Trip to Hinckley / Nuneaton 02-08-2014

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
1916	Hinckley, Regent Street (Stand R2)	Stoney Stanton, adj New Road	X55	Arriva Midlands
2568	Stoney Stanton, opp Bluebell Inn	Hinckley, Regent Street (Stand R4)	X55	Arriva Midlands
3904	Hinckley, Regent Street (Stand R2)	Barwell, The Square (NE-bound)	158	Arriva Midlands
2115	Barwell, opp East Green	Barwell, Charnwood Road (NE Bound)	82	Arriva Midlands
2115	Barwell, Charnwood Road (NE Bound)	Hinckley, Regent Street (Stand R2)	82	Arriva Midlands
2201	Hinckley, Regent Street (Stand R1)	Hinckley, adj Netherley Court	82	Arriva Midlands
3904	Hinckley, Regent Street (Stand R4)	Nuneaton BS	158	Arriva Midlands

Today we decided to re-visit Hinckley. We had been checking the weather and the Met Office had given out a yellow weather warning for some areas so we left until Saturday morning before choosing the destination. A quick check off the BBC UK weather map help us to decided to go in a South Easterly direction. We gave Matthew a few familiar destination in this direction and Matthew chose Hinckley. Other than to check the weather we did no research. Matthew got up around 10:30 and had toast and orange juice for breakfast. We set off just after 11:30 and we headed onto the A5035. We turned right at the Hem Heath pub onto Stanley Matthews Ways and then onto the Westbound A50. We turned North onto the A500 which we did up to Shelton New Road so we could pick up LPG. Once we had filled up we headed onto the A53 and onto the Southbound A500 which we did down to the M6. The rain was not heavy but it was persistent. Going South traffic was heavy and running a little slow. We were passed by a couple of coaches. Firstly we were passed by Holmeswood Coaches PO12 EOA. A few minutes later we passed by Shearings Holidays YN60 CAA.

Shearings Holidays YN60 CAA on the M6

We went through the roadworks section from junction 13 and the we came off the M6 at the junction with the A5. A few mile along the A5 we stopped at the trucker cafe on the right. Matthew used their toilet and then had a breakfast washed down with a can of Coke. We got back onto the road just after 13:00, and we carried on East along the A5. As we got close to Tamworth the rain stopped. When we got to the B4666 the South side of the road was clear and cloud free and the Hinckley side of the road was under a dark cloud! We continued the last few miles into town and the rain started again. We said goodbye to mum and we set off towards the toilet via the bus station. The bus station is currently under redevelopment but there are still a few services that call in there, and also vehicles layover there. One of the vehicles on layover was Grand UK Holidays coach YJ14 BYL.

Grand UK Holidays YJ14 BYL in Hinckley bus station

In front of that was 'Hinckley Bus' 1916 about to work the X55 to Leicester from Regent Street.

Arriva Midlands 1916 in Hinckley bus station

We carried on up to the toilet and then we walked over to Regent Street. We noticed that 'Hinckley Bus' 1916 was still at the stop so we decided to catch this bus. It wasn't a required bus as we had been on this bus back in April, but we decided to do it anyway. We got on the bus and asked for the Hinckley Bus day ticket expecting it to be £7.50 each. When the driver told us it was £8 between us we were surprised. Apparently Hinckley Bus has now fully integrated into Arriva Midlands and there was anew local Daysaver for £4 and the £6.20 midland Daysaver tickets wer now valid on their buses. We ended up getting a Midland Daysaver group ticket for £10. We sat down and the bus set off North through town before heading towards Burbage. It had now stopped raining and the weather was starting to clear. We checked the timetable to see where we could travel to and get a bus back. As we checked the timetable we passed Arriva Midlands 2555 on the first X55 going back. With the X55 being a limited stop bus, we checked the main stops to see where we could go to. We saw that we could go to Stoney Stanton for 20 minutes which would give us time to visit a shop whilst we were there. The bus carried on through Aston Flamville and Sapcote. A mile or so up the road from Sapcote is Stoney Stanton. We saw a junction and a Co-op food store so we assumed we had reached the centre of town. We got up and got off and Matthew got another picture of this beast.

Arriva Midlands 1916 in Stoney Stanton

We crossed the road and walked to the Co-op food store. Whilst there Matthew had a can of Coke and a bottle of Cherry Coke as well as some chocolate and a box of millionaire shortbread squares. We crossed the road to the stop to wait for the bus back. Whilst there Matthew had a bus stop picnic of a Toffee Crisp washed down with the bottle of Cherry Coke. A few minutes later we saw a 'Hinckley Bus' liveried Solo approaching. As it got closer we saw it was required Arriva Midlands 2568.

Arriva Midlands 2568 in Stoney Stanton

We got on the bus and we flashed our tickets. Matthew beeped the horn on the bus. We sat down and the bus set off back towards Hinkley via Sapcote, Aston Flamville and Burbage. As we approached Hinckley we passed Arriva Midlands 2555 going the other way. We got into town and we let the bus empty so that Matthew could take a picture inside Arriva Midlands 2568.

Inside Arriva Midlands 2568

Matthew decided to take us on a walk through town for a short while. We walked up the pedestrianised Castle Street and back down into town via Stockwell Head. When we got back into Regent Street we stopped and Matthew ate some of his millionaires shortbread. We then saw Arriva Midlands 3912 going South towards Nuneaton.

Arriva Midlands 3912 in Hinckley

On a #71 to Burbage was dud Arriva Midlands 1906.

Arriva Midlands 1906 in Hinckley

We decided to walk up the road a little to see what was due to go North towards Barwell. Since our previous visit, Arriva Midlands buses on the #158 service come through Regent Street instead of the bus station due to it's re-development. When we saw Arriva Midlands 3904 on the #158 to Leicester we decided to catch it.

Arriva Midlands 3904 in Hinckley

We got on the bus and flashed our tickets. The bus was quite full and we sat down near the back. As we were about to set off required Arriva Midlands 2115 pulled up in front of us on the less direct #82 Barwell service. We though that we should be able to head this bus off in Barwell and get on it there. We set off North along the B4667 which became the A447 as we left town and passed the hospital. we turned right off the A447 and we headed into Barwell. As we had never been into Barwell from this direct it took us a little by surprise, but we spotted the Co-op and we got up and got off. As we got off we got another picture of Arriva Midlands 3904.

Arriva Midlands 3904 in Barwell

On the opposite side of the road we saw Arriva Midlands 3901 on the Nuneaton bound service.

Arriva Midlands 3901 in Barwell

We crossed over the road to check out when the #82 to Barwell was due. We also checked out when the next #82 to Hinckley was too. The #82 to Barwell was due first at 16:07, and we thought that this would probably be Arriva Midlands 2115. We had around 10 minute to wait so Matthew sat on the concrete blocks outside the disused garage and had a few more millionaires shortbread squares. When the bus was due we looked down the road and we saw a red Dart approaching. As predicted it was required Arriva Midlands 2115.

Arriva Midlands 2115 in Barwell

We got on the bus and flashed our tickets before we sat down. This bus is a very recent transfer from Wednesfield. The bus set off north into the housing estate in Barwell and then when the bus started to turn to go back towards Hinckley I got up to flash the tickets again for the return journey. We went back through Barwell and then the long way back onto the A447 before going into Hinckley via Stanley Road and Hollycroft passing Arriva Midlands 1914 on the #82 to Barwell as we went. When we got into town we let the bus empty and Matthew took a picture inside this rather smart looking Dart.

Inside Arriva Midlands 2115

We then crossed the road and got another good picture of the outside of Arriva Midlands 2115 too.

Arriva Midlands 2115 in Hinckley

We saw dud Arriva Midlands 2567 on the #75 to Wykin and we decided to go and visit the toilets on Station Road. On the way to the toilet we stopped to photograph Stagecoach Warwickshire 36171 on the #48 to Coventry. When we got to the toilet Matthew must have spotted a smartly dressed person enter a door on the other side of the car park that the toilet block was situated on. The building was a place called the green rooms which had been an old masonic hall which could be see from the stone above the door. Matthew dragged me in to go say hell to a couple of people. It turned out to be a wedding reception! After Matthew had said hello we used the toilet and then we headed back towards regent street via Station Road and he Horsefair. As it was quite warm we decided to visit a shop and get another drink. We sat down on a bench on regent street and Matthew drank his can of Vimto and also got another picture of Arriva Midlands 1906 on the #71.

Arriva Midlands 1906 in Hinckley

Dud Arriva Midlands 2201 was on the #82 but we decided to do this a filler move to get Arriva Midlands 1914 back before going on the 17:10 #86 to Nuneaton.

Arriva Midlands 2201 in Hinckley

We got on the bus and flashed our tickets. Matthew photographed the switches on the drivers cab before we sat down and Matthew photographed the empty seats opposite us.

Inside Arriva Midlands 2201

The bus set off out of town, but it didn't turn left into Hollycroft... It then dawned on us that there must be a diversion in place, but only in one direction. We seemed to have travelled back from Barwell normally earlier on Arriva Midlands 2115. We decided to get off the bus and walk back towards Hollycroft to pick up the unknown bus on the #86 having probably missed doing Arriva Midlands 1914 on the Hinckley bound #82.

Arriva Midlands 2201 in Hinckley

The only problem is that we only had around 10 minutes to do it in and it was well over 1/2 a mile! We set off at a fast walk. We then tried a slow jog. Matthew was unable to run very far or fast. I think he got stitch as he was struggling and holding his side. We got onto Hollycroft around 17:12 but there wasn't a stop opposite. so we walked back towards town. When we got to stop there were barriers around it as the kerb had been raised for use with low floor buses. This was probably why the buses were being divert! We resigned ourselves to the fact that we had missed the 17:10 from Hinckley... That had probably been diverted too. At least with his other ticket there were other bus options. There was a #158 from Regent Street to Nuneaton at 17:32. We walked back down into town and we got to the stop at around 17:25 Whilst we were there we saw Arriva Midlands 1908 depart on a #58 to Market Harborough, and then we saw Arriva Midlands 2555 arrive in town having worked a X55 from Leicester.

Arriva Midlands 2555 in Hinckley

The destination as changed to Three Potts as it was going to work the next #5. Just then we saw and Arriva turquoise bus approaching on the #158. What are the chances of that... it was dud Arriva Midlands 3904 that we had been on earlier in the day!

Arriva Midlands 3904 in Hinckley

We got on the bus and flashed the tickets. Matthew went to say hello to someone and scared them as they had been asleep! We sat down and the bus set off out of town down the Southbound B4666. We joined the A5 and then turned towards Nuneaton on the A47. Part way along The Long Shoot, the bus emptied in front of us and Matthew took a picture inside Arriva Midlands 3904.

Inside Arriva Midlands 3904

East of the town, we around the one way system before crossing over the railway and joining onto the anti-clockwise ring road. Just inside the ring road close to the railway station we pulled into the bus station. We got off the bus and Matthew dragged us over to go say hello to someone before we walked over to the toilets. The journey to Nuneaton on the #158 was much quicker than we had anticipated, and as such we had caught up with the #86 from Hinckley. Had we not been bowled out for this service, we would have been on required Arriva Midlands 2570! We set off to where mum was usually parked, taking bus pictures on the way. The first bus we encountered was Stagecoach Warwickshire 36748 on a #5A to Camp Hill

Stagecoach Warwickshire 36748 in Nuneaton bus station

Next we saw Stagecoach Warwickshire 39681 pause next to Dart 34496 which were on services #10 and #18 respectively.

Stagecoach Warwickshire 39681 in Nuneaton bus station

We crossed the ring road and mum was just parking by B&M have been over at Asda earlier. We got in the car and we had a Greggs sausage roll which Matthew washed down with 1/2 a litre bottle of sugar free irn-Bru. We set off out off town around the ring road, over the railway and onto the Northbound A444. A few miles up the road we went West on the A5. It was sunshine and showers most of the way back to the M6. In Brownhills we saw National Express West Midlands double decker 4767 on a #10A to Walsall as we passed though the Northern edge of the west Midlands. Having got in the wrong lane near Cannock and briefly joining the A34, we got back onto the A5 to pass South of Cannock and join onto the M6. We headed North up the M6 in sunshine and we came off the motorway at the Southern end of the A500. We went North on the A500 to Sideway, where we joined the Westbound A50 up to Longton to check out Z Carz. There were 6 buses parked up on the spare ground tonight. Firstly was the Scania coach D104 XAN.

Z Carz D104 XAN in Longton

Then we saw Ford minibus FP06 WTW.

Z Carz FP06 WTW in Longton

Towards the back of the spare ground was Matthew's old school bus, LDV M420 UEH.

Z Carz M420 UEH in Longton

At the back corner of the ground was Volkswagen minibus DX55 WGE.

Z Carz DX55 WGE in Longton

The we had Mercedes minibus BV51 BNO.

Z Carz BV51 BNO in Longton

Finally was former Phil Smiths Travel Mercedes minibus, M372 NWN.

Z Carz M372 NWN in Longton

We turned left into Willow Row and the only bus in the compound was another former school bus, long term SORN LDV minibus T408 JUX looking a little sorry for itself. We rejoined the A50 and we traveled up to Heron Cross. We traveled home through Blurton, and we got home at 19:30. For a late tea we had bangers and mash with carrots followed by a cake bar. Matthew then chilled out on his computer until bedtime at 00:00... Mark