Trip to St Helens / Old Swan 20-01-2018

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
2981	Earlestown BS	St Helens BS	34	Arriva NW&W
2962	St Helens BS	Eccleston, Broadway	37	Arriva NW&W
2939	Eccleston, Bleak Hill Road	St Helens BS	38	Arriva NW&W
4614	St Helens BS	Old Swan, Belfast Road	10A	Arriva NW&W
4690	Old Swan, Chilcott Road	Hunts Cross station, Stop F	81	Arriva NW&W
4608	Hunts Cross station, Stop A	St Helens BS	89	Arriva NW&W

Today we decided to re-visit St Helens. We checked the weather for today and it was for cold snowy weather clearing up in the afternoon. The weather seemed to be better in the North West. We gave Matthew a list of destinations from the North Midlands and North West and from the list Matthew chose St Helens. Matthew got up around 10:00 and got ready to go out. We set off around 11:30 and we realised that we had forgotten to give Matthew his toast and orange juice. We ran onto the A5035 and we turned right onto Stanley Matthew Way. We passed D&G Bus 33 on a #14 to Stafford. Outside the BET365 stadium we passed Linburg coach IIG 7842. We joined the Westbound A50 which we did down to Sideway and then we joined the Northbound A500. We ran up to Wolstanton and then we came off to get petrol at Asda. After topping up with petrol we re-joined the Northbound A500. AS we headed up towards the motorway we saw Stanton's of Stoke 5658 RU. We joined the Northbound M6 at junction 16 and today the road was relative clear. It was probably the poor weather that was keeping many from venturing out. As we travelled Northwards we saw an unidentified City Circle coach, red minibus reg like PN60 TWN, an unidentified JAK Travel coach, 7 unidentified Stott's coaches (presumably on the way to the BET365 with Huddersfield fans) and unidentified Redline coach. We came off the M6 onto the Westbound M62 and we ran to the next junction. We came off the M62 and we went Northwards up the A49 to Newton-le-Willows. We stopped the the railway station to buy Saveaway tickets and then we continued into Earlestown. At the mini roundabout we turned left onto the A572 and we ran for a couple of miles before we turned shap left onto Market Street. At the roundabout we turned right onto Tamworth Street and we went past the bus station on Lord Street. We turned right onto Leigh Street and after turning the car around we parked outside The Nine Arches pub. We went into the pub and Matthew used the toilets. Once we had been to the facilities mum went to the bar to order the food. Matthew had a chicken fillet on a bap with fries washed down with a glass of Coke. He also helped to eat 1/2 of my chicken burger. Once we had finished eating we said goodbye to mum. We went outside to the bus station and we saw required Arriva NW&W 2900 on a #34 to Leigh.

Arriva NW&W 2900 in Earlestown bus station

As there wasn't a st helens bound bus we returned briefly to the car to drop something off and pick up a pack of tissues. We went into the bus station to wait for the next bus to St Helens. Whilst we waited we saw dud Arriva NW&W 2972 on a #34A to Acorn Street. A few minutes later we saw required Arriva NW&W 2981 on a #34 to St Helens.

Arriva NW&W 2981 in Earlestown bus station

We got on the bus and we flashed the Saveaway Day tickets 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. We turned right onto Corporation Street and we ran over the railway line by St Helens Central before entering the bus station along Bickerstaffe Street. Once we got off the bus Matthew took another picture of Arriva NW&W 2981 before it returned to Acorn Street on a #34A service.

Arriva NW&W 2981 in St Helens bus station

Once we let the bus go we had a look around to see what we could catch next. It was raining lightly and we wanted to catch another bus quickly to get out of the weather. As we went to loo at was was going of the middle stands we saw Halton Transport 10 departing on a #17 to Widnes.

Halton Transport 10 in St Helens bus station

On the middle stands we saw dud Arriva NW&W 4603 on a #89 to Liverpool Airport and dud Arriva NW&W 4612 on a #10A to LIverpool. As we were considering catching one of these buses Matthew spotted required Arriva NW&W 2962 on a #37 to Eccleston.

Arriva NW&W 2962 in St Helens bus station

We got on the bus and we flashed the Saveaway Day tickets to the driver before we sat down towards the back of the bus. We set off out of the bus station along Bickerstaffe Street and forwards onto Cotham Street. We turned right onto Baldwin Street and we stopped to pick up more passengers. We crossed over The Landings and we continued onto Duke Street. We continued out of town for around 1/4 of a mile and we joined the westbound A570. As we travelled towards Dentons Green the road split into two creating a small one-way system. At the top end of the one-way system we turned left into Kiln Lane. As we turned the corner we saw Arriva NW&W 2493 on a #38 to St Helens. We ran for around 1/2 mile and we turned left onto Millbrook Lane into the centre of the village. We crossed over Broadway onto Springfield Lane and we turned right onto Walmesley Road. At the end of the road it seemed like a good place to get up and get off the bus. The bus was now empty so Matthew to a picture inside Arriva NW&W 2962.

Inside Arriva NW&W 2962

We got off the bus and Matthew took another picture of Arriva NW&W 2962 before it returned to St Helens on the #37 service.

Arriva NW&W 2962 in Eccleston

I had checked the time table so I knew the next #37 wasn't for nearly 30 minutes. We went into the one stop shop and Matthew had a can of Coke as well as a couple of chocolate bars and some Digestives biscuits. Once we had finished shopping we went outside and we tried to work out if the #38 service was in walking distance so we could get back into town a little quicker. Using nextbuses.mobi we were able to work out the #38 passed around the corner of Bleak Hill Road and Kiln Lane. Using the map we set off onto Broadway and we turned right onto Gunning Avenue. At the end we crossed over and we got a little disoriented. We stood at the wrong stop and the timetable said the next bus was a #37. A quick check of the map and we needed to be on the stop around the corner on Kiln Lane. We also saw Arriva NW&W 2493 going to other way around the corner towards Rainford. A few minutes later the bus came around the corner and it was required Arriva NW&W 2939 on a #38 to St Helens.

Arriva NW&W 2939 in Eccleston

We got on the bus and we flashed the Saveaway Day tickets to the driver before we sat down towards the back of the bus. We set off along Kiln Lane and we ran to the end where we turned right onto the A570. We ran around the one-way system before the two carriageways joined up further South. As we ran towards town we passed a single decker on the following #37 service to Eccleston. We continued onto Duke Street and we crossed over The Landings onto Baldwin Street. We turned left onto Cotham Street and we ran forwards onto Bickerstaffe Street. As we ran towards the bus station we passed pink Arriva NW&W 4438 on a #10 to Liverpool. we turned onto Corporation Street and we ran past the buses on layover where we saw Arriva NW&W 3014 on a #31 to Parr Stocks. We turned right onto hall Street and we turned right into the middle stands of the bus station. We got off the bus and we had a look a round to see what we could catch. On Bickerstaffe Street was Halton Transport 14 on a #17 to Widnes.

Halton Transport 14 in St Helens bus station

We also saw required Arriva NW&W 2580 on a #329 to Warrington. In the middle stands we saw required Arriva NW&W 4614 on a #10A to Liverpool.

Arriva NW&W 4614 in St Helens bus station

We decided to do the double decker so we got on the bus and we flashed the Saveaway Day tickets to the driver before we went upstairs. The rear of the top deck was empty so Matthew took a picture inside Arriva NW&W 4614.

Inside Arriva NW&W 4614

The bus set off out of the bus station through town following Hatton's Dart N60 RFL. We went past the new Nando's and Cinema. We joined the A58 and we ran Westwards. We followed a black minibus with reg like YY63 KYT going out of town. before we turned off the main road to head towards Thatto Heath down Lugsmore Lane. We continued South through Nutgrove and over the railway line at Rainhill. Here we joined the A57 for the run towards Prescot. We passed Whiston hospital and we went around the town to the North. We decided to go further East on the service that we had ever done before in order to explore a new section of Merseyside. We ran forwards onto the A58 and we crossed over the M57. We continued a further mile or so into Page Moss. We travelled along the dual carriageway for a further mile or so and we entered the Dovecot area and we continued for another mile past Alder Hay hospital and into the bustling region of old Swan by the out ring road. We crossed the ring road and we got up and got off the bus. Matthew took another picture of Arriva NW&W 4614 as it continued towards Liverpool.

Arriva NW&W 4614 in Old Swan

As we hadn't research this area I had quickly looked up where we could intersect with other bus service that we were familiar with. A quick look on the map revealed that we could go onto the ring road and catch either a #81 or #81A down towards Hunts Cross. We walked back to the ring road and then we preceded to cross over which was quite a mammoth task. As we crossed over we saw Avon Buses 354 come off the ring road and go eastwards along the A57 towards Page Moss. Eventually we crossed over the road and we saw a Southbound #81A. We ran down the road to try and catch it but we were able to get to the bus stop quick enough which was around 200 yards down the road! We checked the bus stop and there was another Hunts Cross bound bus due in just over 10 minutes. Whilst we waited for that bus we saw Avon Buses 354 return Southwards on a #204 to Dingle Mount.

Avon Buses 354 in Old Swan

Around 5 minutes later as expected we saw another bus approaching from across the other side of the A57. As it got closer we saw that it was required Arriva NW&W 4690 on a #81 to Speke Morrisons.

Arriva NW&W 4690 in Old Swan

We got on the bus and we flashed the Saveaway Day tickets to the driver before we went upstairs. The bus set of down the ring road and we ran southwards towards Broadgreen. instead of continuing along over the fly over the bus diverts down onto the roundabout below where we saw Arriva NW&W 4661 on a #68 to Aigburth Vale. We rejoined the A5058 and we ran South into Childwall. At Childwall Fiveways we ran onto Childwall Prior Road. We ran forwards onto Childwall Park Avenue and at the roundabout we went left onto Woolton Road. We ran forwards for another 1/2 mile and then we came back into familiar teritory as we passed Gateacre Brow where the #89 turns towards Belle Vale. We continued along the road into Woolton and we ran forwards for a further mile into Hunts Cross. I was hoping the the bus would stopped near the the railway station but the bus turned right onto the A562 and we got up and got off the bus. Matthew took another picture of Arriva NW&W 4690 as it carried on towards Speke Morrisons.

Arriva NW&W 4690 in Hunts Cross

Once of the bus we crossed over Woodend Avenue and the the A562 and we saw village taxi minibus MJ65 VUB. We went to the shell petrol station and Matthew used the toilet. Once Matthew came out after around 10 minutes we brought a can of Coke and a Bounty. Once we had finished in the garage we walked across to the main road and we crossed over Speke Road. Wewaited at the bus stop for a #89 back to St Helens. We didn't have to wait long before we saw an #89 service approaching in the distance. As it came closer we saw that it was required Arriva NW&W 4608 on a #89 to St Helens.

Arriva NW&W 4608 in Hunts Cross

We got on the bus and we flashed the Saveaway day tickets to the driver for the final time before we went upstairs. The rear of the top deck was empty so Matthew took a picture inside Arriva NW&W 4608.

Inside Arriva NW&W 4608

We ran North up Speke Road into Woolton and we continued forwards the B5171. We followed the road to the right onto Gateacre Brow and we ran down the hill towards Belle Vale. We called at the Belle vale bus station where we saw EU08 FHD on a #3 to Huyton. We left the bus station and we turned right onto Childwall Valley Road. We turned left onto Naylor's Road and we ran north under the M62 and forwards onto Wheat Hill Road. At the end we turned left onto the B5080 and we ran North West up to the Crofters Arms. At the roundabout we turned right onto the B5199 before turning right into Huyton Bus station. We sat outside for a brief moment near to the bingo hall before continuing onto the stand. After loading up we ran north up Lathom Road and onto Huyton Lane. We crossed under the M57 and we turned right onto Carr Lane. We ran into Prescot from the South and into the bus station. The bus set off out of town along the A57 down to the hospital where we turned left into Delph Lane. We Zigged and zagged through the street to the South of the A58 and then we joined the A58. We continued along the A58 and we passed through the town before circling around the bus station on Corporation Street so that we could enter the bus station from the East end. When we got onto corporation Street we straight through onto Hall Street and into the bus station and we got up and got off the bus. We walked back onto hall Street and we turned left onto Corporation Street up to the line of buses on layover. We saw required Stagecoach Merseyside 27714 in between runs on the #10A to Liverpool.

Stagecoach Merseyside 27714 in St Helens bus station

We also saw required Arriva NW&W 4596 about to work a #10A back to Liverpool.

Arriva NW&W 4596 in St Helens bus station

We walked along Corporation Street and we met up with mum. Once we got in the car Matthew had a small sausage roll from the Pound Bakery and a bottle of irn Bru. Mum wasn't able to get the usual sausage rolls from Greggs as they had run out. The small Pound Bakery sausage roll came with a carton of juice and a cake for a £1. We set off along Corporation Street and we joined the Eastbound A58. On the edge of town we turned right onto the A572 we continued through Parr and out of the Western edge of St Helens and we ran into Earlestown. We continued to the North of the town centre and we turned right onto the A49. Just South of Newton village before newton-le-Willows railway station we passed Network Warrington 104 on a #22 to Vulcan. We continued Southwards to Winwick and we turned left onto the dual carriageway. We had a sligh issue in the back seat so we stopped at a lay-by to sort this out. Uncle Dave though some rubbish in the bin in the layby and whilst we were there we saw BSS coaches C17 BSS go past. Once we had sorted the problem out we continued along the A49 to the M6. We got onto the South M6 and we ran down to junction 16. As we travelled South we saw an unidentified NPC Coaches coach. We came off the M6 onto the Southbound A500 and we ran down to Sideway. We went Eastwards along the A50 as far as Longton and then we came off it. We went over to Z Carz to see what was parked up there this evening. There was nothing on the spare ground but we saw Lucky Seven minibus PE61 HHL parked in their yard. We turned left into Willow Row. The only thing visible in the compound this evening was Z Carz Citroen minibus LV59 DZC.

Z Carz LV59 DZC in Longton

We returned onto the A50 and we ran up the Heron Cross. We turned left onto Blurton Road and we ran through Blurton and forwards onto Church Road. We turned right onto Beaconsfield Drive and we got back home around 19:30. When we got back we downloaded photos off camera, wrote e-mails and worked on the Blog. For a late tea we had bangers and mash with carrots followed by a few Cornflake cakes. Later on we chilled out and watched television. I took uncle Dave home and Matthew chilled out on the sofa. later on Matthew went to bed around 00:30... Mark.