Trip to Ellesmere Port / Chester 11-11-2017

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
19572	Ellesmere Port BS	Chester BS	X8	Stagecoach Merseyside
21257	Chester BS	Blacon, The Arches School	1A	Stagecoach Merseyside
21258	Blacon, Blacon Parade	Chester BS	1	Stagecoach Merseyside
34812	Chester BS	Saltney, Sandy Lane Terminus	16	Stagecoach Merseyside
27776	Saltney, Sandy Lane Terminus	Chester BS	16	Stagecoach Merseyside
10831	Chester BS	Chester, Zoo main entrance	53	Stagecoach Merseyside
27256	Chester, Zoo main entrance	Chester, Delamere Street (Stop 3)	1	Stagecoach Merseyside

Today we decided to re-visit Ellesmere Port and Chester. It would be the first time that we had visited Chester since the bus station moved down to the new site on Gorse Stacks. We had checked the weather for today and it was for cool cloudy weather. We gave Matthew a list of places in the North-West and Midlands and from the list he chose Chester and Ellesmrere Port. Matthew got up just after 10:00 and had toast and orange juice for breakfast. We set off through Blurton around 11:45 and we saw Adams Morey minibus HD17 DDU parked outside the Lambourne.

Adams Morey HD17 DDU in Blurton

We continued up onto Kearsley Way and we turned left onto Beaconsfield Drive. At the end of the road we turned left onto Church Street and past the site of the former Florence Colliery line railway bridge. We turned left at the roundabout onto Blurton Road and we ran through Blurton. t Heron Cross we got onto the WEstbound A50 to Sideway. At the next roundabout we turned right and joined the Northbound A500. As we travelled North up to the M6 we saw Hollinsheads DH11 HOL & Malbank OU14 SVA. At junction 15 we got onto the Northbound M6. Traffic was relatively quiet today, perhaps because there was no Premier League football being played today. As we travelled North we saw an undentified ABC Coach Hire coach, Hollinshead J10 BUS, and unidentified Ffoshelig coach, an unidentified Kingsley Travel coach and an unidentified Festival travel coach. At junction 20 we got onto the Westbound M56. Traveling towards the M53 we saw Easycoach 217 and an unidentified Longmynd Travel coach. We got onto the North M53 and we came of after 2 junctions onto the A5032. We ran trough Ellesmere Port and we turned left into Civic Way, passing Stagecoach Merseyside 19571 on the X8 to Chester. We turned left onto Wellington Road. We parked up near to the market and we went into the building. This time we tried a different tactic to get a table in the market food hall. Mum and uncle Dave found a table whilst I took Matthew to the toilet. When we got back to the food court mum and uncle Dave had found a table. Mum went to order the food and we guarded the chair. Matthew had a breakfast washed down with a can of Coke. When we had finished eating we said goodbye to mum and we walked past the shops up to the bus station. As we walked up we remembered that last time we came in February we realised that Arriva NW&W had pulled out of the quality bus partnership on the #1/2 services. That means we we would be doing Stagecoach buses and therefore buying a Stagecoach ticket. We walked around the corner to see Stagecoach Merseyside 27260 on a #2 to Liverpool. We started to walk up towards the Chester bus stop and we saw required Stagecoach Merseyside 19572 on a X8 to Chester.

Stagecoach Merseyside 19572 in Ellesmere Port bus station

We got on the bus and we booked Merseyside Dayrider Plus tickets at £4 each before we went upstairs and sat down. The bus set off out of the bus station onto Wellington Road and we turned left onto Stanney Lane and we ran past The Grace Arms, which was a pub we used to eat at back when we first started to visit Ellesmere Port. We continued down the road for around 1/2 mile and then we turned left into the Coliseum Retail Park. We continued into the adjacent Cheshire Oaks designer outlet and we saw Attain YN14 PLZ, Grayways YR10 HOL, Worleys FC04 LDA, an unidentified Woodcocks coach and an unidentified Slacks coach. We got onto the A5117 and we ran Westwards to the A41. We ran South and where we would normally turn right we went straight on towards Chester Zoo. We turned into the zoo and we saw Maxfield Coaches MXI 3319. We came back out of the Zoo and continued South down the A41. We travelled along the northern by-pass and then we turned right onto the A56 for the run into town. We turned into Station Road and we saw Helms 121 and 128 outside the station on City Rail Link Shuttle services. We turned right onto City Road and we saw Stagecoach Merseyside 47326 on a X1 to Ruthin, Arriva NW&W 1004 on a #1 to Wrexham and 2648 on a X4 to Mold.

Arriva NW&W 2648 in Chester

At the end of City Road we went around The Bars and onto Forgate Street where we saw Arriva NW&W 4216 parked up between services. We continued onto St Oswald's Way and we ran past the end of Frodsham Street before going into the new bus station straight off St Oswald's way. Once we pulled up on a stand we got up and got off the bus. The new bus station was light and airy if a little basic. We went to use the toilets and we were disapointed that the disabled toilets don't use the stand RADAR key so I had to escort Matthew to the Gents. Once we had used the facilities we walked onto the Gorse stacks road side and where the bus stops used to be the bus station had been left open on that side to add to the number of stands in the bus station. On the Gorse Stacks side we saw Stagecoach Merseyside 47712 on a #5 to Huntington.

Stagecoach Merseyside 47712 in Chester bus station

We also saw Arriva NW&W 3142 on a #3 to Mold.

Arriva NW&W 3142 in Chester bus station

As there was nothing else Stagecoach around that we wanted to catch we decided to do a #1 or #1A to Blacon. A few minutes later we saw required Stagecoach Merseyside 21257 on a #1A Blacon circular service.

Stagecoach Merseyside 21257 in Chester bus station

We got on the bus and we flashed the Stagecoach Merseyside Dayrider Plus to the driver before we saw down towards the back of the bus. We set off out of the bus station onto Gorse Stacks and we ran onto George Street. At the end we turned right onto Northgate Street and we crossed over the ring road onto the A5116. We veered left on the one-way system and we ran forwards onto the A540. We ran past Chester University and we hit traffic as we got to the edge of town. Coming the other way we saw white minibus D5 DJJ. At the roundabout after seeing a near miss between two cars we turned left onto Blacon Avenue. We travelled Westwards for around a mile and when we got to the shops we got up to get off the bus. We turned left onto Saughall Road where we got off the bus. Matthew took another picture of Stagecoach Merseyside 21257 as it carried on back towards Chester.

Stagecoach Merseyside 21257 in Blacon

Once we got off the bus we walked across to the shops. We went into the Spar shop and Matthew brought a can of Cherry Coke as well as a couple of chocolate bars. Once we had finished shopping we walked over to the stop on Blacon Avenue to wait for a bus back to Chester. A few minutes later we saw Stagecoach Merseyside 21258 on a #1 to Chester.

Stagecoach Merseyside 21258 in Blacon

We got on it and we flashed the Stagecoach Merseyside Dayrider Plus tickets to the driver before we sat down towards the back of the bus. We set off along Blacon Avenue and we had a long run of around 2/3 of a mile down to a roundabout. This part of the run was peppered with quite severe speed bumps which was doing us and the bus no good at all! We crossed the roundabout onto the A540 and we had another run of around 1/2 mile up to Liverpool Road. We ran around the one-way system and passed the Stagecoach bus depot and into town along Northgate. We crossed over the ring road on Northgate and we turned left onto Delamere Street. We continued down onto George Street and onto Gorse Stacks and into the bus station. Matthew went to the toilet again and then we had a look around at what bus we could catch next. We saw it was Stagecoach Merseyside 34812 on a #16 to Saltney.

Stagecoach Merseyside 34812 in Chester bus station

We got on and we flashed the Stagecoach Merseyside Dayrider Plus tickets to the driver before we sat down towards the back of the bus. We set off along Gorse Stacks and turned right into Frodsham Street. The road is now a mainly pedestrian street and the bus travels along the stone we pass very close to benches. We turned left into Foregate Street and we saw an unidentified Byley's coach. We turned right onto Love Street and onto Pepper Street. As we went down Pepper Street we saw National Holidays NH10 RSH / NH15 GDH. We continued onto Lower Bridge Street and we turned left onto Old Dee Bridge into Handbridge. We continued onto Overleigh Road and we crossed the A483 where we saw Voel coach FJ08 FYL. We continued along Hough Green and then we turned left onto Cliveden Road where we passed Stagecoach Merseyside 19062 on a #16 to Chester. We turned right onto Circular Drive and we continued onto Green Lane and into Saltney. We turned left Boundary Lane and right onto Victoria Road. We re-joined the High Street and we turned left into Sandy Lane where we got up to get off the bus. Matthew took another picture of Stagecoach Merseyside 34812 as it carried on back towards Chester.

Stagecoach Merseyside 34812 in Saltney

Once we has seen the bus disappear into the distance we walked onto the A5104 to watch buses on the main road. We stood on an overbridge which looked a good place to get bus pictures. We saw Arriva NW&W 4487 on a #11 to Chester.

Arriva NW&W 4487 in Saltney

We also saw Arriva NW&W 3146 on a #3 to Mold. We also saw Arriva NW&W 2620 on a #4 to Chester. We walked back to the stop on Sandy lane to wait for the next bus back to Chester. A few minutes later we saw Stagecoach Merseyside 27776 on a #16 to Chester.

Stagecoach Merseyside 27776 in Saltney

We got on it and we flashed the Stagecoach Merseyside Dayrider Plus tickets to the driver before we sat down towards the back of the bus. We set off along Sandy. At the end we turned left onto Lane Boundary Lane. We turned right onto Green Lane and then continued onto Circular Drive. We turned left onto Cliveden Road and at the end we turned right onto Hough Green. We crossed the A483 and we continued onto Overleigh Road. We crossed over the Dee along Handbridge and we ran onto Lower Bridge Street. We turned left Grosvenor Street and at the roundabout we turned Nicholas Street. We continued around the ring road along St Martin's Way and we saw National Holidays NH16 FEH. At the old bus station we saw a number of coaches including an unidentified Hollinshead coach.At the roundabout we turned right onto Northgate Street and left onto Roundabout Delamere Street. We continued onto George Street and onto Gorse Stacks before stopping outside the bus station. We got off the bus and Matthew took another picture of Stagecoach Merseyside 27776 as it carried on back towards Saltney.

Stagecoach Merseyside 27776 in Chester bus station

We had a walk around the bus station whilst we decided what to catch next. We saw Avon 108 on a #22 to West Kirby.

Avon 108 in Chester bus station

around the other side of the bus station we saw National Express liveried Selwyns coach FJ13 DZZ on a #381 to Leeds.

Selwyns FJ13 DZZ in Chester bus station

A few minutes later we saw required Stagecoach Merseyside 10831 on the X8 to Liverpool.

Stagecoach Merseyside 10831 in Chester bus station

Whilst we waited for the bus to be readied for service we saw Stagecoach Merseyside 19045 on the X2 to Runcorn. A few minutes later we we got on the bus and we flashed the Stagecoach Merseyside Dayrider Plus tickets to the driver before we went upstairs. The rear of the top deck was empty so Matthew took a picture inside Stagecoach Merseyside 10831.

Inside Stagecoach Merseyside 10831

Whilst we waited for departure time we saw required Arriva NW&W 3143 on a #1 to Blacon. We set off out of the bus station onto Gorse Stacks. We crossed the ring road onto the A56 and we ran past the railway station. We ran North through Hoole and. We turned left onto the A41. We ran North and where we turned right into Chester Zoo where we got up and got off the bus. We waited at the stop and a few minutes later a bus to Chester appeared. It was required Stagecoach Merseyside 27256 on a #1 to Chester.

Stagecoach Merseyside 27256 in Chester Zoo

We got on the bus and we flashed the Stagecoach Merseyside Dayrider Plus tickets to the driver for the last time before we sat down towards the back of the bus. Matthew ate the chocolate bar we had given him just before the bus turned up. We set off up the Chester Zoo We ran South along the A41 and we turned right onto Heath Road. We continued onto Mill Street and we joined the Southbound A5116. We ran into Chester and over the ring road onto Northgate. We turned left into Delamere Street and we got up and got off the bus. Matthew took another picture of Stagecoach Merseyside 27256 as it carried on towards the bus station.

Stagecoach Merseyside 27256 in Chester

Once off the bus we walked up Delamere Street and we turned left onto Upper Northgate Street. We turned right on Hunter Street and we walked back up to the old bus station and we met up with mum. By the time we got to the old bus station the coaches that we had seen earlier had all gone. There was a large crowd waiting by the bike racks. We went to the toilet in the car park and then we went back to the car and Matthew had a Greggs sausage roll and a can of Fanta orange. We set off out of the car park and onto the clockwise ring road and we passed the sight of the new bus station. We went up the We ran up the A56 through Hoole. A41 got onto the Northbound M53. At the next junction we got onto the eastbound M56. It was now properly dark as we ran through the Cheshire countryside. We overtook LDV minibus AE06 NSU somewhere South of Runcorn. Near to Warrington we joined the Southbound M6. As we traveled Southwards we saw Carvers RIL 9162. At junction 16 we joined the Southbound A500. As we travelled South we saw Copeland's Tours MIB 279. At Sideway we turned left onto the A50 and we came off at Longton to see what was parked up at Z Carz. The spare ground was empty and there was a minibus in Lucky Seven. We turned left onto Willow Row to see what was in the compound this evening. In the compound was Z Carz Iveco minibus YJ53 WPD.

Z Carz YJ53 WPD in Longton

We turned around and we saw new Lucky Seven Mercedes minibus VX63 WYK.

Lucky Seven VX63 WYK in Longton

We returned onto the A50 and We ran Westwards and we came off at Heron Cross. We turned left onto Blurton Road and we ran through Blurton before turning right onto Church Road we saw Lucky Seven LT63 CXN. We turned right onto Beaconsfield Drive and we got home around 19:00. For a late tea we had bangers and mash with carrots followed by a jam filled shortbread biscuit. Matthew chilled out on his computer and we did some more of the Blog and out our bus pictures online. Matthew went to bed around 01:00... Mark.