Trip to Mold / Chester 12-05-2018

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
2662	Saltney, Sandy Lane	Mold BS	4	Arriva NW&W
CN04 NLL	Mold BS	Flint, Opp The Ship	28X	Townlynx
4637	Flint, Adj The Ship	Queensferry, Station Road	10A	Arriva NW&W
4480	Queensferry, Solar Services	Broughton, adj Glynne Arms	11	Arriva NW&W
3141	Brougton, adj Glynne Arms	Chester, Railway Station	4	Arriva NW&W

Today we decided to re-visit the Chester area. Since Arriva pulled out of the Chester to Liverpool service, as we usually travel down from Ellesmere Port we have be doing Stagecoach buses in the area recently. We formulated a plan to ride on Arriva buses by start at Saltney. We show this to Matthew on the map and he agreed to the plan. As we were starting in Wales we would also try to go further into Wales in this direction than we had previously travelled. Research for the trip consisted of checking the weather which was forecast for cool, dry weather with some sunshine. Matthew got up around 09:30 and had toast and orange juice for breakfast. After getting ready we set off onto the A5035 and we passed Scraggs coach S50 EXE heading towards Longton. We turned right onto Stanley Matthews Way and we joined the Westbound SA50. At Sideway we joined the Northbound A500. The road were quiet today and we made good time up to the M6. We joined the motorway at Junction 19 and we ran Northwrds through the roadworks section. As we travelled up the M6 we saw Park's of Hamilton LSK 808(#570) & Kier WR17 JFU. We left the M6 at Junction 20 and we went Westwards along the M56. The M56 was a little busier than the M6 but it was still moving well. On the M56 we passed an unidentified Goodsir coach. We joined the Southbound M53 and we ran around the WEst side of Chester. The M53 became the A55 and after a couple of junctions we jeft the A55 and we headed towards Chester from the South side up the A483. On the A483 we saw Scraggs 1 HVT. We got to the roundabout at Hanbridge and we veered to the left onto the A5104. We ran through Lache out of England and into Wales and we stoipped at Morrisons where we planned to park and have dinner. Matthew went to the toilet and then we went to the cafe. He had a large breakfast washed down with a cup of Coke followed by a slice of lemon meringue pie. Once we had finished we said goodbye to mum and we walked out onto the A5104. We saw yellow minibus T49 LCA in an adjacent yard. We crossed over the road and we waited at a stop on the Westbound side of the road for a bus towards Mold. A few minutes later we saw a bus approaching. As it got closer we saw that it was required Arriva NW&W 2662 on a #4 to Mold.

Arriva NW&W 2662 in Saltney

We got on the bus and we booked a Arriva Welsh Area Group Day ticket at £15 for the 3 of us. We sat down towards the back of the bus. The bus set off along the A5104 and we turned left into the Broughton Shopping Park. After a brief stop we contined along A5104. We turned right onto the B5125, and we turned right onto Manor Lane. We turned right ointo the industrial estate and we turned around at the roundabout. We stopped outside the garage for a driver change and we saw a couple of driver trainers and a couple of open topped buses. We returned onto Manor Lane and we turned right onto the B5125. We ran through Hawarden and up to Ewloe and we turned left onto Wood Lane. We ran Southwards under the A55 and into Drury. We turned right Drury Lane and then left onto Church Road. At the end of Church Road we turned right onto the A549. We ran into Buckley and we turned left onto Mill Lane. We turned right into Mold Road and we re-joined the A549. At Prenrigog we turned right omnto Park Ave and we ran through the estate and we turned right onto Llewelyn Drive. At the end we turned left onto Bryn Road. We turned right onto Chambers Lane and under the A494. We ran up to New Brighton and we turned left onto the A5119. We ran the last mile or so into town and we went forwards onto the B5444. We turned left and we entered the bus station. We let the bus empty and Matthew took a picture inside Arriva NW&W 2662.

Inside Arriva NW&W 2662

When we got off the bus there were a couple of other buses in the bus station. In front of us was Stagecoach Merseyside 34812 on a #5 to Ellesmere Port.

Stagecoach Merseyside 34812 in Mold bus station

We also saw Townlynx CN04 NLL on layover.

Townlynx CN04 NLL in Mold bus station

We crossed over to the other side of the bus station and Matthew used the toilet. As it was quiet we decided to go and find a shop. we walked around the corner onto A 5119 and we turned right onto a pedestrianised street with market stalls on. We walked up about 100 yards and we found a McColls on the left hand side. Matthew brought a can of Coke and a small bottle of Irn Bru, as well as a couple of bars of chocolate. We continued up the High Street and we turned right into the B5444. We came into the bus station from the north and we decided to stop for a short while to take a few pictures. We saw dud Arriva NW&W 2620 on a X4 to Chester.

Arriva NW&W 2620 in Mold bus station

Matthew didn't want to do this, he was interested in doing P&O LLoyd YJ12 PML on the #14 to Denbigh. We couldn't really do this bus as it wasn't due off for quite a while and it was also going in the wrong direction. We decided to look for something else to catch. We saw required P & O Lloyd YJ60 KFY which going to work the #8 to Sealand Manor.

P & O Lloyd YJ60 KFY in Mold bus station

That was a bus that we could of done but wasn't due off until 16:00! A few minutes later we saw required Townlynx Y72 YSO on a #28 to Wrexham.

Townlynx Y72 YSO in Mold bus station

A few minutes later we saw required Townlynx DK04 NNB which was going to do the #6A to Pantymwyn.

Townlynx DK04 NNB in Mold bus station

That was another bus that we couldn't do due to going in the wrong direction. There was a prmosing bus to Holywell which was due at 15:35. Across he way we saw Stagecoach Merseyside 47624 on a #63 to Higher Kinnerton.

Stagecoach Merseyside 47624 in Mold bus station

A few minutes later we saw M&H Coaches BU53 DJS on a #2 to Ruthin.

M&H Coaches BU53 DJS in Mold bus station

As few mnutes later we realised that the Dart that had been on layover all the time we had been in Mold was going to work the #28X to Holywell. When the bus pulled up onstand we decided to do this bus. We booked to Holywell which cost b£2.60 each for a single. We sat down towards the back of the bus and the bus set off out of the bus station onto the Northbound A5119. We followed the road to the left and at the roundabout we turned right onto the A5119. We then had a good fast run up towards Flint. We passed through Sychdyn and Northop and under the A55. As we gort closer to Flint we passed Townlynx YX17 NZA on a #28X to Mold. We passed through Flint Mountain and we ran into town. We turned right into Chappel Street and we followed the road around onto Duke Street. We turned left onto the A548 and we got up and got off the bus. Matthew took a picture of Townlynx CN04 NLL as it carried on towards Holywell.

Townlynx CN04 NLL in Flint

We crossed over the road and we checked the timetable. There was a bus due in 5 minutes and it was a #11 to Chester. THere was a #10A due 5 minutes after that. Matthew decided he wanted to go to the toilet so he took me into the adjacent pub. Matthew used the toilet and then had a bottle of Coke. We missed the #11 bus whilst we were in the pub and we came out to wait for the #10A. A minute or so later we saw the bus approaching in the distance. As it got closer we saw that it was dud Arriva NW&W 4637 on a #10A to Chester.

Arriva NW&W 4637 in Flint

We got on the bus and we flashed the Group Day Saver ticket to the driver. The lower salonnwas empty som Matthew took a picture inside Arriva NW&W 4637 before we went upstairs and sat down.

Inside Arriva NW&W 4637

The bus set off along the A548 and we travelled Eastwards out of Flint town centre. We passed through Oakenholt and we came off the A548 onto the B5129. We continued into Connah's Quay and through Wepre. We passed under the railway at Shotton and we continued to Quensferry. We turned left into Station Road where we got up and got off the bus. Matthew took another picture of Arriva NW&W 4637 as it carried on towards Chester.

Arriva NW&W 4637 in Queensferry

Once off the bus we crossed over station Road andwe used the cash machine. We set off towards the stop by the A494 so we could catch the following #11 towards Chester. On the way we saw P & O Lloyd YJ56 ATK on the Shuttle 1 service to Garden City.

P & O Lloyd YJ56 ATK in Queensferry

We walked to the bus stop and we saw that we had a round 15 minutes to wait. Matthew had a Flake whilst we waited for the bus to appear. The time passed quickly and eventually we saw the bus approaching. As it got closer we saw that it was required Arriva NW&W 4480 on a #11 to Chester.

Arriva NW&W 4480 in Queensferry

We got on the bus and we flashed the Group day Saver ticket to the driver before we sat down upstairs. We set off Southwards down the A550 and we passed under the A494. We ran up the hill into Hawarden and we turned left onto the B5125. We ran Eastwards towards BroughtonWe joined the A5104 and we entered the Bfrought Shopping Park. We seemed to stop for a couple of minutes and whilst we were stopped we saw Arriva NW&W 4488 on a #11 to Holywell.

Arriva NW&W 4488 in Broughton

I had already check that the #4 was running right behind us. As we aited to depart it pulled up on the stand behind us. We set off first (thankfully!) and we left Brough Shopping Park onto the Eastbound A5104. We got up and got off the bus and we just had time to take a quick picture before we flagged down the following bus. As it got closer we saw that it was dud Arriva NW&W 3141 on a #4 to Chester Railway Station. We got on the bus and we flashed the Group Day Saver ticket to the driver for the final time today before we sat down towards the back of the bus. We set off along the A5104 and we passed through Salntey and into Lache. We entered Enngland and Chester and at the big roundabout we turned left onto Grosvenor Road. We crossed over the river Dee and we saw that there was a large fairground in town where there are often coaches parked up. We ran forwards onto the ring road and we went past the Roman Amphitheatre. We turned left onto Love Street and right onto Foregate where we saw Arriva 2646 on a #82 to Northwich. We went around The Bars and we ran down City Road to the railway station. We let the bus empty and Matthew took a picture inside Arriva NW&W 3141.

Inside Arriva NW&W 3141

In front of us was required Arriva NW&W 1004 on a #1 to Wrexham.

Arriva NW&W 1004 in Chester

We continued down City Road and we crossed over Station Road where we saw Helns 128 on a the City Rail Link bus service.

Helms 128 in Chester

We also saw Stagecoach Merseyside 17470 on the Chester City Sightseeing Tour service.

Stagecoach Merseyside 17470 in Chester

Also by the railway station was Stagecoach Merseyside 47513 on a #5 to Huntington.

Stagecoach Merseyside 47513 in Chester

We went into the railway station and Matthew used the toilet. Mum was still traveling down from Ellesmrer Port, so we decided to visit the shop on the corner of Brook Street. Matthew brought a can of Coke and a cpuple of the small bottles. We watched buses going past for a short while and we watched a train depart towards North Wales. Mum appeared and we got in the car. matthew had a Greggs sausage roll and a bottle of Coke. We set off onto Station Road and we followed the road around onto Brook Street. At the lights we turned sharp right onto the Northbound A56. We left town and we joined the Northbound M53. At the next junction we went Eastwards on the M56. Travelling back along the M56 we saw an unidentified R&J Travel midicoach, Selwyns SEL 853 and an unidentified AR Travel minibus. We came off the M56 at Junction 9 and we joined the Southbound M6. As we travelled Southwards down the M6 we saw AK private hire K19 AKP, an unidentified Furlongs midicoach, an unidentified Hean Travel coach, Selwyns YN11 AYC, 2 x unidentified Ava Coaches, an unidentified Swans Coaches coach, an unidentified Sole Coaches coach & YY17 GPV(came off the M6 and went towards Crewe). We joined the Southbound A500 and we had to stop at the parking area North of the A527 and Matthew was despearte for the toilet. Seen on the A500 was silver minibus SJ59 OTZ, Amans Coaches YD17 WXU & Lucky Seven SV12 VKD. At Sideway We went Eastwards along the A50 We came off the A50 at Longton where we saw Lightning Travel BX04 VKL going towards Heron Cross. We stoped At Z Carz to see what was parked up in the depot. In Willow Row we saw Z Carz PE10 MJK in the comnpound.

Z Carz PE10 MJK in Longton

Also seen was Z Carz Ford minibus DC12 KNG in the corner of the new yard. We went West along the A50 to Heron Cross and we turned left onto Blurton Road. By the BP garage we saw Alfa 64. We continued up to Church Road and we turned right into Beaconsfield Drive and we got back home at 19:30. When we got back for a late tea Matthew had bangers and mash with carrots followed by a millionaire's shortbread biscuit. We did an e-mail and we wrote some of the Blog. Matthew went to bed around 00:00.... Mark.