Trip to Crewe / Nantwich 01-08-2015

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
4216	Crewe BS	Nantwich BS	84	Arriva NW&W
2618	Nantwich BS	Willaston, nr Jacksons Corner	84	Arriva NW&W
4179	Willaston, opp Nags Head PH	Nantwich BS	84	Arriva NW&W
4105	Nantwich BS	Crewe BS	84	Arriva NW&W
2447	Crewe BS	Wistaston Green, Wood End (S-bound)	8	Arriva NW&W
2447	Wistaston Green, Wood End (S-bound)	Crewe BS	8	Arriva NW&W
2608	Crewe BS	Leighton, o/s Leighton Hospital	31A	Arriva NW&W
679	Leighton, o/s Leighton Hospital	Crewe BS	6	Arriva NW&W

Today we decided to re-visit Crewe, this was partly due to the sighting of Arriva NW&W 4179 on the #84 service in Chester last week. We had checked the weather the day before and it was for fine sunny weather all over the Midlands and North West. We gave Matthew a list of place which were waited towards a choice of Crewe, and from the he due obliged and chose Crewe. A quick check of the weather again and the weather had now change to cloudy with showers. Matthew got up and had toast and orange juice for breakfast. We set off through Blurton and we saw First Potteries 60205 on the Longton bound #22 and First Potteries 41497 on the #22 to Newcastle. We joined the A5035 and we turned right onto Stanley Matthews Way passing Lucky Seven SJ55 LSK. At the other end we joined the Westbound A50 before going North on the A500. Seen going up the A500 were Mencap EK03 GXH, City Cabs EF05 OLX, Routemaster buses RML 2400 & Sheldon Executive Travel T85 BUB. I thought I had heard on the radio that the new link road from the A500 to the A532 / A5020, but I had heard correctly. I think the new road was linking the A500 to Gresty Road. We ended up going North on the other new road, which seem to pass close to the rail freight yard at Basford. We past the football ground and we queue up to join the A534 at the lights. As we waited we saw two coach pass then end of the road, one of which was Elcock Reisen A2 EXC. We joined the A534 before turning right into Eddleston Road. We were followed into town by dud Arriva NW&W 2611 on a Crewe bound #37 service. We passed the bus station and we headed through the back streets to Asda. One we had sorted out a ticket for the car, we walked over to town to Vernon's fish bar and Matthew used the toilet before having sausage chips and gravy with bread and butter washed down with a glass of Coke. When we had finished eating we pad up and we said goodbye to mum before walking over to the bus station. When we got there were two Solo SR's from 2 different operators on stand. Arriva NW&W 702 was on a #6 to Broad House and D&G 105 was on a #8A to Beech Grove.

D&G 105 in Crewe bus station

On layover on the other side of the bus station was Arriva NW&W Dart 894 along with GHA coach DA04 GHA. The first bus to come into the bus station was required Arriva NW&W 4216 on a #84 to Nantwich.

Arriva NW&W 4216 in Crewe bus station

Whilst the driver of Arriva NW&W 4216 readied the bus for service, Matthew took a picture of the GHA coach DA04 GHA which was an unusual sighting.

GHA DA04 GHA in Crewe bus station

As the objective of today trip was to try and ride on Arriva NW&W 4179 and we considered it most likely to be out on the #84 service, we though we would do required Arriva NW&W 4216 and kill two birds with one stone. When the driver readied the bus for service, we got on a booked Arriva North West Day Saver tickets at £5.20 each. We went upstairs and the rear of the top deck was empty, and so Matthew took a picture inside Arriva NW&W 4216.

Inside Arriva NW&W 4216

We sat down in the middle of the offside of the bus, and we looked over and saw dud First Potteries 66307 in a favourable position to take a photograph.

First Potteries 66307 in Crewe bus station

When it was time to leave the bus left the bus station ans went onto Delamere Street. We turned right into Chester Bridge. We went forwards onto Edlestone Road and we passed dud Arriva NW&W 4106 on the inbound #84 from Chester. At the end of Edleston Road we turned right onto the A534 and we headed out of Crewe. About 1/2 way between Crewe and the willaston turned we passed required Arriva NW&W 4106 broken down at the side of the road on what was presumably the #84 to Nantwich. We turned left into Wistaston Road and then right into Coppice Road before rejoining the A534. We crossed over the A51 Nantwich Bypass and we carried onto towards Nantwich town centre. As we came close to the town we passed the bus that we had come for, Arriva NW&W 4179. We turned left onto the B5074 and then right onto the A530 before we entered the bus station from the East. We got off the bus and then Matthew got another picture of Arriva NW&W 4216.

Arriva NW&W 4216 in Nantwich bus station

There was a hive of activity at the bus station in Nantwich when we got off. There were a couple of GHA buses on layover on the lane closest to the main road. GHA Solo YM52 TPY was at the front and new GHA Solo SR 1203 was at the rear.

GHA 1203 in Nantwich bus station

On layover by the library was GHA YJ54 UBD. This pulled onto a stand and was about to work a local service.

GHA YJ54 UBD in Nantwich bus station

We walked into town and we went to the toilet. On the way back we stopped at the sweet stall in the market to by a couple of once of taverners mint toffee chews, before returning back to the bus station. Whilst we waited for the next bus towards Crewe to intercept Arriva NW&W 4179, we saw dud Arriva NW&W 4100 on a #84 to Chester.

Arriva NW&W 4100 in Nantwich bus station

This was followed by required D&G 125 which was on the #6 to Leighton Hospital.

D&G 125 in Nantwich bus station

As everything we had seen recently had been a double decker we had be expecting another one to turn up on the Crewe bound #84. When a Centro turned up we were a little surprised by it. As it pulled up we saw that it was required Arriva NW&W 2618.

Arriva NW&W 2618 in Nantwich bus station

We got on the Arriva NW&W 2618 and we flashed our Arriva North West Day Saver tickets to the driver before we sat down near to the back of the bus. The bus was quite well filled probably down to the fact that it was a single decker. We started to leave the bus station and we noticed and opportunity to get a picture of GHA Solo YM52 TPY at the front of the layover lane.

GHA YM52 TPY in Nantwich bus station

We went around the town before going East along the B5338. We crossed the Nantwich by-pass ans we saw Malbank coach SN55 OUF going the other way. We joined the A534 before turning right into Coppice Road and then left onto Wistaston Road. When we re-joined the A534 we got up to get off the bus. AS we were getting off I asked the driver where the nearest nantwich bound stop was and he told us it was on the end of Wistaston Road. We got off the bus and Matthew got another picture of Arriva NW&W 2618 as it carried on towards Crewe.

Arriva NW&W 2618 in Willaston

We crossed the A534 and we turned to see Happy Days coach 181 going towards Crewe.

Happy Days 181 in Willaston

We walked onto Wistaston Road but we couldn't see the bus stop. We ended up walking down a few hundred yard to the next bus stop. We saw GHA Solo YJ59 GHB on a #78 to Nantwich.

GHA YJ59 GHB in Willaston

Matthew wanted to sit down whilst we waited for Arriva NW&W 4179. At this point we noticed that Matthew had a 6" split in his trousers! We considered what to do whilst we waited for the bus. Just as I found the emergency roll of tape in the bag we turned and saw Arriva NW&W 4179 approaching so we had no time to fix his trousers here.

Arriva NW&W 4179 in Willaston

We flashed the Arriva North West Day Saver tickets to the driver and we went upstairs. We set off down Wistaston Road and the right onto Coppice Road. We joined the A534 and crossed over the Nantwich by-pass onto the B5338. The bus was quite well filled Matthew took a picture of the bus seats opposite to us.

Inside Arriva NW&W 4179

Whilst we ran into town we hatched a plan to deal with Matthews trouser situation... I called mum to let her know what we were going to do so that we could meet her, and hopefully she would be able to find and buy Matthew a replacement pair of trousers. There was a dead time onto a bus back to Crewe, and if we made it we would be able to meet mum in around 30 minutes. As we pulled into the bus station we saw the Crewe bound bus already in the bus station. We got off Arriva NW&W 4179 and Matthew took a picture of dud Arriva NW&W 4105 before we got on it.

Arriva NW&W 4105 in Nantwich bus station

We flashed the Arriva North West Day saver tickets to the driver and we went upstairs. The bus set off out of nantwich town and across the nantwich by-pass and onto the A534. We headed into Willaston along Coppice road and back onto the A534 via wistaston Road. Arriva NW&W 4106 was still broken down by the side of the road and we still hadn't passed another bus working the other #84 to Nantwich. Mum texted us to say that she had successfully got trousers for Matthew and that she was waiting at stand 9 in the bus station. We turned left into Edleston Road and we crossed over the railway line and into town. We turned left into Delamere Street and we entered the bus station. Before we got off the bus we waited for the bus to empty and Matthew took a picture inside Arriva NW&W 4105.

Inside Arriva NW&W 4105

We met up mum and we considered how we were going to change Matthew's trousers... We tried the disabled toilets in the bus station and there were screwed shut so we gathered around Matthew in a doorway to give him some privacy and Matthew successfully swapped into his new beige coloured Chinos. Now that Matthews trousers were split free, we went back to the main part of the bus station to consider what we might catch next. We saw D&G 144, the former Bakerbus Cadet about to work a #6 to Leighton Hospital.

D&G 144 in Crewe bus station

We also saw First Potteries 60069 on a #3 to Newcastle.

First Potteries 60069 in Crewe bus station

There were a few interesting Arriva buses in the bus station. Required Arriva NW&W 4460 was on a #38 to Macclesfield, dud Arriva NW&W 2267 was on a #31 to Winsford, and Arriva NW&W 2447 was on a #8 to Beech Drive, Wistaston Green.

Arriva NW&W 2447 in Crewe bus station

With it being an older buses, we decided to do the Cadet 2447 on the #8, which is a service that we have never done before. We got on the bus first and as such Matthew was able to get a picture inside Arriva NW&W 2447.

Inside Arriva NW&W 2447

We flashed the Arriva North West Day Saver ticket to the driver and we sat down. Thinking that it must be a required bus we check the page buses I have travelled on and it turned out to be dud! It was a bus that we had been on from Ellesmere Port to Chester almost five years ago back in December 2010. As we sat down we noticed what an awful smell there was... It was also commented on by other passengers. We had decided to do a complete circle and than head back to the bus station so that we could do another couple more buses. The bus left the bus station onto Delamere Street and we turned right onto Chester Bridge. We crossed the railway line and we turned right into Electricity Street. We went forwards onto Alton Street and down to Queens Park we then entered the circular end of the service turning left onto Moreton Road and right onto Capesthorn Road. It was here that I think we passed Leyland swift F30 TMP which was parked at the side of the road. We turned onto Wistaston Green Road and Valley Road before starting to head back towards Crewe on Aldersey Road. We rejoined Moreton Road and we went back past Queens Park and onto Alton Street. We went back into town and into the bus station. When we got up and got off the bus there were once again a few Arriva buses in the bus station. Dud Arriva NW&W 2501 was about to work a #37 to Winsford.

Arriva NW&W 2501 in Crewe bus station

On an adjacent stand was required Arriva NW&W 2608 on a #31A to Winsford.

Arriva NW&W 2608 in Crewe bus station

We also saw dud Arriva NW&W 4102 on the #84 to Chester.

Arriva NW&W 4102 in Crewe bus station

We decided to required 2608 on the #31A up to Leighton Hospital. We could do another #31 back or even one of the required Arriva Solo's working the #6 service. We got on the bus and we flashed the Arriva North West Day Saver ticket to the driver. We sat down near to the back of this well filled bus and the bus set off Northwards out of the bus station. We turned onto West Street we turned North onto Underwood Lane. We turned left onto the B5076 and then we turned Northwards again onto Mablins Lane. We turned left onto Parkers Road before rejoining the B5076. We crossed a roundabout and then we took the next left into Leighton Hospital grounds. We got off the bus and in front of us was required Arriva NW&W 2614.

Arriva NW&W 2614 in Leighton

We decided not to this as Matthew had done buses continuously without a break so we decided to wait for the next Arriva bus. Also in this small bus station was First Potteries 65733 on a #3 to Keele.

First Potteries 65733 in Leighton

The next Arriva bus was due off at 16:34. As there was a small gap in the service Matthew had packet of Milky Stars and a small bottle of Irn Bru. The next bus into the bus station was GHA Solo SR 1204 on a #78 to Scholar Green.

GHA 1204 in Leighton

We saw an Arriva bus approaching and as it got closer we that it was required Arriva NW&W 679 on the #6 to Broad House.

Arriva NW&W 679 in Leighton

We got on the bus and we were the first on the bus so Matthew took a picture inside Arriva NW&W 679.

Inside Arriva NW&W 679

We sat down and we also saw GHA enviro200 1407 come into the bus station on a #42 to Crewe and First Potteries Volvo 66845. We set off back towards Crewe at 16:34 and we rejoined the B5076 and headed back to Crewe via Underwood Lane and West Street. We passed the Fung Lung Chinese takeaway, which I always thought sounded like some kind of medical condition and we turned onto Hightown to run into the bus station. when we got back into the bus station we took a few more bus pictures. Matthew ran onto Arriva NW&W to say hello to someone and then we headed towards the car. On the way we saw First Potteries 66845 again heading towards Newastle.

First Potteries 66845 in Crewe bus station

We meet up with mum at the car and she was waiting for us with Greggs sausage rolls and a bottle of Irn Bru for Matthew. We set off out of Victoria street and down Flag Lane and onto Wistatston Road. We crossed over Edleston Street onto Vernon Way before turning right onto Mill Street. At the end of Mill Street we turned left onto the A534 and we went past the railway station. At the roundabout we turned right onto the A532 and we saw coaches Merediths 684 DYX and Furlongs Travel Y312 KBN parked together adjacent to the road in the industrial estate. We left Crewe along the A5020 and we joined the A500. As we got to the M6 we caught up with Britannia Travel AY14 NVM. We also saw ABC Supreme SB56 SKV. When we got to Sideway we turned left onto the A50 which we did up to Longton so that we could check out the Z Carz depot. There were quite a few minibuses on the spare ground this evening. Closest to the A50 was Z Carz Ford minibus GL04 CVE.

Z Carz GL04 CVE in Longton

The next bus we saw was Z Carz Airport division minibus MJ03 DPU

Z Carz MJ03 DPU in Longton

Also seen was Z Carz Mercedes minibus CE02 LYX.

Z Carz CE02 LYX in Longton

Further back just in sight were Z Carz DL03 HHU and M372 NWN. At the front was Z Carz Iveco minibus GK02 NWJ.

Z Carz GK02 NWJ in Longton

The last bus in the row was Z Carz Ford minibus FP06 WTW.

Z Carz FP06 WTW in Longton

We turned left onto Willow Row to see what was in the compound. We saw Mercedes minibus S952 VMY as well as Z Carz Ford minibus YS09 LWV.

Z Carz YS09 LWV in Longton

We headed back onto the A50 and we came off it at Heron Cross. We went through Blurton and we stopped briefly at mums friends shop before we continued along Blurton Road passing First Potteries 53123. We went forwards onto Church Road and We turned right into Beaconsfield Drive and we got home around 17:45. For a late tea Matthew had bangers and mash with carrots by a toffee cheesecake. He then chilled out on his computer until bedtime around 00:00... Mark