Trip To St Helens / Huyton 30-09-2017

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
2969	Earlestown BS	St Helens BS	34A	Arriva NW&W
A12 BXN	St Helens Central	Prescot	Rail Replacement	B&N Coaches
P27 HMC	Prescot	St Helens Central	Rail Replacement	Derrick Ball
F13 HOW	St Helens Central	Huyton BS	Rail Replacement	Springfield
YS03 ZKT	Huyton BS	Lea Green	Rail Replacement	Happy Als
J8 HTL	Lea Green Station	Lea Green, Waterside Village	156	HTL Buses
J8 HTL	Lea Green, Waterside Village	St Helens BS	156	HTL Buses

Today decided to re-visit Earlestown & St Helens. We had checked the weather for today and it was for mainly dry weather with a few showers. We gave Matthew a list of destinations from the Midlands and North West and from the list Matthew chose Widnes. Matthew got up around 10:00 and had toast and orange juice for breakfast. We set off around 11:30 onto the A5035. We turned right onto Stanley Matthews Way and we ran down to the A50. At Sideway we went Northwards up the A500 and we came off again at Shelton New Road. We ran into Etruria to get LPG and after we had filled up we returned to the A500 along the A53. As we travelled North up the A500 we saw E-zec patient transport YJ16 GHD, Orion W14 BUS & Scraggs 1655 VT. At junction 16 we got onto the Northbound M6. Traffic was heavy initial and it thinned out as we got North of junction 17. As we travelled North through the roadworks we saw DJ Coaches BD64 NCX go past us.

DJ Coaches BD64 NCX on the M6

Other vehicle seen whilst going up the M6 included an unidentified Angela Coaches coach, 3 unidentified Tyrers coaches, Aimee's Taxico TXI 7007, an unidentified Blue Sky Coaches coach and George Edwards & Sons YJ08 EDK. At Junction 21A we got onto the Westbound M62 and we were passed by National express liveried Selwyn's FN62 CCV on a #061 to Liverpool. We came off the M62 at the next junction and we got onto the Northbound A49. As we reached Newton-le-Willows station we saw a load of coaches parked outside the railway station so we decided to stop here and get Saveaway Tickets so that if we got chance we could catch the rail replacement services as well as any buses that we saw. The coaches that we saw included Hilton's Travel XIL 1581, Pat's Coaches SJ04 KAX and another with reg like P5 TNM as well as Finglands YN55 WTP After picking up the tickets we continued up through Newton and onto the westbound A572. We ran around the North side of Earlestown and back into town along Market Street. We ran past the bus station and we parked right outside the Nine Arches pub as it was raining quite badly. Matthew went to the toilet and whilst on the staircase we saw required Arriva NW&W 2730 on a #20 to St Helens. For dinner Matthew had a Chicken burger and fries washed down with a glass of Coke. After we had finished eating we said goodbye to mum and we went outside the the bus station. We saw dud Arriva NW&W 2978 on a #20 to St Helens and required Arriva NW&W 2969 on a #34A to St Helens.

Arriva NW&W 2969 in Earlestown bus station

We got on the bus and we flashed the Saveaway ticket to the driver before we sat down towards the back of the bus. We set off out of the bus station onto St John Street. We went through the housing estate to the West of the bus station before coming out on the A572. We ran West and into to St helens through Parr and past the community fire station. Just outside of town we joined the A58 and we ran over the railway line by St Helens Central before entering the bus station along Bickerstaffe Street. We got up and got off the bus and we saw Hatton's Travel MX61 KOE on the #141 Newton-le-Willows service.

Hatton's Travel MX61 KOE in St Helens bus station

As we went past St Helens Central railway station we saw that there were coaches parked outside. We set off on foot over to the railway station along Bickerstaff Street and when we got there we saw there a few coaches parked up. Closest to the railway line were Tyrer's TYR 12R.

Tyrer's TYR 12R in St Helens

We also saw MP Travel YTH 756.

MP Travel YTH 756 in St Helens

We asked the rail replacement marshall what time the next coach was leaving and we were informed that it was in around 20 minutes. Whilst we were waiting we saw Springfield P61 HOW arrive into the car.

Springfield P61 HOW in St Helens

It occurred to us that Matthew's pass wouldn't be valid on the coaches so we went to the desk and brought another Saveaway ticket. A few minutes later B&N Coaches Bova bodied coach A12 BXN also arrived into the car park.

B&N Coaches A12 BXN in St Helens

We asked the marshall what the next coach would be and he informed us that B&N Coaches A12 BXN would be doing the 14:45 all stations to Liverpool service. The coach pulled up to the front of the railway station and we got on it. Matthew took a picture inside Inside B&N Coaches A12 BXN before we sat down.

Inside B&N Coaches A12 BXN

We got on the coach and word came through there was going to be a slight delay. The driver on the coach had run out of hours and his replacement was at St Helens Junction station. It took around 15 minutes for the replacement driver to turn up and then we set off out of the station onto Shaw Street. We turned right onto Corporations Street and then right onto the Southbound Linkway. We continued onto the A58 and we ran around the Southern side of the town and then into familiar surroundings. We past the college and the Cinema and we followed the road left at the next roundabout. We continued Westward along the A58 for around a mile and we turned left onto Lusmore Lane. We paused briefly outside Thatto Heath railway station and then we continued along Thatto Heath Road for a short distance before turning right onto Scholes Lane. We turned left onto Portico Lane and we ran down to Eccleston Park station. Just after we stopped there we continued along Portico Lane and we passed Bestway VLZ 7435 & Tulip Travel T12 ULP coming the other way. We ran down the B5201 and onto the A57. We turned left onto Bridge Road and we ran don to Prescot railway station we were decided to get off. Matthew want to go to the toilet but the bus was due and minute now. A dew minutes later we saw the bus approaching and as it got closer we saw that it was required Derrick Ball P27 HMC.

Derrick Ball P27 HMC in Prescot

We got on the coach and as the rear of the coach was empty Matthew took a photo inside Derrick Ball P27 HMC.

Inside Derrick Ball P27 HMC

We set off Bridge Road and we saw Atlantic Travel YJ06 LGE & MP Travel YTH 756 coming the other way. We turned right onto the A57 and by the hospital we went left onto the B5201. We turned right onto Portico Lane and we stopped briefly outside of Eccleston Park station. At the top end of the lane we turned right onto Scholes Lane and we headed into Thatto Heath. At the traffic light we turned left onto Thatto Heath Road and we pulled up outside the railway station. After picking a passenger up we continued up the road and onto the A58 where we saw Atlantic Travel YJ06 LCX. We ran into town for around a mile and we turned right onto the Linkway. At the next junction we went left onto Challon Way West. We continued past the market and the World of Glass onto Challon Way East and forwards onto Shaw Street before entering the railway station from the South end. We got up and got off the bus. Once off the bus Matthew took a few more pictures. We saw Bestway VLZ 7435 that we had passed in Eccleston Park earlier.

Bestway VLZ 7435 in St Helens

Matthew went to the toilet and then we returned outside to wait for the next coach. We decided to do the fast coach straight to Huyton which was Springfield's former Stagecoach coach F13 HOW.

Springfield F13 HOW in St Helens

We got on the coach and as the rear of the coach was empty Matthew took a picture inside Springfield F13 HOW before we sat down.

Inside Springfield F13 HOW

The coach set off from out of the railway station onto Shaw Street and we turned right onto Corporation Street. We turned right onto the Linkway and we ran around the South end of town and past the college before going left onto the A58. We ran Westwards past the North end of Prescot and Knowsley Safari Park. Just before we got to the M57 at the roundabout we went straight onto Huyton Lane. We ran into town and past the shopping centre before turning right onto Poplar bank. As the railway station and the bus station are very close together the rail replacement service were all going into the bus station. We continued onto Derby Road and then into the bus station where we got up and got off the bus. Matthew took another picture of Springfield F13 HOW before it continued onto to Liverpool.

Springfield F13 HOW in Huyton bus station

We also saw Tyrer's coach P3 TYR which must have followed us down from St Helens Central.

Tyrer's P3 TYR in Huyton bus station

Whilst we waited for a suitable bus or coach back Eastwards towards st Helens, we took a few bus pictures. We saw Arriva NW&W 3057 on a #9 to Liverpool.

Arriva NW&W 3057 in Huyton bus station

We also saw Arriva NW&W Hybrid 4831 on a #15 to Liverpool Dale Street.

Arriva NW&W 4831 in Huyton bus station

A few minutes later a pair of Happy Als Scania Omnicity's made an appearance on rail replacement service to Manchester Victoria. These were happy Als YN53 GGE & YS03 ZKT.

Happy Als YS03 ZKT in Huyton bus station

We decided to do one of these buses Eastwards so we got on YS03 ZKT and sat down towards the back of the bus. A few minutes later we set off out of the bus station and onto Wilson Road. We crossed over the railway line and then we travelled through an industrial area on which the HTL Buses garage was situated. We joined the Eastbound A5080 and then we crossed over the M57 onto Windy Arbor Road. We turned right onto Lickers Lane and we ran Eastwards for 200 yards before turning left onto Pennywood Drive. We ran ran Northwards to the railway station and we stopped outside for a short while. Once we had finished we ran back down Pennywood Drive onto LIckers Lane and bacl to Windy Arbor Road. We turned right and we headed North through Whiston Cross. We continued onto Dragon Lane and at the end we turned right onto the Eastbound A57. We turned left into Station Road and we stopped outside Rainhill railway station. After a brief stop we ran to the end of the road and we turned right back onto the A57 and right onto Rainhill Road. We turned right onto the B5204 and we crossed over the St Helens Linkway. We continied Eastwards towards Lea Green railway station and we passed Newtork Warrington 57 on a rail replacement service. We pulled into the area outside Le Green station and we got up and got off the bus. We then took a picture of the other Happy Als Scania Omnicity on the rail replacement YN53 GGE.

Happy Als YN53 GGE in Lea Green

Once we got off the bus we walked onto the main road to wait for a bus back to St Helens. We saw that there was a bus due in around 10 minutes. Matthew had a Milky Way whilst we waited for the bus to appear. Whilst we were waiting we spotted a HTL Buses Solo coming into the station so we walked over to have a look at it. As it got closer we saw that it was required HTL Buses J8 HTL on a #156 to St Helens.

HTL Buses J8 HTL in Lea Green

We decided to do this bus so we got on and flash The Saveawy ticket to the driver for the final time today. Matthew mis-behaved and honked the horn of the bus. We sat down towards the back of the bus and we set off Westwards along the B5204. We turned left onto Lea Green Road and we ran down into an industrial area. We crossed under the St Helens Linkway and we continued around onto Lowfield Lane. We re-joined the B5204 and we travlled WEstwards back tot Lea Gree railway station. After going into the station area we returned onto the B5204 and we turned right onto Marshall Cross Road. At the next roundabout we turned left onto Scorecross and we turned right onto the Northbound St Helens Linkway. We turned right onto the Linkway and we turned left onto Parr Street. We ran towards the bus station along Hall Street and we ran around the bus station to stand 5 on Corporation Street where we got up and got off the bus. We then took a few more bus pictures before we returned home. On Corporation Street was Arriva NW&W 677 on a #35 to St Helens Junction.

Arriva NW&W 677 in St Helens bus station

We set off towards the car and we stopped at the newsagent to pick up a few things. Matthew had a can of Coke and a couple of chocolate bars. We then walk back to the car where mum was waiting with Greggs sausage rolls and a bottle of Irn Bru for Matthew. We set off out of town along Corporation Street and forwards onto the A58. We turned right onto the A572 and we ran out of town through Parr and into Earlestown. We ran to the North of town and then we turned right onto the A49. We ran through Newton-le-Willows and past the railway station. We continued down to Winwick. We ran along the A49 to the M6 and then we ran Southwards. Travelling home down the M6 we saw Bouden Travel BV66 GVK, and unidentified Dreamliner coach and DJ Coaches BD64 NCX. At junction 16bwe cam off the M6 onto the southbound A500. On the A500 we saw First Potteries 63099 running out of service. At Sideway we Went Eastwards along the A50 and we came off at Longton to see what was parked up Z Carz this evening. Tonight the spare ground had no buses on it all.

Spare ground in Longton

At Lucky Seven we saw Lucky Seven minibus RX60 CVO.

Lucky Seven RX60 CVO in Longton

We turned left onto Willow Row to see what was in the compound this evening. In the compound was Z Carz Volkswagen minibus PO55 URU.

Z Carz PO55 URU in Longton

On the road opposite to the yard was Z Carz Renault minibus PE10 MJE.

Z Carz PE10 MJE in Longton

Also in the compound was Z Carz Ford minibus HK57 LFY.

Z Carz HK57 LFY in Longton

We also saw new to Z Carz Peugeot minibus YJ62 RCO. We set off onto the A50 and we ran up to Heron Cross. We turned left onto Blurton Road and we ran through Blurton. At the roundabout we turned right onto Church Road. We turned right onto Beaconsfield Drive and we got home around 19:30. For a late tea we had bangers and mash with carrot followed by a jam filled shortbread biscuit. We chilled out on the computer and I went to take uncle Dave home. We watched telly and wrote the blog and Matthew went to bed around 00:30... Mark