluebell, but we ended up getting off off a stop too soon in the darkness. As JPT 171 headed South Matthew got a better picture of this bus.

JPT 171 in Moston

We crossed the road to wait for a bus and we didn't have to wait long.I was going to leave the approaching bus as I thought it was a First bus heading in the wrong direction. When we saw it was a JPT #112 bus I flagged it down. It turned out to be required JPT 154 which we had seen earlier in the day. We got on and sat down near the back. The bus emptied out behind us and Matthew took a picture of the interesting maroon coloured seats.

Inside JPT 154

As wehad now got a picture inside JPT 154, I asked Matthew if he wanted to get off at the junction and wait for the next 112. He said yes and we bailed at stop C. The bus set off towards the junction and Matthew got another picture of JPT 154.

JPT 154 in Middleton Junction

We only had to wait a few minutes and we saw a Stagecoach bus approaching. It got closer and we saw it was required Stagecoach Manchester 27599. We got on and sat down near the back. We phoned mum to arrange to meet her at the bus station and then we got caught in the roadworks for a few minutes longer than we expected. We eventually got to the bus station and waited for the bus to empty so Matthew could get a picture inside Stagecoach Manchester 27599.

Inside Stagecoach Manchester 27599

We met up with mum. Matthew took a picture of Stagecoach Manchester 27599 before heading off to the toilet.

Stagecoach Manchester 27599 in Middleton bus station

After using the toilet we had another walk around the shopping centre and Matthew had 80p worth of pic 'n' mix from a stall near the door. We walked back to the car where there were sausage rolls and drinks waiting for us. We set off down the A576 and onto the clockwise M60. Radio Stoke came into range and we found out that Stoke had beaten Cheslsea 3-2! We did this around past Stockport and onto the M56. We passed SLK Travel X521 EBU and we saw the matrix signs say that the Southbound A556 was busy. We also passed another unidentified carvers coach We did the M56 to Lymm services and then headed on the the M6 to avoid the A556. On the M6 we overtook a Skills double decker, S451 ATV which was full of people dressed as Santa's and Elves... On the A500 we passed Stanways J70 SWC presumably coming away from the Britannia Stadium. We then headed up to Longton on the A50 so that we could see what was parked up at Z Carz. There were only three vehicles on the spare ground today. The first was scania Coach D104 XAN.

Z Carz D104 XAN in Longton

Next to this was Matthews old school transport LDV minibus M420 UEH.

Z Carz M420 UEH in Longton

Last but not least was Mercedes minibus W221 CDN. We turned the corner to see what was in the compound. The only bus there was long term SORN LDV minibus T408 JUX. We turned the car around and Matthew got another picture of W221 CDN.

Z Carz W221 CDN in Longton

We headed back home along the A50 to Heron Cross before entering Blurton Along Blurton Road. T2 DLT was parked up at the Lightning house and we reached home at 18:10. It was my works Xmas do and mum dropped me off in Newcastle. I went along the A5035 and A34. For a late tea Matthew had chicken popcorn from Chunky Chicken as I wasn't around to cook tea. A few late night First Potteries sightings in Newcastle were 37159 on a #25 to Keele, 60068 on the #37 to Meir and 40015 on the #22 to Longton. Matthew then chilled out on his computer until bedtime around 01:00. He stayed up late to make sure I got home safely...Mark