Trip to Blackburn / Accrington 10-08-2013

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
N663 VSS	Blackburn TI	Accrington BS	46	M&M Coaches
N202 LPN	Accrington BS	Peel Bank, by Buckingham Grove	2	M&M Coaches
N202 LPN	Peel Bank, by Buckingham Grove	Accrington BS	2	M&M Coaches
M458 JPA	Accrington BS	Oswaldtwistle, by Oswaldtwistle Mills	1	M&M Coaches
1820	Oswaldtwistle, by Town Hall	Blackburn TI‎	6	Transdev Lancashire United
566	Blackburn TI	West End, opp Percy Street‎	41	Transdev Lancashire United
407	West End, by Spread Eagle Street	Blackburn TI‎	X41	Transdev Lancashire United

Today we planned a trip to Blackburn. We had planned to go the week before but decided to push Blackburn back a week and to visit Halifax instead. We didn't do any bus research for today other than to check the weather as we have been to the area twice before. The weather was forecast for dry weather with sunny spells and still reasonably warm. We did look into car parking and we decided to park and eat at Morissons. Matthew got up around 10:30 today. Mum wasn't very well and it had a slight impact on departure time. After eating his toast and drinking his orange juice we were ready to do just before 12:00. we set off onto the A5035 viewing Wardle Transport 2963 on the Plumline and First Potteries 40017 on #22 to Newcastle. We turn onto Stanley Matthews Way and then onto the Westbound A50. We got onto the Northbound A500 passing an unidentified former Travel WM single decker. We did the A500 up to the M6. When we reached the m6 the Northbound side was standing. Traffic was very heavy up to junction 19 and there was an 'incident' by Knutsford services. North of the A556 we made better progress and once we went passed the M62 we went fine. We joined the M65 and we came off at junction 4 where we joined the A666 for the run into Blackburn. We were aware that Blackburn were playing at home and we saw the crowd around the ground as we passed Ewood Park. We carried on into town and after a few wrong turning we turned into Morrisons and parked up around 14:00. We went to the toilet and then we went to the cafe where Matthew had a breakfast followed by his favourite lemon meringue pie. We got talking to an Accrington man who didn't think we weren't local! We must be spending too much time in the North West... After we had finished we walked over to the bus station to take a few pictures. One of the first buses we saw was required M&M coaches N663 VSS. We got a picture of it as it turned in the interchange area.

M&M Coaches N663 VSS in Blackburn TI

We walked down to the stop at which we caught the the #46 last time and waited for the bus to come back down the boulevard. We stuck our hand out and the bus went past and the driver gestured he was stopping down the road. The bus stopped at stop A which was a little further down. He explained that drivers had been in trouble for not stopping at the correct stop which is fair enough. As the bus was empty Matthew took a picture inside this tidy minibus.

Inside M&M Coaches N663 VSS

We sat down to enjoy the journey into Accrington. As we left blackburn we saw Pilkington bus S291 RAG on Ainsworth Stret and further out of town we passed Pilkington bus Dart Cadet R845 VEC. The journey on the #46 is one of the quickest as it goes directly along the A679. About half way along we passed dud M&M Coaches P350 NKH on the other #46 turn. We got there quite quickly and as we turned into Peel Street and saw another M&M Coaches bus on stand N202 LPN.

M&M Coaches N202 LPN in Accrington bus station

I thought the bus was a required one, so we jumped on it and asked for a return back to Accrington. It turns out it was the first M&M Coaches bus we did back in July. I thought we had been on N201 UHH and it turns out it was the other way round! As the bus was empty Matthew got a picture inside M&M Coaches N202 LPN.

Inside M&M Coaches M202 LPN

We set off along Peel Street and up to the current turning point on Whinney Hill Road. There were roadworks that prevented the bus taking it usual route. As we returned back into town we passed former PSV Renault Dodge 'Save the Bees' E103 JNH. We carried on past KFC and back into town. We got off in Bridge Street and took another picture of this fine beast.

M&M Coaches N202 LPN in Bridge Street

I thought we could have short break from the buses as we stopped for a drink. Matthew had a can of Coke from the bag. Whilst there we saw Rossendale Easyride 229.

Rossendale 229 in Accrington bus station

We decided to look for a cash machine, but we didn't go very far to look. We saw required Pilkington Bus S451 WAT on a #21 service.

Pilkington Bus S451 WAT in Accrington bus station

We also saw dud Pilkington Bus G301 UYK on a #21A if it had been required G306 UYK we would have been over like a shot! Behind the #21 required M&M Coaches M458 JPA and we crossed over the road to catch this.

M&M Coaches M458 JPA in Accrington bus station

We got on the bus an there were a few peoplle already on it so matthew got a picture of the back seat, with required Pilkington Bus P729 RYL in the background on a local service.

Inside M&M Coaches M458 JPA

We sat down and off the bus went. The journey up to Oswaldtwistle was swift and we got off near the school.

M&M Coaches M458 JPA in Oswaldtwistle

We decided to cross over the road and visit the shop. We used the cash machine We then went into the shop and brought lottery tickets and a can of Coke, a Milky Way and a large Galaxy caramel bar. We sat outside the shop and Matthew ate the Milky way and put the can and the Galaxy caramel in the bag for another time. Whilst we were there we saw S451 WAT going towards Blackburn on the #21 and Pilkington Bus R845 VEC on the Accrington bound bus. We crossed over the road thinking we would have a 20 minute wait for the next Blackburn service. The plan was to get a Pilkington Bus day ticket and pick up 2 or 3 of the required buses that were out on the circulars today. When we got to stop we saw the next Pilkington Bus was 17:01 and it was the last one of the day. So we had to resort to Plan B. Do a Transdev Lancashire United bus into Blackburn on a day ticket and do a couple more. There was a bus due in couple of minutes and when it appeared it was required Transdev Lancashire United 1820.

Transdev Lancashire United 1820 in Oswaldtwistle

We got on the bus and booked a local day ticket at the cost of £4.20. This is 70p more than the equivalent ticket from Pilkington Bus, but at least the buses run beyond 17:30. We sat down near the back. The bus set off and it takes a longer route into town than most of its competitors. The bus goes through Shadsworth and then into the hospital. As we came out of the hospital we passed Lancashire United 16 an Olympian that had 5A outer circle on the front. The bus dropped into town from the south Side and then we joined onto the A666 near B&Q before going into town. when the bus got into the Transport Interchange it emptied out and Matthew got a picture inside.

Inside Transdev Lancashire United 1820

We got off and we took a picture of Rossendale 139 which we had passed on the way into town by the Hospital.

Rossendale 139 in Blackburn TI

Matthew indicated the he wanted to catch a double decker. We just missed on going out on a #41 to Accrington, so we decided to do the next #41/X41 to pick the next X41 back into town which we thought would almost certainly be one. We walked to stand A where the #41 goes from, and on the way we saw new stagecoach Lancashire 15913 on a #59 to Preston.

Stagecoach 15913 in Blackburn TI

It was 17:00 now, and the next #41 was due at 17:10. We saw the bus go up and it was required Transdev Lancashire United 566. The bus came back down and Matthew got a picture of it.

Transdev Lancashire United 566 in Blackburn TI

When we got on we picked up a #41/X41 timetable. As we got on Matthew photographed the empty back of the bus.

Inside Transdev Lancashire United 566

We sat down near the back on the group seats. We worked out we could do 566 to just the other side of the M65 and catch the X41 back. When we passed under the motorway we traveled down the hill until we saw a few houses and then we got off the bus. We crossed the road and as the road was clear we decided to walk towards Accrington one stop. We didn't have to wait long and we saw a double decker approaching. It was required Transdev Lancashire United 407.

Transdev Lancashire United 407 in Oswaldtwistle

We set off towards Blackburn and we passed a pair of Lime green Olympians coming from the Shadworth direction. We acrried on into town and when we reached the Boulevard the bus emptied out and Matthew got a picture inside Transdev Lancashire United 407.

Inside Transdev Lancashire United 407

We got off at the interchange and we decided to take a few pictures of buses as we walked back to Morrisons. The bus bus we saw was Transdev Lancashire United MPD Dart 703.

Transdev Lancashire United 703 in Blackburn TI

We took a few more picture as we walked along, the last of which was Transdev Lancashire United 1829.

Transdev Lancashire United 1829 in Blackburn TI

After meeting up with mum and using the toilet in Morrisons we headed back to the car. At the car Matthew had some of sausage roll (it wasn't Greggs and he didn't like it much) and some of a doughnut (the doughnuts were labeled ring when the were just like jam doughnuts, but with no jam in them!). We set off back down the A666 towards to motorway. We passed Ewood Park and saw Ashcroft Travel HIG 5675 outside the ground. We realised that we hadn't got a drink so we stopped just before the motorway to get a bottle of Irn Bru out of the emergency supplies in the boot. We got on the M65 motorway and headed west. We then got onto the M6 and head South. The road was now clear and we reached the A500 by 19:00. We headed South on the A500 and came off onto the A50 and headed into Longton. There were 4 buses parked up at Z carz tonight. D104 XAN was at the front of the row.

Z Carz D104 XAN in Longton

behind this was blue LDV YN03 HJC.

Z Carz YN03 HJC in Longton

parked behind YN03 HJC was DS51 ZJU and on it own on the end of the row was relatively new addition OV05 WSW which had very recently received the new style purple decals.

Z Carz OV05 WSW in Longton

We checked out the Willow Row compound which was empty ad then we headed home down Longton Hall Road into Blurton. As we headed home we passed First Potteries 53405 with it's broken display. We got home around 19:30. whilst he waited Matthew had a toffee flavoured yoghurt. For a late tea Matthew had bangers and mash followed by cheesecake. He then chilled out on his computer until bedtime around 23:45...Mark