Trip to Burnley 22-03-2014

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
2758	Burnley BS	Clayton-le-Moors, by Hare and Hounds	152	Transdev Lancashire United
1831	Clayton-le-Moors, opp Hare and Hounds	Great Harwood, by Pendle Road	7	Transdev Lancashire United
1830	Great Harwood, opp Pendle Road	Clayton-le-Moors, by Hare and Hounds	6	Transdev Lancashire United
2757	Clayton-le-Moors, by Hare and Hounds	Burnley BS	152	Transdev Lancashire United
1861	Burnley BS	Nelson Interchange	29	Transdev Burnley & Pendle
1862	Nelson Interchnage	Colne, o/s Bradford and Bingley	25	Transdev Burnley & Pendle
1062	Colne BS	Burnley BS	21	Transdev Burnley & Pendle

Today we decided to go to Burnley. We only made the decision late on Friday due to the fact that the weather was changeable and we were trying to decided which direction would be best to travel. The weather was to be showery all over the North West and of the place we give Matthew to go to we chose Burnley. Matthew got up just after 10:00 and had toast and orange juice for breakfast. We set off at just after 11:30 traveling through Blurton. After a quick stop we carried on through Blurton to Heron Cross. We joined the West bound A50 and then got onto the Northbound A500. We came off the A500 at Shelton New Road so we could get some LPG. After filling up we headed onto the A53 and then back onto the Northbound A500. As we got on the Northbound M6 we saw The Kings Ferry tri-axle coach YR52 VFE. We carried on North up through the roadworks at Thelwall viaduct and onto the the Eastbound M62. We then went clockwise on the M60 and then onto the Northbound M66. We carried on North onto the A56 and then onto the Eastbound M65. A few miles along the M65 at Junction 10 we left the M65 to do the last few miles into town before parking on the car park opposite Tesco. We walked through town to the Atlantis cafe adjacent to the bus station. On the way we saw Starship liveried Transdev Burley & Pendle Dart 709 on the #1 to the Stoops Estate.

'Starship' 709 in Burnley

Also seen on the way into the cafe was new First West Yorkshire bus 69587 on the #589 to Rochdale.

First West Yorkshire 69587 in Burnley

Matthew visited the toilet at the top of the stairs and then had dinner. For dinner he had a English breakfast washed down with a beaker of Coke. After we had finished eating we said goodbye to mum and we walked around the outside of the bus station to take some pictures. There weren'tt many buses in the bus station at this time, and his best picture from this session was Starship liveried Transdev Burnley & Pendle Versa 286.

'Starship' 286 in Burnley bus station

We walked around and back into the bus station and there were a few buses about to leave the bus station. 'Mainline' liveried bus 1871 was about to do the #21 to Trawden. Next to this was 'Mainline' 1871 on the #28 to Skipton. As we were considering which of these buses to do Required Transdev Lancashire United double decker 2758 arrived on a #152 to Preston.

Lancashire United 2758 in Burnley bus station

We got on the bus and booked Silver Day tickets at £6 each. We then went upstairs and sat down. We decided to do the bus to Clayton-le-Moors. I decided to do this because if we missed the #152 coming the other way then at least we didn't have to wait 30 minutes for a return bus. We could do a #6 or #7 Hyndburn circular. There were people sat front and back so Matthew took a picture of the empty seats beside us.

Inside Lancashire United 2758

After a few minutes the bus set of through town and off towards Padiham over the M65. We crossed the bridge at Padiham and went into the town centre for the first time. It is a reasonably sized town, but not big enough for mum to go shopping in though! We carried on West through Altham and through an industrial estate before climbing up the hill towards Clayton-le-Moors. As we got to the crossroads at Clayton-le-Moors we saw the #152 service coming the other way! Drat... We got off and Matthew got another picture of Transdev Lancashire United 2758 as it carried on towards Preston.

Lancashire United 2758 in Clayton-le-Moors

As we had missed the #152 back to Burnley,we walked across the road to the stop on the Great Harwood road. There was a Transdev bus due in 5 minutes, so perhaps there would be a move that worked out. In the distance we could see a Pilkington Bus Olympian we we knew would be dud as we have been on both of their G reg vehicles. As it got closer we saw it was Pilkington Bus G301 UYK.

Pilkington Bus G301 UYK in Clayton-le-Moors

At roughly the same time we saw required Transdev Lancashire United 1827 going towards Accrington.

Lancashire United 1827 in Clayton-le-Moors

That confirmed that we should be able to do a bus up towards Great Harwood and back and still get on the #152 to Burnley. The bus turned up and it was dud Transdev Lancashire United 1831. This is a bus that we had last done back in December 2013 up to Knuzden. We did the bus through the centre of Clayton-le-Moors and into the Hyndburn valley. We climbed the hill up the other side and we decided to get off before we passed the other bus. A we were getting off the bus we saw required Pilkington Bus J622 GCR on the #20 Hyndburn circular service. We got off the bus and Matthew got another picture of Transdev Lancashire United 1831.

Lancashire United 1831 in Great Harwood

We crossed the road and we only had to wait a couple of minutes before the bus appeared. It rounded the corner in the distance and as we closer we saw it was required Transdev Lancashire United 1830.

Lancashire United 1830 in Great Harwood

We got on the bus and sat down near the back. The bus was nearly empty but there were people front and back. As we were traveling down to Clayton-le-Moors Matthew took a picture of the empty seats opposite us.

Inside Lancashire United 1830

We carried on into Clayton-le-Moors and we got off and Matthew got another picture of Transdev Lancashire United 1830.

Lancashire United 1830 in Clayton-le-Moors

We went around the corner to the stop and we must have missed the bus by less than a minute. It was 15:15 and the bus was due at 15:14. We asked Matthew if he wanted to catch a bus towards Accrington and he said no. We now had to wait for best pasrt of 30 minuyes for the next #152 to Burnley. Whilst we were there we saw Pilkington Bus X374 NNO go past the end of the road on a Hyndburn circular. The bus stop we were at had a real time display but it appeared not to be working. Matthew had a milky Way and stood just outside the bus stop in the rain. The bus turned up a couple of minutes before it was due and it was required Transdev Lancashire United 2757.

Lancashire United 2757 in Clayton-le-Moors

We got on the bus and we went upstairs and sat down. The bus set off through Altham and into the industrial estate. If we ever do the #152 out of Burnley again we will do it to the industrial estate unless we want to change direction. It had now stopped raining and the sun had come out. We carried on through Padiham and over the bridge before going through Whitegate and crossing over the M65. We went through town and into the bus station. We let the bus empty and then Matthew got a picture inside Transdev Lancashire United 2757.

Inside Lancashire United 2757

Matthew went to the toilet and then we had a walk around the bus station. The best picture we took in this session was of Transdev Burnley & Pendle 2778 on the X43.

Burnley & Pendle 2778 in Burnley bus station

Transdev Burnley & Pendle 1834 arrived into the bus station running out of service and parked up in the layover area. We walked back into the bus station. and we saw First West Yorkshire 69582 on one of their services. There were a couple of buses in the bus station about to work. Required Transdev Burnley & Pendle 1071 was on the #29 to Barnoldswick. Required Transdev Burnley & Pendle 1073 was on the #27 to Clitheroe. We decided to go towards nelson and we had a choice of 2 buses. Required Transdev Burnley & Pendle 1861 was on a #29 to Barnoldswick and Pennine Dart D11 was on the #215 to Skipton. Matthew chose to do 1861

'Mainline' 1861 in Burnley bus station

We waited for the driver to arrived and then we got on the bus. As the bus was nearly empty he took a picture as we got on the bus.

Inside 'Mainline' 1861

The bus set off out of town North along the A682 towards Reedley and Brierfield. The bus carried on and went into Nelson Interchange. Matthew got a picture of 'Mainline' 1861 before it carried on North.

'Mainline' 1861 in Nelson Interchange

Matthew visited the toilet and then we had a walk around the interchange taking pictures. The best picture that we took was of 'Starship' liveried Transdev Burnley & Pendle 260.

'Starship' 260 in Nelson Interchange

Dud Transdev Burnley & Pendle arrived in the bus station on the X43 from Manchester. We walk back into the bus station expecting to go to the shop only to find that it had closed. We then saw required Transdev Burnley & Pendle 1862 on a #21 to Laneshawbridge so we decided to do that.

'Mainline' 1862 in Nelson Interchange

We got on the bus and we sat down near the back. The bus set off North out of Nelson on the A56 after a short run we arrived in Colne. As we got off Matthew took another picture of Transdev Burnley & Pendle 1862.

'Mainline' 1862 in Colne

Matthew decided he waned to go to the toilet again. The market was closed and the toilets in the bus station were closed for maintenance. We saw required Transdev Burnley & Pendle 1857 heading back to Burnley but Matthew was still concerned about going to the toilet even though he had been less than 30 minutes ago. We had to let 1857 go, but we had to persuade Matthew that the best thing to do would be to go back to Burnley as quick as we could to use the toilets there. Whilst we were waiting Matthew had a Milky way and a bottle of dandelion & burdock. Eight minutes later required Transdev Burnley & Pendle 1062 appeared on a #21 service.

'Mainline' 1062 in Colne bus station

We got on the bus and as the bus was empty Matthew took his picture straight away.

Inside 'Mainline' 1062

The bus set off South onto the A56 and through town. When we got to Nelson Interchange we saw Holmeswood Dart S9 BOS on the #95 service. We left the interchange and we passed required Pennine Dart D6 going towards Skipton. We carried on south down the A682 through Brierfield and Reedley and then bus came into town. It must have been it's last run off the as the bus emptied out on the outside of the bus station.

'Mainline' 1062 in Burnley

Matthew tried to visit the newsagent but it had just shut. He visited the toilet and then we walked back to the car. We set off out of town along Trafalgar Street and onto the Westbound M65 at junction 10. We decided to go back along the M65 going back as opposed to the A56 route back. We headed West to the M6 and then we headed South. The matrix sign were showing delays between junction 17-16 so we were considering diverting off the motorway if we had to. We carried on South through the roadworks at Thelwall and by the time we reached junction 17 the problem had cleared up. We got onto the Southbound A500 and we went down to the A50 to Longton. At the Z Carz depot there were 3 vehicles. The first vehicle was Z Carz coach CNZ 3828.

Z Carz CNZ 3828 in Longton

This was followed by Z Carz coach D104 XAN.

Z Carz D104 XAN in Longton

The final bus bus was Mercedes minibus S952 VMY.

Z Carz S952 VMY in Longton

We turned into Willow Row and then went back onto the A50. We then headed through Heron Cross and into Blurton and onto A5035. We got home at 19:45. For tea Matthew bangers and mash with carrots followed by cake. Matthew then chilled out on his computer until bedtime around 00:30...Mark