Trip to Crewe / Nantwich 30-05-2015

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
4163	Crewe BS	Nantwich BS	84	Arriva NW&W
4100	Nantwich BS	Crewe BS	84	Arriva NW&W
2612	Crewe BS	Winsford, opp Asda	31A	Arriva NW&W
2611	Winsford, opp Siddon Street	Crewe BS	31	Arriva NW&W
4169	Crewe BS	Nantwich BS	84	Arriva NW&W
4163	Nantwich BS	Crewe BS	84	Arriva NW&W

Today we decided to revisit Crewe. We had checked the weather for the North West and the Midlands and it was for dry and cool weather with some sunny intervals. We had a slight crack in the windscreen of the car and it couldn't be replaced until Monday, so we gave Matthew a list of places nearby. From the list Matthew chose Crewe. Since our last visit there had been a few Darts arriving at Winsford depot from Bolton, plus there were a couple of Plaxton President double deckers on loan at Winsford for the half term holidays. Matthew got up around 10:00 and had some toast and orange juice fro breakfast. We set off just after 12:00 and we headed onto the A5035. We turned onto Stanley Matthews Way and and down past the Britannia Stadium where there appeared to be some kind of event taking place. We went West on the A50 and then Northwards up the A500. At Wolstanton we passed ABC Supreme YX03 JVZ going Southwards. We crossed under the M6 and carried on along the single carriageway section of the A500 until we got to the Crewe turning. We turned right onto the A5020 and we followed the road right to the edge of town before turning left onto the A534 and passing the railway station. We turned right onto Edleston Road for the final run into town. Just before we got there we passed required Arriva NW&W 4163 on a #84 to Nantwich. We turned left into Delamere Street and we passed the bus station. We wound our way around the one way street and we parked in Asda car park this time. We walked through the car park to the shopping edge of town and we went into Vernon's fish bar for dinner. We looked across at the bus station and we could see an Arriva double decker was parked up as spare bus. After using the toilet Matthew had sausage chips and beans with bread and butter washed down with a glass of Coke. When it was time to go we walked into the bus station and we saw what we were hoping to see, Arriva NW&W 4163 had returned and was about to the next #84 to Nantwich.

Arriva NW&W 4163 in Crewe bus station

We got on the bus and we booked Arriva North West day tickets at £5 each. We went upstairs and the rear of the bus was empty, so Matthew took a picture inside Arriva NW&W 4163.

Inside Arriva NW&W 4163

We sat down in the middle of the top deck and we waited for depature time. We noticed that the spare bus had swapped and was now a Plaxton Centro double decker. The bus set off out of the bus station Southwards onto Delamere Street. We carried on going South on Edleston Street. As we travlled down edleston Street we passed Beeline Taxis PN52 HUY going the other way. We turned right onto the A534 and we headed out of town. We passed through Wells Green and we turned left onto Willaston Road. We turned right into Coppice Road before rejoining the A534. We crossd the nantwich bypass and we carried on into town along the B5338. When we got to the edge of Nantwich we went North and around town until we got to the bus station on the A530. We got up and got off the bus. We crossed the road to get a better picture of Arriva NW&W 4163.

Arriva NW&W 4163 in Nantwich bus station

There was quite a lot of activity in the bus station when we arrived. D&G Cadet 125 was on a #6 service to Nantwich Millfields.

D&G 125 in Nantwich bus station

There were a few GHA buses too. GHA's new Solo SR 1202 was on a #39 to Crewe.

GHA 1202 in Nantwich bus station

Also in the bus station was another on of their new Solo SR's, GHA 1203.

GHA 1203 in Nantwich bus station

Whilst we were there we also saw GHA Solo YJ59 GHG arrive and go on layover.

GHA YJ59 GHG in Nantwich bus station

We walked into town and we went to the toilet. After we had finished there we headed back into the market and Matthew had some spearmint chews. We carried on walking back to the bus station. matthew sat down and had a Milky Way and then dud Arriva NW&W double decker 4104 came into the bus station on a #84 to Chester

Arriva NW&W 4104 in Nantwich bus station

A minute or so later the Crewe bound service appeared in the hands of dud Arriva NW&W 4100.

Arriva NW&W 4100 in Nantwich bus station

As both buses were dud we decided to head back towards Crewe to give us a greater choice of buses we could do. We got on the bus and we flashed the Arriva North West Day Saver tickets to the driver. We went upstairs and he rear of the bus was empty so Matthew took a picture inside Arriva NW&W 4100.

Inside Arriva NW&W 4100

The bus set off onto the A530 and we wheeled around the North East corner of town before going Eastwards on the B5338. We crossed back over the Nantwich bypass and we headed East on the A534. We then headed into Willaston village along Coppice Road before turning left onto Willaston Road. We rejoined the A534 for the run into Crewe. We turned left into Edleston Road for the run Northwards into the town centre before turning left into Delamere Street, entering the bus station from the South. When we got back into to Crewe we considered which bus to do next. D&G 183 was on the on the #6 to Leighton hospital.

D&G 183 in Crewe bus station

We walked down the row of buses in the bus station taking pictures. We then stood on the end of the bus station and we took a few more pictures. On a #3 service we saw dud First Potteries Volvo 66962.

First Potteries 66962 in Crewe bus station

GHA have some new buses operating their #42 service to Congleton via Leighton Hospital and Middlewhich. We saw GHA Enviro 200 1407.

GHA 1407 in Crewe bus station

We then saw dud Arriva NW&W 2612 come in on a #37 service. It was about to work out on a #31A to Winsford, so we decided to do this bus.

Arriva NW&W 2612 in Crewe bus station

We got on the bus and we flashed the Arriva North West Day Saver tickets to the driver before sitting down towards the back of the bus. It was the first time we had done this service between Crewe and Winsford so it was a bit of an adventure! The bus set off North out of the bus station and we wound our way through the streets towards Leighton Hospital. At the hospital there was a small bus station and there were a few buses there including D&G 183 on a #6, First Potteries 66303 on a #3 to Newcastle and GHA 1407 again on a the #42 to Congleton. We left the bus station area and we crossed the A530 at Bradfield Green before we continues up to Church Minshull crossing the Shropshire Union canal and the river Weaver. We continued North through the centre of Cheshire, Darnhall. We came into town along Beeston drive and we stopped opposite the shopping centre outside Witherspoons. We got up to get off and Matthew photographed the inside of the now empty Arriva NW&W 2612.

Inside Arriva NW&W 2612

Matthew got another picture of Arriva NW&W 2612 as it carried to its next turn.

Arriva NW&W 2612 in Winsford

We saw the bus turned right onto the A54. There were a few buses parked up there. On bus pulled off before we got there but the other two were Arriva NW&W 2612 which was now on the #37 to Crewe and Arriva NW&W 2610 which was about to work a #29 to Northwich. Across the road we saw required Arriva NW&W 2615 went passed on the other side of the road. Another Plaxton Centro also appeared and stopped on the opposite side of the road. So we crossed under the road in the subway and we came out and we saw dud Arriva NW&W 2611 on a #31 to Crewe.

Arriva NW&W 2611 in Winsford

We decided to do the bus anyway so we got on and we flashed the Arriva North West Day Saver tickets to the driver before sitting down towards the back of the bus. The bus set off West up the A54 before turning left into the housing estate and heading back South through Darnhall. Somewhere between Darnall and Church Minshull we passed Northwich Travel minibus Y743 DDA coming the other way. We passed through Church Minshull and just before we crossed the A530 to go towards the hospital, we saw that the bus in front of us was empty.

Inside Arriva NW&W 2611

At the hospital this time we saw D&G 124, GHA 1406 on the #42 to Congleton and required Arriva NW&W 2608 on the #31A to Winsford. We headed back through the estate passing an Arriva Solo SR on the #6 to Leighton Hospital. When we got back to the bus station there was Plaxton President in the bus station. It was required Arriva NW&W 4169.

Arriva NW&W 4169 in Crewe bus station

It was going to work the next #84 to Chester, but it wasn't departure time so we had a look around the bus station to see what was about. Next to Arriva NW&W 4169 was dud Arriva NW&W 4489 on the #38 to Macclesfield.

Arriva NW&W 4489 in Crewe bus station

Also in the bus station was First Potteries 66838 on the #3 to Newcastle.

First Potteries 66838 in Crewe bus station

The driver came to the bus and readied Arriva NW&W 4169 for service. We got on the bus and we flashed the Arriva North West Day Saver tickets to the driver before we went upstairs. The top deck was empty so Matthew took a picture inside Arriva NW&W 4169.

Inside Arriva NW&W 4169

The bus set off out of the Southern end of the bus station onto Delamere Street and we turhedn right onto Edleston Street. As we left the bus station we passed Arriva NW&W 2609 on the #84 from Nantwich. At the other end of Edleston Street we turned right onto the A534 and we went Westwards along the road for a few miles until we got to Willaston. We turned left on Willaston Road to go into the village before going fight onto Coppice Road and we then rejoined the A534. We crossed the Nantwich bypass and we headed into town we rounded the North end of town and we turned into the bus station from the A530. We got up and got off the bus and once again we went across the road to get a better picture of Arriva NW&W 4169 as we had done earlier with Arriva NW&W 4163.

Arriva NW&W 4169 in Nantwich bus station

Also in the bus station was GHA Solo SR 1201.

GHA 1201 in Nantwich bus station

Behind this was standard GHA Solo YJ59 GHF.

GHA YJ59 GHF in Nantwich bus station

We decided to walk into town to use the toilet by the market. We walked into the market which had been packed up and when we got to the toilet it was closed! It shuts at 16:30 apparently. There were a couple of gentleman tidying up the yard area so we asked where there was another toilet. One of the gentlemen kindly opened up the toilet so that Matthew could use it. Once Matthew had finished with thanked the gentleman and we walked to the chip shop and brought a portion of chips between us and 3 cans of pop. We walked back to the bus station and we ate the chips. Matthew had a can of Coke and I had a can of Pepsi. We let Arriva NW&W 2609 go which was on the #84 to Crewe having worked in from Crewe on the short turn. We saw D&G 103 on a #1A to Crewe and also parked up was GHA solo SR 1204.

GHA 1204 in Nantwich bus station

The Chester bound #84 came into the bus station as it should do, and it was dud Arriva NW&W 4102.

Arriva NW&W 4102 in Nantwich bus station

A few minutes later we saw the bus approaching and it was a Plaxton President double decker. It was dud Arriva NW&W 4163 which we had earlier, which had switched from doing the #84 shorts to Nantwich, to doing a trip to Chester.

Arriva NW&W 4163 in Nantwich bus station

We got on this bus again and we flashed the Arriva North West Day Saver tickets to the driver for the final time today and we went upstairs. The bus was a little fuller than we had been on earlier, which is understandable for the time of day. It didn't matter as we had already got a picture inside this bus earlier. The bus set off around the town and onto the B5338. As we approached the Nantwich bypass we saw David Brown of Willaston's Iveco minibus BX56 MVA in a pub car park which appeared to be on wedding duties! We crossed the bypass and and we entered Willaston village along Coppice Road and we rejoined the A534 off Willaston Road. When we got into town we made the left turn into Edleston Street behind required Arriva NW&W 2608 which was on a #37. When we got to the bus station there was just time to get a picture of Arriva NW&W 2608 before we headed back to the car.

Arriva NW&W 2608 in Crewe bus station

We walked out of the bus station and mum had parked up on Victoria street outside Wetherspoons so we didn't have to walk as far back. Matthew said hello to a lady outside the pub and we got into the car. Mum had got Greggs sausage rolls for us and Matthew washed his down with a small bottle of Irn Bru. We wound our way through the Streets in and we came out on Edleston Street. We headed onto the A534 and we went past the railway station before turning right onto the A5020. we ran out of town for a few miles before we joined the A500 and we went East. After we crossed under the A500 we followed Anytime Airports PY07 NHT South as it had come of the M6. When we got to Sideway we went East on the A50 up to Longton so that we could check out what was parked up at Z Carz today. First in the row was Mercedes minibus S952 VMY.

Z Carz S952 VMY in Longton

Next to the Mercedes minibus S952 VMY was Z Carz Ford minibus GL04 CVE.

Z Carz GL04 CVE in Longton

Next to the Ford minibus GL04 CVE was another Ford minibus PY08 KDX, Z Carz PN06 ONM.

Z Carz PN06 ONM in Longton

At the back were another couple of minibuses. Next to the Fords minibus BN03 OVS was another Mercedes minibus, Z Carz CE02 LYX.

Z Carz CE02 LYX in Longton

Finally, last in the row was Z Carz Volkswagen minibus OV05 WSW.

Z Carz OV05 WSW in Longton

We turned left into Willow Row to see what was there. There was only one vehicle, Z Carz Renault traffic DS07 LSN.

Z Carz DS07 LSN in Longton

We headed back onto A50 and we came off the A50 at Heron Cross. Unusually we passed through Blurton without seeing another bus. We got home around 18:40. For a late tea Matthew had bangers and mash with carrots followed by a jam filled shortcake biscuit. Matthew then chilled out on his computer until bedtime around 01:15... Mark