Trip to Wigan / Platt Bridge 24-01-2015

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
19518	Wigan BS	Hindley Green, Atherton Road/Hindley Green (Stop B)	32	Stagecoach Manchester
19089	Hindley Green, Atherton Road/Hindley Green (Stop A)	Wigan BS	598	Stagecoach Manchester
22242	Wigan BS	Pemberton (Wigan), nr Ormskirk Road/Enfield Street	628	Stagecoach Manchester
2982	Pemberton (Wigan), nr Ormskirk Road/Enfield Street	Wigan BS	395	Arriva NW&W
W669 TNV	Wigan BS	Platt Bridge, Millers Lane (SW-bound)	630	Wigan Buses
W669 TNV	Platt Bridge, Millers Lane (SW-bound)	Platt Bridge, Platt Street/Queens Arms (Stop A)	630	Wigan Buses
2419	Platt Bridge, before Warrington Road/Millers Lane	Wigan BS	320	Arriva NW&W

Today we decided to re-visit Wigan. The weather had been poor again and we had thought that we were going to have to travel South again. A quick check of the weather on Saturday morning said that it would be OK going North today as long as we didn't go too far. Matthew got up at around 10:15 and we gave him a choice of destination both North and South. From the destinations that we gave him, Matthew chose Wigan. For breakfast Matthew had toast and orange juice. We set off at around 12:05 today. We drove down to the A5035 and we caught up with D&G 171 on the Plumline service. We headed North up Stanley Matthews Way and then we went West on the A50. We joined the Northbound A500 and we headed up to the M6. The roads were fairs quiet today and we came of the M6 at the A49 just after 13:00. Unfortunately I hadn't checked the football fixtures and it took us a further 30 minutes to get into town and park up in Crawford Street. Once we had parked up we walked towards the courtyard cafe just off the bus station. On the way we stopped to see South Lancs Travel 31 on a #635 to Appley Bridge.

South Lancs Travel 31 in Wigan bus station

We walked up to the cafe and Matthew went upstairs to use the toilet. When he got back down we ordered Matthew a breakfast and can of Coke. After we had finished eating we said goodbye to mum and we headed back into the bus station. It was just after 14:00 and we had a quick look around to see what was working. On a #362 to Chorley was required Arriva NW&W 2677.

Arriva NW&W 2677 in Wigan bus station

We spotted a double decker in the middle row of the bus station so we went over to have a look. It was required Stagecoach Manchester 19518 on a #32 to Manchester.

Stagecoach Manchester 19518 in Wigan bus station

I asked Matthew if he wanted to do this bus and he said yes. Whilst we were waiting for the buses to be readied for service we photographed dud 'Sapphire' Arriva NW&W 2683 on a #575 to Bolton.

Arriva NW&W 2683 in Wigan bus station

This was a bus that we had back in August 2012 on a #362 from Standish to Wigan. Once Stagecoach Manchester 19518 was ready for service, we got on and booked System One bus only tickets at £5.20 each. The bus set off into town towards Wigan Wallgate railway station. We turned left into Wallgate and then right into Library Street. We turned Left onto Millgate and we crossed over the A49 before turning left onto Warrington Lane. We passed Lidl and we turned left onto Darlington Street East. We headed through Ince and we carried on into Hindley. We paused at the main stop for a minute or so before we turned Left onto Market Street. The bus behind us emptied out so Matthew took a picture of the rear of Stagecoach Manchester 19518.

Inside Stagecoach Manchester 19518

We headed up into Castle Hill and we turned into the estate before weaving our way down to Atherton Road. We went past Aldi and before we got to the junction of Leigh Road we decided to get up and get off the bus. Matthew then took another picture of Stagecoach Manchester 19518 before it carried on towards Manchester.

Stagecoach Manchester 19518 in Hindley Green

We crossed the road to the stop outside the church. We had around 5 minutes to wait for the next #598 to Wigan. We were expecting to perhaps pick up a required MAN on the bus, so we were surprised to see a double decker turn the corner. As it got closer we saw it was required Stagecoach Manchester 19089.

Stagecoach Manchester 19089 in Hindley Green

We got on the bus and flashed our System One tickets before going upstairs. It was nearly empty upstairs so Matthew took a picture inside Stagecoach Manchester 19089 before we sat down.

Inside Stagecoach Manchester 19089

We sat down and the bus went West along Atherton Road and through Hindley. We turned right onto Makerfield Way and we passed South Lancs Travel Dart 14 on the #634 Belle Green circular service. We headed South onto manchester Road and we headed into town along Darlington Street East. We went around the outside of town in a cloackwise direction coming into the bus station off New Market Street. We got off the bus and we crossed over the crossing. Matthew took another picture of Stagecoach Manchester 19089 before we carried on to the toilets.

Stagecoach Manchester 19089 in Wigan bus station

After Matthew had used the facilities we walked back over to the other side of the bus station. There was an older MAN on the #628 Kitt Green circular, Stagecoach Manchester 22242. We decided to do this bus.

Stagecoach Manchester 22242 in Wigan bus station

We got on the bus and flashed our system One tickets before we sat down near to the back of the bus. As it had brown and orange seats I thought it was a required bus... It turned out that it wasn't. We had been on Stagecoach Manchester 22242 from Leigh to Wigan on the #598 back in September 2014. We set off down towards Wallgate and we turned right and we went under the West Coast main line. We followed the A49 passed Wigan Pier and onto the big roundabout. There had been a change to the route since our last visit to Wigan. Instead of going along Scot Lane the bus went along Robin Park Road. we carried on around Kitt Green and we came onto the top Ormskirk Road where we got off. We had around a 6 minute wait for the next bus, which was booked to be a #395 from Ormskirk to Wigan. Whilst we waited we saw a few buses going the other way including local taxi minibus Bluestar Taxis SH06 WEF.

Bluestar Taxis SH06 WEF in Pemberton

A few minutes after we saw a Pulsar II approaching. As it got closer we saw it was required Arriva NW&W 2982.

Arriva NW&W 2982 in Pemberton

We got on the bus and flashed the System One tickets before sitting down near to the back of the bus. The bus set off down Ormskirk Road and we joined the A49 for the run past Wigan Pier. We entered Wallgate and we turned left passed the railway station before we entered the bus station via Dorning Street. When we got in the bus station we waited for the bus to empty, and Matthew took a picture inside Arriva NW&W 2982.

Inside Arriva NW&W 2982

In the bus station at the same time was South Lancs Travel 30 on a #635 to Appley Bridge.

South Lancs Travel 30 in Wigan bus station

We decided to go and visit the shop. On the way we saw Wigan Buses SN56 AXA on a #607 service to Ashton Heath.

Wigan Buses SN56 AXA in Wigan bus station

We visited the shop and Matthew had some Milky Ways and a can of Coke. We had spotted a white Dart on the way into the shop so we decided to go and check it out. On closer inspection we saw it was required Wigan Buses W669 TNV.

Wigan Buses W669 TNV in Wigan bus station

We decided to do this bus. There was no driver at the moment so we waited for him to reappear. In the meantime Matthew had a Snack bar and a can of Irn Bru. We also saw required Stagecoach Manchester 22235 which was on a #658 to to Leigh.

Stagecoach Manchester 22235 in Wigan bus station

When the driver was ready we got on the bus and flashed the System One tickets. We sat down near to the back of the bus. The bus set off out off the bus station and down towards Wallgate. We headed down Library Street and across the A49 and onto Scholes. We got onto the manchester Road. At a crossroads we turned right onto Ince Green Lane. Near to the railway we turned onto small estate and we did a lap before crossing over the railway line at Ince railway station. We carried on South through Lower Ince and we went for a spin around an estate in Spring View. As the bus had emptied out in front of us, Matthew took a picture inside Wigan Buses W669 TNV.

Inside Wigan Buses W669 TNV

When we got to the top end of Platt Bridge we turned right onto Sherwood Crescent and we went for a spin around a modern estate before returning to the top end of Platt Bridge. As it didn't go where I thought it would we decided to get off. We then took another picture of Wigan Buses W669 TNV before it carried on back to Wigan.

Wigan Buses W669 TNV in Platt Bridge

We walked South a stop to the main stop onto Warrington Road and we missed Arriva NW&W 2422 on a #360 to Wigan. We got to the stop and we saw required Stagecoach Manchester 36780 on a #658 to Wigan.

Stagecoach Manchester 36780 in Platt Bridge

We decided to turn it down and wait for something better. There was a #320 due in less than 10 minutes.In the distance we could see a yard where there were buses parked up. Some of these buses are apparently ex First Potteries. We didn't have time to go and investigate as the bus turned up and it was required Arriva NW&W Cadet 2419.

Arriva NW&W 2419 in Platt Bridge

We carried on North up the direct route into town through Spring View and Ince-in-Makerfield When the bus emptied out in front of us Matthew took a picture inside Arriva NW&W 2419.

Inside Arriva NW&W 2419

We carried on into town and we came into the bus station from the New Market Street end. We got off the bus and we headed across to the toilet where we met mum. We decided to take a few bus picture before we left and mum headed back to the car. Parked up between duties was required Arriva NW&W 2685.

Arriva NW&W 2685 in Wigan bus station

We walked around Hallgate and Richmond Street and mum came to meet us in the car. We ate our sausage rolls which come from Greggs. Last time we came there hadn't been a Greggs in town. We headed back onto the A49 via Frog Lane, Prescott Street and Haig Street. We headed South on the A49 and we had a bit of bother circumnavigating the big roundabout. It had been a while since we had done this run and it was dark. After doing a lap of the roundabout we carried on South onto the A49. We stopped at a BP garage to take on diesel before carrying on down to the M6. We went South over Thelwall viaduct and as Corinne was driving I had a nap. I woke up to see Keele services. She had missed Junction 16 and had decided to go via Junction 15 instead. We got onto the Northbound A500 and we then turned right onto the A50. We saw Bagnalls orange coach BAG 537S going East onto the A50 ahead of us. We went up to Longton and we came of the A50 to see what was at Z Carz. There was a single bus parked up on the spare ground tonight. It was Z carz Ford minibus BN03 OVS

Z Carz BN03 OVS in Longton

We turned into Willow Row and there were 2 buses in the compound. Z carz Mercedes minibuses S952 VMY & M372 NWN.

Z Carz M372 NWN in Longton

We headed back along the A50 and we saw a double decker on the #22. It was First Potteries 32057. We followed the bus onto Longton Hall Lane. We tried to get ahead of the bus by going through the estate via Naishe Drive but the bus beat us to the end. We followed the bus into Beaconsfield Drive and we decided to go down Finstock Avenue to head it off at the bottom of Beaconsfield Drive. We did make it around to the bottom of Beaconsfield Drive but the bus stopped in the wrong place and Matthew didn't get a good picture! We got home around 18:40. 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 around 01:00... Mark