Trip to Bolton 16-06-2012

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
40356	Tonge Fold, Bury Rd/Tonge Fold Post Office (W-bound)	Bolton BS	561	First Manchester
40349	Bolton BS	Johnson Fold Estate, nr House 81 Lightbounds Road/Chatburn Road	519	First Manchester
40349	Johnson Fold Estate, nr House 81 Lightbounds Road/Chatburn Road	Montserrat, Chorley Old Rd/Montserrat Rd (SE-bound)	519	First Manchester
40344	Montserrat, Chorley Old Rd/Montserrat Rd (SE-bound)	Doffcocker, o/s House 584 Chorley Old Road/New Hall Lane	519	First Manchester
40353	Doffcocker, Chorley Old Road/Devonshire Road (W-bound)	Montserrat, opp House 30 Montserrat Road/Chorley Old Road	519	First Manchester
31922	Montserrat, Chorley Old Rd/Montserrat Rd (SE-bound)	Bolton BS	519	First Manchester
892	Bolton BS	Bank Top, Ashworth Lane/Whitegate Drive (E-bound)	538	Arriva NW&W
892	Bank Top, Ashworth Lane/Whitegate Drive (E-bound)	Astley Bridge, Blackburn Rd/Three Pigeons (Stop E)	538	Arriva NW&W
2680	Astley Bridge, Blackburn Rd/Three Pigeons (Stop E)	Bolton, St Georges Road/Knowsley Street (W-bound)	534	Arriva NW&W

Today Matthew decided he wanted to go to Bolton. As I am not feeling 100% at the moment the plan was for mum to take Matthew on the bus bus whilst I had a break from it. As such research this time consisted of find the map and timetables from last time and getting mum to read the Blog so she could see what buses Matthew likes to ride on and on which services. Mum also took charge of the radar key and bus pass for the day. The pan was to drive to Tonge Fold like before, have dinner and then for mum and uncle Dave to ride into Bolton whilst I sourced the sausage rolls for the return journey home. The weather was overcast, but the forecast for Bolton was for heavy rain all day. We set off around 12:00, getting air in the tyres before setting off up the A500. It was then M6, M62, M60, M61 and A666 before turning right towards Bury, parking up in the street behind he Cafe in Tonge Fold just after 13:15. As we parked up we saw 40350 and 40352 on Wthins circulars. Matthew had a breakfast, with the food coming to £10.50 in total. After dinner I walked them to the bus stop and as the bus approached I was saying goodbye to Matthew and he refused to let me go. I had to quickly get the bus pass off mum and give the car keys to her so she could take the car into Bolton. The bus was unrequired First Manchester 40356, but Matthew didn't mind as he really likes the Bolton allocated P LND registered Dennis Darts. As we came into town we also saw First Manchester 40357 on a #533 service. In the kerfuffle Matthew didn't get a picture of the bus as we got on. He did however take a picture of the empty bus as we reached Bolton.

Inside First Manchester 40356

When we got off he got a picture of the bus from behind, as it's not easy to get pictures in Bolton bus station without walking around to the ends.

40356 in Bolton bus station

At this pint we didn't know what we were going to do. Matthew needed he toilet so we went to try the tardis toilet at the end of the bus station. I didn't have his radar key so I put some money in which it swallowed without opening. We the had to go and find another toilet. After asking a local, we were directed to a toilet at the other end of the market. We then walked back to the bus station to see what we could do. Mum called to say she was parked up and that she was going to come and meet us at the bus station and travel around with me to help me out today. Whilst we waited we saw 3 Dennis Arrow double deckers come into the bus station in quick succession. First was required 31917 on a #507 service.

31917 in Bolton bus station

Then we saw 31922 on a #519 the Johnson Fold, which pretty much came straight in and out of the bus station. The a few minutes later we saw 31921 on a #572 to great Lever. Mum was still making her way across time when First Manchester 40349 pulled up on the stop to work the next #519 bus. Matthew sat with Uncle Dave at the stop whilst I went to the town Hall end of he bus station to meet mum. When we met up her umbrella had been destroyed by the wind and she was looking a bit damp from the rain. We walked up to the bus and we all got on after getting another System One bus ticket for her. The bus was fairly empty at this point, but as the bus went around town it picked up more passengers until it was nearly full. We decided to do the bus to the end of the run and then transfer onto the next bus in the circuit. On the way up we passed Dennis Dart 40353 and 31922 in very quick succession. When we got to the end Matthew got a picture of the empty bus.

Inside First Manchester 40349

As there was no shelter at the end of the run, we decided to go back part way so we could wait for the next bus out of the rain. We would see the bus go up to Johnson Fold before catching it back towards Bolton. The next bus was First Manchester 40344.

First Manchester 40344 in Montserrat

I looked it up and this was also required. A few minutes after it went up to Johnson Fold, it reappeared from around the corner. We got on the bus to ride back towards Bolton. It was still raining so we decided to go back to somewhere were there was a shelter on the other side of the Road. We got off shortly after the Doffcocker pub. We got off at a stop where there was a shelter, but we needed to cross the Road. And we couldn't see another shelter in sight. It was still raining and we left the shelter and walked down the road and crossed over. The rain eased off a little as we waited. A few minutes later dud 40353 appeared. we decided to do it anyway to get out of the rain. As we got on 31922 went past us. We decided to go back to montserrat, and with a bit of luck we would get there before 31922 came back from Johnson Fold. After turning off the main road we walked back to the stop with the shelter. We waited 5 minutes and eventually the bus we were after appeared required 31922.

First Manchester 31922 in Montserrat

We all we upstairs and Matthew took a picture of the empty top deck.

Inside 31922

Back at the bus station we saw 31924 on a #562 Withins circular. We were going to do this but Matthew needed the facilities again so we went all the way back to the other end of the market to use the toilet again. We decided to stop for a quick drink in the market before doing the last couple of buses. After a Coke and a flapjack. We walked back to the bus station. As mum was with us we stop to take a few pictures outside a shop whilst mum went in to get sausage rolls. One such vehicle was 31921 which was coming off service after working #572's earlier in the day.

First Manchester 31921 running empty in Bolton

Sausage rolls purchased we walked back to the bus station. We now needed to do a bus or buses that would get us back near the car and that Matthew wanted to do. We had been on everything on the Johnson Fold route as far as we knew so it had to be something different. We spotted an Arriva bus which we knew from seeing them previously go northwards out of the city so we thought that this would be a good service to do. We got closer and saw it was required Arriva Dennis MPD 892 and Matthew agreed to do it. We booked to the end an we decided to do the bus around the circle and then get off and wait for something else. When the bus was on the loop end Matthew got a picture of the inside as it emptied out.

Inside Arriva NW&W 892

As we started to travel back we spotted a stop with a shelter. We got off and Matthew stood in the rain to get a picture of this bus.

892 in Astley Bridge

it was now around 17:00 and time to finish for the day. We had a choice of 2 buses to catch back. at 17:05. I decided to go to the shop for lottery tickets and Matthew and everyone came with me as he fancied doing a bit of shopping. he brought drinks, a few loose sweets and a Milky Way. Given a choice between Transdev and Arriva Matthew chose Arriva. The bus appeared and by the type and the fact it was a Bolton based bus we knew it was almost certainly going to be a new bus for us. It turned up and was required Arriva NW&W 2680. He got on and took a picture of this bus as it was empty as we got on. The moisture and the warmth of the bus caused a little condensation to from on his camera!

Inside Arriva NW&W 2680

We did the bus back to the edge of town as the bus turned right we got off and Matthew go a picture of the bus as it was heading away.

2680 in on St Georges Road

We then walked back to the car and we saw 40352 as we walked back. We also saw First Manchester 40351 too. We saw Arriva NW&W 2678 on the #575. We got back on the A666 and then onto the M61. We travelled around Manchester on the M60 and then onto the West bound M62. When we got to the the M6 we headed South. Back In Staffordshire we went down the A500 to Sideway. We then did the A50 to Heron Cross and down to Blurton. Matthew wasn't happy at having to go home and was very angry as we traveled home. We got back home around 18:30 and it took most of the tonight for him to calm down. For tea he had sausage and mash. He then chilled out until bedtime...Mark.