Trip to Birkenhead / Heswall 17-03-2013

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
19054	Birkenhead BS	Heswall BS	472	Stagecoach Merseyside & Lancashire
407	Heswall BS	West Kirby, West Kirby Station (Stop B)	87	Avon
4415	West Kirby, West Kirby Station (Stop A)	Birkenhead, o/s The Crown	437	Arriva North West & Wales
36813	Birkenhead BS	Woodchurch, Home Farm Road (N-bound)	42	Stagecoach Merseyside & Lancashire
4416	Woodchurch, adj Ackers Road	Birkenhead, nr Birkenhead Central Station	472	Arriva North West & Wales

Today we were going to Birkenhead. Mum was unavailable yesterday as she went out with er friends, so we planned our outing this week to be on Sunday. We gave Matthew a few choices and he chose Brkenhead. Matthew got up around 09:00 which is virtually unheard of for a Sunday! Dad went out to get some shopping and saw Wardle Transport 2532 on the Sunday #22 turn. Matthew had toast and some orange juice. Mum came home a little after 11:00 and we were ready to go at 12:00. We headed past The Hem Heath pub and then along Stanley Matthews Way. We then got onto the Northbound A500 and then the M6. The route along the M56 and M53 were quiet and we came off the M53 at junction 3, heading into Birkenhead along the A552. We parked up in Europa square as we often do, We arrived to find the bus station was in the middle of a refurb, and only a couple of stands were being used. We had dinner at Platters. Matthew used the toilet and we sat down to order the food. Whilst we waited for the food, I went across to Conway park railway station to get the Saveaway tickets. I got back to find that Matthew had eaten most of his breakfast and I quickly ate my bacon sandwich. On the wait out Matthew spied a millionaires shortbread which he had for later. We walked into the bus station to see Stagecoach Enviro400 19054 on stand on a #472 to Heswall. As we haven't been here since the Stagecoach takeover of First in the Wirral, we decided to do this required bus. We set off out of town through Prenton and passed The Swan pub before crossing over the M53. The us then went into Arrowe Park hospital and through Thingwall to Heswall. When we got there the bus emptied out and Matthew got his inside us picture.

Inside Stagecoach Merseyside 19054

We got off in Heswall bus station and ten got a picture of the outside of Stagecoach Merseyside 19054 too.

Stagecoach Merseyside 19054 in Heswall bus station

We looked up what was due to depart. Arriva NW&W 3001 was about to depart on a #472 to Liverpool. at 14:39 was a #87 to Leasowe and at 14:40 was going to be 19054 departing to Liverpool on a #471. Matthew turned down required 3001 on the #472 so it was either 19054 again or the unknown Avon bus on the #87. Whilst we waited Matthew had a us stop picnic consisting of is millionaires shortbread and a small bottle of Barr limeade. Pretty much bang on time required Avon Buses 407 made an appearance on the #87.

Avon Buses 407 in Heswall bus station

The bus was empty aside from the one gentleman that got on the us at the same time as us. Matthew sat near the back and took his empty bus picture facing forward.

Inside Avon Buses 407

Today seemed dead in terms of how few people there were about. We decided to go to West Kirby so that Matthew could use the toilet there. The journey was swift with a lot of the run in ope countryside, well as open as you can get in the Wirral! We joined onto the route of the #437 and then we passed Avon 155 on a eastbound #87. We got to West Kirby and it started to rain. We got and Matthew got another picture of this fine beast.

Avon Buses 407 in West Kirby

We crossed the road and ran to the toilet. Whist Matthew was in the facilities, required Arriva NW&W 4415 made an appearance on the #437. Matthew got a picture after it had unloaded.

Arriva NW&W 4415 in West Kirby

The bus waited a few minutes and then drew forward and we got on. We got on and Matthew photographed the rear of the top deck.

Inside Arriva NW&W 4415

The rain stopped and the sun came out again. We set off Eastwards, the journey was very pleasant because we could not see out of the steamed up windows to see where we were. We passed Laird Street depot and saw the rows of new hybrid buses waiting to come into service sometime in the near future. We carried on along the A553 and ten got off the us opposite the us station. We crossed over the road to contemplate what we were going to do next. As we thought about our next move Stagecoach Merseyside 36813 appeared in te bus station on a #42 to Woodchurch. We decided to do this as it was required and we wanted to keep moving. We did the us all the way down the A552 and as it turned onto the Woodchurch estate we got off and Matthew got a picture of this bus.

Stagecoach Merseyside 36813 in Woodchurch

We walked back onto the A552 to wait for a bus back. We didn't have to wait long before Arriva NW&W 4416 appeared.

Arriva NW&W 4416 in Woodchurch

It was the first dud bus of the day. We had this us back in May 2010 on a run out to New Brighton. We got on the us and sat down on the top deck. We went back up the A552 and got off near Birkenhead Central station. It's Lucky that we did at the bus turned right into the tunnel as headed off! We Walked back to the car were mum was waiting with sausage rolls. We headed back down the A552 to the M53. As we went we passed Together Travel L649 ADS coming up the road. Off the M53 we joined the Eastbound M56 and then joined the Southbound M6. All was going well into we saw the matrix signs saying there were ques between junction 18-17. We made a decision to come off at junction and we went into Middlewich. we tried to go down the A533 but with the roadworks we didn't work out how to get on it we ended up traveling through back lanes and appearing on the A533 by Sandbach station. As we passed by town we saw Arriva NW&W Cadet 2497 heading North on the #37E service. We then got back on the M6 and went down to the A500. We came off the A500 in Stoke and dropped Uncle Dave off at home. We also dropped a birthday card off in Heron Cross before returning home around 18:30. Matthew had a late tea potatoes and chicken followed by lemon meringue pie for afters. He had a bath, and then chilled out on is computer before bedtime...Mark

Trip to Birkenhead 04-06-2012

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
61563	Birkenhead BS	Woodchurch, Home Farm Road (N-bound)	41	First Manchester
61563	Woodchurch, Home Farm Road (N-bound	Birkenhead BS	41	First Manchester
208	Birkenhead BS	Bromborough, Spital Road (W-bound)	40	Avon Buses
60076	Bromborough, Spital Road (E-bound)	Birkenhead BS	42	First Manchester
4420	Birkenhead BS	West Kirby, West Kirby Station (Stop A)	437	Arriva NW&W
509	West Kirby, West Kirby Station (Stop A)	Birkenhead, nr Claughton Road	293	Avon Buses

Today we deiced to go out towards Birkenhead to do a few more buses. After breakfast at the B&B we sat in the room for a short while and Matthew took some picture from the window. One such picture was Jones minibus R429 UCH which parked up for a while on the corner of Delamere Street.

Jones R429 UCH in Delamere Street, Chester

Shortly afterwards we set off North up the A56 and then on to the M53. We got into Birkenhead around 10:00 and parked in the small car park between Wilko and the bus station. First thing to do was to get a Saveaway ticket. we walked across to Conway Street railway station to pick up a ticket. whilst we were there Matthew used the facilities. We saw z carz BV51 BNO and then we saw and photographed a National Express coach parked up opposite the station. We walked back across to the bus station and almost immediately we saw First Manchester 61563 on a Woodchurch service.

First Manchester 61563 in Birkenhead bus station

We did the service out and back, mainly because we had never been in this direction before and didn't know the area. Had we had known we we could have gotten off and caught the #90 service operated by Avon buses which we passed as we went around the estate. When we got back Matthew got another picture of this bus.

61563 leaving Birkenhead bus station

We then we had to make a decision on what to do next. There was an Arriva Enviro 400 on the #41 to Clatterbridge. When we went to catch it it pulled off. We then saw Avon 208 on a #40 Mill Park. As we have never done a Avon bus before it was required. As we got on the bus we grabbed a timetable from the timetable display case adjacent to the stop. As we travelled down I worked out that we could go to Bromborough Cross for a First bus back. We got off and crossed of the road to wait for the return service. When it appeared we saw it was First Manchester 60076.

First Manchester 60076 in Bromborough

It was disappointingly not required! We have had so few bus from Rock Ferry the chances of not getting a required one were very slim. The last time we had been on this bus it was operated by First Potteries back in 2008. When we got back we decided to do one last out and back before dinner. We used the facilities in the bus station before spotting an Arriva Enviro 400 on a #437 to West Kirby. We got on Arriva NW&W 4420 and I checked to see if this bus was required. luckily it was so off we went. As we left birkenhead we passed Arriva 4202 on an opposite working. It was a fine sunny day and along the route there were many pubs decorated ready for Jubilee celebrations. When we got to West Kirby Matthew photographed the inside of the bus.

Inside Arriva NW&W 4420

Before he could get a picture of the outside of the bus, it went off empty. Just behind that was Avon buses 509. It was a required bus and also it was one of their older vehicle so we decided to do this back to Birkenhead.

Avon Buses 509 in West Kirby

This also shaved a bit of time of the expected return time that I had texted to mum despite a longer route. We passed Arriva 4200 on a #437, making 2 wright bodied buses on the route today. We got off on the road behind the bus station and Matthew got a picture of the inside as it emptied out.

Inside 509

We then returned to the car. We had planned on having dinner at a sizzling pub on the A552 near the motorway. As it was a nice day we wanted to eat outside. Unfortunately the only tables you could eat at were well away from the road and so would be any good for Matthew to see buses. we drove on and found another sizzling pub near to Arrowe Park hospital. On the route of the #293 and #423. Matthew had Gammon and egg, and for after the biggest slice of chocoloate fudge cake i have ever seen! By the time we had eaten it was around 15:00 so we decided to go back to Chester. We had a chill out in the room for a couple of hours, and as a change from going on buses we decided to go for a drive. Setting off around 18:00, we went up the Wirral. We travelled through Neston, Parkgate and then Heswall. We had a brief stop in the Wirral country park at a place called Thurstaston. We stopped briefly had a quick walk around and Matthew decided he need the toilet. We were able to use the one in the cafe despite it being closed! we then looked for something to eat. we tried to find a pub it didn't seem to be suitable for our needs. We decided to abandon the plan to go to a pub and instead we decided to drive towards Chester and then find a chip shop to get some chip and go back to the room. Mum used an App on her phone find one in the village of Little Neston. We found the chippy and the chips were that hot and fresh we were able to get back to the room and they were still hot! After we had eaten we settled down for the night, getting ready for the drive home tomorrow..Mark