Trip to Shrewsbury 11-02-2012

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
2722	Harlescott, opp Tesco	Shrewsbury BS	25	Arriva Midlands
2706	Shrewsbury BS	Bayston Hill, opp Cedar Close Jct	25	Arriva Midlands
2309	Bayston Hill, opp Cedar Close Jct	Shrewsbury BS	25	Arriva Midlands
2310	Shrewsbury BS	Bayston Hill, opp Cedar Close Jct	25	Arriva Midlands
2310	Bayston Hill, opp Cedar Close Jct	Harlescott, opp Tesco	25	Arriva Midlands

After last weeks trip to Stafford, Matthew had indicated to us that he wanted to ride on more buses from the same batch as Arriva Midlands 2307. Matthew found a picture of the inside of 2309 and told us he wanted to go to Shrewsbury! Research consisted of asking on the Staffordshire and Merseyside Yahoo bus group about the likely working of 2309 and the other bus from that batch which Matthew hasn't been on 2310. Somebody answered and told me it would most likely be seen on either services #1,#24 or #25. So as preparation for the trip I printed out the Arriva Shrewsbury map and all the relevant timetables for the trip. We set off around 12:20 today. It was a cold day and the sun was trying to come out, but the temperature was around freezing. We stopped at Jim's butty bar on the A53 just South of the Muller roundabout. We all tucked into Bacon or sausage sandwiches which were very nice. I realised at this point I had come out in my Stoke City coat! I don't usually travel outside of Stoke with my coat just in case someone takes offence. After one last push on, we had no tractors on the road in front of us so we parked up at Harlescott around 13:40. We used the facilities at the park and ride stop, before walking down to the other stop which is the Northern terminus of the #24 & #25 routes. A Required Arriva Midlands 2722 was already parked up nearby, and by the time we walked down to the stop it pulled up and Matthew got a picture.

Arriva Midlands 2722 at Harlescott

As the bus headed South, we picked up more passengers on the way. We passed 2706 near the Arriva garage, and then we caught a bit of a break. As we approached the town centre, we passed target 2309 heading North on a #25. This means that if we got off at Shrewsbury, the bus would be approximately 30 minutes behind us. We also saw a route branded Dart turning right which could be 2310 turning right into Castle Street , but we did not know if this was 2310 or what service it was working. As we got off in Shrewsbury the bus had emptied out so Matthew could get a picture of the inside of this bus.

Inside 2722

At this point we knew that all we had to do was wait, and we should get 2309 with a bit of luck. Whilst we were waiting we could take a few bus pictures. Arriva Midlands 2367 came in, a dart on which Matthew has ridden on before out of Oswestry, albeit in a different Livery.

Arriva Midlands 2367 in Shrewsbury bus station

We also saw Tanat 290 for the first time. Last time we were here that majority of the services were being worked by Leyland Lynx's.

Tanat Valley 290 in Shrewsbury bus station

It was getting very cold so we decided to break up the wait by taking a #25 South. The next one that came in was of course required Arriva Midlands 2706. We got on the bus and we headed South. The bus picked up more passengers before we headed down Wyle Cop and over the English Bridge. just passed the pumphouse we passed a branded Dart, but we didn't get a good look at it. Further South near Meole Brace we passed another ex Park and Ride bus 2703. As we headed towards Bayston Hill, Matthew was able to get a picture of the back of the bus as it emptied out.

Inside Arriva Midlands 2706

We got off and Matthew was able to get a picture of 2706.

2706 in Bayston Hill

A few minutes after we got off we heard a bus coming. It was 2706 again. Apparently the bus does a circle of the estate and passes the same stop twice! Within a few minutes, as we predicted and hoped required 2309 appeared and Matthew got a picture.

Arriva Midlands 2309 in Bayston Hill

We got on and booked back into town. In jest the driver said he wasn't sure if he should let us on the bus with me being a Stoke City fan. So target acquired, we headed North on the bus to Shrewsbury. I had wondered if the bus we had seen just after 14:00 in Shrewsbury had been 2310 and it was on a #1, when would it return to the bus station. I calculated that if this was true that it would probably arrive in the bus station about 20 minutes after we arrived on 2309. We arrived in the bus station and the bus had emptied out, so Matthew was able to get a picture of it empty.

Inside 2309

After getting off we walked around the outside of the bus station and then prepared to wait for 2310. As we got to where we were going to wait, 2310 appeared in the bus station and it was on a #25 to Bayston Hill!

Arriva Midlands 2310 in Shrewsbury bus station

After getting a picture, we raced around to Stand E to board the bus. This was a resulting getting both of these buses on he same trip! We then headed south as we had done on 2706. It all made sense at this point. The bus we passed as we arrived in Shrewsbury was 2310 and it was on a Southbound #25. We had also passed it at the Pumphouse when we were on 2706. As we headed South we thought about what to do for the rest of the afternoon. If we did this to Bayston Hill and back to Harlescott it would be near 17:00 by the time we got back into the car. I decided to take a risk and get off at the stop we did before. If 2310 did the same as 2706 did, we could get off, get a picture and get back on the bus to head home. we got off at that stop as planned and Matthew got his picture of 2310.

2310 in Bayston Hill

Sure enough as before, a couple of minutes later 2310 reappeared and much to amusement of the driver we got back on. The bus filled up and then emptied in the town centre. It filled up again at the bus station and mum got on after I arranged with her where to be and at what time to be there. At the Harlescott terminus the bus was empty again and Matthew got a picture of the inside of this fine bus.

Inside 2310

We then got off and matthew got one last picture of "Boy Barrett" 3210.

2310 in Harlescott

We then had a quick toilet stop before we st off North. I caught the last couple of minute of the disappointing 2-1 loss to Fulham. We stopped in Shawbury to have fish and peas (not pickled eggs as it said on the receipt). filling up with LPG at Longport, we arrived home around 18:20. I'd like to say thank you to everyone who gave me information about these buses which made the trip go so smoothly :-) ...Mark

Trip the Shrewsbury 23-01-2010

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
2705	Harlescott Park & Ride	Castle St, Shrewsbury	Orange	Arriva Midlands
6008	Shrewsbury BS	Radbrook, Crowmeole Lane Jct (opp)	20	Arriva Midlands
6002	Radbrook, Radbrook College (opp)	Shrewsbury BS	12	Arriva Midlands
2723	Shrewsbury BS	Whitchurch Road, Rosedale Jct (opp)	24	Arriva Midlands

Matthew had indicated in the week that he wanted to go to Shrewsbury. Mum had been to college on the Thursday to see Matthew using an iPod Touch and software as a communication aid. When asked where Matthew would like to go, he typed "pub" into the iPod. Mum said he go go the a pub on saturday, and he typed "Sat town". Mum reeled off a list of some of the places he usually goes to and when mum said "Shrewsbury", Matthew repeated it back to her. Having made that decision on Thursday, I did some research on buses and times and also to see if Shrewsbury Town were playing at home. Shrewsbury were at home to Dagenham & Redridge, so I knew there would be few extra buses around on the Prostar Stadium park & ride services. Setting off a fraction before 12:00, first stop was to be a pub in order for us all to have lunch. We choose the Elephant and castle pub in Shawbury, just a few Miles north of Shrewsbury.



Elephant & castle (Matthew)

We all chose Breakfast, except Uncle Dave who had a sausage sandwich. The meals were around £5 and were OK. Unusually, Matthew did not photograph his meal or the sink in the toilets! After we had finished, we made the short trip to the Harlescott park and ride car park. Immediately as we got there, there were 2 buses on the Prostar park and ride service. They were Tanat Valley double decker 510, and coach E131 PLJ



Tanat valley 510 (Matthew)

Shortly after this, weed travelled on the park and ride for the first time. Arriva Midlands 2705 was the bus that we caught and, it was painted in the blue Park & ride livery. When we reached Shrewsbury, we discovered that this bus did not go into the bus station, so we alighted and castle street and walk through an alleyway and down some steps to the bus station. The alleyway passes behind the back of the bus parking area, and you can photograph buses quite well of this raised area. Eventually, when in the bus station we spent half an hour just looking at and photographing buses, the best of which was Tanat Valley 509, another double decker on a Prostar Stadium park & Ride.



Tanat valley 509 (Matthew)

Mum was getting bored and wanted to go to do some shopping so we decide to go on a quick out and back bus journey. Bus timetables consulted, we decided to do a #20 to Radbrook College for a #12 back. 6008 turned up on the #20 and we did this to the stop after Radbrook college.



Arriva Midlands 6008 pulls away from Radbrook, Crowmeole Lane Jct (opp) stop (Matthew)

Now, we were using the tiny little maps that are provided on Arriva timetables, which are really useful to see which services travel along which roads. What we did not anticipate is the scale of the map! We crossed the road, and waited at the bus stop, only to see the #12 appear from the next street closer to Shrewsbury...Drat! As we walked back up the hill towards the next stop, the #20 that we had caught out of Shrewsbury passed us on it's return...Double drat! There ensued a best part of 30 minutes wait for the next #12...Still, whilst we were waiting, we did see a coach and saw a Minsterley motors services which we may be able to catch next time we visit Shrewsbury...Eventually 6002 arrived on the #12.




Arriva Midlands 6002 arrives at Radbrook, Radbrook College (opp) stop (Matthew)

Eventually, we get back to Shrewsbury bus station and we passed the reason why that traffic around town has been so bad today. On 3rd January, there had been a gas explosion that I remember seeing on the local news. The demolition work being carried out because of this meant that all southbound traffic towards the Welsh Bridge had been diverted around town. When we got back in the bus station we told Matthew he could catch 1 more bus in the direction of Harlescott. he spent a further 20 minutes taking bus photos, the best of which were Tanat Valley 230 and Arriva Midlands 2359.



Tanat valley 230 in Shrewsbury bus station (Matthew)



Arriva Midlands 2359 Leaves Shrewsbury bus station on an #8 service (Matthew)


He chose to catch a #24 to Moston Road. Once again, I used the Arriva map to try and work out which stop to get off at, before the bus turned into a housing estate off the main road north out of Shrewsbury. Once again I got off at the wrong stop (one stop too short!). Mum said she was going to kick me every time we passed a bus stop between where we got off and the car, for making her walk too far. We passed 3, though strictly speaking, only the one stop was on the #24 route...
Mattthew photographed a plastic sheep, a few buses and then barged his way into the bus drivers crew hut at the park & ride. Thankfully they took it in good spirits! :-)



Plastic Sheep, corner of Harlescott Tesco (Matthew)



Arriva Midlands Park & ride 2707 at Harlescott (Matthew)

All that was left was the drive back home... (Mark)