Trip to St Helens / Old Swan 24-11-2018

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
3012	Earlestown BS	St Helens BS	34	Arriva NW&W
11112	St Helens BS	Prescot, Church Street	10A	Stagecoach Merseyside
10547	Prescot, Church Street	Old Swan, Queens Drive	10A	Stagecoach Merseyside
4557	Old Swan, Clayford Crescent	Woolton, Kings Drive	81A	Arriva NW&W
4605	Woolton, Manor Road	St Helens BS	89	Arriva NW&W

Today we decided to re-visit St Helens. We had checked the weather for today and it was cool cloudy weather. We gave Matthew a list of destinations in the North West and Midlands and from the list he chose St Helens. Other than check the roads on AA road watch we did no other research. Matthew got up around 10:30 and had toast and orange juice for breakfast. After getting ready we set off around A5035 onto the Westbound A5035. We ran past Stanley Matthew Way into Trentham and we stopped at the BP garage to top up with petrol. Whilst we filled up we saw D&G 171 on a #14 to Hanley. Once we had filled up we we set off onto the Eastbound A5035 and we turned left onto Stanley Matthews Way. We past past the BET365 stadium where preparations were on their way for the Stoke City vs QPR game. We got onto the Westbound A50 and at Sideway we joined the Northbound A500. Travelling up the A500 we saw silver coach YD67 MKO & Carvers DF57 UON. We joined the M6 at Junction 16 and we ran Northwards through the roadworks. Travelling up the M6 we saw Kier WR17 JFU, Shearings 138, an unidentified National Express liverried coach on a #539 to Bournemouth, Happy Days 229 & silver minibus DG68 OMH. We came off the M6 at junction 21A and went Westwards along the M62 for one junction. Once off the M62 we went Northwards up the A49 into Newton. We past through the town and we turned left onto the A572. We ran for a couple of miles and we turned left onto Market Street by the Texaco petrol station. We turned right onto Tamworth Street and right onto Lord Street and into the car park. We parked up and we walked along Lord Street and around the corner onto Legh street and into the pub. Due to a problem the pub wasn't serving food today. Matthew went to the toilet and then we went through the bus station to Tamworth Street to Crumpets, where we used to eat in Earlestown before the pub was opened. Matthew had a breakfast washed down with a can of Coke. He also helped mum to eat her sausage and cheese toastie. Once we had finished we said goodbye to mum and we went out and around the corner to the bus station. We only had to wait a few seconds and we saw dud Arriva NW&W 3012 approaching on a #34 to St Helens.

Arriva NW&W 3012 in Earlestown bus station

We got on the bus and we brought Arriva NW Day saver ticket at £5.50 each before we sat down near to the back of the bus. The bus set off back onto Tamworth Street and we turned left onto Market Street. We joined the A572 and we went Westwards through Ashton Green and Parr. In Parr we passed dud Arriva NW&W 2525 on a #31 Parr service. We joined the A58 and we came into the town centre along Corporation Street. The bus emptied out on Bickerstaff Street where we got up and got off the bus. Also on Bickerstaff Street was Arriva NW&W 2902 on a #20 to Earlestown.

Arriva NW&W 2902 in St Helens bus station

We had a walk around the bus station whilst we decided what bus we could do next. We saw required Stagecoach Merseyside 11112 on layover in between runs on the #10A to Liverpool.

Stagecoach Merseyside 11112 in St Helens bus station

We walked onto Corporation Street to look at the vehicles on Layover. We saw required Arriva NW&W 4441 on layover in between runs on the #10A to Liverpool.

Arriva NW&W 4441 in St Helens bus station

We continued around the bus station and into the middle stands. We saw Hatton's Dennis Dart MX06 ULP on the #12 St Helens town centre circular.

Hatton's MX06 ULP in St Helens bus station

We made a quick enquiry in the office to see if the #10A was still a quality bus partnership. With the fact checked we decided to do Stagecoach double decker 11112 on the #10A as we had never seen a Stagecoach double decker work this service before. We got on the bus and we flashed the Arriva Day Saver tickets to the driver. The lower saloon was empty so Matthew took a picture inside Stagecoach Merseyside 11112 before we went upstairs and sat down.

Inside Stagecoach Merseyside 11112

The bus set off out of the bus station through town and past the new Nando's and Cinema. We joined the A58 and we ran Westwards before we turned off the main road to head towards Thatto Heath down Lugsmore Lane where we passed Stagecoach Merseyside 24180 on a #10 to St Helens. 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 where we saw silver shuttle buses 2, We went around the town to the North and we got up and got off the bus just to the North of the bus station. Matthew took another picture of Stagecoach Merseyside 11112 before it continued on towards Liverpool.

Stagecoach Merseyside 11112 in Prescot

Once off the bus, we popped into the Sun Inn where Matthew went to the toilet before we had a can of Coke from behind the bar. After Matthew had drank the Coke we went back outside to meet uncle Dave. We decided to go back to the same bus stop and catch another #10A further on towards Liverpool. There was a display at the bus stop and it said that the next #10A would be a Stagecoach one. A few minutes later we saw a Stagecoach double decker approaching. As it got closer we saw that it was required Stagecoach Merseyside 10547 on a #10 A to Liverpool.

Stagecoach Merseyside 10547 in Prescot

We got on the bus and we flashed the Arriva NW Day Saver ticket to the driver before we went upstairs and sat down. We ran out of Prescot and 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 Stagecoach Merseyside 10547 as it continued towards Liverpool.

Stagecoach Merseyside 10547 in Old Swan

Once off the bus we walked towards the Woolton bound stop. On the way we saw Arriva NW&W 2667 on a #61 to Bootle.

Arriva NW&W 2667 in Old Swan

We walked around the corner and we waited for the next Southbound bus. there was a bit of a gap in the service and we had to wait around 20 minutes. Whilst we waited Matthew had a Milky Way. A few minutes later we saw a bus approaching. As it got closer we saw it was required Arriva NW&W 4557 on a #81A to Liverpool Airport.

Arriva NW&W 4557 in Old Swan

We got on the bus and we flashed the Arriva NW Day Saver 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. 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 as we approached we saw the town was incredibly busy. We decided to get up and get of the bus here. Matthew took another picture of Arriva NW&W 4557 as it continued towards the airport.

Arriva NW&W 4557 in Woolton

Once off the bus we fought our way through the crowds and we turned left onto Kings Drive. We went to Sainsbury's through the back entrance and Matthew used the toilet. We brought a bottle of Coke and a couple of chocolate bars and we paid for the them at the kiosk. We went out of the back entrance and up Kings Drive. We turned left onto Speke Road and we walked Southwards to the next bus stop. We waited for a few minutes for the next St Helens bound bus. A few minutes later we saw a double decker approaching. As it got closer we saw that it was required Arriva NW&W 4605 on a #89 to St Helens.

Arriva NW&W 4605 in Woolton

We got on the bus and we flashed the Arriva NW Day Saver ticket to the driver for the final time today before we went upstairs and sat down. 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. Matthew took another picture of Arriva NW&W 4605 before it returned to Liverpool.

Arriva NW&W 4605 in St Helens bus station

We continued along Corporation Street and we saw Arriva NW&W 713 on layover.

Arriva NW&W 713 in St Helens bus station

Also seen was Arriva NW&W 4414 on layover in between runs on the #10A.

Arriva NW&W 4414 in St Helens bus station

We met up with mum and we walked back to the car. We set off along Corporation Street and we joined the Eastbound A58. We veered right onto the A572 and we ran out of town and into Earlestown. We stopped at the Texaco petrol station and we filled up with petrol. Once we had filled up we continued along the A49 to Newton. We turned right onto the A49 and as we travelled Southwards we passed Ogdens S10 JDO & Hilton Trvel 6627 VF. We continued South to Winwick and we veered left onto the A49 link road. We joined the M6 at junction 22 and we headed Southwards. As we travelled Southwards on the M6 we saw an unidentified National Express liverired coach(#540). Travelling through the road work section on the motorway we were passed by Centurion Travel YS17 UFG.

Centurian Travel YS17 UFG on the M6

Further South we were passed by The Kings Ferry WJ16 OHV.

The Kings Ferry WJ16 OHV on the M6

We continued down the M6 and we saw silver minibuses YS18 LHF & DG16 BWY. We were also passed by a 3rd coach, Gwyn Jones BF10 VCK.

Gwyn Jones BF10 VCK on the M6

At junction 16 we joined the Southbound A500. On the A500 we saw Birmingham International BJ15 TWD. We came off the A500 at Sideway and we went Eastwards along the A50 to Longton. At Longton we ran along the high level A50 and we did a u-turn at the East end of town to see what was parked up at Z Carz. We turned left into Willow Row and we saw Z Carz Vauxhall minibus DG10 VMO in the compound.

Z Carz DG10 VMO in Longton

We ran Westwards along the A50 and we cam of at Heron Cross. We turned left onto Blurton Road and we ran through Blurton. We continued up to Church Road and we turned right into Beaconsfield Avenue and back home at 19:30. For a late tea bangers and mash with carrots followed by Bakewell tart. We did an e-mail and we wrote some of the Blog. Matthew went to bed around 00:00.... Mark.