Trip to Middleton / Rochdale 27-02-2021

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
3003	Middleton BS	Rochdale Interchange	17	Go North West
67430	Rochdale Interchange	Kirkholt, Hogarth Road	6	First Manchester
67424	Kirkholt, Hogarth Road	Rochdale Interchange	6	First Manchester
67408	Rochdale Interchange	Oldham BS	409	First Manchester
37431	Oldham, Lord Street	Uppermill Commercial Hotel	184	First Manchester
33687	Uppermill Commercial Hotel	Oldham BS	84	First Manchester

Today Matthew was in the residential unit and he was going to his day service. He was also going out to re-visit Middleton. The long-running ‘fire and rehire’ dispute between bus drivers at Go North West and their bosses escalated further over the weekend, with the announcement staff would be staging indefinite strike action. Matthew got up around 08:00 and had toast for breakfast. before Matthew went to the day centre he watched buses out of the window. whilst waiting for the time to go to the day centre, we saw D&G Bus 111 on a #1A to Meir.

D&G 111 in Fenton

A few minutes later we saw First Potteries 63096 on a #11 to Newcastle.

First Potteries 63096 in Fenton

Later on we went to Bury in the car. We went downstairs to the car and we set off onto Temple Street where we saw Temple Street Church RX18 GZW. We turned left onto Christchurch Street and we turned right onto City Road. We turned sharp left at the roundabout onto Victoria Road and we ran down the hill to Joiners Square. We crossed over the roundabout onto Lichfield Street and we ran up the hill towards Hanley. We ran anti-clockwise around the ring road and we went Northwards out of town along Town Road. We joined the Northbound A5272 and we ran through Sneyd Green and Smallthorne. We crossed over the roundabout and we continued up to Chell. We turned right onto the A527 and we ran north through Brindley Ford and Brown Lees up towards Biddulph. We went West of Biddulph on the by-pass and we continued North towards Congleton and through the town onto the Northbound A536. We ran Northwards up to Macclesfield and we went through the town onto the A523. We continued Northwards to Hazel Grove and we joined the Northbound A6. We continued Northwards into Stockport and under the M60. We came off the M60 onto the Northbound A576 and we ran the 2 or so mile into Middle town centre. We ran forwards onto Limetrees Road and we turned right into the car park. Once we had parked up we walked through the shopping centre to the toilets at the other end. Once we had finished in the shopping centre we went down the stairs and out and round the corner to the food van on the pavement opposite to the bus station. we went outside to a newish cafe called Sub Station. Matthew had a breakfast washed down with a can of Coke. When we had finished eating we said goodbye to mum and we walked over to the bus station. We saw First Manchester 37470 on a #59 to Manchester. We walked back to the toilet and it was still occupied. We decided to catch a bus to another local town with a bus station so that we find another toilet. As we thought about where we could go we saw Go North West 3003 on a #17 to Rochdale. We got on the bus and we booked System One bus only tickets at £5.20. We went upstairs and we sat down. The bus set off out of the We set off out of the bus station and we turned left and ran past the Middleton Arena. We turned onto the A664. North up Long Street and then Rochdale Road. The road turned due North by the canal and we carried on under the M62 and into Castleton. We joined the A58 and we traveled Eastwards into town. We turned right onto Drake Street and we approached the interchange from the South. We got off the bus and we headed straight for the toilet. So we headed out of the bus station and up the steps onto this elevated walkway. parked up next to the steps in between doing #6 Kirkholt circulars was dud First Manchester 67430. It turned out it took around 30 minutes. We carried on down the walkway and we saw required Rotala Diamond 40740 on a #471 to Bolton. Afterwards we had a walk around the bus station to see what we could catch. We saw First Manchester 67430 on a #6 to Kirkholt. We got onto the bus and we flashed the System One tickets to the driver before we sat down towards the back of the bus. The bus set off out of the interchange. We went down River Street and onto Water Street. We turned left onto the A6223. We turned left onto Oldham Road. We turned right onto the A664. We turned left onto Daventry Road. We continued into Kirkholt and we got up and got off the bus. Once off the bus we walked up Daventry Road. We went to use the disabled toilet on Daventry Road but it was in use so Matthew went to the gents. Having used the toilet we walked down to Daventry Road Matthew used the Gents. Afterwards we waited for a bus towards Rochdale. Whilst we waited we saw Transdev Rosso 1616 on a R7 to Castleton. As it got closer we saw it was First Potteries 67424 on a #6 to Rochdale. We got onto the bus and we flashed the System One tickets to the driver before we sat down towards the back of the bus. The bus set off along Daventry Road. We turned right onto the A664. We turned left onto Oldham Road. We turned left onto Milnrow Road. We turned right onto Drake Street. We turned right onto Water Street and into the Interchange where we got up and got off the bus. We walked to the Interchange and we waited for a bus towards Oldham. After a while we saw First Manchester 67408 on a #409 to Ashton. We got onto the bus and we flashed the System One tickets to the driver before we sat down towards the back of the bus. The bus set off out of the interchange. We went down River Street and onto Water Street. We turned left onto the A6223. We turned left onto Oldham Road. We continued into Balderstone. We continued Westwards along the A671 under the M62 and into Royton. We continued straight up Long Sight. We continued Southwards past thr Royal Oldham Hospital and we turned left onto St Mary's Way. We travelled Eastwards for a short distance and we turned right into Oldham bus station. We walked down to the other part of the bus station where we got up and got off the bus. Once off the bus. and we saw required First Manchester 44189 on layover. We went back to the other part of the bus station and we saw Go North West 4006 on a #415 to Middleton. Whilst we decided what to do next Matthew had a Milky Way washed down with a small bottle of cola. We saw that there was #184 to Uppermill due in a few minutes. we walked up West Street and the nearest toilet was in The Spindles shopping centre. and we turned the corner and went up a floor and the toilet where at the near end. We continued through the Market Place and forwards onto Yorkshire Street. A few minutes later we saw it approaching and it was required First Manchester 37431 on a #184 to Huddersfield. We got on the bus and we flashed the System One ticket to the driver before we went upstairs and sat down. We set off down Yorkshire Street. We continued through the Mumps. We entered Oldham Transport Interchange. After a brief stop we ran out onto the A62. We turned right onto Soho Street. We turned left into Greenacres Road. We ran up the hill and into Top of Moor. We ran forwards onto Dunham Street. We turned right onto Stamford Road. We headed through Lees. We joined St John Street. we went across onto Elliott Street. We turned left into High Street. We ran through Springhead. We turned into the A669. We ran down into Grotton. We ran through Grasscroft. We continued into Uppermill. we went onto the High Street and we got up and got off the bus. Once off the bus we walked up to High Street. We stopped at the Co-op and Matthew had a bottle of Coke and some chocolate bar. We crossed over the road and we headed to the bus stop. We waited for a bus back to Oldham. Matthew also ate one of his milky Way bars. We went back down to the bus stop and we saw First Manchester 69529 on a #350 to Ashton. As it got closer we saw that it was required First Manchester 33687 on a #184 to Oldham. We got on the bus and we flashed the System One tickets to the driver for the final time today before we went upstairs and sat down. We set off down High Street. We ran through Grasscroft. We ran down into Grotton. We turned into the A669. We ran through Springhead. We ran onto the High Street. We turned right onto Elliott Street. We joined St John Street. We headed through Lees. we went across onto Stamford Road. We turned left into Stamford Road. We ran up the hill and into Top of Moor. We turned left into the A62. We entered Oldham Transport Interchange. We continued through the Mumps. We continued onto Union Street. We turned right onto Greaves Street. We turned right onto Yorkshire Street. We turned left into St Mary's Way. we turned left into the bus station where we got up and got off the bus. Once off the bus we saw First Manchester 37428 on a #57 to Shaw. Once off the bus we waited for mum to arrive and we took a few more bus pictures. We saw required First Manchester 33657 on a #409 to Ashton. Mum appeared and we got in the car. Matthew had a sausage roll and a can or orange Fanta. We set off along St Mary's Way. We turned left into Rochdale Road. We turned right onto Middleton Road. We went under Oldham Way and we ran forwards around a mile into Chadderton. We continued forwards into Mills Hill and we went under the railway line. We ran the last mile or so into Middleton and we ran past the bus station. we ran Westwards towards the A576. We ran the 2 or so miles down to the M60 and we joined the clockwise carriageway. We ran South around Manchester and through Stockport. We came off the M60 and we went along the Handforth by-pass down to Wilmslow. We past near to Alderley Edge and and over Monks Heath crossroad. We continued Southwards through capesthorne and we ran to the West of Congleton town centre and through Talke down to the A500. At Talke we got onto the Southbound A500 and we ran through Longtport and Etruria into Stoke. WE came off the A500 in Stoke onto City Road and we went under the railway line. We ran up City Road onto Fenton and we turned right onto Smithpool Road. We turned left onto Temple Street and back to the residential unit. Matthew went up to his room. For a late tea Matthew had a chicken burger from kfc. He also had some fries and a cup of Coke followed by a a slice of chocolate gateau and custard. Later on Matthew chilled out in his room. Matthew used his computer and watched music videos on the television. When it was time to go to uncle Dave's we went downstairs and we set off onto Temple Street and at the end we turned left onto Smithpool Road. We went across the spare ground onto Willowdale Avenue and onto Whieldon Road and into uncle Dave's. Later on he had a few digestive biscuits and and some Irn Bru. Uncle Dave now has a biscuit tin. Matthew chilled out in uncle Dave's house using his computer and watching television. Uncle Dave also did his DJ set. A couple of hours later staff came to escort Matthew back home. We set off onto Whieldon Road and we turned onto Willowdale Avenue. We crossed the spare ground and we turned left onto Smithpool Road. We turned right onto Temple Street past the new building under construction, which is now getting near to completion. We continued back to the residential unit. Matthew went back to the room and went on his computer. Later on Matthew had a bath and then had toast for supper. He then chilled out in his room until bedtime around 23:00... Mark.