Trip to Rochdale 28-12-2013

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
60254	Rochdale Interchange	Shore, o/s King William Inn Shore Road/Cote Lane	454	First Manchester
60276	Shore, o/s King William Inn Shore Road/Cote Lane	Rochdale Interchange	454	First Manchester
37389	Rochdale Interchange	Castleton, o/s Shops Manchester Road/Church Inn	17	First Manchester
37289	Castleton, opp Church Manchester Road/Church Inn	Rochdale Interchange	17	First Manchester
145	Rochdale Interchange	Fairfield General Hospital, Fairfield General Hospital (SE-bound)‎	469	Rossendale Easyride
231	Jericho, o/s House 545 Rochdale Old Road/New Hall Road	Rochdale Interchange	469	Rossendale Easyride

Today we decided to re-visit Rochdale. It was the first time we had been since the new Interchange opened in November. Matthew had shown an interest in doing the #589/590 beyond the edge of Manchester, so research was done to see if there were any tickets valid across the border into West Yorkshire. The only ticket I could find was a Wayfarer, but at £11 doing that ticket would have to wait until the Summer where we could make better use of the ticket. We also researched the weather which was predicted for cold and sunny weather with occasional rain showers. Matthew got up just before 10:00 today and had toast and orange juice for breakfast. We set off around 11:30 going onto the A5035 and onto Stanley Matthew Way. We diverted into Fenton via Heron Cross to pick up uncle Dave before we carried on down onto the A500. At Shelton New Road we came off the A500 to go and pick up some LPG. After filling up we went West on the A53 and back onto the A500. We headed North on the A500 up to the M6. We had considered eating at the burger van on the last lay-by on the A500, but the van wasn't there due to it being Christmas week. Northbound on the M6 was heavy, but at least it was moving unlike on the Southbound side. We headed East on the M62 and then onto the clockwise M60. we carried on East on the M62 and then onto the M627. As we hadn't eaten earlier we diverted to the only cafe we knew and we could park near, the Mighty Bite in Castleton. Matthew had a breakfast washed down with a can in Coke. After we had finished we jumped back in the car and drove into Rochdale. We got a little lost trying to find the car park in which we wanted to park, but eventually we parked up outside the town hall. We then walked around the corner to the new bus station. We had a quick look around the bus station which is similar in design to Middleton's bus station only a little bit bigger. We then took a few pictures whilst we decided which bus to catch. The thing we photographed was Rossendale Easyride Solo 58 which was parked up between duties.

Rossendale Easyride 58 in Rochdale Interchange

After using the disabled toilet we spotted a Citaro on stand B. It was First Manchester 60254 on a #454 to Stansfield and Shore. I asked Matthew if he wanted to do the bus and he said yes. So we walked further up the bus station and he took a picture of First Manchester 60254 through the glass.

First Manchester 60254 in Rochdale Interchange

We got on and we booked our £5 System One bus only tickets and then we sat down near the back. The bus pulled out of the bus station and then went along Smith Street and then onto Entwistle Road. The bus carried on along this road and then we turned tight onto the A58. We headed East towards Littleborough and we turned into Station Street and we called at the railway station. I knew the #454 took a different route into Stansfield that the #457 did but I didn't know exactly where we were heading... We headed back onto the A58 and then up Hare Hill Road. Hare Hill Road became Shore Road and we carried on climbing up the hill we could see a distant hill to the left of us and we thought we were in the same valley as the A6033, but we were actually heading in a different direction. The bus was nearly empty now so Matthew got a picture inside the bus.

Inside First Manchester 60254

The bus came into a turning circle and we decided to get off. A quick glance at the timetable saw there 4 buses an hour from this stop. Matthew got another picture of 60254 as went back towards Rochdale.

First Manchester 60254 in Shore

A closer inspect of the timetable reveal that the bus came 3 minute and then 27 minutes apart! It was 14:39 and then next bus was due until 15:06! I was hoping that we were on the 14:36 and the we were running a few minutes late. Luckily almost as soon as the bus was out of ear shot, we heard the roar of another bus coming up the hill. It was First Manchester 60276.

First Manchester 60276 in Shore

We got on the bus and we sat down near the back. We headed back down the hill and across the A58 to Littleborough station. we then went back on the A58 and headed West towards Rochdale. We stopped at almost every stop and the bus filled up as we headed into town. We were then overtaken by First West Yorkshire 60815 on a #590 from Halifax. We carried on into Rochdale along the A58 and we passed First Manchester 40364 on a #452 Littleborough service and First Manchester 69186 on a local service. We carried on until we reached Entwistle Road and we turned left. As we crossed into Smith Street we saw 60815 again coming down John Street. When we reached the interchange Matthew let the bus empty before getting a picture inside the empty First Manchester 60276.

Inside First Manchester 60276

I asked Matthew if he wanted to do First West Yorkshire 60815 and he said no, so we had a short spell in the bus station taking picture whilst we thought about what to do next. We visited the McCoy shop in the bus station and Matthew had a can of Coke and some chocolate. We sat down on a seat and we shared most of a large bar of galaxy Caramel and Matthew had a small bottle of Vimto from out of the trip bag. had he had finished eating we walked up to the top of the of the bus station where we saw required 'Rosso' 110 on a #464 to Accrington.

Rosso 110 in Rochdale Interchange

We were considering doing 110, but the driver wasn't on the bus yet. Behind 110 on layover was First Manchester 37389.

First Manchester 37389 in Rochdale Interchange

We walked around the other side of the bus station and we saw newly repainted First Manchester 60234 on the #6 kirkholt circular service.

First Manchester 60234 in Rochdale Interchange

We then saw required First West Yorkshire arrived on the #589 from Burnley.

First West Yorkshire 66713 in Rochdale Interchange

We briefly considered doing on the newer Enviro 400's on the #409 to Ashton, but then Matthew changed his mind and decided to do First Manchester 37389 on the #17 Manchester service. We decided to do this down to Castleton to catch another #17 back again. We got on the bus and we went upstairs and sat down. There were people front and back on this bus so Matthew didn't take a picture inside. The bus set off out of the bus station and onto the Westbound A640. The bus the went onto the Westbound A58. We then headed into Castle and onto Manchester Road towards Castleton. Just after we passed the cafe at which we had eaten earlier, we got off the bus. We didn't get a very good picture of First Manchester 37389 at this point, so we crossed over the road to wait for the #17 back down to Rochdale. Matthew ate the rest of the Galaxy caramel we had started earlier and a couple of minutes later we saw a bus approaching. We could see that it was the Manchester City Transport liveried First Manchester 37289.

First Manchester 37289 in Castleton

We got on the bus and we went upstairs. The bus returned back up the Manchester Road and onto the eastbound A58. We then headed into town and into Rochdale Interchange. When the bus emptied out Matthew took a picture inside First Manchester 37289.

Inside First Manchester 37289

We now had time to do another couple of buses before we went home. Matthew visited the toilet and we had a quick look around the bus station to see what we could catch. We photographed First Manchester 60244 which was on a #6 Kirkholt circular service.

First Manchester 60244 in Rochdale Interchange

We then photographed First Manchester 33694 which was on the #182 to Manchester.

First Manchester 33694 in Rochdale Interchange

We got on the bus and we were about to go upstairs when Matthew changed his mind again and we got off. We then considered doing a West Yorkshire Volvo B7RLE on the #590. Then we saw Rossendale Easyride Dart 145 on a #469 to Jericho.

Rossendale Easyride 145 in Rochdale Interchange

We got on this bus and it was nearly empty. Matthew stood beyond the last person on the bus and took a picture of the empty rear of Rossendale Easyride 145.

Inside Rossendale Easyride 145

We sat down near the back and the bus set off out of town. We had never done a #469 so we had to rely on using the map to work out where to get off. The bus set off in a North West direction out of town up College Road. The bus then headed West along Bury Road. We saw the Rossendale bus depot in the valley to the left of us as we left town. It was now starting to go dark. We headed West to war Office Road and then we headed North up to a turning circle. The bus then went South and back onto to Bury Road. When we turn left into Fairfield General Hospital, we thought we had reached the end of the run. we asked the driver and he said he was now going forward to Bury! He told us that there were more return buses operated by First on the main road. We got off and Matthew took another picture of Rossendale Easyride 145.

Rossendale Easyride 145 in Jericho

We walked up to the main road and waited at the stop. A quick glance at the timetable revealed that there were buses every 10 minutes. Just under ten minutes later we saw a Citaro approaching from out of the darkness. It was First Manchester 60254 which we had done earlier in the day. We flagged the bus bus down and we got on. He asked us where we were going and we answered 'Rochdale' and he told us that he was only going to Jericho. We got off and the bus disappeared into the darkness. We looked at the timetable and we saw that only every third bus went to Rochdale and the other two terminated in Jericho. I thought that we were in Jericho! The next bus was another one that terminated and the bus to Rochdale wasn't until 16:58. It was cold and dark so we decided that we would catch the other bus to Jericho and the 16:58 forward so we could get out of the cold for a while. Going the other way we saw a Rossendale Solo on a #475 service which turned into the hospital and we also saw a Scania on another #469 to Bury turn in the hospital too. First Manchester 60282 came up the hill and went straight past us. The driver seemed to try and indicate he was only going a few stops up the road. Just before the bus was due we saw a #469 to Rochdale Rosssendale bus turn into the hospital. I thought the timetable may be wrong and the bus didn't call at the stop we were at. So I suggested to Matthew and uncle Dave that we ran to the next stop along the road. We were approaching the stop and and we could see the bus about to turn out of the hospital. I ran ahead to flag the bus down and Matthew and uncle Dave followed on behind me. It was required 'Rosso' 231. We got on the bus and sat down near the back. The bus headed back along Bury Road before going up to the turning circle on War Office Road. It occurred to me that this must have been where the First buses turned before retuning to Tottington! Looking at the timetable when we returned home it could be seen if we had waited where we were a few minutes that eventually there would have been a First bus to Rochdale. The bus went back South to Bury Road and back into Rochdale along College Road passed Asda and the college. When we got back into Rochdale we waited for the bus to empty before Matthew got a picture inside 'Rosso' 231.

Inside 'Rosso' 231

As we didn't get a picture as we ran down the road to catch the bus, we got a picture of 231 in the Interchange.

'Rosso' 231 in Rochdale Interchange

We had a quick look around the Interchange and Matthew visited the toilet again. We walked down to the bottom of the bus station just as First West Yorkshire 66776 arrived on the #590 from Halifax.

First West Yorkshire 66776 in Rochdale Interchange

We then walked back through the town to the car. At the car mum was waiting with sausage rolls. We set off back out of town and onto the A58. We then turned onto the M627 before heading homeward along the Westbound M62. At the M60 we went anti-clockwise to the M62 and the onto the Southbound M6. We did the M6 down to the A500. As we traveled South on the A500 we passed Z Car D104 XAN going North. We carried down to the A50. At Sideway we saw there had been an accident where a car had been crushed by a lorry. The car now looked like a convertable. We headed East on the A50 to Longton where we diverted to see the Z Carz depot. There was only one vehicle at the front of the depot, but it was a new one to Z Carz. It was a silver Van Hool bodied scania CNZ 3828, which was formerly with Ausden Clark.

Z Carz CNZ 3828 in Longton

At the back of the spare land was Z Carz minibus S952 VMY. In the willow row compound was a taxi fleet minibus YJ61 GYZ and SORN LDV minibus T408 JUX. We headed back onto the A50 and we came off at Heron Cross. We then headed come along Blurton Road and onto the A5035. We got home around 19:00. For a late tea we had mini bangers and mash with carrots followed by cheesecake. Matthew then chilled out on his computer until bedtime around 00:30..Mark