Trip to Hinckley / Nuneaton 10-05-2014

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
1907	Hinckley, Regent Street (Stand R3)	Burbage, adj Horsepool	71	Hinckley Bus / Arriva Midlands
1915	Burbage, adj Horsepool	Hinckley, Regent Street (Stand R2)	58	Hinckley Bus / Arriva Midlands
2560	Hinckley, Regent Street (Stand R2)	Barwell, adj East Green	82	Hinckley Bus / Arriva Midlands
1907	Barwell, opp East Green	Hinckley, Regent Street (Stand R2)	82	Hinckley Bus / Arriva Midlands
2567	Hinckley, Regent Street (Stand R2)	Hinckley, adj Clivesway	82	Hinckley Bus / Arriva Midlands
1906	Hinckley, opp Clivesway	Hinckley, Regent Street (Stand R2)	82	Hinckley Bus / Arriva Midlands
1905	Hinckley, Regent Street (Stand R2)	Nuneaton BS	86	Hinckley Bus / Arriva Midlands

Today we decided to re-visit Hinckley. We had looked at the weather and it was set for rain showers in all directions. It did look like it might be a little better to the South. I gave Matthew a list of places to go including Hinckley and Matthew chose Hinckley as I thought he might. Other than to check the weather I did no research for this trip as I already had all the relevant timetables in my phone Hiya. Alex Dawson here from the Harborough Mail newspaper. Can we use one of your bus pictures in the paper? Ring me on. Matthew got up around 09:30 today. For breakfast he had toast and orange juice. We set off at around 11:45 today. We had chosen to go in a different direction than we usually did when going towards Hinckley. We went onto the A5035 as usual, but this time we headed towards Longton. At Longton we crossed over the A50 before going onto the Eastbound carriageway. On the A50 we passed Z Carz M372 NWN to Liverpool & S952 VMY going to Blackpool. We carried on past Uttoxeter and we turned onto the A511 toward Burton. We carried on onlong this road for a couple of miles until we got to the Salt box cafe where we stopped for dinner. We parked in the car park under a willow tree and we got branches caught in the window and doors as we left the car! Matthew went to the toilet and then I had to go back to the car to get the phone. We then saw Trent Barton 614 on a V1 Villager service to Derby. Matthew had an English Breakfast for dinner washed down with a can of Coke. After we had finished eating we rejoined the A511 and carried on towards Burton-on-Trent. We passed through Burton town centre and onto the A444. As we left Burton we passed Midland Classic double decker 93 on an inbound service. We then had a 20 mile run along the A444 until we reached the A5. We traveled a few miles East along the A5 and then did the B4666 for the last couple of miles into town. We got into town at just after 14:00 like we did last time we came here. We said goodbye to mum and we headed off to the toilet via the bus station. Matthew said hello to someone in a shop on Rugby Road and then we walked through the bus station such as it is. Parked we saw Sheffield based coach Walter Martin JFM 541.

Walter Martin JFM 541 in Hinckley bus station

In front of that was former Midland Optare Solo, Hinckley Bus 2555.

Hinckley Bus 2555 in Hinckley bus station

We carried on up to the toilet and then after Matthew had finished we headed back onto Regent Street. There was a bit of a lull in the service so we had a sit down and Matthew drank some Limeade. On a #81 to Earl Shilton we saw Hinckley Bus 2569.

Hinckley Bus 2569 in Hinckley

We saw Hinckley Bus 2555 depart from the bus station to form the next #86 to Nuneaton. We were looking out for the #5 service which we had done last time we came here but we did no see it. Last time we saw Hinckley Bus 1916 work the 14:25 #58A/B to Market Harborough. This then went on to work the 17:10 #86 to Nuneaton. This time the service was worked by required Hinckley Bus 1905.

Hinckley Bus 1905 in Hinckley

We would hopefully ride on Hinckley Bus 1905 later... The next bus due that might be of interest was the 14:35 #71 to Burbage. We waited to see what would turn up. When it arrived it was required Hinckley Bus Mercedes minibus 1907.

Hinckley Bus 1907 in Hinckley

We got on and booked our Hinckley Bus day saver at £7.50. As the bus was empty Matthew got a picture inside the bus at we got on it.

Inside Hinckley Bus 1907

At 14:35 the bus set off out of town and passed the library. We headed down Station Road ant then past the railway station before going under the railway line and up the hill towards Burbage. We turned into Brookside and we wound our way through the estate and into Burbage. When we got to Horsepool we got off as we had done before. Matthew got another picture of Hinckley Bus 1907 as it headed back to Hinckley.

Hinckley Bus 1907 in Burbage

We decided to have a little picnic as we had 20 minutes before the next #71. We went to sit in the little garden by the Horsepool but it had been locked up. It seemed they were in the process of carving an ancient tree stump up. It had been left for the weekend but the powers that be must have considered the area far too dangerous for mere mortals like ourselves! We walked up to by the war memorial and Matthew had a Milky Way. It was now starting to rain so we walked back to the stop. There aren't any bus shelters in this part of town. It was just about to get heavy when unexpectedly to us we saw a minibus approaching on the #58 service. It was required Hinckley Bus 1915.

Hinckley Bus 1915 in Burbage

We got on the bus and flashed our tickets and we sat down near the back. The bus took a different route back to Hinckley. we traveled back via Hinckley Road,far Lash and the other end of Brookside. We crossed over the railway line to the East of town before heading towards the station. We then turned into Station Road to head into town. When we got back into The Brough we got up and Matthew took a picture inside the now empty Hinckley Bus 1915.

Inside Hinckley Bus 1915

It was raining so we decided to try and catch another quickly bus at this. A few minutes behind us into the stop was required Hinckley Bus Solo 2560 on the #82 to Barwell.

Hinckley Bus 2560 in Hinckley

We decided to do this bus despite it being a Solo. We got on the bus and we flashed our tickets, we wrestled with Matthew as he wanted to honk the horn. The driver acknowledge what he was doing and allowed him to do it! We sat down near the back and the bus set of out of town to the North West. We then turned into Stanley Road before rejoining the A447. We went passed the hospital and out of town. We then turned right onto Hinckley Road. We got close to town and then we went West through the houses appearing on the edge of town from the North. There were still people on the bus so we stayed on. The bus went around an estate to the North East of town before heading back. When we got back to the same corner of Barwell we decided to get off. Matthew got a picture inside the bus as we were getting off.

Inside Hinckley Bus 2560

Matthew then got another picture of Hinckley Bus 2560 as we walked down towards the Co-op.

Hinckley Bus 2560 in Barwell

We headed into the Co-op and Matthew brought some Irn Bru and Coke as well as three chocolate bars. As some thing were on offers we got everything for just under £4. We went back to the Northbound stop to check the timetable. The bus had now gone to a reduced 30 minute frequency so the next bus was not due North until 16:06. We sat down on some concrete blocks near to the bus stop. Matthew ate the Toffee Crisp and a bottle of the Irn Bru that we. When the bus was due we saw the bus approaching from the North West and it looked familiar. It was dud Hinckley Bus 1907 again!

Hinckley Bus 1907 in Barwell

We got on the bus and flashed the tickets. We went North through the estate and then flashed the tickets again to head South back into Hinckley. We headed out of town and onto the A447. We followed an Arriva Midlands bus into town which was Arriva Midlands 3911. We left the A447 and through the side streets. We passed dud Hinckley bus 1906 going up towards Barwell on the #82. We got off and we thought about what we could do. As we got into town there was a #82 to Barwell. It was being worked by Hinckley Bus 2568.

Hinckley Bus 2568 in Hinckley

Hinckley Bus 1907 was also about to work the next #81 service to Earl Shilton.

Hinckley Bus 1907 in Hinckley

We then walked to the toilet on station Road. As we went it started to rain quite heavily. After Matthew had done we walked back. Matthew was a little less wet than me and uncle Dave as he had been in the toilet for the worst of the weather. it was now around 16:50. There was only time to do perhaps one or two more buses and for a very short distance. There was a #82 to Barwell that left town on the same road as the #86 to Nuneaton. We could do this and maybe get back into town if the inbound #82 appeared quickly. The #82 appeared and it was required Solo Hinckley Bus 2567.

Hinckley Bus 2567 in Hinckley

We got on the bus and flashed the tickets. Matthew attempted to beep the horn and we managed to stop him. As the bus was nearly empty, Matthew got a picture of the rear of this bus.

Inside Hinckley Bus 2567

The plan was now simple. It was 16:53... we had to be back in town by 17:10 or walk back onto Hollycroft by just after 17:00. We sat down and the bus left town. We turned onto Hollycroft and then turned onto Stanley Road. We got up to get off the bus and matthew was still trying to honk the horn. In the end the driver did it for him! Matthew took another picture of this bus as it carried on towards Barwell.

Hinckley Bus 2567 on Stanley Road

We hadn't passed Hinckley Bus 1906 so we crossed the road to stand at the stop opposite. if the bus didn't turn up within a couple of minutes we would simply walk back onto Hollycroft to catch the #86 to Nuneaton. The bus did appear after only about a minute and as expected it was dud Hinckley Bus 1906.

Hinckley Bus 1906 on Stanley Road

We got on the bus and we flashed our tickets. The bus was empty so Matthew took a picture inside Hinckley Bus 1906 as we got on it.

Inside Hinckley Bus 1906

The bus set off and we turned back into Hollycroft and down into town before circling around to come up Regent Street into the Borough. As we passed the library we saw Hinckley Bus 1905 parked up ready to work the bus to Nuneaton as expected. We got off the bus and it was now about 17:05. Required Hinckley Bus 2570 was on the stop about to work the X55 to Leicester.

Hinckley Bus 2570 in Hinckley

The Leicester bus left at 17:07 as booked and then Hinckley Bus 1905 replaced it at the stop.

Hinckley Bus 1905 in Hinckley

We got on the bus and we sat down near the back. This bus spent a while at Adderley Green running with Wardle Transport before it transferred into Hinckley Bus after a loan at Western Greyhound. At 17:10 the bus set off out of town and onto Hollycroft. As we reached then end on Hollycroft we passed required Hinckley Bus 1913 on the 16:45 #86 from Hinckley, exactly as we had done last time we came to Hinckley. We carried on along the road to Dadlington before reversing around the corner by the village green. We then headed through Stoke Golding and Higham-on-the-hill. By the time we left Higham we were the last three passengers on the bus. We crossed the A5 and then did the last mile or so into the town centre. We crossed over the railway and then around the outside of town and into the bus station. When we got there we got up to get off and Matthew photographed the inside of Hinckley Bus 1905 too.

Inside Hinckley Bus 1905

We got off the bus and Matthew used the toilet in the bus station. After he had finished in there we went around the bus station taking a few pictures before we returned to the car. First we saw Stagecoach Warwickshire 36747 which is branded for the #5/5A service.

Stagecoach Warwickshire 36747 in Nuneaton bus station

We walked around and saw Stagecoach Warwickshire Solo 47071 and Dart 34593.

Stagecoach Warwickshire 34593 in Nuneaton bus station

We then took a picture of #10 branded Envrio 200 Stagecoach Warwickshire 36751.

Stagecoach Warwickshire 36751 in Nuneaton bus station

The driver beckoned us over and I thought it was going to be one of those rare occasions where drivers don't like you taking their pictures. We walked over and the very nice driver invited Matthew to have a look on the bus. After we had been on the bus Matthew said thank you and we headed back towards the car. We walked across the ring road to the B&M car park where mum was waiting for us. She had been to Greggs this time and we had sausage rolls and Matthew washed this down with a large can of Irn Bru. Mum decided she was driving back so I directed her out of town. we headed back towards the railway station and we did the A444 North West out of town up to the A5. Going back i decided to direct her back via the A38 as she didn't want to driver along too many winding roads. We carried on up the A5 for around 15 miles we joined the North bound A38. We we around the edge of Lichfield and then we passed straight over the top of Burton-on-Trent. about 10 miles North of the A38 we met the A50. We then had around a 30 mile drive up to Longton, where we came off the A50 to see what was at Z Carz. There was only one bus parked up today but it was a new addition to the fleet. It was a Ford minibus NJ59 NVT.

Z Carz NJ59 NVT in Longton

We turned the car in Willow Row. The only vehicle there was long term SORN LDV minibus T408 JUX. We got back onto the A50 which we did to Heron Cross. Lightning Travel T2 DLT was parked up near the Lightning house and we passed First Potteries 53828 on the #23 to Hanley. We got home around 19:20. I took mum out and when I got back we had a late tea of sausage and potatoes followed by a cake bar. The potatoes had nearly burnt, but I was able to save them. I didn't feel I could mashed them without affecting the flavour too much though. We took uncle Dave home quite late around 11:00. we went out towards Heron Cross via Stanley Matthews Way and we came back through Blurton and onto the A5035. Matthew then chilled out on his computer until bedtime around 01:30...Mark