Trip to Accrington / Blackburn 08-10-2016

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
227	Accrington BS	Blackburn BS	6A	Transdev Lancashire United
1305	Blackburn BS	Darwen, Argyle Street (adj)	1	Transdev Lancashire United
1877	Darwen, by Earnsdale Road	Blackburn BS	1	Transdev Lancashire United
2760	Burnley BS	Clayton-le-Moors, by Hare and Hounds	152	Transdev Lancashire United
2755	Clayton-le-Moors, by Hare and Hounds	Burnley BS	152	Transdev Lancashire United
228	Blackburn BS	Accrington BS	7	Transdev Lancashire United

Today we decided to re-visit Accrington. It has been a while since our last visit. There wre now new bus stations in Accringting and Blackburn, and recently we heard that M&M Coaches had ceased trading at the end of September. We checked the weather for today and it was forecast for dry weather with sunny intervals all over the Midlands and North West. We gave Matthew a list of destination from the Midlands and the Nrth Wesr and from the list unsurprisingly Matthew chose accrington. Matthew got up around 10:15 and had toast and orange juice for breakfast. We set off around 11:30 and we ran down to the A5035. We turned right into Stanley Matthews Way and we ran north past the Bet365 stadium. We went West on the A50 and then North onto the A500. As we joined the A500 we saw an unidentified BSS Coaches coach joining the Eastbound A50. We carried on North through Stoke passing an unidentified Dublin liveried ALX400 double decker (Paul's of Stoke?). We came off the A500 at Shelton on to Shelton New Road. We went along past the old Twyfords factory un to Etruria where we filled the car with gas. Once we had filled up we went onto the Westbound A53 and we re-joined the Northbound A500, going North up to the M6. As we traveled North up the M6 we passed National Express BX16 CJJ, black minibus L6 WEY and an unidentified Pride of the Clyde coach. At Junction 21A we went East along the M62 and then forwards onto the clockwise M60. On the M60 we passed an unidentified Tetley's coach, an unidentified Acklams coach, Cochrane Travel 54 FWY and an unidentified white & black Plaxton President double decker. We joined the North M66 past Bury and forwards onto the A56. We followed the road along the Haslingden by-pass and the when we got to the A680 we went North West into Accrington. We parked outside The Abbey Friar and we went in for dinner. Matthew went up to the toilet and afterwards he had sausage chips and gravy with bread and butter washed down with a can of Coke. On the way out we paid for the stuff and Matthew picked another couple of small bottles of pop. Matthew decided to get back in the car and have a lift to the bus station. We didn't know exactly where it was but we had seen pictures taken nearby under the arches of the railway line. We headed back onto the A680 we parked in a car park on King Street which was right next to the new bus station. We sid goodbye to mum and we walked over to the bus station. On layover near to the exit of the bus station was Pilkington Bus Dennis Dart R10 PLK.

Pilkington Bus R10 PLK in Accrington bus station

We walked into the bus station and Matthew had to try out the toilet. We walked around what appeared to be a triangular shaped building. At the Southern end was an entrance to the bus station along School Street from Blackburn Road. We walked up to the end where we could see the buses on stands 5 through 9. On these stands were Pilkington Bus BA52 GHS on a #2 Dill Hall circular and Transdev Burnley & Pendle 1859 on a M3 to Trawden.

Transdev Burnley & Pendle 1859 in Accrington bus station

A few minutes later we saw required Rossendale 124 on a #484 to Bury.

Rossendale 124 in Accrington bus station

We also saw required Transdev Lancashire United 227 on a #6A to Blackburn.

Transdev Lancashire United 227 in Accrington bus station

We decided to do this bus, so we walked back into the bus station and over to the stands on the North side. We queued up to get on the bus and we purchased Blackburn area tickets at £4.30 each. The bus set off out of the bus station and onto Blackburn Road. We headed West for around 1/2 mile and we briefly joined the A679. before turnning left onto Market Street. We ran under the railway line and we ran through the centre of Oswaldtwistle. The B6231 continued straight onto the B6234 and we ran out into the countryside and over the M65. We turned right onto Windsor Road and we ran into Knuzden. We re-joined the A679 and we travelled West through Intack. Near to Tesco we joined the A678 and we ran into the town center. We ran past Thwaites brewery and Morrisons and we entered the new bus station for the first time. We let the bus enmpty and Matthew took a picture inside Transdev Lancashire United 227.

Inside Transdev Lancashire United 227

Once we got off the bus we decided to go for a walk around. We went outside the bus station and we saw an area to the South of the bus station where there were 3 very large and long steps where all the skater kids hung around on. It was also the perfect platform for looking into the bus station and getting pictures of the buses on layover on the East side of the bus station. On layover was Transdev Lancashire United 3604 resting between runs on the X41 to Manchester.

Transdev Lancashire United 3604 in Blackburn bus station

We walked back to the bus station and Matthew used the toilet. We saw required Transdev Lancashire United 1305 on a #1 to Darwen so we decided to do it.

Transdev Lancashire United 1305 in Blackburn bus station

Whilst we waited for the bus to be readied for service we saw required Stagecoach Lancashire 15910 on a #59 to Preston.

Stagecoach Lancashire 15910 in Blackburn bus station

We got on the bus and we flashed the Blackburn area day ticket to the driver before we sat down towards the back of the bus. The bus set off out of the bus station and through town past the railway station. We left town heading South under the railwayline and past the retail park. We ran down the A666 past the site of the old hospital and over the canal. We ran down Bolton Road avoiding Alan Shearer Way and then past Ewood Park. This was as far in this direction as we had been before. We continued South under the M65 and we ran into Darwen. For some reason based on the shops on the road I thought we were in the centre on Darwen, but we later found out this was not the case! We got up and got off the bus. Matthew took another picture of Transdev Lancashire United 1305 as it carried on down to the town centre.

Transdev Lancashire United 1305 in Darwen

The original plan was to go to Darwen town centre, but for some reason we got off early, to make sure we didn't to go outside the boundary of the ticket. Just as we got up to get off we passed a Co-operative food store on the other side of the road, so we decided to take Matthew there to do some shopping. Matthew brought a can of Coke and a small bottle of Irn Bru, as well as a couple of bars of chocolate. We walked down to the stop outside the Conservative Club and we waited for the next bus back into town. Matthew had a Milky Way whilst we waited fo the next bus. We saw Transdev Lancashire United 1305 going back towards Blackburn running out of service and a couple of minutes later we saw a bus further down the road heading towards us. As it got closer we saw that it was required Transdev Lancashire United 1877.

Transdev Lancashire United 1877 in Darwen

We got on the bus and we flashed the Blackburn area day ticket to the driver to the driver before we sat down towards the back of the bus. The bus traveled North up the A666 under the M65 We passed ewood park and we ran into Blckburn under the railway line. We ran through the town centre and past the railway station for running into the bus station from the South end. When we got back to the bus station we let the bus empty and Matthew took a picture inside Transdev Lancashire United 1877.

Inside Transdev Lancashire United 1877

When we got back to the bus station we went outside and we stood on the steps by the skaters. We had a quick look at what was about to work and there was a choice of a required bus on the X41 towards Accrington or a Hot LIne branded double decker on the #152 service to Burnley. We walked back into bus station and matthew decided he wanted to do the double decker on the #155 service. As we went to get on it we discovered it was dud Transdev Lancashire United 2760.

Transdev Lancashire United 2760 in Blackburn bus station

We got on the bus and we flashed the Blackburn area day ticket to the driver before we went upstairs. We set off out if the bus station and we ran up past the brewery onto the A678. In Intack we followed the road past MacDonalds and we passed ab unidentified Cranberry Coachways coach on the opposite carriageway through the trees. Crossed over the big roundabout onto Blackburn Road and under the railway line. We ran into Rishton and we stopped for a short whilw whislt we waited time. We then continued along the A678 past a large building site on the left hand side of the road. We then ran up the hill adjacnet to the M65 and into the centre of Clayton-le Moors where we got up and got off the bus. Matthew took another picture of Transdev Lancashire United 2760 before it carried on towards Burnley.

Transdev Lancashire United 2760 in Clayton-le-Moors

We asked Matthew if he wanted to do another #152 back to Blackbrn or to go around the corner and travel back via Great Harwood. He chose to do another #152, so we had to run the gauntlet of going across two main roads to get to the other bus stop. We crossed over the A680 and then the A678 before walking down to the bus stop. The M65 was behind us down an embankment and we could hear the traffic racing by. Last time we went to Burnley we would have done a #152 the Altham Business park as the buses used to pass somewhere between the business park and Clayton-le-Moors. If the timetable was anything like it was there should be a bus due very soon. There was a gentleman already at the stop waiting for the bus so the signs were good. Matthew had a packet of Milky Stars as the best best way to ensure the bus turns up promptly is to give Matthew somethinfg to eat! Pretty much as soon as Matthew had polished of the chocolate we saw a double decker coming down the hill on the other side of the crossroads. As it got closer we saw that it was Transdev Lancashire United 2755.

Transdev Lancashire United 2755 in Clayton-le-Moors

We got on the bus and we flashed the Blacburn area day tickets to the driver before we went upstairs. The rear of the top deck was almost empty, I don't think Matthew spotted the young man hiding behind the plush leather high backed seats...

Inside Transdev Lancashire United 2755

We sat down and the bus set off down the A678 and into Rishton. We crossed over the roundabout and up the hill into Intack, where we followed the road to the right as we went passed Tesco. We ran into the town centre past the brewery and morrison and we entered the bus station once again. As we went on stand we spotted an interesting looking Merceds minibus on layover. We got off the bus and we walked up the big steps next to the skaters so we could get a better look. It was required Darwen Coach Services BX06 UMM.

Darwen Coach Services BX06 UMM in Blackburn bus station

We went back into the bus station and Matthew used the toilet again. We saw on the display that the next bus back to Accrington was the 16:55 #7 service. We had a few minutes and we visited the kiosk where Matthew brough a caramel flapjack and a milky Way. We walked out of the other end of the bus station and we got a picture of required Transdev Lancashire United 228, which was now starting to load up for the trip up to Acrington.

Transdev Lancashire United 228 in Blackburn bus station

We got in the queue to get onto the Accrington bus and we saw Darwen Coach Services minibus BX06 UMM pull onto san adjacent stand to work a #3 service to Sunnybower. We wren't sure if we could do this service and get back so we turned it down for now, hopefully to get it at some point in the near future. We got on Transdev Lancashire United 228 and we flashed the Blackburn area day ticket to the driver for the final time today before we sat down near to the front of the bus. The bus was packed and there were sveral standees as we left the bus station. We headed past the brewery onto the A678 and outside Tesco we carried on straight on to the A679, As we went through Intack and on to Knuzden the bus statrted to empty out. We carried on under the M65 and went we got into Church we turned right onto Thwaites Road. At the end we turned left onto the B6234 and into the centre of Oswaldtwistle. As we ran down towards Market Street and the junction A679 the bus was almost empty. We turned right onto Blackburn Road and we ran into Accrington. We went under the railway line and we turn left into School Street and into the bus station from the Southern End. The bus unloaded and we walked out of the bus station to try and get another picture. Whilst we waited we saw Rossendale 234 on a #464 to Rawtenstall.

Rossendale 234 in Accrington bus station

Mum appeared and parked in the layby on King Street outside the Bistro, so we decided to head over to the car where she was waiting with a Greggs sausage roll and a small bottle of Irn Bru. We turned around via Blackburn Road, Oxford street and Hyndburn Road before getting onto the A680 and going around the town centre and down through Baxenden. We stopped at the Shell garage for gas and matthew used the toilet. We carried across the A56 and stopped at the entrance of Winfields so we could see if we could see an industrial shunter, but the gates were closed. We got back onto the A56 and we ran Southwards down to the M66. We passed another Cranberrys Coachways coach going the other way. At the end of the M66 we joined the Westbound M60. Traveling home along the M60 we passed 2 unidentified Tyrer's Coaches an an unidentified Shearing's Grand Tourer. We also passed two gold coloured coaches, the operator name escapes me. Further around the ring road we saw also saw black minibus EX66 FTF and a Playbus. We came of the M60 and went WEst along the M62 to the M6. As we travelled down the M6 we saw white LDV DL04 UWX. At junction 16 we came of the M6 onto the Southbound A500 which we did down to Sideway. We went East along the A50 and we came off to check out was was parked up at Z Carz this evening. Today we got there and it was properly dark! In the front row was Z Carz Ford minibus FP06 WTW.

Z Carz FP06 WTW in Longton

Also in the front row we saw Z Carz minibus YS09 LWV.

Z Carz YS09 LWV in Longton

At the near end of the front row was Z Carz Airport Division minibus MJ03 DPU.

Z Carz MJ03 DPU in Longton

In the second row was Z Carz minibus MV53 KKO.

Z Carz MV53 KKO in Longton

We turned into Willow Row see what was in the compound. Outside was Z Carz Ford minibus BN03 OVS.

Z Carz BN03 OVS in Longton

We also saw Z Carz Ford minibus LG09 JVX.

Z Carz LG09 JVX in Longton

We turned around and got back onto the A50 and we ran up to Heron Cross. We ran through Blurton along Blurton Road and strangely enough we didn't see a single clown. We followed the road around to the right onto Church Road and we turned right into beaconsfield Drive. We got home around 19:30. For a late tea we had banger and mash with carrots followed by a jam filled shortcake biscuit. Matthew then chilled out on his computer until bedtime around 00:30... Mark