Trip to Cannock / Bloxwich 21-03-2015

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
2376	Cannock BS	Hednesford BS	31	Arriva Midlands
3794	Hednesford BS	Cannock BS	25	Arriva Midlands
3302	Cannock BS	Bloxwich, Bulls Head (Stop BD)	1	Arriva Midlands
3302	Bloxwich, Bulls Head (Stop BP)	Cannock BS	1	Arriva Midlands
2735	Cannock BS	Heath Hayes, Opp Five Ways Inn	33	Arriva Midlands
2715	Heath Hayes, Adj Five Ways Inn	Cannock BS	33	Arriva Midlands
2	Cannock BS	Featherstone, Opp South Crescent	1	Select Bus Services
3720	Featherstone, Adj South Crescent	Cannock BS	70	Arriva Midlands

Today we decided to revisit Cannock. We had checked the weather for the weekend and and it had given out fine cool weather in all directions. We gave Matthew a list of destinations and from the list Matthew chose Cannock. Matthew got up around 10:00 and had toast an orange juice for breakfast. We set off just after 12:00. onto the A5035. We drove Westwards to the A34 and then North and onto Whitmore Road. We joined the A519 and then we went onto the Southbound M6. The road was clear and moving well today... We drove down through the roadworks and as we got near to the A5 we were caught up by KWS Executive Travel UIL 5167 on a day trip.

KWS UIL 5167 on the M6

We carried on down to the A5 and then East for a few miles until we got to Wolverhampton Road. On the way in we passed a new Wright Streetlite on a #1 to Walsall. We weren't aware of these new buses before we came today. We drove North into town and we parked up in the multi-storey car park off Ringway. We walked out of the car park and we walked around to the bus station. As we got to the bus station we saw Arriva Midlands 3308 on a #1 to Huntington.

Arriva Midlands 3308 in Cannock bus station

We then saw Arriva Midlands 3793 on a #25 Pye Green circular.

Arriva Midlands 3793 in Cannock bus station

We walked up the steps of the shopping centre. We then saw Arriva Midlands 3794 on a #26 Pye Green circular.

Arriva Midlands 3794 in Cannock bus station

We walked into the shopping centre and Matthew went to the toilet. We walked back to the front end of the shopping centre and we went into the Copper Kettle cafe. Matthew had a breakfast with extra toast and a glass of Coke to wash it down. When we were done we said goodbye to mum and we walked into the bus station. Whilst we had been eating we had seen a Dart arrive at the top end of the bus station. We saw it was required Arriva Midlands 2376 and it was about to work a #31 to Rugeley.

Arriva Midlands 2376 in Cannock bus station

We decided to do this bus. We got on and we booked a Midlands Day Saver ticket at £6.20. We sat down near to the back of the bus and the bus set off out of the bus station and towards the hospital and onto Brunswick Road. We turned right onto Old Fallow Road. We went North up Huntington Terrace Road and then right onto Belt Road. As the bus was busy, Matthew took a picture of the empty rear seat of the bus behind us.

Inside Arriva Midlands 2376

At the roundabout we joined onto Cannock Road. We turned right into Market Street and we got off the bus. Matthew got another picture of Arriva Midlands 2376 before it carried on to Rugeley.

Arriva Midlands 2376 in Hednesford bus station

We crossed the road to see when the next #31 was due...It wasn't for a while. On the other side of the road we saw required Arriva Midlands 3793 on a #26 Pye Green circular. We didn't have to wait long for an #25 Pye Green circular. When it turned up it was required Arriva Midlands 3794.

Arriva Midlands 3794 in Hednesford bus station

We got on the bus and we flashed our Midland Day Saver ticket. We sat down near to the back of the bus. The bus set off along Market Street and we turned left onto Cannock Road. We turned left into Moss Road and then left again onto Crab Lane. We turned right onto Old Hednesford Road and e came into Cannock from the East. We joined the Ringway and we went around to the bus station. When we got on stand we allowed the bus to empty and then Matthew took a picture inside Arriva Midlands 3794.

Inside Arriva Midlands 3794

We considered what bus to do next. On the top stand we saw Select Bus Services Dart 4 on a #23 to Hednesford.

Select Bus Services 4 in Cannock bus station

We went to the toilet and when we returned we saw Arriva Midlands 3302 on a #1 to Walsall.

Arriva Midlands 3302 in Cannock bus station

Also seen was Arriva Midlands 4201 which was about to work the #75 to Stafford.

Arriva Midlands 4201 in Cannock bus station

We decided to do required Arriva Midlands 3302 on the #1 to Walsall as far as Bloxwich. We got on the bus and we flashe our Midland Day saver ticket. Before we sat down Matthew took a picture of the empty rear end of the bus.

Inside Arriva Midlands 3302

We headed onto the Ringway and then South Westerly on Mills Street. We turned left onto the A34 and we went down the hill to Bridgetown. We crossed over the M6 toll and e carried on South on the A34. We traveled approximately 5Km South until we got to the centre of Bloxwich. We got off the bus and Matthew took another picture of Arriva Midlands 3302 before it carried on to Walsall.

Arriva Midlands 3302 in Bloxwich

We headed to the toilet and the disabled toilet was engaged. Matthew used the gents instead and it wasn't the best toilet we ever used... There were a few buses that need photographing that were knocking around. Arriva Midlands 3303 rounded the corner which was on a #2 to Walsall.

Arriva Midlands 3303 in Bloxwich

We saw Arriva Midlands 2159 Between duties.

Arriva Midlands 2159 in Bloxwich

We also saw Arriva Midlands 2705 depart on a #19 service to Walsall.

Arriva Midlands 2705 in Bloxwich

We also saw Rotala Diamond 30833 on a #302 Walsall - Bloxwich - Walsall circular.

Rotala Diamond 30833 in Bloxwich

We walked up to the stops by the park. We saw NX West Midlands 1774 on a #89 to Wolverhampton.

NX West Midlands 1774 in Bloxwich

We cross the road and we went to the newsagents on the corer of High Street and Wolverhampton Road. Matthew had a can of Coke and a couple of chocolate bars. We went and sat on a bench adjacent to the stop we required for the bus back to Cannock. Matthew drank a can of Irn Bru and ate a fudge and some Milky Stars.Whilst here we took quite a few bus pictures. We saw NX West Midlands 1758 on a #29 to Walsall

NX West Midlands 1758 in Bloxwich

We also saw NX West Midlands 1769 on a #302 circular.

NX West Midlands 1769 in Bloxwich

We also saw Arriva Midlands 2159 which was now on a #23 to Brownhills. Coming around the corner was NX West Midlands 1777 running out of service.

NX West Midlands 1777 in Bloxwich

On the High Street we then saw NX West Midlands 1776 on a #89 to Wolverhampton.

NX West Midlands 1776 in Bloxwich

Coming off the Wolverhampton Road was NX West Midlands 1895.

NX West Midlands 1895 in Bloxwich

We also saw Rotala Diamond 30828 on their #302 service.

Rotala Diamond 30828 in Bloxwich

On a Moseley bound #301 service we saw Rotala Diamond 30950.

Rotala Diamond 30950 in Bloxwich

Also on a #302 Walsall circular was NX West Midlands 1768.

NX West Midlands 1768 in Bloxwich

We also saw NX West Midlands 1766 on a #29 to Walsall.

NX West Midlands 1766 in Bloxwich

Across the road we saw Arriva Midlands 2112 on a #326 to Bilston.

Arriva Midlands 2112 in Bloxwich

This was followed by Arriva Midlands 3301 on the following #1 to Walsall.

Arriva Midlands 3301 in Bloxwich

We were then surprised to see NX West Midlands Volvo B10B Trainer 1345 emerge from the Wolverhampton Road.

NX West Midlands 1345 in Bloxwich

On a #301 to Mossley we saw NX West Midlands 1781.

NX West Midlands 1781 in Bloxwich

On a #302 service we saw red Rotala Diamond 30862.

Rotala Diamond 30862 in Bloxwich

Going the other way around on the #302 service was Rotala Diamond 30943.

Rotala Diamond 30943 in Bloxwich

We also saw NX West Midlands 1754 on a Walsall bound #301 service.

NX West Midlands 1754 in Bloxwich

On a #70 to Walsall was NX West Midlands 857.

NX West Midlands 857 in Bloxwich

Our bus then appeared to take us back North to Cannock. We ended up catching the same bus back as we caught down... Arriva Midlands 3302.

Arriva Midlands 3302 in Bloxwich

We got on the bus and we flashed the tickets. We sat down near to the back of the bus. Across the road we saw a former Wardle Transport bus... Arriva Midlands 4801 was on a #19 to Walsall.

Arriva Midlands 4801 in Bloxwich

The bus set off Northwards up the A34 and we crossed over the M6 toll before running into town. We realised that we had missed the #74 & #75 so we would have to do a quick out and back move. We considered doing the X60 towards Lichfield, but the bus in question was dud Arriva Midlands 3703.

Arriva Midlands 3703 in Cannock bus station

On a #33 to Walsall was required Arriva Midlands 2735.

Arriva Midlands 2735 in Cannock bus station

We decided to do this up to five ways junction Heath Hayes. We got on the bus and we flashe our Midlands Day Saver ticket. We sat down near the the back of the bus. We headed east out of town along Mills Street and past the railway station. We went around an industrial estate and then pasta Tesco Superstore before going Eastwards along Hayes Way. We turned to go South Eastwards along Hednesford and we climbed to the top of the hill. The bus emptied a little and Matthew took a picture inside Arriva Midlands 2735.

Inside Arriva Midlands 2735

We got to the top of the hill and we got up and got off the bus. Matthew took another picture of Arriva Midlands 2735 before it carried on towards Walsall.

Arriva Midlands 2735 in Heath Hayes

We crossed the road to wait for the return bus. Before I could check the timetable another bus appeared. It was required Arriva Midlands 2715 on a #33 to Cannock.

Arriva Midlands 2715 in Heath Hayes

We got on the bus and we flashed the Midlands day Saver ticket to the driver. We sat down near to the back of the bus and the bus set off down Hednesford Road. We returned via Hayes Wat Tesco and Mills Street back into Cannock and we got waited for the bus to empty. Matthew took a picture inside Arriva Midlands 2715.

Inside Arriva Midlands 2715

We were considering what to catch next... We walked down to Stand 1 to get a picture of Select Bus Service 2 which was working the #67 to Brinsford.

Select Bus Services 2 in Cannock bus station

Matthew wanted to go on the bus to get a picture inside Select Bus Services 2. We got on and I asked the driver if he could take a picture. Matthew took his picture and then went and Matthew decided he wanted to catch the bus, so we asked the driver where we could go and get an Arriva bus back. After a quick chat we decided we could go to Featherstone.

Inside Select Bus Services 2

We booked to Feathestone and I joined Matthew who was already sitting down near to the back of the bus. The bus set off out of town Southwards an we crossed over the A5 and then M6 toll. We traveled through Shareshill and into Featherstone. We got off the bus in the centre of the estate next to a few shops. Matthew took another picture of Select Bus Services 2 as it carried on towards Brinsford.

Select Bus Services 2 in Featherstone

There was a chip shop opposite so we decided to have a portion of chips between us. They asked if we wanted the chips battered,something which I have never heard of before! They gave Matthew a lolly and we paid and left. The chis were hot and it was a struggle to eat them quickly. We only had 10 minutes before the return #70 service. We got the chip eaten and the paper binned with around a minutes to spare. We saw Arriva Midlands 3721 on a Wolverhampton bound #70 and then almost immediately we saw required Arriva Midlands 3720 on the Cannock bound #70.

Arriva Midlands 3720 in Featherstone

We got on the bus and we flashed the Midland day Saver for the final time today. The bus set off onto the A460 and we went North. We crossed the M6 and we headed into Cheslyn Hayes before coming into Cannock via Bridgetown. We stopped at the Arriva cannock depot for a driver change and we saw a Mercedes Citaro arrive on the depot. I wasn't aware until that point that there were any Mercedes single decker based there. We carried on into town and into the bus station. We let the bus empty and Matthew took a picture inside Arriva Midlands 3720.

Inside Arriva Midlands 3720

Before we went home we took a couple more pictures. We saw Arriva Midlands 4203 about to work a #75 service to Stafford.

Arriva Midlands 4203 in Cannock bus station

We started to walk back towards the car park. We then saw Arriva Midlands 3301 on a #1 to Huntington.

Arriva Midlands 3301 in Cannock bus station

We walked up to the car park with mum and we had some sausage roll that she had brought earlier. matthew washed it down with a can of Irn Bru. We set off out of town and Southwards towards the A5. We stopped at the petrol station to put some diesel in and then we joined the Westbound A5. Three to four miles later we joined the Northbound M6 into the roadworks. Once North of junction 13 we made good time. We came off the M6 at junction 15 and we saw a coach ahead of us going onto the A500. We caught the coach up and it was Marshalls of Sutton VDL coach PM14 JAM. We went East up the A50 and we came off it at Longton so we could go and check out Z Carz. There were 3 buses on the spare ground tonight. First in the row was Z carz Mercedes minibus M372 NWN.

Z Carz M372 NWN in Longton

There was another Mercedes minibus, Z Carz CE02 LYX.

Z Carz CE02 LYX in Longton

Finally was Z Carz Ford minibus PY08 KDX.

Z Carz PY08 KDX in Longton

We turned into Willow Row to check out what was in the compound. There was Mercedes minibus Z Carz S952 VMY.

Z Carz S952 VMY in Longton

We headed back onto the A50 and we headed up to Heron Cross.We turned onto Blurton Road and we passed First Potteries 53120 on a #23 service. We went up to Beaconsfield Drive and turned right. At the end of Beaconsfield Drive we caught up with First Potteries 60202 on a #22 to Newcastle. We got home at 18:40. For a late tea we had bangers and mash with carrots followed by a custard tart. Matthew chilled out on his computer until bedtime around 01:00... Mark