Trip to Derby / Belper 03-03-2018

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
685	Derby BS	Belper, King Street (Stop A)	6.3	Trent Barton
688	Belper, New Road	Belper BS	6.2	Trent Barton
688	Belper BS	Derby BS	6.2	Trent Barton
750	Derby BS	Ripley, Market Place	Comet	Trent Barton
YAZ 8645	Ripley, Market Place	Ambergate, Railway Station	144	Little's
528	Ambergate, Hurt Arms	Belper BS	TP	Trans Peak
686	Belper, King Street (Stop A)	Ripley, High Street (Stop 2)	6.2	Trent Barton
160	Ripley, High Street (Stop 3)	Derby, Corporation Street (Stop C2)	9.3	Trent Barton

Today we decided to re-visit Derby. We had checked the weather for today and it was for cold, dull and dry weather. We gave Matthew a list of place to go in the North West and Midlands and from the list he chose Derby. Research consisted of checking out local operator area maps and downloading them to the phone. Matthew got up around 09:30 and had toast and orange juice for breakfast. We set off onto the A5035 around 11:30 and we ran through Dresden up to Longton. We joined the Eastbound A50 and as we ran into Meir tunnel. We carried on Eastwards to the edge of Blythe Bridge and we followed the A50 to the right towards Uttoxeter where we saw Z Carz BN61 RWK. After we had passed Uttoxeter we continued up the hill towards Doveridge. We came off the A50 onto the A511 and we ran a couple of miles to Hatton to the Salt Box cafe where we had dinner. As we parked up we saw Midlands Classic double decker 75 on a #402 to Uttoxeter. Matthew went to the toilet and then we sat down to wait for the food which mum ordered. matthew had a small breakfast washed down with a bottle of Coke. Whilst we ate we saw Trent Barton 679 and 657 on V1 Villager services. When we had finished eating we continued East to Hilton and then we went Northwards back under the A50 and along the A516 into Derby. We entered the town and we ran into the inner ring road and then we went anticlockwise towards the Intu Derby shopping centre. We parked in the riverside car park adjacent to the bus station and when we parked up we rode down in the left to street level and we said goodbye to mum. We walked under the car park and we saw Arriva Midlands 4403 on a #38 to Sinfin.

Arriva Midlands 4403 in Derby bus station

We carried on towards the bus station and we saw Trent Barton 746 on the Swift service to Uttoxeter.

Trent Barton 736 in Derby bus station

Once we had crossed the road we we stod on the corner of the bus station for a short while. It was only for a very short time as it was extremely cold! We saw Yourbus 1452 on the Y3 to Ilkeston.

Yourbus 1452 in Derby bus station

We headed into the bus station and Matthew went to the toilet. After Matthew had used the facilities we walked to the far end of the bus station to see what we could catch. We saw required Trent Barton 685 on a #6.3 to Ripley and Matthew decided he wanted to do this bus. We got on the bus and we booked a Zig-Zag duo ticket at £11 before we sat down towards the back of the bus. The bus set off out of the bus station onto the A601 and we crossed over the Derwnt and onto King Street. We joined the Northbound A6 and we ran for through Darley Abbey. As we stopped at a bus stop we were past by Slack's white coach YN67 CFK. We crossed over the A38 and we continued up the A6 into Duffield. We crossed over the railway line and we ran Northwards into Milford. We crossed back over the railway line and we ran into Belper. The was a 'Save our NHS' protest outyside the Babington hospital. At the roundabout we turned right onto the A609 and then we turned left onto Campbell Street. We turned right into King Street and we got iup and got off the bus. Matthew a picture of Trent Barton 685 before it carried on towards Ripley.

Trent Barton 685 in Belper

Once of the bus we walked up King Street and we turned right onto Strutt Street. We went into the Co-operative food store which is one of the biggest Co-op supermarkets I have seen for a few years. Once we had finished we went outside to the cah machine. A lady in front of us at the queue got somebody else to hold her 'Sabe our NHS' placard whilst she withdrew some cash. After using the cash machine we continued to the end of Strutt Street and Matthew used the public toilet on the corner. Once we used the facilities we turned right into the A609. We walked down the hill over the railway line and we waited at the Derby bound bus stop. We turned down Trent Barton 484 on the #7.1 to Derby. Whilst we were there we also saw a Southbound Voyager and East Midlands Trains 43047 & 43081 on a St Pancras bound express. A few minutes later the bus turned up and it was required Trent Barton 688 on a #6.2 to Derby.

Trent Barton 688 in Belper

We got on the bus and we flashed the Zig-Zag Duo ticket to the driver before we sat down towards the back of the bus. We set off down the A609 and at the roundabout we turned right onto Chapel Street. We ran for a few yards and we turned right into a bus station which we weren't expecting. We decided to ask the driver if we could get off and take a quick picture of the bus which allowed us to do, so we got another picture of Trent Barton 688 before we got back onto it.

Trent Barton 688 in Belper bus station

There was a driver change, and after a few minutes we continued Southwards down the A6. We went Southwards through Milford and Duffield and we ran into Derby along the A6. We turned right onto Queen Street and we turned left onto Full Street. We continued onto Corporation Street and forwards again onto Morledge before we turned left into the bus station. We ran to the stands at the far end of the bus station and we let the bus empty before Matthew took a picture inside Trent Barton 688.

Inside Trent Barton 688

We got off the bus and we went outside to the very end stands and we saw National Express FJ13 EBU which was on a #230 to Gatwick.

National Express FJ13 EBU in Derby bus station

We came back inside the bus station and as it was cold we decided to catch something almost immediatley. We saw required Trent Barton 750 on a Comet to Chesterfield and we decided to do this up to Ripley.

Trent Barton 750 in Derby bus station

We got on the bus and we flashed the Zig-Zag Duo ticket to the driver before we sat down towards the back of the bus. We set off out of the bus station onto the A601 and we came off onto Derwent Street. We went onto Stuart Street and under the A601 along Pheonix Street onto Mansfield Road. We ran forwards onto Alfreton Road after crossing the railway we joined the Northbound A61. At the next roundabout we joined the Northbound A38 and we ran fast up the dual carriage for a few miles. We came off the A38 and we continued Northwards B6179 into Kilburn. We continued Northwards for another 3 miles or so into Ripley. As we went North there was more and more snow on the ground. When we got to the town centre we got up and got off the bus. Once off the bus we saw Trent Barton 471 pull up behind us on the #1A to Aldecar.

Trent Barton 471 in Ripley

We also saw required Little's YAZ 8645 on the #144 to Crich Tramway Museum.

Little's YAZ 8645 in Ripley

Matthew decided he was going to do this bus even though we had only got a Trent Barton ticket. We got on to the bus and we couldn't catch him because it was too slippy under foot with the snow. The bus was only going as far as Ambergate as the snow made it impossible for the bus to get up to Crich. We decided we would do this bus even though we weren't sure how we would get back. We sorted out we would go to Ambergate and we sat down towards the back of the bus. The bus set off up Market Place and we turned left onto the B6441. We turned right onto Pastuer Avenue and we ran around the estate before retuning to the main road. We ran up Hartshay Hill and we crossed over the A38 on the A610. We talk to a local lady and she suggested that we might get to ambergate in tine for the Trans Peak service towards Derby. I looked up the time and the bus was due off the main road in a few minutes. We came into Ambergate and the bus terminated. The driver of the Solo said he would be returning in around 30 minutes, but we got off the bus and Matthew took another picture of Little's YAZ 8645 before it went on layover.

Little's YAZ 8645 in Ambergate

We went under the railway bridge and we walked down the A6 to the next Southbound stop. A few minutes later we saw a Tran Peak bus approaching. As it got closer we saw that it was required Trans Peak 528 on a TP1 service to Derby. We got on the bus and we booked to Belper at a cost £2.50 each for singles. We sat down towards the back of the bus and the bus set off Southwards down the A6. The run was approximately 2 miles and we came into Chapel Street before turning left into Belper bus station. Matthew took a pictuire of Trans Peak 528 as it continued towards Derby.

Trans Peak 528 in Belper bus station

Once off the bus we headed inti town to find the toilet. We turned left onto King Street and we saw Yourbus 1450 on layover between services.

Yourbus 1450 in Belper

Further up King Street we saw Trent Barton 685 on the #6.3 to Ripley. Matthew decided he wanted to use the toilet in Cafe G which is a very narrow deep cafe. Matthew used the toilet and than when he hd finished had a slice of Chocolate cake. After we had finished we went outside to uncle dave and we walked over to the bus stop opposite. The plan was now to do a bus to Ripley for one back to Derby. We turned down Trent Barton Solo 484 on the #7.1 to Derby. Whilst we waited for the Ripley bus Matthew ate a Bounty. A few minutes later the bus appeared from around the corner and it was required Trent Barton 686 on the #6.2 to Ripley.

Trent Barton 686 in Belper

We got on the bus and we flashed the Zig-Zag Duo ticket to the driver before we sat down towards the back of the bus. We set off up King Street and we turned right onto Strutt Street. We turned left onto the A609 and we ran Northwards. We turned left ont Chesterfield Road and we ran North for around 1/2 mile before we turned right into Ladywood Avenue. We turned left onto Dovedale Crescent and left onto Whitemoor Lane. We turned left onto Over Lane and we ran Northwards into Heage. We re-joined the B6013 by the Black Boy and we ran through the village onto the B6374. We ran Eastwards for a few miles and we crossed over the A38 and ran towards Ripley. We turned right onto Norman Road. We continued onto Kenilwirth Road and forwards onto Maple Avenue. We turned left onto Elms Avenue and we turned left onto the B6179. We stopped on the High Street and we let the bus empty out before Matthew took a picture inside Trent Barton 686.

Inside Trent Barton 686

Matthew took another picture of Trent Barton 686 before it returned to Derby.

Trent Barton 686 in Ripley

Once off the bus we saw Trent Barton 154 on a #9.3 to Mansfield.

Trent Barton 154 in Ripley

Matthew wanted the toilet again so we went to The Thorntree. After Matthew had used the toilet he had a swift half of Coke. We went outside and we just missed the Comet service back to Derby. We went to check out the bus times and the was a nines service to derby in around 12 minutes. In the meantime we saw Trent Barton 851 on a Rapid service to Nottingham so we walked up to it to get a picture.

Trent Barton 851 in Ripley

We also saw Trent Barton 153 on a Nines service to Mansfield.

Trent Barton 153 in Ripley

We walked back to the stop and a few minutes later we saw a bus appraoching. As we got closer we saw that it was required Trent Barton 160 on a #9.3 to Derby.

Trent Barton 160 in Ripley

We got on the bus and we flashed the Zig-Zag Duo ticket to the driver before we sat down towards the back of the bus. We set off down the High Street and we ran down the B6179 to Kliburn. We got onto the A38 and we ran fast to the edge of Derby. We ran forwards onto the A61 and at the next roundabout we turned right onto Alfreton Road. We ran forwards onto Mansfield Road and we crossed under the A601 onto Pheonix Street. We turned right onto Derwent Street and we crossed over the river. We turned left onto Corporation Street and we did a u-turn before setting down in front of the Derby Council offices. We let the bus empty and Matthew took a picture inside Trent Barton 160 before it went on layover.

Inside Trent Barton 160

We arrange to meet mum on the other side of the Derwent so we crossed over the road. On the way we saw Trent Barton 160 again now on layover.

Trent Barton 160 in Derby

We stood on the corner of Stuart Street and we waited for mum to appear. Whilst we waited we saw Notts+Derby 620 on the D1 Park & Ride service.

Notts+Derby 620 in Derby

We also saw Little's double decker SN03 DZJ on a #9 to Borrowash. A few minutes later mum appeared and we got in the car. Mum had brought sausage rolls and Matthew had a can of Irn Bru. We set off along Stuart Street and we followed the one way system onto Pheonix Street. We turned left onto Derwent Street and we joined the anti-clockwise A601. We ran around town past Radio Derby and we ran forwards onto the A516. We ran down to the A38 and after running parrallel for a shorth while we continued along the A516. We continued for another 4 miles or so and then we joined the A50. We ran Westwards past Uttoxeter to the edge of Blythe Bridge and we continued through Meir to Longton wherev we came off the A50 to see what was at Z carz this evening. There was nothing on the old Z Carz spare ground site so we turned left into Willow Row to see what was parked up in the compound. In the yard we saw Z Carz Mercedes minibus CE02 LYX.

Z Carz CE02 LYX in Longton

We also saw a new arrival... Z Carz black minibus SA11 XOH.

Z Carz SA11 XOH in Longton

We returned onto the A50 and We ran Westwards to the roundabout and we turned right onto bath Road. We stopped at Tesco to take on petrol and we continued along the Westbound A50 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 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 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.