Trip to Chorley / Leyland 22-02-2014

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
33178	Chorley TI	Towngate, Tesco (Stand F)	109	Stagecoach Lancashire
47326	Towngate, opp Job Centre	Chorley TI	109	Stagecoach Lancashire
15565	Chorley TI	Whittle-le-Woods, by Hardacre Lane	125	Stagecoach Lancashire
15839	Whittle-le-Woods, by Moss Lane	Chorley TI	125	Stagecoach Lancashire
15564	Chorley TI	Whittle-le-Woods, by Foxglove Drive	125	Stagecoach Lancashire
15565	Whittle-le-Woods, by Moss Lane	Chorley TI	125	Stagecoach Lancashire

Today we decided to re-visited Chorley. We didn't chose where we were going until Friday night as we were lookng at the weather forecasts to see where the weather would be best this weekend. It seemed to be that we could go almost anywhere except west so we ruled out Chester and Birkenhead. Having chosen to go to Chorley we looked at the stagecoach website to get a map of the Chorley area and also looked up the price of the local Mega Dayrider ticket (£4.40). The weather was set to be cloud but dry. Matthew got up around 10:00 and had toast and orange juice for breakfast. We set off just after 11:30 and we drove onto the A5035 before going onto Stanley Matthews Way. We then headed onto the West bound A50. We were passed by Silverdale MV12 ODY as we got onto the roundabout at Sideway before heading North on the A500. We did the A500 to Shelton new road where we stopped to take on LPG. We headed back onto the A500 via the Westbound A53. We got onto the Northbound M6 and the traffic was moving well we headed North over the Thelwall viaduct and North beyond the M62. We came off at junction 27 and we headed East towards Standish. We had looked up a few cafe's for something to eat when we reached Chorley, and we had seen there was a cafe on A6 as you came in to Chorley from the South. So we headed over to the A6 via the A5106. We didn't see the cafe on the way in, but as we entered the town we saw a sign for a chip shop cafe. We came around and parked on the Fleet Street car park and after I had checked out the parking and the location of the chippy we walked along Fleet Street to the corner of Pall Mall. Here lies the Big Lamp chippy which has a small dinning area to one side of the shop that seats around 20. Matthew visited their toilet and he had Chips, egg and sausage with a round of bread of butter washed down with a can of Coke. After we had finished eating we walked by to the car, and I photographed some interesting stencil art on the wall as I went. We drove around to the main car park in town which is adjacent to the the Transport Interchange. The car park was very busy so we stopped and said goodbye to mum whilst she parked up the car. There was a required Dart on layover in the Interchange in the form of Stagecoach 34620. We also saw another Dart coming around and we guessed correctly that it was probably on the #109 to Preston via Leyland. It pulled onto stand and we saw it was Required Stagecoach Lancashire 33178.

Stagecoach Lancashire 33178 in Chorley Interchange

There was a driver change so we had to wait for the bus to be readied for service. In the meantime Matthew photographed a required stagecoach 15581 on the adjacent stand.

Stagecoach Lancashire 15581 in Chorley Interchange

When the bus was ready we got on and purchased our Chorley Mega Dayrider tickets. The back of the bus was empty so Matthew took a picture of the inside of the bus at the rear step.

Inside Stagecoach Lancashire 33178

We sat down and the bus left town Westwards. We passed the big out of town Tesco store and the crossed over the railway line into Euxton. We turned right and we headed North through the village on the A49. At this point we passed required ALX300 bodied MAN Stegecoach Lancashire 22253. At a crossroads by a pub called The Bay Horse we turned right onto Euxton Lane. We headed East for a short while crossing back over the West coast main line and then we turned left to head into Buckshaw Village crossing over the line to Manchester via Bolton. Buckshaw Village is a large housing estate built on the grounds of and old ordinance factory. They seem to be really nice and unusual house set in unusual landscaping. It's not every day you can buy a house with its own moat! We then turned back West for the run into Leyland. Here we passed required Stagecoach Dart 34680 on a #109 to Chorley. We rolled into Leyland and we got off the bus. Matthew took another picture of 33178 before it carried on Northwards.

Stagecoach Lancashire 33178 in Leyland

Before we walked to the stop around the corner to look at the timetable. The buses run in an unusual pattern of being 20 and 40 minutes apart. We had just missed the 14:08 and the next bus back was 14:48! So we decided to go for a bit of a walk around town. On the opposite side of the road to where we got off, we saw Fishwicks 14 on the #111 Preston service.

Fishwicks 14 in Leyland

We walked along St Andrews Way around a large Tesco store and we saw Fishwicks 15 on a #111 service.

Fishwicks 15 in Leyland

We sat down and Matthew a Rice Crispies Square bar and a bottle of Cherryade. We decided to go into a local chip shop and replace the pop from the trip bag and we also brought a can of Coke. As we were going to go back Matthew spotted the toilet in an ice cream parlour! After using the toilet Matthew had a vanilla cone at £1.50. We walked back along St Andrews Way and back to the stop for the return service. Just as our bus was due we saw Fishwicks 5 on another #111 service.

Fishwicks 5 in Leyland

Right behind the Fishwicks bus was required Stagecoach 47326 on the #109 service.

Stagecoach Lancashire 47326 in Leyland

We got on the bus and booked to Chorley. With it being a Solo Matthew tried to beep the horn but we didn't let him.We sat down near the back of the bus and we headed out of town towards Buckshaw Village. On the way in we noticed the wicker man statue as we entered the village. We headed South and back through Euxton. We passed the big Tesco and we went into Chorley. When the bus emptied Matthew waited for the Solo to empty before getting a picture inside this bus.

Inside Stagecoach Lancashire 47326

There wasn't anything significant in when we got back so we had a walk around the Interchange taking pictures. We saw required Transdev Lancashire United 1101 on the #2 to Darwen. A couple of double deckers come in so we walked back into the interchange to catch one. The bus towards Bolton was dud Stagecoach 15573 and the bus towards Preston was required 15565.

Stagecoach Lancashire 15565 in Chorley Interchange

We got on Stagecoach 15565 and booked to Whittle-le-Woods and then we went upstairs. The bus was emptied in front of us, so Matthew took his picture straight away.

Inside Stagecoach Lancashire 15565

The bus set off though town along the A581 before going onto the Northbound A6 by the out of town retail stores. We passed the hospital and crossed over the Preston to Bolton line before going into the village of Whittle-le-Woods. This is a place we had been before last time we came to Chorley back in June 2013. We decided to get off where we had gotten off last time. Just after the BP garage we got up and got off. Matthew then got another picture of Stagecoach Lancashire 15565.

Stagecoach Lancashire 15565 in Whittle-le-Woods

We walked back down to the BP garage and got some cash from the cash machine. We then visited the Spar shop where Matthew used the toilet and then we brought Chocolate & pop. After we had finished we headed back to the road and we were about to cross when we spotted a strange tri-axle minibus. It was Lancashire County Council welfare bus PO60 AYT.

Lancashire CC PO60 AYT in Whittle-le-Woods

We crossed the road and we had a picnic whilst we waited for the bus. Matthew had a can of Cherry Coke and a Milky Way. We didn't have to wait too long before required Stagecoach Lancashire 15839 appeared.

Stagecoach Lancashire 15839 in Whittle-le-Woods

We got on the bus and went upstairs. The journey back was swift and we got back into Chorley in no time. When we got back to Chorley Matthew took a picture of the lower saloon in Stagecoach Lancashire 15839.

Inside Stagecoach Lancashire 15839

On the #109 was required Stagecoach Lancashire 47331 but we didn't fancy doing another Solo today! After visiting the toilet we had a walk around the outside of the Interchange and took a few more pictures. It wasn't long before another couple of double deckers arrived in the bus station. Required 15572 was on the #125 to Bolton and required 15564 was on the #125 to Preston. I was hoping to go south on 15572 but Matthew chose to go North again on 15564. Whilst we were waiting for 15564 to re readied for service, we saw Transdev Lancashire United 253 on the #2 to Darwen.

Transdev Lancashire United 253 in Chorley Interchange

We took a picture of Stagecoach 15564 before we got on it.

Stagecoach Lancashire 15564 in Chorley Interchange

We went upstairs and the bus was empty, so Matthew took a picture inside before we sat down.

Inside Stagecoach Lancashire 15564

The bus set off through town and up to the A6 along the A581. We headed passed the hospital and over the railway before going into Whittle-le-Woods. We got off a stop earlier so we were closer to the bus stop for the return journey. When we got off we got another picture of Stagecoach Lancashire 15564.

Stagecoach Lancashire 15564 in Whittle-le-Woods

There seemed to be a small gap in the service, and whilst we waited Matthew drank a bottle of orangeade. The bus eventually turned up and it was dud Stagecoach Lancashire 15565 which we had done North earlier!

Stagecoach Lancashire 15565 in Whittle-le-Woods

We decided that this was going to be the last journey of the day. We headed back down the A6 and into town. When we got back Matthew waited for the bus to empty before getting a picture inside 15565 again.

Inside Stagecoach Lancashire 15565

As we got off Matthew said hello to a couple of people and he went to the toilet. We then decided to have one last walk around the Interchange before going back to the car. We had noticed there was quite a variety of buses on the the Arriva run #362 service to Wigan. On this occasion we saw East Lancs Myllennium bodied DAF Arriva NW&W 2829.

Arriva NW&W 2829 in Chorley Interchange

Matthew also got a couple more pictures double deckers in the Interchange, ironically the best was of Stagecoach Lancashire 15565 again.

Stagecoach Lancashire 15565 in Chorley Interchange

We walked back to the car where we surprised mm as we hadn't called ahead to let her know we were coming. Matthew had his sausage roll washed down with a can of Irn Bru. He also had a copy of this months Buses magazine to read. Mum nipped to Iceland whilst we ate the sausage rolls and then we set off home. We set off out of town down the A6 hooping to go back the way we came but I followed direction for the A49 & Wigan and we ended up going through Wigan! We went around most of the town and we joined on the A49 just South of the town near Sainsburys. Here we saw Stagecoach Wigan 27817 on a Leigh bound #600 and Stagecoach 22351 on a Wigan bound #600 service. We carried on down the A49 and joined the M6 quite a few miles South of where we intended to. It was now dark and we plough through Cheshire making good time of the relatively clear Road. As we neared the A500 I saw a few coaches so I slowed down so that we could see them. The first coach to pass up was Global Travel FN02 VBV. On the A500 we were passed by two other coaches Happy days 214 & 223. These coaches must have been returning from Stoke City's away game at Manchester City. We carried on down to the A50 and to Longton to see what was parked up at Z Carz. There were 3 vehicles that were easily seen on the spare ground. First in the row was Mercedes minibus S952 VMY.

Z Carz S952 VMY in Longton

Next to this was Mercedes minibus M372 NWN.

Z Carz M372 NWN in Longton

Then there was Blackwoods liveried coach B12 FWS.

Z Carz B12 FWS in Longton

At the back were airport transfer minibus DL03 HHU and Volkswagon minibus OV05 WSW. We turned into willow Row and in the compound were Y569 DSF from the taxi fleet and long term SORN LDV minibus T408 JUX.

Z Carz Y569 DSF in Longton

We headed back onto the A50 and into Heron Cross. We then went through Blurton and we got home around 18:45. After sorting out the photographs we took today we had a let tea of bangers and mash with carrots followed by cake. Matthew then chilled out on his computer until bedtime around 00:30...Mark