Trip to Wigan / Westhoughton 11-07-2015

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
22301	Wigan BS	Platt Bridge, after Warrington Road/Millers Lane	658	Stagecoach Manchester
36801	Platt Bridge, before Warrington Road/Millers Lane	Wigan BS	658	Stagecoach Manchester
19518	Wigan BS	Westhoughton, Market St/Westhoughton Town Hall (Stop F)	540	Stagecoach Manchester
19525	Westhoughton, Market St/Westhoughton Church (Stop E)	Wigan BS	540	Stagecoach Manchester
19339	Wigan BS	Platt Bridge, after Warrington Road/Millers Lane	658	Stagecoach Manchester
2968	Platt Bridge, before Warrington Road/Millers Lane	Wigan BS	360	Arriva NW&W

Today we decided to re-visit Wigan. We checked the weather and it was for cloudy weather with rain showers moving in later. We gave Matthew a list place in the Midlands and North West and from the list he chose Wigan. Matthew got up around 10:15 and had toast and strawberry juice for breakfast. We set of just after 12:00 onto the A5035. We turned right onto Stanley Matthews Way before joining the Westbound A50. At Sideway we joined the Northbound A500. Going North up the A500 we passed ABC Supreme N806 CRJ going South. Later we saw ABC Supreme P881 RND in the first lay by off the M6 on the opposite carriageway. We joined the Northbound M6 and it was reasonably quiet. We were passed by DG minibus DK08 BNF. We went all the way up to junction 25 and we left the motorway on the A49. GThe last few miles into Wigan was a little quieter than usual and made good time. We parked up near to the bus station around 13:15. For dinner we went to Mr Chips where Matthew had a breakfast washed down with a small bottle of Coke. When we had finished eating we said goodbye to mum and we also said goodbye to Mr Chips... We walked down to the bus station and we saw Rotala South Lancs Travel 30917 on a #715 to Bolton.

Rotala South Lancs 30917 in Wigan bus station

We had a quick wander around the bus station whilst we decided what buses to catch. Between services on layover we saw required Rotala South Lancs Travel 30536.

Rotala South Lancs 30536 in Wigan bus station

We also saw required Stagecoach Manchester 36798 on a #626 Beech Hill circular.

Stagecoach Manchester 36798 in Wigan bus station

We then saw required Stagecoach Manchester 19524 on a #32 to Manchester.

Stagecoach Manchester 19524 in Wigan bus station

Behind the double decker was required Stagecoach Manchester 22301 on a #658 to Higher Folds via Platt Bridge & Leigh.

Stagecoach Manchester 22301 in Wigan bus station

We decided to do this required MAN single decker. Whilst we waited for the bus to be readied for service we saw required Stagecoach Manchester 22223 on the following #658 service.

Stagecoach Manchester 22223 in Wigan bus station

We decided to do the slightly less desirable Stagecoach Manchester 22301, as we could get off 22301 Platt Bridge and jump on Stagecoach Manchester 22223 and do it forward to Leigh, at least that was our thinking... We got on Stagecoach Manchester 22301 and it was fairly well loaded. We booked System One bus only tickets at £5.20 each before sitting down towards the back of the bus. The bus set off through town and out onto the other side along Scholes. On the edge of ton we turned onto Warrington Road and we went South for a few miles. Stagecoach Manchester 22223 was lightly loaded and right behind us, so it ended up getting ahead of us! We decided to get off in Platt Bridge anyway, as we were getting off Stagecoach Manchester 22301 we saw Stagecoach Manchester 22223 leaving the main stop in Platt Bridge and going off into the distance.... Drat! Once off the bus Matthew got another better picture of Stagecoach Manchester 22301 before it carried on towards Higher Folds.

Stagecoach Manchester 22301 in Platt Bridge

On the opposite side of the road we saw Stagecoach Manchester 36801 sitting out of service at the Wigan bound stop. On our previous visit to Platt Bridge back in January 2015 we saw a few scrap buses in the yard of Blakeleys Recycling which is situated just off the main street. We walked up to the yard and we took a few pictures from the boundary of the yard. Nearest to the gate and in clear view were former First Potteries bus 40179 along side First Marshall bodied Dart 41301. At the back of the site is former First Potteries bus 61239. There is no boundary fence on the left side of the yard, but the area is marked out with scrap lorry trailers. Behind the trailers are former First Potteries bus 40007 & First West Yorkshire 50282. When we had finished taking pictures in the scrapyard, we headed back onto the high street. At the Wigan bound stop still was Stagecoach Manchester 36801 and this had been joined by required Stagecoach Manchester 22358.

Stagecoach Manchester 22358 in Platt Bridge

We crossed the road hoping to catch required Stagecoach Manchester 22358, but as we walked up to the door we noticed that a fitter was in attendance. The bus had been emptied and all the passenger had transferred onto Stagecoach Manchester 36801 that had been sitting at the stop awaiting the arrival of the errant bus. I asked Matthew if he wanted to do Stagecoach Manchester 36801 or wait for the next bus. He chose to do Stagecoach Manchester 36801, but not before getting a picture of the bus.

Stagecoach Manchester 36801 in Platt Bridge

We got on the bus and we flashed the System One bus tickets to the driver. We sat down towards the back of the bus. Checking the 'buses I have travelled on' page we saw that we had already been on this bus from Hindley Green to Leigh back in September 2014. The bus set off Northwards up Warrington Road and we entered town from the East. When we got back to the bus station we let the bus empty and Matthew took a picture inside Stagecoach Manchester 36801.

Inside Stagecoach Manchester 36801

Across the way there was a double decker on the #540 to Bolton. We asked matthew if he wanted to do it and he said yes... It was Stagecoach Manchester 19518.

Stagecoach Manchester 19518 in Wigan bus station

We got on the bus and we flashed the System One tickets at the driver before going upstairs. The rear of the top deck was empty so Matthew took a picture inside.

Inside Stagecoach Manchester 19518

This was another bus that we though was a required one... It turned out that it wasn't! We had been on Stagecoach Manchester 19518 from Wigan to Hindley Green back in January 2015. The bus set off put of town Eastwards and onto the A577 and through Ince. We carried on to Hindley before turning Northwards. We headed East through the housing estate to the North of Atherton Road before going past the industrial estate and running up to Daisy Hill. We passed the railway station before turning left and going through the housing estate onto the A58. We went North before turning right onto Market Street. As we turned into market Street we saw required Arriva NW&W 4185 on a Wigan bound #715 service. We travelled to the far end of Market Street and we got up and got off the bus. Matthew took another picture of Stagecoach Manchester 19518 before it carried on to Bolton.

Stagecoach Manchester 19518 in Westhoughton

We visited the Co-operative food store behind the bus stop and we stock up on chocolate and pop in the trip bag. After we had paid for the goodies we set of down Market Street to the toilet. On the way we saw required Arriva NW&W MPD Dart 893 on the #715 to Bolton.

Arriva NW&W 893 in Westhoughton

Matthew used the toilet and we crossed the road to wait for the next Wigan bus. On the other side of the road we saw Rotala South Lancs Travel 20726 on the #521 to Little Lever. There was an #540 to Wigan and an #715 to Wigan both due at the same time. The Stagecoach bus turned up first and it was Stagecoach Manchester 19525.

Stagecoach Manchester 19525 in Westhoughton

We got on the bus and we flashed the System One ticket to the driver before we went upstairs. The bus set off onto the A58 and through the housing estate to Daisy Hill. A quick check of the 'Buses I have travelled on' page again revealed this to be a dud bus. We made the trip from Dangerous Corner to Higher Ince on Stagecoach Manchester 19525 back in September 2014. We had been on We travelled through the estates until we came onto the A58 again and we went into Hindley. As we travelled back along the A577 we passed Wigan Coachways T42 PVM in Higher Ince and Wigan Buses T439 EBD in Ince on a #639 service. By this time the the bus had emptied out in front of us so Matthew took a picture of the empty bus in front of us.

Inside Stagecoach Manchester 19525

The bus carried on into Ince and then into Wigan along the A577 from the East end. When we got to the bus station we considered what we should catch next. At the bottom end of the bus station we saw required Arriva NW&W 4582 on a #375 to Southport.

Arriva NW&W 4582 in Wigan bus station

Earlier on in the day we had seen required Stagecoach Manchester 19339 on the #658 service. AS we had only scored 1 out of 4 buses today and we saw this required bus we decided to do it... Matthew got a picture of Stagecoach Manchester 19339 as we waited for the bus to be readied for service.

Stagecoach Manchester 19339 in Wigan bus station

Across the way we saw The Travellers Choice coach 100 WXD arrive in the bus station.

The Travellers Choice 100 WXD in Wigan bus station

We got on Stagecoach Manchester 19339 and we flashed the System One ticket to the driver. We went upstairs and as the top deck was empty Matthew decided to take a picture inside Stagecoach Manchester 19339 before we sat down.

Inside Stagecoach Manchester 19339

The bus set off out of town and we went Eastwards over the A49 before turning Southwards down the A573 Warrington Road. When we got to Platt Bridge we got up and got off Stagecoach Manchester 19339. We had just missed required Stagecoach Manchester 22237 going the other way. We crossed the Road and according to the bus stop timetable we had around 12 minutes to wait for the next bus. Before the bus appeared what we can only assume to be a late running Arriva #360 service appeared. As it got closer we saw it was required Arriva NW&W 2968.

Arriva NW&W 2968 in Platt Bridge

We got on the bus and we flashed the System One tickets to the driver for the final time today. We sat down towards the back of the bus and the bus carried on North up the A573. We headed into Wigan from the East along Darlington Street. When we got to the bus station we let the bus empty out before Matthew took a picture inside Arriva NW&W 2968.

Inside Arriva NW&W 2968

After we got off the bus we met with mum and we crossed over the bus station and took another picture of Arriva NW&W 2968.

Arriva NW&W 2968 in Wigan bus station

Before we set off home we went around the bus station and took a few more pictures. Matthew went to the toilet and then we worked our way towards the bottom corner of the bus station taking pictures. At the top of the bus station was Rotala South Lancs Travel Streetlite 20981.

Rotala South Lancs 20981 in Wigan bus station

Down the bottom end of the bus station we saw dud Arriva NW&W 4583 on a #375 to Southport.

Arriva NW&W 4583 in Wigan bus station

On layover between duties was dud Stagecoach Manchester 19088.

Stagecoach Manchester 19088 in Wigan bus station

We left the bus station and we saw required Stagecoach Manchester 19517 which was on layover between duties on the #598 to Leigh.

Stagecoach Manchester 19517 in Wigan

We walked up to the car which mum had moved to Hallgate and there were Greggs sausage rolls and a small bottle of Irn Bru for Matthew. We left town via Frog Lane and Prescott Street. We joined the Northbound A49 and we went around Wigan Pier before going South down the A49 and out of town. Before we joined the motorway we stopped at a petrol station and we took on some diesel. We rejoined the A49 and we went down to the M6. Returning home we saw Z Carz BN03 OVS on the M6 before we turned off onto the A500. As we went down the A500 we saw ABC Supreme SM57 RZU. At Sideway we went East on the A50 and we came off the A50 at Longton to check out was was present at the Z carz depot. On the spare ground there were 2 buses. Closest to the A50 was Z Carz Mercedes minibus S952 VMY.

Z Carz S952 VMY in Longton

Next to the Mercedes was Z Carz Ford minibus FP06 WTW.

Z Carz FP06 WTW in Longton

We turned left into Willow Row to see what was in the compound this evening. Z Carz Mercedes minibus CE02 LYX was partially visible behind a few cars.

Z Carz CE02 LYX in Longton

We rejoined the A50 and we went up to Heron Cross and we joined Blurton Road. At the bottom of Beaconsfield Drive we passed First Potteries 65729 on the final #22 Newcastle - Longton of the day. We got home a little after 19:00. For a late tea Matthew had bangers and mash with carrots followed by millionaires shortbread. Matthew then chilled out on his computer until bedtime around 00:45... Mark