Trip to Bromsgrove / Rubery 25-04-2015

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
67654	Bromsgrove BS	Droitwich Spa, Ombersley Street East (Stop 3)	144	First Worcester
67656	Droitwich Spa, Adj Victoria Square	Bromsgrove BS	144	First Worcester
30943	Bromsgrove BS	Rubery, adj Beverley Road	202	Rotala Diamond
67643	Rubery, adj St. Chads Church	Bromsgrove BS	144	First Worcester
67658	Bromsgrove BS	Droitwich Spa, Ombersley Street East (Stop 3)	147	First Worcester
67652	Droitwich Spa, Adj Victoria Square	Bromsgrove BS	147	First Worcester

Today we decided to re-visit Bromsgrove. We had checked the weather for the North west and Midlands and there were showers forecast for all areas except for the region South of Birmingham. We gave Matthew a choice of destinations and we steered him towards picking Bromsgrove. Matthew got up around 11:00 today. I think he was feeling a little under the weather. He got up and had orange juice and toast and by 12:00 he was raring to go. Today was the first trip out in the new family car. It's a year older than the previous one, but its in much better condition and in comparison it goes like a train! We set off onto the A5035 and we turned right towards Trentham. We joined the Northbound A34 and onto Whitmore Road. We joined the Southbound M6 and it was nice to be able to get up to speed more quickly! We encounter a rain shower just North of Stafford and and we through the roadworks with a small delay due to a broken down van. It was a little busy from junction 10 through to 8, and we were caught up by Ogdens Van Hool coach K60 JDO.

Ogdens K60 JDO on the M6

We continued South onto the M5 and we carried on to Junction 4 for the A38. We drove the last few miles into town and we passes Leons Coaches 73 seats 216 going North. Just North of Bromsgove we turned off the A38 onto Birmingham Road for the last mile into town. We parked up at Asda. We set off on foot into town and as we crossed over the A448 to got to the bus station we saw First Worcester 67637 running out of service.

First Worcester 67637 in Bromsgrove bus station

Matthew went to the toilet and when he came out we saw Euro Liners DK55 NLF leaving the bus station.

Euro Liners DK55 NLF in Bromsgrove bus station

We at at the chip shop cafe that we always eat at when we visit Bromsgrove, Market Plaice Fish Bar. As it wasn't a bad day and the inside was full, we sat outside to eat our chips. Matthew had sausage chips and gravy and a bap washed down with a can of Coke. When we had finished eat Matthew said goodbye to the staff at the chips shop and said goodbye to mum too. We headed into the bus station and there was a lull in the buses when we got there. After a short wait we saw dud iGo 2002 on the #145 to Longbridge.

iGo 2002 in Bromsgrove bus station

To the South we saw in the distance a Copeland's Tours coach at Bromsgrove School. We also saw Bakers FB54 MTB arrive from the North and head towards the school too. A few minutes later we saw a First Worcester Enviro 300 approaching from the North. as it got closer we saw that it was required First Worcester 67654 on a #144 to Worcester.

First Worcester 67654 in Bromsgrove bus station

We decided to do this down to Droitwich, and then we could visit the Spar shop there for more supplies. We got on the bus and we purchased Worcestershire Connecta tickets at £7 each. We sat down near to the back of the bus. We set off Southwards out of town on the A448 and we passed saw a First Worcester Solo in Bromsgrove for the first time. It was First Worcester 53050 running out of service. We passed Bromsgrove School but we couldn't see any of the coaches in the grounds. We joined the B4091 and we passed a church were preserved Birmingham Corporation half cab 2976 was being used as a wedding vehicle. Further South we joined the A38 and we ran down past Webbs of Wychbold before crossing under the M5 at junction 5. We carried on along the A38 until we were just North of town. We crossed under the railway line and we went around the town centre along the Saltway. We came into town from the West along Priory Lane and we got off the bus at the stop outside the Spar shop.

First Worcester 67654 in Droitwich Spa

As we got off the bus we saw a Rotala Diamond Dart approaching. It was Rotala Diamond 20113 on a #19A town circular service.

Rotala Diamond 20113 in Droitwich Spa

The last time that we had seen Rotala Diamond 20113 was in Kidderminster back in August 2014. We went into the Spar shop and we got some supplies for later. When we came out we saw a bus from an operator that we had never seen before... It was LMS Dennis Dart Y833 TGH.

LMS Travel Y833 TGH in Droitwich Spa

We walked into Victoria Square and Matthew had a Milky Way and a can of Irn Bru. Whilst we were waiting for the next Bromsgrove bound bus we saw required First Worcester 67661 on a Worcester bound service.

First Worcester 67661 in Droitwich Spa

A few minutes later we saw a bus come around the near corner. It was required First Worcester 67656 on a #144 to Birmingham.

First Worcester 67656 in Droitwich Spa

We got on the bus and we flashed the Worcestershire Connecta tickets to the driver. We sat down near to the back of the bus and the bus set off through town. We turned onto Queen Street and we headed back onto Bromsgrove Road and then back onto the A38. We passed under the M5 and past Wychbold and then into the South end of town via the B4091 and A448 When we got back to the bus station we saw required First Worcester 32852 pulling off on a Worcester bound #144 service. It stopped at the traffic lights at the end of the bus station and we watched it leave the bus station. There was another lull in the buses and the only bus that we saw was dud Clearway S895 SNY on the #93 Charford circular service. After a short wait we saw a Rotala Diamond bus approaching from the North. It was required Rotala Diamond 30943 on the #202 to Halesowen.

Rotala Diamond 30943 in Bromsgrove bus station

Before we got on to the bus I had a chat about where I wanted to go on the bus. I had an idea that the #202 passed the area just to the West of town which I didn't know what it was called... It turned out that the area was called Eachway. As I don't know the area I was a little confused about the direction that the bus travelled into to get to Rubery. We got on the bus and flashed the Connecta tickets to driver asking to travel to the edge of Rubery. We sat down near to the back of the bus. The bus set off out of town and up Birmingham Road. At the A38 we saw two coaches in the lay-by. These were Catteralls UUI 4918 and PO55 OSL. We joined the A38 and we travelled up to the roundabout where the A38 crosses the M42. On the same roundabout is the B4096, which we took the Northbound route. It was at this point that I worked out we would be approaching Rubery from the East. We were going through the Lickeys... A hilly area to the North West of Barnt Green. We went up a steep hill which made me think of Lickey incline, a steep gradient on the Bromsgrove to Birmingham railway line that we used to travel up by train back in the day. We went through a very wooded and picturesque valley then we turned right. At this point I noticed we were in the West Midlands by the bus stops. We passed National Express west Midlands 4146 coming the other way. We carried on for around another mile and we were next to the A38 at the East end of the main street in Rubery. The driver whistle down to us and told us that was as far as we could go and we could catch a #144 just up the road. We got off the bus and we started to walk up the road. In the distance we could see the A38 again on the horizon about 1/2 mile away. Before we got to Callowbridge Road we saw National Express West Midlands 4429 on a #63 to Birmingham.

NX West Midlands 4429 in Rubery

We then saw National Express West Midlands 4754 on a #49 to Solihull.

NX West Midlands 4754 in Rubery

We further up the road and we saw that we were back in Worcestershire! We checked the stop information and we saw that was a #144 to Bromsgrove due in a few minutes. This gave Matthew time to have a few squares of Galaxy Caramel... A few minutes later we saw A First bus approaching. As it got closer we saw it was dud First Worcester 67643.

First Worcester 67643 in Rubery

We got on the bus and we flashed the Worcestershire Connecta ticket to the driver. We sat down near to the back of the bus. This was a bus that we did from Sidemoor to Catshill on our first ever trip to Bromsgrove back in June 2014. the bus headed West towards Eachway where I originally wanted to do the #202 to, and joined onto the Southbound A38. We passed the roundabout for junction 4 of the M5 and we headed further South. We turned right at the Toby inn and we headed down Golden Cross Lane near to the Co-op and into Catshill. We came out of the other side of Catshill and we crossed under the M42 before going into Bromsgrove via Sidemoor. When got to Bromsgrove bus station Matthew visit the toilet again. I had a look at the stops to see when the next bus was due. On the stop I noticed s timetable for Euroliners, and I realised that when we had seen the minibus in the bus station it must have been working on a service bus! All the times we have been to Bromsgrove and this is the first time I realised that this was happening... A look at the timetable showed that the last departure on the #97 to Sidemoor was at 13:55. If we came to Bromsgrove again to ride on this bus we would have to arrive much earlier in the day. There was a #202 to Halesowen at 16:25 and a #147 towards Droitwich at 16:30. We thought that if we did the #147 to Droitwich if we were lucky we might get First Worcester 32852 coming back. The #147 arrived first and it was required First Worcester 67658.

First Worcester 67658 in Bromsgrove bus station

As it wasn't due to leave for a few minute we didn't rush to get on it. A minute or so later we saw the following #202 approaching from the North. It was required Rotala Diamond 30942.

Rotala Diamond 30942 in Bromsgrove bus station

Unexpectedly, (to us) dud Hanson bus 1520 appeared on the #318 to Bromsgrove railway station.

Hanson Bus 1520 in Bromsgrove bus station

We decided to go with the 'head to Droitwich and hope get First Worcester 32852' plan, so we got on First Worcester 67658 and flashed our Worcestershire Connecta tickets to the driver before sitting down towards the back of the bus. As the bus in front of us was empty Matthew took a picture inside First Worcester 67658 too.

Inside First Worcester 67658

The bus set off onto the A448 and we headed South and onto the B4091. We continued South onto the A38 and as this was a #147 we went into the entrance of Webbs of Wychbold. I like how they have a home made bus stop shelter made out of a re-purposed shed complete with a garden bench inside it for the waiting passengers. We rejoined the A38 and continued South down the A38 until we got to the edge of town. We headed down the Birmingham Road and around town along the Saltway. We came into town along Prior Lane and and we got off the bus outside the Spar shop again. Matthew took another picture of First Worcester 67658 before it carried on Southwards towards Worcester.

First Worcester 67658 in Droitwich Spa

We walked to the square and a quick check of the bus stop timetable informed us there was a bus due in a few minutes #147. I just had time to visit a cash machine and Matthew had a bag of Milky Stars. A few minutes later dud First Worcester 67652 made an appearance on the #147.

First Worcester 67652 in Droitwich Spa

We got on the bus and we flashed our Worcestershire Connecta ticket to the driver for the final time of the day, and we sat down towards the back of the bus. The bus set off out town along Queen Street and we headed North up to the A38. First Worcester 67652 was the first ever First Bus Enviro 300 that we had been on from this batch back in June 2014. We called into Webbs of Wychbold again and this time First Worcester 67661 was going south on a #144A calling at the 'shed' stop just before we did. I asked Matthew if he wanted to get off the bus and wait for another one behind us, be he indicated to me that he wanted to go forward to Bromsgrove on the bus that we were on. We joined the Northbound B4091 and then onto the A448 for the last few hundred yards to the bus station. When we got to the bus station we got up and got off the bus. Matthew then took another picture of First Worcester 67652.

First Worcester 67652 in Bromsgrove bus station

Matthew went to the toilet for the final time and missed Commandery Coaches Mercedes YN57 ENV whilst he was in there. When he came out we saw iGo 2001 on the #145 to Droitwich Spa.

iGo 2001 in Bromsgrove bus station

We met up with mum and we walked back to the car. Mum validated the parking at the machine and I sorted out some drinks from the boot of the car. There were already some Greggs sausage rolls waiting for us. We set off out of the car park and we headed up Birmingham Road and onto the A38. The Cotteralls coaches had now moved on. We joined the A38 and then we passed Dudley's Coaches R726 TYC. We went further North and the we passed the Leons coach 216 again this time going southwards. We joined the M5 and we made good time up to the M6, as we passed Bescot we ran alongside a charter train consisting of pullman coaches and a class 47 on the rear of the train. We carried on North through the roadworks section of the M6 and we passed Copeland's Tours MIB 520 going South. We carried on North to junction 15 we left the M6. On the A500 it was soooo nice being able to get up to 50mph before we had got to the top of the hill. At Sideway we joined the Eastbound A50, which we did to Longton. We went to check out what was on Z Carz this evening. On the spare ground there were 2 buses tonight... Mercedes minibus M372 NWN had moved off, and there were 2 different buses. First in the row was Mercedes minibus CE02 LYX.

Z Carz CE02 LYX in Longton

The other bus was one of Z Carz's Ford minibuses, LG09 JVZ.

Z Carz LG09 JVZ in Longton

We turned into Willow Row to see what was in the compound. In the compound were Mercedes minibuses S952 VMY and M372 NWN, as well as Iveco minibus GK02 NWJ.

Z Carz GK02 NWJ in Longton

We headed back onto the A50 and we came off the A50 again at Heron Cross. We went through Blurton and stopped at mum friends shop and we dropped off some shopping before we carried on home, we followed First Potteries 60069 which was on a #22 to Newcastle up the road and we followed it into Beaconsfield Drive. We got home just before 19:00. For a late tea Matthew had bangers and mash with carrots followed by a millionaires shortbread. Matthew then chilled out on his computer until bedtime around 01:00... Mark