Trip to Accrington 05-04-2014

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
F638 YRP	Accrington BS	Blackburn, by Tesco	20A	Pilkington Bus
G301 UYK	Blackburn, o/s Tesco	Accrington BS	20	Pilkington Bus
P729 RYL	Accrington BS	Church Kirk, o/s Church Street	5	Pilkington Bus
P729 RYL	Church Kirk, o/s Church Street	Accrington BS	5	Pilkington Bus
1088	Accrington BS	Oswaldtwistle, by Rhyddings Street	6	Transdev Lancashire United
1827	Oswaldtwistle, opp Rhyddings Street	Accrington BS	7A	Transdev Lancashire United
252	Accrington BS	Great Harwood, by Towngate	7	Transdev Lancashire United
1831	Great Harwood, by Holgate Street	Accrington BS	6	Transdev Lancashire United

Today we decided to re-visit Accrington. We once again left choosing the destination until the night before because of the unsettled weather conditions. Out of a short list of destinations Matthew chose Accrington. The weather forecast had been for cloudy conditions with light rain. Matthew got up at around 10:00 and had toast and orange juice for breakfast. We set off a little after 11:30 on the A5035 and onto Stanley Matthew Way. We headed onto the Northbound A500 and we came off at Shelton New Road to fill up with LPG. Just after 12:00 we re-joined the Northbound A500 and onto the Northbound M6. At around junction 17 we passed Z Carz S952 VMY heading South. We also passed City buses & Coaches minibus LT02 XLJ. We carried on North through the roadworks at Thelwall viaduct and onto the Eastbound M62. At the M60 we went clockwise and on the M66 towards Rawtenstall. We carried on North and onto the A56 and we then did the last few miles into town along the A680. We parked near the railway just off Blackburn Road and we walked into town. We decided to stop at the market today for toilets and food. Matthew used the disabled toilets on the ground floor before we sat down and ordered our food. Matthew had an English breakfast washed down with a can of Coke. After we had finished eating we said goodbye to mum and we walked up to Peel Street to see what buses were out. The first thing we saw was the splendid but somewhat dud Pilkington Bus Ex London Olympian G301 UYK on the #20 Hyndburn circular.

Pilkington Bus G301 UYK in Accrington bus station

This was a bus we first did back in July 2013 on out first visit to Accrington. We walked further along the road and we spotted dud M&M Coaches L310 YDU.

M&M Coaches L310 YDU in Accrington bus station

This was a bus that we had done back in December 2013. As we walked along we spotted there was another Pilkington Bus double decker heading in the opposite direction to G301 UYK. As we got closer we saw it was required Pilkington Bus F638 YRP.

Pilkington Bus F638 YRP in Accrington bus station

We walked over to the bus and got on it. We brought our Pilkington Bus day tickets at £3.50 each and then we went upstairs. As the top deck was empty behind the stairs, Matthew got a picture inside F638 YRP before we sat down.

inside Pilkington Bus F638 YRP

A minute or so later the bus set off out of town and up towards the hospital. We passed a couple of coaches as we passed Accrington Stanley and we carried on up the hill. We then went towards Clayton-le-Moors where we passed required Pilkington Bus S278 AOX going the other way. I looked up on the timetable where the buses should pass and it was due to pass near Blackburn. So we carried on through Great Harwood and through Rishton. We crossed over the M65 and we headed into Blackburn. We saw a familiar bit of road where we had been on the #20 before and we decided to get off near Tesco. As we got off we got another picture of Pilkington Bus F638 YRP.

Pilkington Bus F638 YRP in Blackburn

We crossed the road which took a while because the road was really busy. We crossed over and we had around 5 minutes to wait for the bus going the other way. When it appeared we realised it was going to be G301 UYK which we had seen in Accrington earlier!

Pilkington Bus G301 UYK in Blackburn

We climbed up the stairs and the bus set off down the road towards Rishton. As the bus was empty behind us, Matthew took a picture of the upper saloon nearly straight away.

Inside Pilkington Bus G301 UYK

We headed back through Rishton and into Great Harwood before heading back into Accrington via Clayton-le-Moors. When we got back to Accrington we caught up with the Starship liveried bus that we had seen doing the #6 Hyndburn circular service. It was Transdev Lancashire United 263.

Transdev Lancashire United 263 in Accrington bus station

As there was nothing Pilkington Bus around when we got of the bus. Matthew decided to visited the disabled toilet on Peel Street. We crossed over and got a picture of dud Trasndev Lancashire united 402 which was on the X41 to Manchester.

Transdev Lancashire United 402 in Accrington bus station

As we walked back up Peel Street we saw required Pilkington Bus Dart P729 RYL on the #5 Dill Hall circular service.

Pilkington Bus P729 RYL in Accrington bus station

As we had never been on this bus or service before, we decided to do it. We crossed the road and got on the bus booking to Dill Hall. As the bus was empty Matthew got a picture inside the bus as soon as we got on it.

Inside Pilkington Bus P729 RYL

When it was time to go the bus set off out of town as if it was heading towards clayton-le-Moors. It then turned down a side street and headed West towards Church. We crossed over the main road near KFC and we came close to the junction of the road where the Blackburn and Oswaldtwistle roads split. We carried on behind Blackburn Road for a short while before coming to a turning circle. We then headed back towards KFC and into town from this direction before crossing the A680 and coming into town. When we got back we decided to have a snack break and buy some pop and chocolate from the shop at the end of peel street. We also brought a pack of Millionaires Shortbread which he ate at the tables and chairs outside the shop. As we were eating required Transdev Lancashire United 1088 made an appearance on the #6 service.

Transdev Lancashire United 1088 in Accrington bus station

We decided to do the bus up to Oswaldtwistle. We got on and booked Spot On day tickets at £4.20 each. As the bus was empty as we got on Matthew took a picture inside Transdev Lancashire United 1088 immediately.

Inside Transdev Lancashire United 1088

We sat down near the back and the bus left town along Blackburn Road. We got to the junction and we turned left to head into Oswaldtwistle. We climbed up the hill and we passed dud Transdev Lancashire United 205. As we went downhill toward the war monument we decided to get up and get off. When we got off Matthew got another picture of Transdev Lancashire United 1088 as it went off towards Intack.

Transdev Lancashire United 1088 in Oswaldtwistle

We crossed the road and we had about five minutes to wait for the return service into Accrington which was a #7A. A few minutes later the bus rounded the corner and it was required Transdev Lancashire United 1827.

Transdev Lancashire United 1827 in Oswaldtwistle

We got on the bus and sat down near the back. The bus went back down onto Blackburn road and in towards Accrington. The bus was finishing for the day and heading back towards the depot. As such it went to drop off passengers at the Great Harwood stop instead of the stop adjacent to the Oswaldtwistle Stop. As we turned the corner we saw required Transdev Lancashire United 202 on a #6 towards Blackburn. When we got back Matthew waited for the bus to empty before getting a picture inside Transdev Lancashire United 1827.

Inside Transdev Lancashire United 1827

We walked back towards Transdev Lancashire United 202 but it pulled away. We thought that maybe we could head back to Great Harwood and meet the bus on the other side of the circle if we were lucky. In the meantime we saw 'Rosso' 102 on the #484 to Bury and 223 on the #464 to Rochdale.

'Rosso' 223 in Accrington bus station

We walked back to the Great Harwood stop and after using the toilet required Transdev Lancashire United 252 made an appearance on the #7.

Transdev Lancashire United 252 in Accrington bus station

We got on and Matthew beeped the horn. We then sat down near the back. The bus was quite full when we pulled off out of town up towards Accrington Stanley and Clayton-le-Moors. It was around 16:40 and we narrowly beat the crowd coming out o the football ground. In the Abbey Coaches yard we saw Mercedes minibus N252 PGD parked up outside. When somebody got off at the back of the bus Matthew took a picture there.

Inside Transdev Lancashire United 252

We carried on into Great Harwood and we got off at Towngate. We then got another picture of Transdev Lancashire United 252 before it disappeared towards Rishton.

Transdev Lancashire United 252 in Great Harwood

A quick check of the timetable board and we had around 7 minutes to wait for the #6 back towards Accrington. Whilst we waited we saw required Holmeswood Coaches Plaxton Primo YN56 NHC on a #14 service to Clitheroe.

Holmeswood Coaches YN56 NHC in Great Harwood

Immediately behind this appeared dud Transdev Lancashire United 1831 which was our bus back to Accrington.

Transdev Lancashire United 1831 in Great Harwood

We got on the bus and sat down near the back. We called mum to let her know that we would be around 20 minutes and the bus set off back towards Clayton-le-Moors. As we passed Accrington Stanley we saw the coaches heading back towards Northampton after the game. These coaches were SMS coaches Y80 SMS, Country Lion A8 CLN, Hunters YN10 ENW & an unidentified orange coach 577 HDC. We carried on down the hill past the hospital and into town. The bus didn't empty as it was carrying on toward Blackburn. As such Matthew took a picture of the empty seats behind him as we went to get off.

Inside Transdev Lancashire United 1831

We walked back to the car and we got there at the same time as mum did. She was waiting for us with sausage rolls and a can of Irn Bru for Matthew. We headed out of town along the A680 and onto the A56. The A56 became the M66 and we carried on down to the M60. We turned anti-clockwise and we did this to the Westbound M62. After a few miles on this road we headed South on the M6. When we got to the M6 we saw Redwood Neoplan Starliner T3 RED. We got in front of it and let it go passed us and Matthew got a picture.

Redwoods T3 RED on the M6

Across the other side of the M6 we saw Z carz S952 VMY going North. in almost exactly the same point as we saw it was Wigan Coachways N871 MSU going Southbound earlier in the day. We carried on down to the A500 and then onto the A50 which we did to Longton. At Z Carz today were only 2 vehicles. Firstly, red LDV minibus DS51 ZJU.

Z Carz DS51 ZJU in Longton

Next to this was former Ausden Clark coach CNZ 3828.

Z Carz CNZ 3828 in Longton

We turned around in Willow Row and we headed back onto the A50. We did the A50 to Heron Cross where we saw Lightning Travel T2 DLT parked up. We then passed First Potteries 40378 on a #23 and 61143 the last Longton bound #22 of the day. We got home a fraction after 19:00. For a late tea we had bangers and mash with carrots followed by a cake bar. Matthew then chilled out on his computer until bedtime around 01:00...Mark