Trip to Halifax / Huddersfield 10-09-2016

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
31777	Halifax BS	Huddersfield BS‎	537	First West Yorkshire
32541	Huddersfield BS	Halifax BS	503	First West Yorkshire
TJ23	Halifax Town Centre, Market Street (Stop 16)	Illingworth, Keighley Rd Cousin Lane (S bound)	700	TJ Walsh
66713	Illingworth, Keighley Rd Cousin Lane‎	Halifax Town Centre, King Edward Street (stop 7)	521	First West Yorkshire
TJ30	Halifax Town Centre, Albion Street (stop 9)	Ovenden, Keighley Road Shay Ln (SE-bound)	600	TJ Walsh
63292	Ovenden, Keighley Road Shay Ln (SE-bound)	Halifax Town Centre, King Edward Street (stop 7)	523	First West Yorkshire

Today we decided to re-visit Halifax. We had been promising Matthew we would return to Halifax so we worked out that today was going to be the day. A quick check of the weather for today in Halifax revealed that it would be dry with some sunny intervals. Matthew got up around 09:30 and had toast and orange juice for breakfast. We set off around 11:30 and we went down to the A5035. We turned right onto Stanley Matthews Way and we went past the Bet365 Stadium before we joined the A50. We travelled West to the A500 where we turned right onto the Northbound carriageway. We stopped at Asda for Diesel and then we continued North up to the A500 and we passed Malbank OU14 SVA going the other way. We joined the M6 at Junction 16 and to motorway wasn't too bad today. As we traveled North we saw Park's of Hamilton (National Express) LSK 832, Paul's of stoke P302 VWR, Copeland's Tours MIB 246 and blue minibus WJ11 CHZ. At Junction 21A we went East on the M62... As we travelled East around the North ot Manchester we saw Epsom Coaches (National Express) BX65 WCY & Coachmasters P691 XVL. On the M60 we passed 3 x Gordon's coaches, 2 York Pullman coaches, A Tetley's coach, a T&J Coaches coach and East Yorkshire Coaches 71. We came of the M62 at Junction 24 and we went North on the A629. We stopped in Elland for dinner at a Cafe on Southgate called The Tea Set. Matthew went to the toilet which I think was meant to be staff only, wewalked through the kitchen and up a very narrow staircase. When matthwe had finished using the facilties he had a breakfast and he washed it down with a can of Coke. When we had finished we then we got back onto the A629 and we drove up the hill into Halifax. We went around the town and we parked up in the council car park by the bus station off Winding Road. Once we had parked up we said goodbye to mum and Matthew went to the toilet. Once he had finished we walked into the bus station and we had a look around at what we could catch. Obe of the first things we saw was First West Yorkshire 37360 on a #576 to Bradford.

First West Yorkshire 37360 in Halifax bus station

When then saw an ALX400 double decker enter the bus station. It came around onto the B stands and as it got closer we saw that required First West Yorkshire 31777 on a #537 service to Huddersfield.

First West Yorkshire 31777 in Halifax bus station

We decided to do this bus, so we got on and we booked Metro day tickets at £6 each. We went upstairs and the top deck was empty, Matthew took a picture inside First West Yorkshire 31777 before we sat down.

Inside First West Yorkshire 31777

We set off out of the bus station onto Broad Street. We turned left into Commercial Street and we ran through the town centre. At the other end of town we joined the A629 and we ran past the giagantic Halifax Building Society headquarters. We ran down the hill past the First bus garages and down into the valley. We ran into Elland along Ellan Bridge and Huddersfield Road. We turned right into Southgate and then left into Victoria Road. We then left Elland and we climbed up the hill into the next village... Holywell Green. We got stopped for around a minutes whilst wewaited for a tractor to puch a static caravan down a dirt trck off the main road. We then passed required 30864 on the other #537 turn going towards Halifax. We continued climbing out of the valley, the bus working hard a it went up Stainland and Sowood. At the end of Stainland Road we turned left into Outlane. We stopped opposite the Waggon & Horses pub, or as the lettering on the side says Waggon Ho ses. We then continued down New hay Road and we crossed the M62. We then ran the 3 or so miles downhill into Huddersfield town cente. We crossed the ring road and the bus station was on the right just inside the ring road. The bus pulled up in on of the unloading stops at the entrance of the bus station and we got up and got off the bus. Once in the bus station Matthew went to the toilet and we walked through to the other end. Just inside the ring road were around 20 layover stands where buses park up beween duties and there were around 25 stands in the bus station. At the far end was the bus station exit and we could stand here and take pictures of the buses as they left. We saw required First West Yorkshire 66714 on a #327 Bradley Boulevard circular service.

First West Yorkshire 66714 in Huddersfield bus station

As it was such a long journey time to Huddersfield, we decided that we weren't going to stop long on this occasion. It was more about chacking out what it was like and if it was worth a return to visit, to which the answer is a resounding yes! Not sure about parking, but there are toilets, a cafe and a Greggs in the bus station! We also saw required First West Yorkshire 32506 on a X63 to Bradford.

First West Yorkshire 32506 in Huddersfield bus station

We saw on the display that there was a #503 to Halifax due... The #537 is only hourly and we let First West Yorkshire 31777 go on the return service. Rather than wai an hour for First West Yorkshire 30864 to appear, we decided to do the next #503 which are slightly nore direct and far more frequent. We went onto the correct stand just before it was due, and we got there in time to see required First West Yorkshire 32541 pulling on to Stand W.

First West Yorkshire 32541 in Huddersfield bus station

We queued up to get on the bus... This was a far busy service than the #537 coming the other way, probably because it was the more direct, more frequent service. As we waited to get on the bus Matthew took a picture of required First West Yorkshire 32509 which was on an adjacent stand about to work a X63 to Bradford.

First West Yorkshire 32509 in Huddersfield bus station

We got on the bus and we flashed the Metro day ticket to the driver before we went upstairs. We set off out of the bus station and we onto Market Street and then we turned right onto the clockwise ring road. We ran around past the A640 from which we came into town and we took the next junction which was the A629. We ran up the hill the 2 miles or so to Ainley Top and we went under the M62 through the short curved tunnel before runnin down the hill into the Calder valley and coming of the road into Elland. We came into town along the short link road and we stopped at the Southern end of Southgate. We then went up Victoria Road and then down into the Valley along Long Wall and then onto the B6114, We turned sharp right onto Stainland Road and we crossed the valley and joined the A629. Once again the bus put in a spirited peformance as it climbed the steep hill past the First bus garages and to the edge of town. e turned right into Wards End and then we turned left into Market Street. We ran through the town centre and then at the end we turned right into the bus station. We let the bus empty out and then Matthew took a picture inside First West Yorkshire 32541.

Inside First West Yorkshire 32541

Once off the bus we set off around the bus station. The first thing we saw was Arriva Yorkshire 1104 on a #255 to Leeds.

Arriva Yorkshire 1104 in Halifax bus station

We considered what bus to do next. First West Yorkshire 31777 was on the next #537 towards elland and First West Yorkshire 32541 was the next #503 which were both dud today. Going West out of town was First West Yorkshire 66710 on a #579 to Sowerby.

First West Yorkshire 66710 in Halifax bus station

We decided to venture out of the bus station and catch a TJ Walsh bus. As we walked onto Market Street we saw required TJ Walsh minibus 33 on a #300 to Sowerby.

TJ Walsh 33 in Halifax

We also saw required First West Yorkshire Streetlite 63294 on a #521 to Illingworth.

First West Yorkshire 63294 in Halifax

We walked to the first stops on Market Street and we saw that there was an #700 to Illingworth due in around 5 minutes. A few minutes later we saw a TJ Walsh Plaxton Primo approaching. As it got closer we saw that it was required TJ Walsh 23.

TJ walsh 23 in Halifax

We got on the bus and we flashed the Metro day ticket to the driver before we sat down towards the back of bus. We ran onto Northgate past the cinema and we turned left onto Cross Hills under the A58. We ran forwards onto Dean Cough and we went past the large former mill buildings. Dean Clough became Lee Bridge and we ran under the A629 and we ran under the A629 before circled around back onto it. We travelled North up the A629 and we ran up the hill into centre of Ovenden. We continued up the hill for a further Kilometer or so and when we saw a junction and a Morrisons we decide to get off the bus. The bus had now emptied out and as we were getting off Matthew took a picture inside TJ Walsh 23.

Inside TJ Walsh 23

We got off the bus and Matthew took another picture of TJ Walsh 23 before it carried on the short distance up the hill and into the estate.

TJ walsh 23 in Illingworth

We crossed over the road and we waited at the stop opposite. A few minutes later we saw required First West Yorkshire 66713 on a #521 to Halifax.

First West Yorkshire 66713 in Illingworth

Behind First West Yorkshire 66713 was required TJ Walsh 44 on a #700. We asked Matthew which one he wanted to do and he chose First West Yorkshire 66713. We got on the bus and we flashed the Metro day ticket to the driver before we sat down towards the back of the bus. We ran back into town along Cousin Lane and forwards onto Ovenden Way. We re-joined the A629 ans we ran down into town on the dual carriageway. We went past the back of the cinema and we ran into town. We ran onto Commercial Street and we turned left into King Edwards Street whete the first buses terminate. We let the bus empty and Matthew took a picture inside First West Yorkshire 66713.

Inside First West Yorkshire 66713

We crossed over onto market Street where we saw required TJ Walsh 30 about to work a #600 to Ovenden.

TJ Walsh 30 in Halifax

We also saw required TJ Walsh 27 on a #300 to Sowerby.

TJ Walsh 27 in Halifax

We decided to do TJ Walsh 30 on the #600 so we got on the bus and we flashed the Metro day ticket to the driver before we sat down towards the back of the bus. We turned right into market Street and we ran up towards the North end of town. We ran onto Northgate past the cinema and we turned left onto Cross Hills under the A58. We ran forwards onto Dean Cough and we went past the large former mill buildings. Dean Clough became Lee Bridge and we ran under the A629 and we ran under the A629 before circled around back onto it. We travelled North up the A629 and we verred left onto Ovenden Way. At the North end we turned right onto Nursery Lane. At the end we turned right back onto the Southbound A629 in the Centre of Ovenden, where we got up to get off the bus. Matthew then took a picture inside TJ Walsh 30.

Inside TJ Walsh 30

We got off the bus and matthew took another picture of TJ Walsh 30 before it carried on back towards Halifax.

TJ walsh 30 in Ovenden

We went to the local convenience store and Matthew got a can of Coke and a cuple of chocolate bars before we returned to the stop. A few minutes later saw required First West Yorkshire 63292 on a #523 to Halifax.

First West Yorkshire 63292 in Ovenden

We got on the bus and we flashed the Metro day ticket to the driver for the final time today before we sat down towards the back of the bus. We travelled straight down the A629 right to the edge of town. We went past the back of the cinema and we ran into town. We ran onto Commercial Street and we turned left into King Edwards Street whete the first buses terminate. We let the bus empty and Matthew took a picture inside First West Yorkshire 63292.

Inside First West Yorkshire 63292

Also on King Edwards Street was required First West Yorkshire 60849 on layover.

First West Yorkshire 60849 in Halifax

We walked back to the bus station and Matthew used the toilet. As we didn't have ti,e to do another bus, we decided to do one last lap pf the bus station to take a few pictures. We saw First West Yorkshire 37048 on a #508 to Leeds.

First West Yorkshire 37048 in Halifax bus station

On the other side of the bus station we saw rrequired Yorkshire Tiger 852 on an unidentified service.

Yorkshire Tiger 852 in Halifax bus station

We also saw First West Yorkshire 66790 on a #571 to Bradford.

First West Yorkshire 66790 in Halifax bus station

We got in the car and mum was waiting for us with Greggs sausage rolls. We set off out of town along winding road and we ran around the Northern aedge of town and onto the Southbound A629. We ran down into the valley past Ellend and up the hill and under the M62. As we were about to join the M62 we saw J&B Travel double decker J600 JBT. We got onto the West M62 and we travelled forwrds onto the M60, through the roadworks and back onto the M62 again. We passed loads of coaches going the other way. we were overtakn by Tyrers coach TYR 14R on the M62. Going the other way we also saw 4 x Gordons coaches, 2 x Tetley Coaches, 6 x Acklams coaches, 2 x Kettlewell Coaches, 1 T&J Coaches, 1 x Tyrers coach. We wer also passed Robinson's Holidays coach S260 JFR.

Robinsons S260 JFR on the M62

We left the m62 to go onto the Southbound M6. On the M6 we were passed by Aus Travel AE10 MUY & Greyshells Travel SN57 BMY.

Greyshells Travel SN57 BMY on the M6

At junction 16 we left the M6 and went South down the A500 were we passed Malbank OU14 SVA again. At sideway we went Eastwards up the A50 and we came off at Longton to check out what was parked up at Z Carz tonight. In the first row we saw Z Carz minibus GL04 CVE.

Z Carz GL04 CVE in Longton

Also in the first row was Z Carz minibus YS09 LWV.

Z Carz YS09 LWV in Longton

The closest minibus in the first row was Z Carz X599 WDY.

Z Carz X599 WDY in Longton

At the front of the second row was Z Carz maroon Volkswagen mininbus S973 OVP.

Z Carz S973 OVP in Longton

Also in the second row was Z Carz minibus BN03 OVS.

Z Carz BN03 OVS in Longton

We turned left into Willow Row to see what was in the coumound this evening. We saw Z Carz Iveco minibus GK02 NWJ.

Z Carz GK02 NWJ in Longton

We turned left onto Edensor Road and left again onto Spring Garden Road. As it was late we decided to pick up chips for tea. We went east along the A5005 to Florence where we stopped at the Picies Fish bar chip shop. Once we at got the food we went onto Belgrave Road and in Dresden we went West on the A5035. We got home just before 20:00. For a late tea Matthew had sausage chips and gravy followed by a jam filled shortbread biscuit. Matthew then chilled out on his computer until bedtime around 00:00... Mark