Trip to Bilston / Wolverhampton 21-06-2014

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
X657 WTN	Bilston interchange	Wolverhampton, Tower Street (Stop AX)	530	Banga Travel
P108 HCH	Wolverhampton, Tower Street (Stop AX)	Bilston interchange	545	Banga Travel
1672	Bilston interchange	Wolverhampton BS	25C	National Express West Midlands
J517 GCD	Wolverhampton BS	Underhill, adj Wildtree Avenue	11	Travel Express
NK51 MKE	Underhill, adj Wildtree Avenue	The Scotlands, opp Leason Lane	11	Travel Express
4001	The Scotlands, opp Leason Lane	Wolverhampton BS	11	National Express West Midlands
4021	Wolverhampton BS	Bilston interchange	25C	National Express West Midlands

Today we decided to visit Bilston. I gave Matthew a choice of Halifax or Bilston and he chose Bilston. Research consisted of checking on the Network West Midlands site for timetables and maps. We checked the weather and it was for sunny intervals. Matthew got up at around 10:00 and had toast and orange juice for breakfast. We set off at around 11:45 and we headed onto the A5035. We turned onto Stanley Matthew Way and onto the A50. We went North on the A500 to Shelton New Road where we turned off to fill up with LPG. We headed back onto the A500 via the A53 and we headed South. When we got to Hanchurch we joined the Southbound M6. As we traveled towards Bilston we were passed by Trafalgar Travel T106 AUA. We carried on South through the roadworks and we came off the M6 at junction 10. We went west along the A454 and the onto the Westbound A463. We then turned onto the A41 and into town. After driving around we parked up on High Street and walked to the interchange. As we arrived we saw Banga Travel P108 HCH & Arriva Midlands 2238. We then saw National Express West Midlands 1671 parked up between duties on the #25A.

NX West Midlands 1671 in Bilston interchange

After taking a couple more picture Matthew visited the toilet and and we went into the bus station cafe. Matthew had a breakfast and a sausage sandwich washed down with a can of Coke. There were loads of buses coming and going whilst we ate. We saw Banga Travel Solo Y295 PDN working a #530 service. Just as we finished eating a Banga Travel Mercedes minibus appeared in the bus station. We said goodbye to mum and went out to see what it was. It turned out to be required Banga Travel X657 WTN.

Banga Travel X657 WTN in Bilston interchange

We got on the bus and we booked Network bus only tickets at £4.30. We sat down near to the back of the bus, and we left the bus station and we got onto the A463. We turned onto Millfield Road and we passed Banga Travel P102 HCH going the other way. We traveled through Ettingshall and then turned into a housing estate. We weaved our way through Streets until we joined Bilston Road on the outskirt of Wolverhampton. We crossed the ring road and turned into Tower Street. We waited for the bus to empty and then Matthew got a picture inside Banga Travel X657 WTN.

Inside Banga Travel X657 WTN

There was already another minibus at the stop. It was required Banga Travel P108 HCH on a #545 to Bilston. We crossed the road and got a picture of the bus.

Banga Travel P108 HCH in Wolverhampton

We also got another picture of Banga Travel X657 WTN.

Banga Travel X657 WTN in Wolverhampton

We crossed back over the road and we got on the #545. We showed the driver our Network bus tickets and as the bus was empty Matthew got a picture of the bus as we got on it.

Inside Banga Travel P108 HCH

We sat down and a couple of minutes later the bus set off out of town along Horseley Field and into Moseley. We passed Banga Travel W193 CDN coming the other way. We turned left into an housing estate and we joined onto Willenhall Road further East. We then headed South East along Moseley Road before turning South West for our run into Bilston. When we got into the interchange we got off and we walked around to the toilet. The toilet was occupied so we walked across to the toilets at the market. That one was occupied too, but he didn't have to wait too long before he could use it. Matthew set off the help alarm in the toilets because he couldn't find where to flush the toilet. Bizarrely I couldn't find the flush either! We walked back to the bus interchange and Matthew had a Galaxy Caramel and a can of Irn Bru. We took a few pictures whilst we worked out what we were going to do next. We saw National Express West Midlands Volvo B10 1431 on a #34 to Walsall.

NX West Midlands 1431 in Bilston interchange

Many of the batch of that batch of P reg Volvo B10's have been withdrawn from service. We also saw Arriva Midlands 2226 on a #334 to walsall.

Arriva Midlands 2226 in Bilston interchange

We decided to walk around to the other side of the interchange to see what was about. Rotala Diamond 30204 was parked up between duties and we saw Arriva Midlands 2161 was on a #530 to Wolverhampton.

Arriva Midlands 2161 in Bilston interchange

Just then National Express West Midlands Mercedes single decker 1672 came in a #25C Wolverhampton - Bilston circular service.

NX West Midlands 1672 in Bilston interchange

We got on the bus and flashed our tickets. We sat down near the back and Matthew took a picture of the bus looking forwards as it was nearly empty. The bus set off In the same direction as the #530 had done previously, along the A463 and then right towards Ettingshall. We carried on going straight towards Parkfields and then we turned left to Goldthorn Park. finally we went through Blakenhall before going North into Wolverhampton. We passed through the town centre and past the Tram Station before we entered the bus station. The bus station consists of two separate adjacent ovals. If you took the centre island out of Bury interchange and place two of then side by side, that would be how I would describe Wolverhampton bus station. The bus pulled into one of the ovals, we noticed a bright orange step entranced Dart in the adjacent stand. We waited for the bus to empty and Matthew got another picture inside National Express West Midlands.

Inside NX West Midlands 1672

We got off the bus and walked straight over to the Dart. It was Travel Express J517 GCD on a #11 to Underhill. We thought it was about to pull off so we jumped on it an flashed the tickets. As we pulled out of the bus station we saw another Travel Express vehicle, SK51 AYD on a #32 Northwood Park circular.

Travel Express SK51 AYD in Wolverhampton bus station

The bus went out of town North, passing nearby to the railway station. Coming the other way was National Express West Midlands 4001 on a #11 service. We crossed under the railway line passing Arriva Midlands 3606 on the #70 and headed up Cannock Road. We crossed under the freight line and carried on North East until we turned into Chesterton Road. We went into the estate and when we got to the end of the run we got up and Matthew took a picture inside this former Stagecoach Dart.

Inside Travel Express J517 GCD

As we didn't manage to get a picture of the bus at the bus station we took a picture of the bus here in Underhill.

Travel Express J517 GCD in Underhill

After we had taken the picture we went into the local Costcutters shop and Matthew had a can of Coke and some chocolate. When we came out there were 2 buses around the corner waiting to work #11's. First in the queue was National Express West Midlands 1673.

NX West Midlands 1673 in Underhill

Right behind this was former Go North East and Big Lemon Dennis Dart, Ravel Express NK51 MKE.

Travel Express NK51 MKE in Underhill

I asked Matthew which of the buses he would like to catch and he chose to do the Travel Express Dart. We let the Mercedes single decker go and when the Travel Express bus came around the corner we got on an flashed our tickets. The bus was empty and Matthew got a picture inside NK51 MKE with its rainbow coloured seat moquette.

Inside Travel Express NK51 MKE

We sat down near to the back of the bus. The bus waited for a few minutes and as we pulled off we saw national Express West Midlands double decker 4001 pull up behind us. I asked Matthew if he wanted to get off en route and catch the double decker behind us and he said yes. I thought we would get off when we got onto Cannock Road so that we had had a reasonable run on the Dart before we got off. We came off the estate and a couple of stops down Cannock Road we got up and got off the bus. Matthew got another picture of Dart NK51 MKE as it headed off towards Wolverhampton.

Travel Express NK51 MKE in The Scotlands

We didn't have to wait long before we saw a double decker approaching from the North. As expected it was required national Express West Midlands 4001.

NX West Midlands 4001 in The Scotlands

We got on the bus and we went upstairs. As it was empty Matthew got a picture inside of 4001 before we sat down.

Inside NX West Midlands 4001

The bus set off down Cannock Road and we crossed under both railway lines. We passed nearby to the railway line and we went onto the ring road we got onto a special bus lane that runs alongside the inside of the ring road contraflow to the traffic. We then emerged from the cutting at the entrance of the bus station. We went into the bus station and got off the bus. We decided to go and visit the toilets and when we had finished we had a walk around the bus station. Leaving the station on the ring road was National Express West Midlands 4001 on it's next #11 turn.

NX West Midlands 4001 in Wolverhampton

We walked into the centre isle of the bus station and Matthew took a picture of National Express West Midlands 638 which was on the #82 service.

NX West Midlands 638 in Wolverhampton bus station

We walked to the street side of the bus station and we saw and Matthew got a picture of National Express West Midlands 4600 on the #529 service to Walsall.

NX West Midlands 4600 in Wolverhampton bus station

We thought we might be able to get a few better picture from off the road outside the bus station. parked up between duties was National Express West Midlands 4006.

NX West Midlands 4006 in Wolverhampton bus station

We waled up to the exit of the bus station just in time to see Arriva Midlands 4801 leaving to bus station on the #10A to Pattingham.

Arriva Midlands 4801 in Wolverhampton bus station

We walked a bit further towards the ring road and we saw National Express West Midlands 4606 on a #529 to Walsall.

NX West Midlands 4606 in Wolverhampton bus station

We decided to give Matthew a little bit of a break from the buses so we took him to the Co-op store to do some shopping. Matthew brought a can of Coke and a Kinder egg, He said hello to the lday behind the counter and then we headed back into the bus station to go and catch something towards Bilston. As as walked in we saw Arriva Midlands 2563 arriving on the #63 from Bradmore.

Arriva Midlands 2563 in Wolverhampton bus station

We walked up to the top of the bus station where National Express West Midlands 4021 was waiting to work the next 25C to Bilston. In front of this was Arriva Midlands 2563 which was now about to leave on a #64 to Wakeley Hill. There was no driver in 4021 so we decided to walk down the bus station. Matthew was able to get a reasonable picture of National Express West Midlands 4021 from behind through the glass.

NX West Midlands 4021 in Wolverhampton bus station

We saw a driver heading towards the bus so we decided to walk back up to the bus. It was the driver and everybody started to get on the bus. We flashed our tickets at driver and we got on the bus and went upstairs. The bus was empty behind us so Matthew got a picture before we sat down.

Inside NX West Midlands 4021

The bus set off and we headed North like we were on a #11 but we did not turn onto Cannock Road. We carried on North through Oxley and onto the i54 industrial estate. The bus then headed back South and crossed the Cannock Road before heading into Wednesfield. What we didn't realise when we decided to catch the bus was the journey time was going to be just over an hour! We then went into Willenhall and across the A454. We got back into Bilston just over an hour after we left Wolverhampton at around 17:45...

NX West Midlands 4021 in Bilston interchange

When we got back Matthew visited the toilet in the bus station and then we took a couple of bus pictures in the interchange. We than saw National Express West Midlands 673 on a #34 service. We also saw National Express West Midlands 586 on a #82 to Dudley.

NX West Midlands 586 in Bilston interchange

Just before left we saw Banga Travel P102 HCH quickly arrive and depart again, presumably the last working of the day. We walked over to the car which mum had brought around to us. Here Matthew had a Wrights Pie sausage roll and a large can of Irn Bru. We set off back onto the A41 and then left onto the A463. When we reached the A454 we carriedon over the flyover onto the A454. A couple of mile later we were on the Northbound M6. As we went North we saw North Birmingham Travel P210 RUM, When we got to junction 15 we passing Marcus Lewis RYL 1 headed North on the A500 and then onto the A50. We went into Longton to check out what was on Z Carz. There were 5 vehicles on the spare ground today. First there was Scania coach D104 XAN.

Z Carz D104 XAN in Longton

Next to that was former alton Towers Transport M534 RSO.

Z Carz M534 RSO in Longton

At the back of the ground was VW minibus S973 OVP.

Z Carz S973 OVP in Longton

There were 2 other minibuses parked up. Mercedes BV51 BNO was parked in front of Airport Transport bus DL03 HHU.

Z Carz BV51 BNO in Longton

We turned left onto Willow Row and we saw MJ03 DPU in the compound along with long term SORN LDV minibus T408 JUX & T2 DLT. We headed back onto the A50 and we came off at Heron Cross passing Lightning Travels apparent new bus SL52 CXD and through Blurton. We got home at 18:50. For a late tea we had bangers and mash followed by a piece of Victoria Sponge. He wasn't very chilled out, but he used his computer until bedtime around 00:30... Mark