Trip to Lichfield / Rugeley 21-02-2015

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
2937	Lichfield BS	Rugeley BS	X25	Arriva Midlands
2938	Rugeley BS	Lichfield BS	X25	Arriva Midlands
3732	Lichfield BS	Lichfield, Opp Cornfield Drive	29	Arriva Midlands
3732	Lichfield, Opp Cornfield Drive	Lichfield BS	29	Arriva Midlands
3808	Lichfield BS	Burntwood, Opp Victory Avenue	X60	Arriva Midlands
2277	Burntwood, Adj Victory Avenue	Lichfield BS	15	Arriva Midlands
3735	Lichfield BS	Pipehill, Opp Hollybank Cottage	35	Arriva Midlands
3809	Pipehill, Adj Pipe Marsh	Burntwood, Opp Victory Avenue	X60	Arriva Midlands
3808	Burntwood, Adj Victory Avenue	Lichfield BS	X60	Arriva Midlands

Today we decided to re-visit Lichfield. The weather was poor and it appeared to be better to the South. We gave Matthew a list of place to go and from these places he chose Lichfield. Matthew got up around 09:30 and had toast and orange juice for breakfast. We didn't do any research for this trip other than to re-check the weather that predicted mainly dry but cloudy weather. We set off around 11:30 and we went onto the A5035. We carried on into Trentham and when we reached the A34 we turned left to head South. As we passed nearby to Stone we saw Bennetts Solo V281 DRC on the #4 service. We carried on South past the town and we went East on the A51. At Weston traffic lights we saw Happy Days coaches 226 going the other way. We carried on East past the edge of Rugeley and we did the last few miles into town before we stopped at the chips shop on the A51 right by the City Line. Matthew had Chips sausage and gravy and a can of Coke an we headed back to the car. We rove across the road to the car park behind the bus station and we ate the food. Once we had finished we use the toilets in the bus station before we said goodbye to mum. We decided to have a quick walk around and take a few pictures before we caught the first bus of the day. On it's usual service was X55 branded Central Buses Enviro200 bus, YX63 ZXL.

Central Buses YX63 ZXL in Lichfield bus station

We walked through the bus station taking picture of the buses in the row. We then saw dud Arriva Midlands 3797 on a X60 service to Cannock.

Arriva Midlands 3797 in Lichfield bus station

On the X60 to Tamworth was required Arriva Midlands 3807.

Arriva Midlands 3807 in Lichfield bus station

This bus was recently transferred from Arivva North West & Wales and used to carry the number 3064. There were 2 coaches parked up at the end of the bus station. The back on of the pair was National Holidays Setra coach NH10 SSH.

National Holidays NH10 SSH in Lichfield bus station

The front one of the two was A1 Link Travel Mercedes mini coach V139 BAN.

A1 Link Travel V139 BAN in Lichfield bus station

We walked back into the main part of the bus station and we saw an Arriva Midlands Versa approaching. It was required Arriva Midlands 2937 on the X25 to Stafford.

Arriva Midlands 2937 in Lichfield bus station

We decided to do this to Rugeley. We got on the bus and as it was empty Matthew got a picture inside Arriva Midlands 2937.

Inside Arriva Midlands 2937

We booked Arriva Midlands Day Saver tickets at £6.20 each. We sat down towards the back of the bus and when it was time the bus set off out of town and up Beacon Street. We joined the A51 to the West of town and we went non-stop up to the edge of Rugeley, entering town own Brereton Hill. The bus turned into the bus station and we got off. We decided to take a few pictures before we went into the market. On a local service was required Arriva Midlands 3701.

Arriva Midlands 3701 in Rugeley bus station

Matthew took another picture of our ride into town, Arriva Midlands 2937.

Arriva Midlands 2937 in Rugeley bus station

We then saw dud Arriva Midlands 3719 on a #24 service to Brereton.

Arriva Midlands 3719 in Rugeley bus station

Something that we have never seen before was the Tesco free bus. Working this service today was dud Arriva Midlands 2315.

Arriva Midlands 2315 in Rugeley bus station

We headed into the market and we brought some spearmint chews and a can of Coke and a can of orange Tango. This cost a very reasonable £1.47. We walked back out of the bus station and walked to the top stop to see when the next service to Lichfield was due. There was an X25 due at 14:51. In the meantime, we saw dud Arriva Midlands 2328 on a #23 to Pear Tree. Which had worked in on a #26 from Springfields.

Arriva Midlands 2328 in Rugeley bus station

A few minutes later we saw another Arriva Midlands Versa approaching... As it got closer we saw that it was required Arriva Midlands 2938 on the X25 to Lichfield.

Arriva Midlands 2938 in Rugeley bus station

We got on the bus and we flashed the Midlands Day Saver tickets before sitting down towards the back of the bus. The bus set off out of town up Brereton Hill before we joined the A51. We carried on Eastwards and just outside of Lichfield we brifly joined the A512 before entering town own Stafford Road / Beacon Street. When we got to the bus station we got up and got off. We then saw dud Central Buses YJ59 PKC about to work the #35 to Walsall.

Central Buses YJ59 PKC in Lichfield bus station

This is a bus that we had on this service back in December 2014 when we came to Lichfield for the Heritage running day. On Arriva's competing #35 service we saw required Arriva Midlands 3732 come into the bus station.

Arriva Midlands 3732 in Lichfield bus station

It was now going on to a #29 local service, something which we had not seen happen before. This is probably because we hadn't been in the bus station at this minute in the hour before. We decided to catch this bus and do a round trip on it. We got on the bus an we asked how long it took to do a round trip, an the river told us it was around 15 minutes. We flashed the ticket to the river and before we sat down Matthew photographed the empty rear of the bus.

Inside Arriva Midlands 3732

The bus set off through the bus station passing Arriva Midlands 3773 which was on the #7 to Burton-on-Trent. We left the bus station and went Northwards. We turned to the East and we crossed over the Lichfield to Burton-on-Trent line before joining Roman Way. We turned left at Austin Cote Way and at the end of the road we did a 180' turn on the roundabout and we returned to the bus station back along the same roads as we came. We got off the bus an Matthew had a moment where he wanted to say hello to someone. He did managed to say hello but he was a bit excitable so we had to hold him back for a few minutes so he could calm down. We had a look around to see what we could catch. We ha missed Arriva Midlands 2277 on the #15 so we thought that the next bus we could do was an X60 towards Burntwood & Cannock. A few minutes later required Arriva Midlands 3808 made an appearance on the X60 to Cannock.

Arriva Midlands 3808 in Lichfield bus station

We got on the bus an we flashed the tickets to the river before sitting down towards the back of the bus. The X60 goes west out of town before passing the new Waitrose store. We headed North up Limburg Avenue and then we turned left onto the A461. As we approached Pipehill we turned right onto the A5190 to head towards Burntwood. We carried on westwards through Edial and into Burntwood Green before we turned left onto Chase Road. In Chasetown we turned right around the tight corner into High Street. At the top of High Street we turned right onto the A5190 before going left Bridge Cross Road. We turned right at Rugeley Road and we got off the bus. Opposite us was required Arriva Midlands 2277 on the Lichfield bound #15 service. Matthew took a picture of Arriva Midlands 3808 before it set off towards Cannock.

Arriva Midlands 3808 in Burntwood

We decided that we were going to trying and get on Arriva Midlands 2277. Matthew took a picture of it before we crossed over the road to get on the bus.

Arriva Midlands 2277 in Burntwood

We got on the bus an we flashed the ticket to the driver. We sat down towards the back of the bus an the bus turned left onto Bridge Cross Road. We carried on straight and into the estate, crossing over Chase Road and carrying on in South Westerly direction. We turned onto Coppy Nook lane an we headed into the village of Hammerwich. We passe through the village and we headed north onto the A5190. We headed through Edial and we joined the A461 at Pipehill. We headed into town along the more direct route not taken by the X60, down Walsall Road. As we came into town we passed a Dart on the #62 to Cannock which was probably Arriva Midlands 2378 which we had seen earlier in the day. When we got to the bus station we let the bus empty and Matthew took a picture inside Arriva Midlands 2277.

Inside Arriva Midlands 2277

We got back to the bus station and we realised the #35 to Walsall was due. It was required Arriva Midlands 3735.

Arriva Midlands 3735 in Lichfield bus station

We got on the bus and we sat down near to the back. We decided to do the bus to Pipehill and then we could catch something else from off the main road. As we left town Matthew took a picture of the empty seats opposite us.

Inside Arriva Midlands 3735

We left town along Walsall Road and we joined the A461. At the Pipehill junction the bus went left and we got up and got off the bus. Matthew took another picture of Arriva Midlands 3735 as it carried on towards Walsall.

Arriva Midlands 3735 in Pipehill

As we left the bus station at 15:41 an there was also an 15:45 X60 we decided to go to the main road to catch the X60 towards Burntwood. As we got to the roundabout I thought I saw the bus approaching... So I decide to run to the bus stop on the main road. Matthew and uncle Dave followed behind. I flagged the bus down and Matthew an uncle Dave caught up with the bus, which was required Arriva Midlands 3809.

Arriva Midlands 3809 in Pipehill

We flashed the tickets an we sat own towards the back of the bus. The bus carried on along the A5190 and we headed into Burntwood Green before turning west towards Chasetown. Matthew took a picture of the empty seats behind us.

Inside Arriva Midlands 3809

We turned right into the High Street an then right at the top onto the A5190 before going left onto Bridge Cross Road. We turned right into Rugeley Road and we got off the bus. Matthew took another picture of Arriva Midlands 3809 before it carried on towards Cannock.

Arriva Midlands 3809 in Burntwood

We decided to have a short break from the buses. We went into Sankeys Fish bar and we had a portion of chips an a jumbo sausage between us. Matthew had some chips and the sausage. We also shared 2 cans of pop. We saw there were people at the stop opposite so we crossed the road to wait for the bus. it was 16:18 an then bus was due three minutes ago. We waited for quite a while and a lady stopped her car and explained that the bus was stuck on the other side of a police roadblock, who were attending some kind of incident. The bus did eventually turned up at 16:30! It was dud Arriva Midlands 3808 for the second time today.

Arriva Midlands 3808 in Burntwood

We got on the bus and flashed the tickets for the final time today before sitting own near to the back of the bus. We returned back to Lichfield through Chasetown and Burntwood Green rejoining the Eastbound A5190. We passe through Edial and we went down Pipehill into the edge of town. we went South past Waitrose before going East along Sainte Foy Avenue. We went into the bus station for the final time and we waited for the bus to empty so that Matthew could get a picture inside Arriva Midlands 3808.

Inside Arriva Midlands 3808

Before we left we decided to have one last walk around the bus station taking some picture before we went home. We saw dud Arriva Midlands 3505 on the #785 to Shuttington.

Arriva Midlands 3505 in Lichfield bus station

We then saw Arriva Midlands 3763 on the #825 to Stafford.

Arriva Midlands 3763 in Lichfield bus station

One one of the town circulars was Rotala Diamond 20893.

Rotala Diamond 20893 in Lichfield bus station

On the #66 to Burntwood was required Central Buses AE06 ZBT.

Central Buses AE06 ZBT in Lichfield bus station

We headed back to the car and mum as waiting with Greggs sausage rolls and small bottle of Irn Bru. We set off out of town and onto the westbound A51. We skirted the North of Rugeley and carried on along the A51 to the A34. Just to the West of Stone we stopped at the Shell garage to take on diesel. We carried on North to Trentham and we joined the Eastbound A5035 and we headed up to Longton. On the spare ground there were two buses. The first bus in the line up was Volkwagen minibus OV05 WSW.

Z Carz OV05 WSW in Longton

Also on the spare ground was Mercedes minibus CE02 LYX.

Z Carz CE02 LYX in Longton

We turned into willow Row to see what was inside the compound. Closest to the gate was Volkswagen minibus S973 OVP.

Z Carz S973 OVP in Longton

Opposite the compound parked on the road was Z Carz taxi minibus YJ61 GYZ.

Z Carz YJ61 GYZ in Longton

We headed onto the A50 and we came off the road at Heron Cross and we turned onto Blurton Road. We went through Blurton and we got home around 18:00. For a late tea we had sausage mash and carrots follow by a iced doughnut. Matthew then chilled out on his computer until bedtime around 00:30...Mark