Trip to Earlestown / St Helens 14-07-2012

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
2989	Earlestown BS	St Helens BS	34	Arriva NW&W
2214	St Helens BS	Clock Face, opp Green Dragon	33	Arriva NW&W
7570	Clock Face, opp Green Dragon	St Helens, Baldwin Street (Stand D5)	33A	Arriva NW&W
2328	St Helens BS	New Boston, opp Vista Road	20	Arriva NW&W
2493	New Boston, opp Haydock Ram's Head	Earlestown BS	20	Arriva NW&W
23	Earlestown BS	Newton le Willows, o/s Newton Station	22	Network Warrington
MW52 UCC	Newton le Willows, o/s Newton Station	Earlestown BS	141	Hatton's Travel

Today we should have been going to Skelmersdale but we decided to go back towards Earlestown and St Helens again as there are so many interesting buses here that we haven't been on. No research was done for the trip with the exception of finding the St Helens bus from when we came in January. The weather had been forecast as mainly dry with the odd shower with some sunshine. We set off around 12:15 today, getting LPG from Longport garage on the way. We carried on North along the A500 and then onto the M6. Traffic was quite light today and we made good time. We had a quick stop at Newton-le-Willows railway station to pick up Saveaway tickets and then off we went again. We got into Earlestown around 13:30. A we walked from the car park to the cafe Matthew took this picture of Network Warrington 40 on the #22 to Warrington.

Network Warrington 40 near Earlestown bus station

We then went to dinner at the same cafe as we ate at last week. Three small breakfast and a sausage sandwich came to around £13. Whilst we waited for the food to came I went and fetch the sausage rolls for later and then put them in the car. When I got back the food arrive and we ate up. After we had finished we had a quick visit to the toilets before walking back to the bus station. As before mum came with us to help out again. Back at the bus station we had a choice of 2 different services. There was a 34 at 14:00 and a #20 at 14:05. Surprisingly Matthew chose to to do the #34 which was required Arriva NW&W 2989.

Arriva NW&W 2989 in Earlestown bus station

This newish bus was quite a pleasant journey, and we made good time into St Helens. On arrival in town Matthew got a picture of the empty interior of this bus.

Inside 2989

Whilst here we decided to spend a little time seeing which buses were working and taking a few pictures to see what we buses might do. One such bus bus was Arriva NW&W 2314 which was on a #31 to Parr.

Arriva NW&W 2314 in St Helens bus station

Another bus we saw was Arriva NW&W 2349. We also saw Arriva NW&W Scania 1055 which was on a #34 to Leigh.

Arriva NW&W 1055 in St Helens bus station

We had a quick visit to the travel office for timetables and as we came out we saw Arriva NW&W 2101 on a #36A service to Chain Lane.

Arriva NW&W 2101 in St Helens bus station

We also saw required Arriva Dart 7560 but we did not get round to it in time. When required Arriva NW&W 2214 came in on a #33 service to Sutton Heath Matthew decided that we could do this one. Doing 2214 complete us getting the last one of the current X-ANC allocation of Darts a Jackson Street depot. We did the bus to near the end of the run. We got off at a stop that we knew the #33A also traveled down so that we could make sure we caught one of those if it was next in the sequence. As we got off Matthew got a picture of this bus.

Arriva NW&W 2214 in Clockface

We now had just over a ten minute wait for the return bus. We saw 2214 go back into town and we also saw Halton 1 on a #17A to St Helens. In the opposite direction we saw ex Rhyl Arriva NW&W Dart 2350 going towards Widnes.

Arriva NW&W 2350 in Clockface

A couple of minute later we could see out bus approaching in the distance through a gap in the hedge. We could see that it wasn't in interurban colours so that it was probably going to be an older un-refurbished example. As it turn the corner we could see it was required Arriva NW&W 7570.

Arriva NW&W 7570 in Clockface

We got on the bus and we sat at the back with Matthew and me sitting on a rear facing seat by the emergency exit. as we traveled back we were caught up by a #35 which was required 7650. The bus did stop in the bus station as such and went straight along Bickerstaffe Street. We weren't able to get off for a few hundred yards and when we got off Matthew took a picture of the inside step of this bus.

Inside 7570

We then walked back to the bus station. It was a fair walk and mum was struggling stop we stopped on a bench outside the town hall. After mum had caught up and she had had a breather we carried on to the bus station. When we got back it was hard for Matthew to decided which bus he wanted to catch. We saw Arriva 7563 on a #34, but we had been on this last week.

Arriva NW&W 7563 in St Helens bu station

We also saw Comfybus MX09 MJK on a #152 Rainford service, but this was going completely in the wrong direction for us to get back to the car.

Comfybus MX09 MJK in St Helens bus station

We also turned down 1055 on a #34. We told Matthew he could do a couple more buses in Earlestown as long as he head back in the right direction. We considered the dud but interesting Arriva NW&W 2102 which was on the #329 Warrington, but we missed it by the time we had walked around. He also saw Arriva 1042 on the #89 to Liverpool Airport, but once again it was in the wrong direction. Another bus that we didn't do was Arriva NW&W 2316. The next #20 was an interesting Dart. It was Arriva NW&W 2328. It wasn't required as we had been on it when it was a Chester allocated bus, but at least it was in the right direction. We got on and Matthew got a picture of the unusual interior in this bus.

Inside Arriva NW&W 2328

We got on the bus and we did it to the end of the run, Which incidentally we think was the exactly the same service we did 7634 on last weekend. Matthew got a picture of this bus as we got off.

Arriva NW&W 2328 in Haydock

As we needed to get drinks and lottery tickets we walked back a stop and to the off license on the corner. They didn't do the proper lottery and so we just got drinks and a single sweet for Matthew. We waited at the bus stop for the next #20 which was working through to Earlestown. Whilst we were waiting we saw dud Arriva NW&W 7559 coming the other way on a #20.

Arriva NW&W 7559 in Haydock

We also saw Strawberry 16 on a #602 service. Eventually our service turned up and was required Arriva NW&W 2493.

Arriva NW&W 2493 in Haydock

This is one of the Cadets out of the same batch as the Cadets that are allocated to Winsford. We did this bus back to Earlestown and got off. Mum then went to get some lollies and lottery tickets from in town and we let Matthew go on another couple of buses as promised. Just coming into the bus station after we got off was Network Warrington Dennis Dart 23 on a #22 service.

Network Warrington 23 in Earlestown bus station

We got on and Matthew got a picture of the empty bus.

Inside Network Warrington 23

The plan was to do it to near the edge of the ticket area and then to get a #34 or something back into town before we left. We did the bus to Newton-le-Willows station and Matthew reluctantly got off the bus. Matthew wanted o go the toilet at this point. I asked if he could wait until we got back to Earlestown and he said he could. As we waited for a bus back we saw Arriva NW&W 2454 on a #360 to Wigan. The first bus back was Hatton's Travel Dennis Dart MW52 UCC. As we have never been on one of there vehicles we decided to give it a go.The route back on the #141 is different from anything we had bee on. It takes in some of the route of the #34A and the #20 route too. I contacted mum to make sure the toilets were still open. Whilst traveling around we saw 2320 at the end of #20 route and also 1051 at the end of the #34A route. We soon got back into onto familiar territory and then we head back into the bus station. When we got off he then got a picture of this fine Dart.

Hatton's Travel MW52 UCC in Earlestown bus station

When we got back we headed to the car. Mum had found out the toilets had closed so we needed to find one somewhere else. We tried Earlestown railway station, but they don't have one. We ended up buy Matthew a drink in the pub opposite called the railway. Matthew said hello to a couple of girl in a hen party who were just starting there night in the that pub. After we had done we returned to the car for ice lollies and sausage rolls as we set off back towards home. We headed back to newton and then back onto the A49 and onto the M6. We then when back down to the A500 and then along the A50 to Longton. Matthew had already hinted that he wanted to go past the Z Carz depot as we had been told the day before that they may have a new coach. As we went past he got a picture of the relatively new to Z Carz coach V690 EBG.

Z Carz V690 EBG at their depot

We also saw BV51 BNO, T131 SGA, and W344 WNS at the depot. Inside the DS51 ZJU was in the workshop,M283 BLD was having a new seats,T408 JUX was having new decals applied.W187 RRE was foe scrap, S298 JOB was.having an engine change, T131 SGA was at the depot. We returned home via Heron Cross and saw Lightning Travel NX03 JYJ parked up. We also saw First Potteries 40015 on a #22 and 40003 on one of the evening #23 services. We then drove home, getting back around 19:00. We then settled down at home and had Sausage and mash for tea before bedtime..Mark

Trip to St Helens 21-01-2012

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
7559	St Helens BS	Eccleston, adj Knowles House Avenue	35	Arriva NW&W
677	Eccleston, adj Millwood Avenue	St Helens BS	35	Arriva NW&W
2102	St Helens BS	Burnage Avenue, Four Acre Lane	32	Arriva NW&W
2702	Burnage Avenue, Four Acre Lane	St Helens BS	33	Arriva NW&W

Matthew has been away for a few days in respite and we didn't plan a trip this weekend. Having given Matthew a choice of places for today, Matthew chose St Helens We have never been before so we did not have much time to do research. Research consisted of a quick look up of directions for St Helens (just off the M6), and a quick look on the Merseytravel website. We saw that there was a travel office and it was open on Saturdays so we knew we could buy Saveaway tickets and get timetables. We set of around 11:30 today on a sunny but very old and windy day. We traveled out via The incinerator at Sideway and we also picked up LPG at Longport. Setting off North, we joined the M6 and traveled up to the A580. We decided to stop at Haydock on the way in and stop a chip shop. Using an App on her phone, mum located the chip shop as we traveled in. The Crisp E Cod in Haydock is situated just of the A580, and also on the bus route for the #20/#320 too. We had Small Fish and Peas twice and Chips, Sausage and Gravy twice. Along with 3 cans of pop it came to around £11. We sat and ate the chips in the car and watched the buses go past. There was a variety of buses including Scanias, pulsars and Volvo B10's. The fish was very nice and so were the peas! After eating we carried on into St Helens along the A58, parking up in the car park near the bus station around 13:10. When we got into town we purchase some Saveaway tickets, picked up a few timetables and then had a quick toilet stop. whilst passing the bus station we saw Arriva NW&W 1049. We then headed into the bus station and we saw 7559 & 7564 a Dart on a #35 services We decided to do 7559 to Gillars Green. We booked to the end and when we reached there a short time later, Matthew got a picture of the inside of the bus. We had passed 7559 on the way up too...

Inside Arriva NW&W 7559 at Gillars Green

We got off and Matthew got a picture of the outside too..

7559 at Gillars Green

As we had caught the #35 we had an approximate wait of 20 minutes. We had decided that if was something good we would go to St Helens Junction station, else we would get off back at the bus station. If Required, the next bus was going to be Matthew's 100th recorded Arriva NW&W bus, so we were hoping it was going to be something good. It turned out to be a Solo.. 677!

100! Arriva NW&W 677 at Gillars Green

I had tried to get Mathew to do a Peter Couch style celebration, but he wasn't interested :-). Anyway, we decided to go back just as far as St Helens bus station. On the way we passed 7571. When we arrived Matthew got another picture.

677 in St Helens Bus Station

At this point we were looking for something else to do. We knew 7571 was coming in Shortly. I went to get a St Helens bus map which I forgot to pick up before and Matthew took some more pictures. When I came out we saw 7650 arrive back in town.

7650 in St Helens Bus Station

We then saw 7571 arrive on a St Helens Junction bound service.

7571 in St Helens Bus Station

We were about to catch 7571 when Matthew spotted a wrinkly (original) Dart on a 32 to Clockface. We walked over to the bus and seeing it was required 2102 we got on. After asking the driver about the frequency, we booked to Clockface as there was a bus at least every 20 minutes depending on where we got off. After a short journey we appeared to passed the end point as the driver changed the blind. so we got off. Matthew took a picture of the rear step as we got off, also showing the blue Smartie seat moquette.

Inside Arriva NW&W 2102 at Clockface

As we got off Matthew got a picture of the outside.

2102 on Burnage Avenue

Consulting the bus stop timetable there didn't seem to be a #32 return from here. There was however a 10 minute frequency #33 back to town. We had a few minute so we crossed the road to look at the other stop. This stop had no information so we weren't sire if it was in use. Back at the original stop after a short while required Volvo B10 2702 appeared.

2702 on Burnage Avenue

We did this bus back which seemed to take a similar route back into town as the #32. We immediate passed a reverse #33 which was a Scania. The bus emptied out as we entered town bus as it is a through service somebody got on. As we got off Matthew took a picture of the inside of the nearly empty bus,

Inside 2702

He then got a picture of the outside of 2702 in the bus station.

2702 in St Helens Bus Station

We also saw Arriva NW&W Dennis Dart 2274. No trip to St Helens would be complete without a picture of one of their Scanias. 1061 was seen on a #34 as we got off in the bus station

1061 in St Helens Bus Station

It was now around 15:40 and it was very cold and windy. We headed back to the car taking pictures as we went. There were sausage rolls waiting for us of course! We set of around 15:45 and just caught the last minute of the First half of the Stoke game on the Radio. Back onto the A580, we were on the M6 in no time. We saw coach MIB 246 on the M6. We got off the M6 at junction 15 and headed South down the A500, passing near The Britannia Stadium we listened as Stoke came back into the game, and then lost in the dying seconds to West Brom. We stopped in Blurton for lottery tickets and pop and we got home just before 17:00...Mark