Trip to Hinckley / Barwell 02-05-2015

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
3316	Hinckley, Regent Street (Stand R1)	Barwell, The Square (NE-bound)	158	Arriva Midlands
3315	Barwell, adj The Square	Hinckley, Regent Street (Stand R2)	158	Arriva Midlands
2271	Hinckley, Regent Street (Stand R1)	Barwell, opp Willowdene Way	3	Hinckley bus
2271	Barwell, adj East Green	Hinckley, Regent Street (Stand R4)	3	Hinckley bus
2171	Hinckley, Regent Street (Stand R1)	Nuneaton, Opp Calendar Grove	7	Hinckley bus
2562	Nuneaton, Adj Calendar Grove	Barwell, Charnwood Road (NE Bound)	1	Hinckley bus
2569	Hinckley, Regent Street (Stand R1)	Nuneaton BS	7	Hinckley bus

Today we decided to revisit Hinckley. A quick check of the weather revealed that the best of the weather qould be to the East, so we decided to go in this direction. We gave Matthew a list of destinations from which he chose Hinckley. Matthew got up around 10:30 and had toast and orange juice for breakfast. We set off at around 11:30 and we headed through Bluton onto Blurton Road. We stopped briefly at a friened shop and we realised that we were almost out of diesel, so we decided to head to Sainsbury's in Stoke to fill up. We carried on along Blurton Road and onto the Westbound A50. We headed across the A500 and onto Campbell Road for the run into Stoke. We followed the one way system around town and we headed onto London Road and into Sainbury's petrol station. After we had filled up we headed down London Road and onto the A34 at Trent Vale. We carried on to the A500 and we joined the Southbound road to do the last mile or so onto the M6. As we joined the M6 we passed a P&D York coach P823 GBA going the other way. As we headed South we passed quite few coaches going North. This included a large group of Clarkes turquoise coloured coaches. When we got to the A5 we went East for a few miles until we reached out favourite truck stop. Matthew used the toilet and he had a breakfast washed down with a can of Coke. After we had finished we carried on East along the A5. Just to the South of Cannock we saw Arriva Midlands 3704 on a #70 to Wolverhampton. We carried on Eastwards and we saw some more buses as we traveled through Brownhills. First we saw Rotala Diamond 30821 on a #56 to Birmingham. Then we passed Arriva Midlands 2148 on a #23 from Bloxwich. After the roundabout we passed National Express West Midlands trainer 1349 going West. We carried on passed Tamworth and through the roadwork near to the new road layout just to the North of Nuneaton. We then turned onto the B4666 for the last few miles into town. We said goodbye to mum and we headed up passed the bus station. There appears to be a new shopping centre going up in town. On layover in the old bus station was Hinckley Bus 2174.

Hinckley Bus 2174 in Hinckley bus station

We walked a little further and we saw Stagecoach Warwickshire 36164 on the #48 service.

Stagecoach Warwickshire 36164 in Hinckley bus station

We carried on up to Regent Street where most of the buses currently use. It was our first glance of the new buses used by Arriva Midlands on the #158 service, a batch of Wrightbus Streetlites. We saw Arriva Midlands 3317 on a Nuneaton bound #158 service.

Arriva Midlands 3317 in Hinckley

We also saw required Hinckley Bus 2562 on a #1 to Nuneaton.

Hinckley Bus 2562 in Hinckley

This was followed closely by required Hinckley Bus 2569 on a #7 to Burbage.

Hinckley Bus 2569 in Hinckley

Going the other way was Arriva Midlands 3316. We asked Matthew which bus he wanted to do and he chose Arriva Midlands 3316. So we walked up to the other end of the street and got a picture of the bus before we crossed over to get on it.

Arriva Midlands 3316 in Hinckley

We got on the the bus and we booked a Hinckley Bus day ticket at £4 each. We sat down towards the back of the bus which was quite full and the bus set off out of town along the B4667. We crossed the A47 and we passed the hospital before we turned right onto the Hinckley Road. We we got into the centre of town we got off the bus, taking the half full can of cider that someone had left at the back of the bus. Matthew got another picture of Arriva Midlands 3316.

Arriva Midlands 3316 in Barwell

We visited the Co-operative food store and we brought a couple of chocolate bars and a can of Coke. We went to one of the stops to check out the timetable. Whilst we did that we saw required Hinckley Bus 2546 on a #1 to Nuneaton.

Hinckley Bus 2546 in Barwell

Going North on a #1 to Earl Shilton was required Hinckley Bus 2176.

Hinckley Bus 2176 in Barwell

There wasn't a #3 back for a while so we went to check out the stop for the #158. Whilst there we noticed the toilet for the first time and Matthew had to go and try them out. The bus was due at 1444 and Matthew got out of the toilet at 14:43. The bus was a couple minutes late and when it turned up it was required Arriva Midlands 3315.

Arriva Midlands 3315 in Barwell

We got on the bus and we flashed our Hinckley Day saver tickets to the driver. We sat down near to the back of this well filled bus. The bus set off out of town along Hinckley road and onto the A447. We crossed the A47 and we joined the B4667 for the run into town. Somebody opposite got off the bus so Matthew took a picture of the empty seats.

Inside Arriva Midlands 3315

We came into town and we got off the bus. Matthew then got another picture of Arriva Midlands 3315.

Arriva Midlands 3315 in Hinckley

We sat down on one of the seats opposite and we considered which bus we were going to do next. Matthew ate a chocolate bar and then we saw required Hinckley Bus 2172 on the X55 to Leicester..

Hinckley Bus 2172 in Hinckley

Whilst we were thinking a obout doing the bus bus we saw required Hinckley Bus 2271 on a #3 to Barwell. I asked Matthew which of the 2 buses he wanted to do and he chose Hinckley Bus 2271.

Hinckley Bus 2271 in Hinckley

We flashed the Hinckley Day Saver tickets to the driver and we got on the bus. We sat down near to the back of the bus. AS there were a few people on the bus Matthew got a picture of the empty back seat behind us.

Inside Hinckley Bus 2271

We set off along Hollycroft and we cut through Stanley Road and back onto the A447. Instead of going North up the B4667/A447 like the old #82 used to the bus turned into Barwell lane past the Asda store. We travelled along the Stoneygate Drive onto Leicester Road and we came into Barwell along The Common / Chapel Street. We got off the bus, and from our earlier visit we knew there was a Southbound #3 at 14:26. Matthew had time for a quick drink of Irn Bru and then the bus appeared. It was the bus we had just got off, Hinckley Bus 2271!

Hinckley Bus 2271 in Barwell

We got off the bus and we flashed the tickets at the driver for a second time today... The bus was empty this time and Matthew got a picture inside Hinckley Bus 2271 as we got on it.

Inside Hinckley Bus 2271

We sat down near to the back of the bus. The bus when back towards Hinckley via Leicester Road, Stanley Road and Hollycroft. We got into town and we got off the bus. We considered our next move. Going towards Leicester this time was dud Arriva Midlands 3315.

Arriva Midlands 3315 in Hinckley

This was followed by an interesting looking Dart, required Hinckley Bus 2171.

Hinckley Bus 2171 in Hinckley

We walked up to the bus and we saw that it was on a #7 to Nuneaton. We flashed the tickets to the driver and as the rear of the bus was empty Matthew took a picture inside Hinckley Bus 2171.

Inside Hinckley Bus 2171

The bus set off out of town towards Hollycroft and then we turned left into the Hollycroft estate. A quick glance at the map on the bus stop before we got on the bus showed that the #1 #7 #158 all shared a route into Nuneaton on the other side of the A5. The route through the estate was quite windey, and we went past an industrial estate on the A47 before we joined the A5 at the same roundabout as the B4666. We went one roundabout West on the A5 before We turned left at the Longshoot pub. We decided to get off the bus and not go into town as it was too early to meet up with mum in Nuneaton. When we we saw bus stops on opposite side of the road we got off there as there was now some light rain. As the bus pulled off to carry on towards Nuneaton we got another picture of Hinckley Bus 2171.

Hinckley Bus 2171 in Nuneaton

Before we could get across the road we saw required Arriva Midlands 3318 on a Leicester bound #158 service.

Arriva Midlands 3318 in Nuneaton

We crossed the road and walked to the bus shelter. There was only details for the stagecoach service on this stop and no bus stop information we could use to find the time on nextbuses.org. We saw a stagecoach bus approaching but we didn't have a valid ticket to catch that bus. It was required Stagecoach Warwickshire 36750 on a #10 to Earl Shilton.

Stagecoach Warwickshire 36750 in Nuneaton

Think that we would have to wait nearly 30 minutes for the next #158 or we would be on the #7 with Hinckley Bus 2171, we were pleasantly surprised when we saw a red Solo approaching. As it got closer we saw it was required Hinckley Bus Solo 2562 on the #1 to Earl Shilton.

Hinckley Bus 2562 in Nuneaton

We got on the bus and we flashed the tickets to the driver, Matthew misbehaved and honked the horn... We sat down towards the back of the bus and the bus set off towards Hinckley. The bus took the direct route, along the A5 and then into town via the B4666. When we got to town we turned left into Regent Street and we got off the bus at the top of the Street. Matthew then took another picture of Hinckley Bus 2562.

Hinckley Bus 2562 in Hinckley

Having done the 15:48 #7 service we guessed that there would be a 16:48 #7 too. As we had some time we went to the toilet on Station Road. We walked back via The Horsefair and we picked up son fries from the kebab shop. We walked back to regent street and we sat on a bench and we shared the fries whilst we waited for the bus. Just as we were finishing we saw required Hinckley Bus Solo 2569 on the #7.

Hinckley Bus 2569 in Hinckley

We walked up to the stop and we got on the bus. We flashed the Hinckley Day Saver tickets to the driver for the last time and we sat down towards the back of the bus. The bus set off out of town via Hollycroft and into the Hollycroft estate. We weaved our way through onto the A47 and past the industrial estate before joining onto the A5. We went westwards one junction and we headed in Nuneaton along The Long Shoot and Hinckley Road. When we got into town we headed into the bus station. Matthew took a picture inside Hinckley Bus 2569 before we got off.

Inside Hinckley Bus 2569

In front of us as we got off was required Stagecoach Warwickshire 36159 on a #48 service.

Stagecoach Warwickshire 36159 in Nuneaton bus station

We decided to use the toilet before we headed back to meet mum. Adjacent to the walkway was required Stagecoach Warwickshire 36756 on layover.

Stagecoach Warwickshire 36756 in Nuneaton bus station

Matthew used the toilet and we had one last walk around the bus station before we went back to the car. On the #78A to the University Hospital was required Travel de Courcey eVolution 566.

Travel de Courcey 566 in Nuneaton bus station

We carried on around the bus station and we saw required Stagecoach Warwickshire 36173.

Stagecoach Warwickshire 36173 in Nuneaton bus station

Another bus on stand was required Stagecoach Warwickshire 36749.

Stagecoach Warwickshire 36749 in Nuneaton bus station

we also saw required Arriva Midlands 3511 on the #765 to Tamworth.

Arriva Midlands 3511 in Nuneaton bus station

As we walked back to the car we photographed the buses on the front row. behind the Arriva bus was dud Stagecoach Warwickshire 34627 on a #17 service.

Stagecoach Warwickshire 34627 in Nuneaton bus station

Behind 34627 was required Stagecoach Warwickshire 34628 on a #5A service.

Stagecoach Warwickshire 34628 in Nuneaton bus station

Further down the row was required Stagecoach Warwickshire 34593 on a #41 service.

Stagecoach Warwickshire 34593 in Nuneaton bus station

We crossed over the road to B&M and mum was waiting for us with Greggs sausage rolls and a small bottle of Irn Bru. We set off out of town and past the railway station and onto the A444. We traveled a couple of miles North and we joined the A5 and we Westwards. We passed Tamworth and Cannock and we joined onto the Northbound M6. We passed the convoy of Clarkes coaches going the other way and we left the M6 at junction 15. We traveled North up the A500 and we caught up with two coaches. One we couldn't identify and we didn't see it again. The other we caught up with and passed it was Abbey Coaches W4 FTG. When we left the A50 at Longton the coach caught up with us and matthew got a picture of Abbey Coaches W4 FTG.

Abbey Coaches W4 FTG on the A50

In Longton there were 4 buses on the spare ground. First in the row was Mercedes minibus Z Carz M372 NWN.

Z Carz M372 NWN in Longton

At the back was another Mercedes minibus, Z Carz CE02 LYX.

Z Carz CE02 LYX in Longton

In front of Z Carz CE02 LYX was Ford minibus LG09 JVX.

Z Carz LG09 JVX in Longton

Next to this was another Ford minibus, Z Carz FP06 WTW.

Z Carz FP06 WTW in Longton

We turned left into Willow Row to see what was in the compound. There we saw another Mercedes minibus, Z Carz S952 VMY.

Z Carz S952 VMY in Longton

We headed back onto the A50 and we came off the A50 again at Heron Cross. We headed through Blurton and we saw Lightning Travel visitor T162 RWK. We carried on through Blurton and we turned right at Beaconsfield Drive. We got home just before 19:00. For a late tea Matthew had bangers and mash with carrots followed by angel cake and custard. Matthew then chilled out on his computer until bedtime around 00:30... Mark