Trip to Wigan / Bryn (Last day of First) 01-12-2012

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
34028	Wigan BS	Pemberton, Ormskirk Road/Enfield Street (W-bound)	621	First Manchester
3024	Pemberton, o/s House 563 Ormskirk Road/Enfield Street‎	Wigan BS	352	Arriva NW&W
34262	Wigan BS	Lockett Road, Bryn	610	First Manchester
34262	Lockett Road, Bryn	Wigan BS	610	First Manchester
4101	Wigan BS	Pemberton, Ormskirk Road/Enfield Street (W-bound)	385	Arriva NW&W
40065	Pemberton, o/s House 563 Ormskirk Road/Enfield Street‎	Wigan BS	628	First Manchester
60149	Wigan BS	Pemberton, Ormskirk Road/Enfield Street (W-bound)	621	First Manchester
60403	Pemberton, o/s House 563 Ormskirk Road/Enfield Street‎	Wigan BS	628	First Manchester

Today was a trip to Wigan. It was decided last Sunday it was going to be Wigan with it being the last day of Frst operation from their Bryn depot. From the 2nd of December all services run from this depot will be run by Stagecoach Manchester. I had been ill for a couple of days but I knew we had to take him out today. We checked the weather and it was for cold and clear weather barely reaching 4' C. Matthew got up around 10:00 and had toast and orange juice for breakfast. Despite trying to set of early we didn't actually leave the house until gone 12:00. Luckily progress today was quite fast and we got to Wigan just after 13:15. We got a good parking space near Hallgate. Today mum suggested a different cafe so trouped past the bus station to a little cafe in a courtyard called not unsurprisingly 'Courtyard cafe'. We sat down and Matthew had a breakfast and me and Uncle Dave had Bacon and sausage barms respectively. As we ate Matthew spotted a dessert menu and insisted we stopped for after. Matthew had a Chocolate fudge cake with custard. Eventually he finished it and we paid and left the cafe. The plan was to keep going as much as possible and when we spotted a double decker on the #621 it was a no brainer! We trotted down to the stop and jumped on a got our system one tickets. It was dud 34028, a bus that we haven't been on since March 2012 when it was allocated to Bury. We sat upstairs and Matthew got his customary empty bus shot.

Inside First Manchester 34028

After a minute or so off we went. We headed out past the railway station and down past Wigan Pier. We then took the new Saddle relief Road down to the big roundabout near B&Q. We headed up the Ormskirk Road and when we reached the top of the hill near Aldi we decided to get off. When we got off Matthew got a picture of this fine beast.

First Manchester 34028 in Pemberton

Directly behind us was dud Arriva NW&W 4103 on #385 to Southport.

Arriva NW&W 4103 in Pemberton

We crossed the road and waited at the stop opposite. The First bus to turn up was required Arriva NW&W 3024 on a #352 service.

Arriva NW&W 3024 in Pemberton

We got on and sat down. Directly behind us was an Optare Excel #628. It overtook us on the run down Ormskirk Road and it was dud First Manchester 60160. When we got to Wigan bus station the bus emptied out and Matthew got a picture of the inside of this bus too.

Inside Arriva NW&W 3024

As we had seen a double decker on the #610 we decided to do one of these doan to Bryn so we could have a look in the depot to look at some of the Stagecoach buses that have been reported as being in the depot. We had planned on catching the 15:00 service but we missed this bus as we walked up and it was First Manchester Dart. So we had 20 minutes to wait for the next bus. as we walked down to the bottom to take some picture we saw Arriva NW&W 2454 on a #360 service.

Arriva NW&W 2454 in Wigan bus station

As we took a few picture one of the drivers noticed Matthew and asked if he wanted a First tie as they wouldn't needed anymore. I said no as Matthew already has one given to him by another driver about a month earlier! First Manchester 34291 made an appearance on a #631 circular.

First Manchester 34291 in Wigan bus station

We then walked up to stand B because I though 34291 was going to work the next #610. It turned out that I had my turns mixed up and the next #610 was worked by First Manchester 34262.

First Manchester 34262 in Wigan bus station

After taking a picture we ran around to get on the bus. We hadn't travelled on this double decker since February 2011. We sat upstairs and then Matthew got a picture of the inside of top deck.

Inside First Manchester 34262

We settled down for the journey down to Bryn. It took around 25 minutes through the estate, and when we got there we saw a row of Brand new Eniro 200's and some older ALX300's ready for service from Sunday. We turned around and headed back North through Bryn village and up to Wigan. By the time we got back it was just gone 16:10. Required Arriva NW&W 4101 was in and Matthew wanted to do so we crossed over the stand and jumped on it. We sat upstairs and did the bus up the hill to Pemberton again. When we got off the bus stopped at the lights and Matthew got a picture of this bus.

Arriva NW&W 4101 in Pemberton

We crossed over the road and waited fo a bus back again. By now it had just about gone dark. We turned down a Arriva Pulsar on the #395 and eventually a bus rounded the corner on a #628. It was required First Manchester 40065 and the first of this type we had been on.

First Manchester 40065 in Pemberton

We got on and sat down at the back. The seats over the rear axle are sideways on these buses. The ride was a little shaky and any sudden movements from the bus had us sliding down the seats a little! The were very few passengers on this turn and when we got back and the bus emptied out Matthew got a picture of the inside of this bus.

Inside First Manchester 40065

We decided we could have time for on quick out and back if we caught something straight away. Matthew wanted to get on one of the Wigan Buses hybrids, but this was on a #638 and was heading out towards Standish so we had to turn it down for today. There was a #621 in so we decided to do it. It was an excel but unfortunately it was dud First Manchester 60149. We did it to the top of the road at Pemberton again and he got a picture of this beast.

First Manchester 60149 in Pemberton

We then crossed the road again for one last time. It was 17:13 and there was 1 #628 due at 17:19. It didn't show up. We let 3 different Arriva Pulsars go on #385, #352 and #395 receptively before a #628. It was required First Manchester 60403.

First Manchester 60403 in Pemberton

We got on a sat down near the back. I had hoped it was going to be a required Excel or Dart, but you can't have everything. This was the First of these b10's we had been on and they are quite nice buses for their age. It made a funny whining noises as it went through the gears which was different to anything we had been on. When it emptied out Matthew got a picture of the inside of the bus.

Inside First Manchester 60403

When we got off Matthew got a picture of the bus standing still and in better light than in Pemberton.

First Manchester 60403 in Wigan bus station

It was now around 17:50 so we visited the toilets and then headed back to the car. We would usually walk around Hallgate and past Uncle Joe to see if there were any parked buses but we were all so cold we headed straight back to the car. we drove around the circuit and there were only 3 buses. There was a Strawberry Dart, First Manchester 60390 and 40394. Matthew opted to stay in the car and eay his sausage roll rather than get pictures! We then drove home via frog Lane and across under the railway line to Wigan Pier. We then went around the Pier before trying out the new Saddle relief road for ourselves. The road does seem to make a big difference. We then headed South down the A49 to the M6. Traffic was flowing well and we got to the A500 just before 19:00. We then headed down the A500 to sideway before heading east on the A50. we were all cold and hungry so we went along Stanley Matthew Way before reaching home around 19:15. We sorted out out pictures and then had sausages and mash for a late tea. Matthew didn't each much as I think he is coming down with a cold after today's chilly trip. He then had some computer time before bed...Mark