Trip to Lichfield / Burton on Trent 30-08-2014

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
81	Lichfield BS	Burton upon Trent, Adj High Street	X12	Midland Classic
2986	Burton upon Trent, Adj Octagon Centre	Barton Under Needwood, Adj St James's Church	7A	Arriva Midlands
2958	Barton Under Needwood, Opp No 17	Lichfield BS	7	Arriva Midlands
3005	Lichfield BS	Coton (Tamworth), opp Footpath Oxbridge Way	X65	Arriva Midlands
3812	Coton (Tamworth), Opp 1 Buckingham Road	Lichfield BS	765	Arriva Midlands

Today we decided to re-visit Lichfield. We did not chosse where we were going once again until Saturday morning as the weather was very changeable. Matthew got up around 10:00 and had toast and orange juice for breakfast. We set off just before 12:00 and we drove through Blurton onto Blurton Road. We dropped something of with a friend before continueing towards Heron Cross. We saw Lightning travel T2 DLT here. We turned left when we got to the A50 and then left again onto the A500. At Hanford we turned Left again as we joined the Southbound A34. At the Darlaston Inn we saw Holmes Coaches YN09 AOJ. We carried on South past the edge of Stone and then we went South East down the A51. In colwich we saw Bova coach N501 MWW going the other way. When we got to Rugeley we turned of to vivst a chip shop off Green Lane. Matthew had Chips sausage and gravy wash down with a can of Coke. We also visited the local shop and he had a few chocolate bars for later. As we left the car park we saw Arriva Midlands 3736 on a #26 service. We rejoined the South east bound A51 and we carried on towards Lichfield. We we got to town we parked up in the car park behind the bus station. We said goodbye to mum and we started taking pictures. The first thing we saw was Arriva Midlands 2277 on a #15 to Boney Hay.

Arriva Midlands 2277 in Lichfield bus station

Also in the bus station was Arriva Midlands 3762 on a #60 to Cannock.

Arriva Midlands 3762 in Lichfield bus station

We went over to the toilets and when Matthew had finished using them we walked back towards the bus station where Arriva Midlands 2125 was on a #35 to Walsall.

Arriva Midlands 2125 in Lichfield bus station

Mattthew had indicated that he wanted to travel towards Burton upon Trent. so we looked at which the next service was. There wasn't a #7 until well after 14:00, so we thought about catch in a X12 service. Going in the opposite direction towards Sutton Coldfield was Midland Classic 83.

Midland Classic 83 in Lichfield bus station

Whilst e waited for the Burton bound X12, we saw Arriva Midlands 3766 arrive from Cannock, about to form the #825 to Stafford.

Arriva Midlands 3766 in Lichfield bus station

A few minutes later Midland Classic 81 arrived from Sutton Coldfield on the Burton bound X12 service.

Midland Classic 81 in Lichfield bus station

We got on the bus and booked singles to Burton. We were hoping to com back on an Arriva bus. We sat down near the bac of this well used service. The bus set off out of the bus station and turned left onto the A5127. We passed a hospital on the left and then we crossed over the West coast main line near to Lichfield Trent Valley railway station. Continuing North on the A5127 we joined onto the Northbound A38. Here we then had a spirited run up to Branston along the A38 as you would expect of an 'X' service. The booked time of the 13 mile journey was 23 minutes! We came off the A38 at the A512 and then we turned right onto Main Street. At the edge of town we circled around to the left so that we could travel up New Street where the bus terminted. We allowed the bus to empty and then Matthew got a picture inside this bus.

Inside Midland Classic 81

Before we walked into town got another picture of Midland Classic 81.

Midland Classic 81 in Burton upon Trent

Matthew indicated that he wanted to use the toilet, so we set off on a walk to find one. We walked onto Union Street and we saw a bus approaching. It was required Trent Barton 624 on a Villager 4 service.

Trent Barton 624 in Burton upon Trent

Further down the road we could see an X38 Burton Derby service approaching. It was required Trent Barton Optare Tempo 308.

Trent Barton 308 in Burton upon Trent

We walked across a car park and into a pedestrianised area of town. We asked a council work where the public toilet were and he directed us towards the market hall. The toilet were housed in a small victorian building next to the Victorian Market hall. Once we had used the toilet we headed back into town. On the first bus stop we encountered we saw required Arriva Midlands 3715 on a #2 service.

Arriva Midlands 3715 in Burton upon Trent

Further down the road we saw required Arriva Midlands double decker 4217 on a #8 service.

Arriva Midlands 4217 in Burton upon Trent

Further down New Street we saw required Trent Barton 617 on another Villager 4 service.

Trent Barton 617 in Burton upon Trent

Further down the road we saw required Midland Classic Enviro 350H bus 203 on the #21 service.

Midland Classic 203 in Burton upon Trent

Outside the Cooper Square shopping centre we saw required Arriva Midlands Versa 2986 on the #7A to Barton upon Needham

Arriva Midlands 2986 in Burton upon Trent

As this was heading part way towards Lichfield we decided to do this bus. We got on and booked Arriva Midlands Daysavers at £6.20. As the back of the bus was empty, before we sat down Matthew took a picture of the inside of the bus.

Inside Arriva Midlands 2986

The bus set off out of town down the A5018 and then we turned right into Clay Lane. We passed a Morrisons store on a retail park before joining the Southbound A38. We had a fast run down to to the B5016 where we came off and went under the A38 towards Barton. When we got into the village we got up and got off. Matthew got another picture of Arriva Midlands 2986.

Arriva Midlands 2986 in Barton Under Needwood

I realised I had left my camera on the bus so I jumped back on and spoke to the driver. I retrieved my camera before the bus pulled off into the distance... phew! We looked at the stop and realised that the next #7 to Lichfield didn't go from either the stop that we got off or the stop opposite. Not to worry, we had 30 minutes or so to find the right stop. We walked along the road to the next corner and we spotted a pair of stops on Wales Lane. We found a stop where the next #7 to Lichfield departed, and as we had time walked back to the toilets on Crowberry Lane. Afterwards we visited the Co-op food store on the corner of Crowberry Lane and Main Street where Matthew brought a can of Coke and some Bakewell Slices and a single chocolate bar. Afterward we sat on the corner of Wales Lane and Matthew ate 2 Bakewell Slices and washed then down with a small bottle of orange juice out of the trip bag supplies. A few minutes before the bus was due we left the bench to go and stand at the bus stop. A few minutes later we saw another Versa approaching. It was required Arriva Midlands 2958.

Arriva Midlands 2958 in Barton Under Needwood

We got on the bus and flashed the Daysaver Tickets. We sat down on the right just before the hump and the bus set off along the A5016 to Yoxall. We turned left onto the A513 and headed Southwards. At kings Bromley we turned left onto the A513 and we headed towards the A38. Running parallel to the A38 we turned back North before heading into Alrewas and Somewhere near we saw Viking Y159 EAY and Edwards Coaches BN63 NYW. We went through Fradley. We went into a modern housing estate and past a lerge industrial estate before rejoining the A38 for a short run down to the edge of Lichfield. We headed into town along the A5127 and into the bus station. When we got to Lichfield we let the bus empty and Matthew took a picture inside the now empty Arriva Midlands 2958.

Inside Arriva Midlands 2958

It was now gone 16:00 and we had only been on three buses, albeit over quite a long distance. We needed to catch something quick if we were going to get another coupe of buses in before we went home. We didn't fancy doing any of the Cannock based Wright Pulsar's on either the #60 or the #825 and the #35 had finished for today. There is quite a frequent service between Lichfield and Tamworth so we decided to head in that direction. It wasn't long before required Arriva Midlands 3005 came into the bus station to work the next X65 service.

Arriva Midlands 3005 in Lichfield bus station

We got on the bus and sat own near to the back. For some reason Matthew forgot to take a picture inside this one. The bus set off out of town South down the A51 towards Birmingham. As the road turned East towards Tamworth the bus followed it. We passed a Scania on either a #765 or a #785 and a few minutes later we passed an X65. We thought there wouldn't be another bus coming the other way for a while so we thought we could get off near Coton and perhaps make one back. We crossed over the Tame and the Coventry Canal, but before we got to the roundabout we passed Arriva Midlands Scania 3802 on another #765 or 785. As we go to the roundabout we saw an Arriva Midlands Mercedes Citaro on a #31 to Coton Green. We carried on a few more stops towards Tamworth and we decided to get off. As the bus carried on we got another picture of Arriva Midlands 3005.

Arriva Midlands 3005 in Coton

We used the phone and check for the next bus using nextbuses.mobi ... There was a X65 in just over ten minutes. This was followed by a Central Bus X55 to Lichfield and then a #765. Just after the #765 was a #3A to Coton Green. We decided that the X65 was going to be 3005 coming back and we were going to let that got so we could get in another new buses all being well. Matthew had a Millky Way and then we decided to cross over the road to photograph the the buses on the other side of the road before the #765 was due. As predicted Arriva Midlands 3005 came back first on the X65 to Licfield, followed by Central Bus YX63 ZXK on the X55. We crossed back over as the #765 was due next. Going towards Tamworth we saw required Arriva Midlands Volvo B6 2619 on the #3. We saw an Arriva Midlands Merceds approaching in the distance and assuming it would be the #765 we stuck our hands out. As it got closer we saw it was Arriva Midlands 3016 on a #3A service so we waved to the driver to let him know we didn't want this bus.

Arriva Midlands 3016 in Coton

A short distance behind the #3A was an Arriva Midlands Scania on the #765. It was required Arriva Midlands 3812.

Arriva Midlands 3812 in Coton

We flashed our tickets and sat down at the back of the bus. A quick check of the football results revealed that Stoke had a shock win over Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium! We headed back down the A51 before turning right at the barracks. We passed through the village of Whittington before heading back onto the A51 just east of Lichfield. We followed the road back into the town centre before turning right into Birmingham Road and then into the bus station. We let the bus empty and then Matthew took a picture inside Arriva Midlands 3812.

Inside Arriva Midlands 3812

As we got off the bus it had just started to rain. We went to use the toilet bus they had been locked up for the night. We returned to the car so we headed out of town along the A51. Matthew ate a sausage roll and washed it down with a bottle of Irn Bru. After a slight unplanned diversion onto the A461 (OK so I took a wrong turn...), we headed back onto the Northbound A51. We passed North through Rugeley and Colwich and we joined onto the A34 South of Stone. We stopped at the Shell garage on The Fillybrooks to fill back, and then we continued North. Just North of the Darlaston Inn we passed 3 Leons coaches going South, presumably empty after bring fan back from Manchester City. At Trentham we turned right onto the A5035 and we did this up to Longton to see what was at Z Carz. There were a few vehicles parked up on the spare ground tonight. First was Mercedes minibus W221 CDN.

Z Carz W221 CDN in Longton

Next was the former Alton Towers transport coach, Z Carz M534 RSO.

Z Carz M534 RSO in Longton

Next to this was another Mercedes minibus, Z Carz S952 VMY.

Z Carz S952 VMY in Longton

Then there was another Mercedes minibus, former Phil Smiths Travel M372 NWN.

Z Carz M372 NWN in Longton

Next was a Ford minibus which I can't recall seeing before, BN03 OVS.

Z Carz BN03 OVS in Longton

We turned left into Willow Row and there were a couple of minibus here in the compound. THere was long term SORN LDV minibus T408 JUX and from the taxi fleet YE52 UZX Parked on the road was Ford minibus FP06 WTW.

Z Carz FP06 WTW in Longton

We headed back onto the A50 and we came off the A50 at Heron Cross. We passed Lightning Travel T2 DLT again before heading through Blurton. We got home at approximately 19:15. For a late tea Matthew had bangers and mash followed by a couple more Bakewell Slices. Matthew then chilled out on his computer until bedtime around 01:00... Mark