Trip to Bromsgrove 14-06-2014

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
PEZ 3058	Bromsgrove BS	Charford, adj Austin Road Shops	99	Clearway
PEZ 3058	Charford, adj Austin Road Shops	Bromsgrove BS	99	Clearway
67652	Bromsgrove BS	Catshill, adj Ash Drive	144	First Worcester
1520	Catshill, adj Gibb Lane School	Bromsgrove BS	318	Hanson Bus
20469	Bromsgrove BS	Prince of Wales hospital	143	Rotala Diamond
67643	Sidemoor, adj Bewell Head	Upper Catshill, adj Aintree Close	144A	First Worcester
MX56 HYA	Catshill, Meadow Road (S-bound)	Bromsgrove BS	007	Central Buses

Today we decided to take our first trip into Worcestershire, to Bromsgrove. We had decided to try and get a few in before the end. I asked a question on the WM Buses in photographs forum as to where I could go to ride on minibuses and somebody suggested visiting Bromsgrove to ride on the Clearway bus Mercedes minibuses. We finalised the decision on where to go on Friday and we did some research on the Worcestershire County Council and the Diamond bus websites. Matthew got up around 10:00 and had toast and orange juice for breakfast. We set off just after 12:00, going onto the A5035 which we did towards Trentham. On the A34 we passed Z Carz CN57 HWA going the other way. We went up Whitmore Road towards the A529 and then we turned onto the Southbound M6. As we travelled South we were overtaken by national express liveried LSK 832 on the #540 to London. We carried on South through the roadworks which moving well today. We had some rain as we passed through the West Midlands and we joined onto the M5 and we carried on South beyond Frankley, and just before we left the m5 we realised that we had been running on petrol and we had nearly run out! We switched to LPG before joining the A38. We did the A38 South until we met the A448 which we did West into Bromsgrove. We parked up off Windsor Street and we walked over to Chapel street to eat. After using the upstairs in The Lemon Tree toilet in the Matthew had a breakfast washed down with a can of Coke. After we had finished eating we walked back to the car and we drove around to Asda along the A448 and onto Recreation Road. We parked up said goodbye to mum and we and walked across to the bus station on the other side of the A448. There was a flurry of activity in the bus station with Rotala Diamond buses and First buses as we arrived. Rotala Diamond 30931 was on a X3 to Redditch.

Rotala Diamond 30931 in Bromsgrove bus station

Rotala Diamond 20849 was parked up on stand 3 of the bus station.

Rotala Diamond 20849 in Bromsgrove bus station

First Worcester 67643 was just departing towards Worcester on a #144A service.

First Worcester 67643 in Bromsgrove bus station

The next running of the #99 service was at 14:10 so we had around 10 minutes to wait. As we waited at the stop uncle Dave noticed a promotion for a multi-operator ticket called Connecta which was valid on all buses in Wocestershire. Useful information indeed as after we had done doing the Clearway minibuses we could do something else which having to pay extra. Just before 14:10 we saw a minibus approaching from the South and it was required Clearway Mercedes minibus PEZ 3058.

Clearway PEZ 3058 in Bromsgrove bus station

We got on the bus and the driver wasn't able to sort out a Connecta ticket out for us, so we had to get one on the next bus we caught. We sat down and the bus set off South out of town before turning left into Charford Road. We whizzed around the estate before returning back onto the main road via Austin Road. We headed back into town and the bus emptied out. Just before we got off Matthew got a picture inside the now empty Clearway PEZ 3058.

Inside Clearway PEZ 3058

As far as we knew the other minibus was going to be out on the #93 from 15:00. As it was only around 14:30 we thought we could do a quick out and back on something. We sat on a bench and Matthew had a drink whilst we made a decision. As we sat there we saw A coach heading South on Market Street. The coach turned into the bus station and stopped to drop people off.It was Seaview Services YN07 DZK.

Seaview Services YN07 DZK in Bromsgrove bus station

As we took a picture of the coach we saw a First bus going North on a #144. It was required First Worcester Enviro 300 67652.

First Worcester 67652 in Bromsgrove bus station

We decided to do this and we thought we could do a quick trip up to Catshill on this. We got on and we brought our Connecta Tickets at £6.50 each and we sat down near the back. The bus set off North out of town up the B4091 before crossing under the M42. We carried on North for a while longer and then turned right into Meadow Road. There was a couple of seats that were empty just in front of us so Matthew took a picture of these.

Inside First Worcester 67652

We decided to go a few stops further up and get off there. Matthew got another picture as the bus carried on along Golden Cross Lane.

First Worcester 67652 in Catshill

We had just passed another Enviro 300 on a Worcester bound #144 service so we knew we had nearly 15 minutes to wait. we crossed the road to the Southbound stop and the bus stop was only marked for #144 and not #144A too, so we decided to walk back one stop to see if this had the #144A on it. When we got there the stop had a shelter and a timetable board. There was a #318 service at 15:09 and then next #144A was at 15:14. We hadn't considered catching the #318 before and we had never been on a Hanson bus or even knew what vehicles they operate. The bus was a few minutes late showing up and when it appeared we saw it was a white coloured Dart. It was required Hanson Bus 1520.

Hanson Bus 1520 in Catshill

As we got on we saw required First Worcester double decker 33404 on the #144A to Worcester behind us. We went South onto the B4091 and under the M42. We got into Sidemoor and the bus turned right into Broad Street. We went around the estate and a few minutes later we came into Bromsgrove along Church Street opposite the bus station entrance. The bus was going forward to the railway station but it emptied in the bus station anyway. Matthew got a picture inside Hanson 1520 before we got off it.

Inside Hanson Bus 1520

It was after 15:20 so the next #93 was due at 15:40. We had a few minutes to wait so Matthew visited the toilets in the bs station and then we took a few pictures. We saw ALX200 bodied Rotala Diamond 20263 on a #141 to Droitwich.

Rotala Diamond 20263 in Bromsgrove bus station

We also saw Required First Worcester 33404 on a #144A to Worcester which had followed us down from Catshill.

First Worcester 33404 in Bromsgrove bus station

This was followed by required Volvo double decker First Worcester 32650 on a #144 to Worcester.

First Worcester 32650 in Bromsgrove bus station

We also saw Central Buses MX56 HYA on a #007 service to Halesowen.

Central Buses MX56 HYA in Bromsgrove bus station

It was at this point we worked out that there was only one bus out for Clearway at this point in the day and it was the one we had already been on! So we decided to catch something else. We had just let a whole bunch of buses go and the bus station was a little quite now. There was a #144 due so we went to the stop to see what turned up. To our great surprise it was required First Worcester 33039.

First Worcester 33039 in Bromsgrove bus station

We got on and flashed the tickets and then we sat upstairs. We were all set to go when the driver shouts upstairs to say that the bus had overheated and had been declared a failure! As the bus emptied out Matthew took a picture of the bus inside.

Inside First Worcester 33039

As we were getting off the bus we had seen a red Diamond bus behind us. It was heading North towards Catshill so we decided to have a run on this bus. It was required Rotala Diamond 20469.

Rotala Diamond 20469 in Bromsgrove bus station

We got on the bus and flashed our tickets. As the back of the bus was empty Matthew got a picture of the inside of this bus before we sat down.

Inside Rotala Diamond 20469

We had seen #143 on a bus stop flag in Catshill so we though it was heading up to there. The bus left town along Church Street and through the housing estate towards Sidemoor. When we reached the B4091 the bus turned South so we got up to get off the bus. The bus dropped us off and we got a picture of it as it went into the Prince of Wales Hospital grounds.

Rotala Diamond 20469 in Sidemoor

So we could get another 2 buses in for the day we decided to walk back onto the B4091 and stand on the north side of the road. We could then catch another bus up to Catshill before catching on back to Bromsgrove. We crossed the road and walked up the hill to the stop. Going South was required First Worcester 33405 on a #144 to Worcester.

First Worcester 33405 in Sidemoor

We saw a single decker approaching, but it turned and disappeared into the hospital. A few minutes later the bus reappeared from the hospital and came towards us. It was required First Worcester 67643 which we had seen going South earlier in the day.

First Worcester 67643 in Sidemoor

We got on the bus and flashed our Connecta tickets. We sat down and the bus set off. It was empty behind us so Matthew took a picture of these seats.

Inside First Worcester 67643

The bus carried on North up the B4091 and under the M42. We turned into Meadow Road passing the Clearway bus depot. Here is where the #144A differs from the #144 as it takes a different route through Catshill. The #144A caries on North up Wildmoor Lane before weaving through the estate and looping through the estate and back onto Golden Cross Lane. The #144 goes onto Gibb Lane and Golden Cross Lane before going North on the A38 towards Birmingham. Slightly disorientated we got off the bus on Green Lane.

First Worcester 67643 in Catshill

We decided to walk back through the estate backward until we got to meadow Lane. Had we walked down Green lane we would have been back on the #144 route sooner! We reached a set of shops on corner of Woodrow Lane and Golden Cross Lane and we did not recognise where we were. I decided to stop and consult the Bromsgrove bus map on my phone. We realised we were near to Meadow Lane so we thought we would visit the Spar shop for some supplies. Matthew had a bottle of Fanta for now and a bottle of Coke for later as well as a few chocolate bars. We paid for the stuff and we walked down to Meadow Lane. The point on Meadow Lane we walked back to was adjacent to the Clearway bus garage. Matthew realised this immediately and want to go and see it. The gate was locked but it wasn't quite 6' high, so Matthew took a picture of the row of minibuses over the gate.

The Clearways bus garage in Catshill

We walked the few yards back to the bus sop and we realised there was a #007 bus to Bromsgrove due in a few minutes. Matthew sat at the bus stop and drank his Fanta. He finished off the bottle just in time to catch the bus back, which was required Central Buses MX56 HYA.

Central Buses MX56 HYA in Catshill

Another required bus from a new operator for us... The bus carried on back onto the B4091 and back under the Motorway. We called mum to let her know that we would be back in the bus station in 10-15 minutes. We went down the B4091 and turned at Broad Street.after navigating the estate before appearing in town from Church Street. When we got back into the bus station we waited for the bus to empty before Matthew got a picture inside MX56 HYA.

Inside Central Buses MX56 HYA

Matthew went to use the toilet and mum appeared so that we could head back to the car. We walked back though the bus station one more time taking pictures. we saw First Worcester 66696 which was the first time we had seen a Plaxton Centro in First colours. We also saw Rotala Red Diamond Dart 20533 on the #143 to the Prince of Wales Hospital.

Rotala Diamond 20533 in Bromsgrove bus station

Behind this was another interesting Dart, Rotala Diamond 30428 on the X3 to Kidderminster.

Rotala Diamond 30428 in Bromsgrove bus station

We walked back to the car and we mum went to pay for the parking whilst Matthew started to eat his Greggs sausage roll washed down with a big can of Irn Bru. We drove out of town this time up Birmingham Road. The petrol light had come on so we stopped at the BP petrol station to put a small amount of petrol in before we carried on North. We joined the Nothbound A38 which we did past the M42 and onto the M5. We headed we saw Stevens of Bristol R888 DEN North, passing Eagle of Bristol coach YJ08 EGC going the other way. We joined the M6 near Bescot and then the clouds grew darker overhead. We traveled North though a heavy rain shower passing preserved Midland Red single decker 319. The rain stopped when we got to Beech just South of the A500. We turned of the M6 onto the A519 and onto Whitmore Road. We then headed back to Longton via the A34 & A5035. In Longton we saw 6 Z Carz buses parked up on the spare ground. The first was Mercedes minibus S952 VMY.

Z Carz S952 VMY in Longton

Next to this was coach D104 XAN.

Z Carz D104 XAN in Longton

Beside this was Ford minibus FP06 WTW.

Z Carz FP06 WTW in Longton

There was another Ford minibus too, Z Carz GL04 CVE.

Z Carz GL04 CVE in Longton

Last was airport transfer bus DL03 HHU with VW minibus S973 OVP behind it.

Z Carz DL03 HHU in Longton

We turned into Willow Row and we saw MJ03 DPU. We went back onto the A50 and we did this to Heron Cross. At the lightning house was visitor SL52 CXD. We headed back through Blurton passing First potteries 53830 on the #23 and First Potteries 60128 on the #22. We got home at around 18:30. For a late tea we had bangers and mash with carrots followed by a cake bar. Matthew then chilled out on his computer and we watch the Engalnd Italy game on the telly. He went to bed around 01:30...Mark