Trip to Northwich 15-12-2012

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
869	Northwich Interchange	Northwich, Iron Bridge (SW-bound)	1	Arriva NW&W
868	Northwich, Iron Bridge (NE-bound)	Northwich Interchange	1	Arriva NW&W
3330	Northwich Interchange	Leftwich, opp Shops	29A	Arriva NW&W
3330	Leftwich, opp Shops	Northwich Interchange	29A	Arriva NW&W
2617	Northwich Interchange	Leftwich, opp Shops	29A	Arriva NW&W
2617	Leftwich, opp Shops	Northwich Interchange	29A	Arriva NW&W
2611	Northwich Interchange	Leftwich, opp Shops	29A	Arriva NW&W
2611	Leftwich, opp Shops	Northwich Interchange	29A	Arriva NW&W
SB16	Northwich Interchange	Northwich, opp Tesco	289	GHA
877	Northwich, opp Tesco	Rudheath, Wright Avenue (cnr)	2	Arriva NW&W
877	Rudheath, Wright Avenue (cnr)	Northwich Interchange	2	Arriva NW&W
7628	Northwich Interchange	Sandbach, o/s Common	37	Arriva NW&W

Today we decided to revisit Northwich. As we are near the middle o winter we once again gave him to nearby destinations to chose from and he chose Northwich. Like last week we had been to Northwich on the equivalent weekend last year. We didn't do any research for this trip, and we checked the weather on the night before. The weather was forecast for cloudy with sunny intervals, with a positively tropical temperate of 9' C. Matthew got up around 10:00 and had some toast and orange juice for breakfast. We set off around 11:30 today and mum drove as dad had been out the night before. We asked Matthew where he wanted to eat and he chose the Country Kitchen in Middlewich, a place we have visited before. We headed along Stanley Matthews Way and onto the Westbound A50. We then did the A500 Northwards to the M6. We did the M6 2 junctions North and came off at the A54 and went into Middlewich and onto the car park for The Country Kitchen. It was very busy today as there were workmen having there dinner from across the road, working on the new Morrisons Store. We had thought it was going to be ready but the opening has been delayed. We ordered our food and after a short while we were eating it. Matthew got a picture of the trailer just before he tucked into his breakfast.

The Country Kitchen in Middlewich

We saw Arriva NW&W 3330 heading North. After we had finished eating mum carried on driving We headed North up the A533 to Northwich and headed to the car park. We saw Arriva 7628 on a #37 Sandbach short and Arriva NW&W 3334 on a #29A service. We parked up and then walked back to the bus interchange. 7628 & 3330 had gone and it was just after 13:00. We had a quick toilet stop and then walked back to the stops. First thing that we saw was GHA Solo SL16 on a #48 to Frodsham.

GHA SL16 in Northwich Interchange

We saw Arriva NW&W 869 on a #1 service. I remembered doing this move last year, and I thought it would be a good thing to do before the next #37 service. Matthew got a picture and we got on the bus.

Arriva NW&W 869 in Northwich Interchange

We brought some Arriva NW&W Daysavers and sat down near the back. I checked to see if we had been on this bus before and we had. It was in fact the first Arriva bus we had done in Northwich on our first visit back in October 2011. We did this service as we had done before to the Iron Bridge and got off. Matthew tried to take a picture but his batteries were flat. Fortunately the driver stayed put whilst he changed his batteries for which we would like to say thank you if he ever reads this Blog!

Arriva NW&W 869 by the Iron Bridge

We crossed the road to wait or the return #1. We didn't have to wait or more than a couple of minutes and required Arriva NW&W 868 made an appearance.

Arriva NW&W 868 by the Iron Bridge

We got on the bus and sat down. On the equivalent weekend last year the bus was full. This year it was virtually empty. The journey in was swift and when we got back Matthew got a picture of the empty inside.

Inside Arriva NW&W 868

When we got off we could see Arriva NW&W 3330, which had finally caught us up. It was about to do the 29A to Leftwich. Behind it pulled in Arriva NW&W 3334 which was going to do the next #37 to Crewe. We asked Matthew which bus he wanted to catch and he chose 3330 on the #29A. We got a picture of this bus before boarding and going upstairs.

Arriva NW&W 3330 in Northwich Interchange

As soon as we got upstairs Matthew took his empty bus photo.

Inside Arriva NW&W 3330

We sat down and relaxed ready for the journey ahead.We set of and headed South under the railway arch. by the time we reached the letwich road junction 3334 had caught us up and the 2 palatine II double deckers stood side by side. If I had been quicker perhaps I could have got some kind of picture. We carried on around the estate and then we headed back into town on the bus. i had thought that we might carry on on this bus when it did the #37 so we could go after Arriva NW&W Marshall Dart 7628. When we spied a Network Warrington Dart 31 on the #45.

Network Warrington 31 in Northwich Interchange

We had followed Arriva NW&W 2617 into town on the #37 so we knew it was going out to Leftwhich on the #29A. when I gave Matthew the choice of 2617 or 3330 he chose 2617. He got a picture and then we got on and sat near the back.

Arriva NW&W 2617 in Northwich Interchange

Doing this bus did surprise me a little. it was a required bus, but Matthew has often turned down these Plaxton Centros and we have been waiting around other than catching one of these buses. We did the bus around the estate again and at his point it started to rain a little. We headed back into town and hen the bus arrived back and emptied out he got a picture of the inside of this bus.

Inside Arriva NW&W 2617

Arriva NW&W 2611 came in to work the next #29A and Matthew decided he wanted to do this too. This bus was a dud one, having done it before on a Sandbach trp back in March this year. We did the bus around the estate again and then when we got Back Matthew took a picture of the inside of that bus too.

Inside Arriva NW&W 2611

When we spied GHA SB16 on a #289 service. He got a picture of this bus.

GHA SB16 in Northwich Interchange

Matthew wanted to do this but I told him he couldn't as we didn't know what we could do back if we caught it. Required Arriva NW&W 2608 had arrived to do the next #29A and Matthew didn't seem interested in catching it. I went back to the stop and saw that the #45/46 also went off the same stop and at least on of the service seem to go in the same direction.i went back onto the bus and asked the driver if he went past the station and he said yes. So i went to fetch Matthew and told him we could do the bus but only for a short distance. We got on a and sat near the back.The bus took a slightly different route to the station from what we could remember on doing the Warrington Bus last October, but we got to Tesco and we got off the bus. Matthew got another picture of this bus before it pulled off into the distance.

GHA SB16 by Northwich Tesco

When we did the Warrington bus last time we did a #2 back to Northwich, We walked back past Tesco and then we looked up and down the road. we couldnt remeber the route of the #2 from last time, and we decided to turn right as that was the most likely route. The stop on the Northwich side of the road had no timetable and no text information. There was a phone number to ring for bus time but the stop wasn''t marked! We went to the shop and Matthew had a bottle of Irn Bru and a twin Milky way. We decided to cross the road as that stop was marked. It also had a timetable and we saw there was a bus due 10 minutes ago and 20 minutes later.There was someone waiting so we assumed the bus was late. Almost immediately we spied an Arriva MPD Dart approaching. Matthew got a picture and it as required Arriva NW&W 877.

Arruva NW&W 877 on Station Road Northwich

We sat down near the back on this bus which was reasonably well filled. We headed put of town first and then around the end before heading back in. We knew that we had missed Arriva 7628 on the #29A, but we knew we should be back in plenty of time to see it do the #37 service. We got back and Matthew got a picture o the inside of this bus.

Inside Arruva NW&W 877

GHA wright bodied single decker YJ04 BVB made an appearance on the #82 service and Matthew got a picture.

GHA YJ04 BVB in Northwich Interchange

Matthew then revisited the toilet and we formulated a plan to get a decent run on required Arriva NW&W 7628. It arrived and then we got on.we then realised that it wasn't due o until 16:00 so we had 10 minutes. We were also going to be in darkness by the time we reached Sandbach. So we got off and got a picture and then got back on again.

Arriva NW&W 7628 in Northwich Interchange

We sat back down and waited for time. I arranged with mum to drive down to Sandbach and meet us there. When the bus pulled of I texted mum to let her know we were on our way. we headed south to Winsford and then through Middlewich. I thought that mum knew the way to Sandbach and so did she! She got a little lost and was going to head back towards Stoke-on-Trent when she saw a sign for Sandbach. It took her nearly an hour to do what should have been a 30 minute journey, but that was OK because the bus was scheduled to take longer. We got into Sandbach and we saw Arriva NW&W 4491 on a #38 Macclesfield service. On the Common Matthew got his empty bus picture.

Inside Arriva NW&W 7628

We met up with mum who was a little bit annoyed with her journey down, and she went to get some chips. Matthew went to the toilet supervised by Uncle Dave and I went to get lottery ticket from McColls. As Matthew walked back towards mum he got a picture o D&G 66 on the #78 service.

D&G 66 on Sandbach Common

We all met up back at the car and we ate chips and Matthew had a spam fritter and a sausage roll too. We set off around 17:15 and we headed back to the M6 along the A534 to the M6. On the radio we heard the stoke had drawn with Everton following an unfortunate Ryan Shawcross own goal and then a Kenwyne Jones header. We got of the M6 at junction 16 and headed southwards down the A500. at Sideway we headed east along the A50 to Longton and then we passed he Z Carz depot. On the depot was coach D104 XAN, Mercedes minibus T131 SGA, LDV breadvan M420 UEH and airport transfer bus DL03 HHU. We then headed down Longton Hall road and then home. We got back around 18:15. Matthew had sausage, carrots and mash for a late tea before spending time on his computer before bedtime...Mark