Trip to Southport / Crosby 19-09-2021

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
15304	Southport, The Monument	Thornton, adj Edgemoor Drive	X2	Stagecoach Lancashire
2916	Thornton, opp Edgemoor Drive	Thornton, Masefield Road	54	Arriva NW&W
4578	Thornton, Green Lane	Kirkdale, Briar Street	47	Arriva NW&W
3022	Kirkdale, Pansy Street	Crosby, Village stop A	53	Arriva NW&W

Today was the second day of out NW adventure. We woke up in the hotel room and we got dressed and ready to go out. We decided we would go to nearby Chorley to have breakfast before going out for the day. We set off on foot along the path amd we got in the car outside the main hotel. We set off along the drive and we turned left onto Park Hall Hall Road. We followed the road to the left onto Mill Lane and we crossed over the M6. We headed Spouthwards down Preston Road and we turned right onto Spendmore Lane. We ran through Coppull and we crossed over the West Coast main line before crossing the roundabout onto the B5251. We ran towards Chorley and the place where we hoped to have breakfast was shut. We continued into town and we missed the turning so we ended up on the Northbound A6. We turned around and headed back Southwards and we turned right onto. George Street. We turned right onto Market Street and we spotted another cafe. There were no parking spaces on market street so we turned into West Street and parked up there. We walked around the corner and we went to Crown Cafe. Matthew visited the toilet and mum ordered the food. Matthew had a breakfast washed down with a can of Coke. When we had finished eating we had a quick walk around town whilst mum visited a nearby charity shop. We walked back up West Street and up the Steps onto West Street car park. We cut through St Mary's RC Church and down an alleyway back onto Market Street. After get some money out of the nearby cash machine we met up with mum and we returned to the car. We turned around and we ran down West Street and turned right onto Market Street. We turned right onto the B5251 and we headed out of Chorley towards Coppull. We veered right onto the B5251 ans we turned left onto Butterworth Brow. We crossed the railway line and we headed through Charnock Richard village. We turned right onto Preston Road and we headed Northwards. We turned left onto Mill Lane and we followed the road to the right onto Park Hall Road. We ran past the hotel and into Heskin. We turned left onto the Southbound B5250 and we turned right onto Town Lane. This was a very narrow road and we had to pass people very slowly a couple of times. At this point we decided to set the route to be fastest route rather than most direct!. We turned left onto Barmskin Lane and we headed Southwards. We ran forwards onto Courage Low Lane and we turned left onto Moss Lane. We joined the Eastbound A5209 and we headed towards the M6 motorway. Once on the motorway we headed Southwards and we joined the Westbound M58. We ran to the end and We joined the Southbound A5036 and we saw an unidentified Aspect coach. We turned right onto Copy Lane. We turned right onto the B5207 and we followed the road around a housing estate. We crossed the B5244 and we ran forwards onto Lydiate Lane. We turned left onto the A565 and we ran towards Crosby. We ran past Sainsbury's and we ran along Manor Road. At the end we followed the road to the left onto Hall Road East and we past the railway station. We ran onto Hall Road West and we turned the corner onto the promenade where we said goodbye to mum. The first thing we did was to head to the beach to see if we could see any interesting historic bricks on the famous beach. We managed to find a few that had not been eroded by the sea. We also went to see a coupke of the Anthony Gormley statues. The weather was statring to turn so we headed back onto Burbo Bank Road North. We turned the corner onto Bank Hall Road West and we heded up to the bus stop. A quick check of the stop revealed there was no bus service from there until Monday moring. We decided to head up to the station and catch a train into Southport. On the way we saw grey minibus RO17 ZWE waiting at the level crossing.

RO17 ZWE in Hall Road

We went onto the station and we booked 3 saveaway all areas tickets befpore crossing over the bridge and waiting for the next Northbound train. We only had to wait about 20 minutes or so and the train appeared. We got on the train and we headed North towards Southport. The journey took around 20 minutes and when we got to Southport we came out of the station onto London Street. We walked up to Lord Stree and we stop at the Southbound stops and waited for a suitable bus. As we approached the Stop we saw Arriva NW&W 4582 on a #46 to Carr Lane.

Arriva NW&W 4582 in Southport

We decided to catch a bus going Southwards back towards Crosby where mum dropped us off. A short time later we saw an X2 bus approaching. As it got closer we saw it was Stagecoach Lancashire 15304 on the X2 to Liverpool.

Stagecoach Lancashire 15304 in Southport

We got on the bus and we placed the Metro cards on the scanner before going upstairs and sitting down. We set off Southwards down Lord Street and we croseed the roundabout onto Lord Street South. We turned left onto Liverpool Road and we ran past Birkdale railway station. We continued Southwards for a couple of miles and into Ainsdale. We continued onto Liverpool Avenue and we ran Southwards onto Liverpool Road. We joined the Formby bypass and we ran past the airfield before turning right onto Southport Road. We ran forwards onto Ryeground Lane and we turned left onto Church Road. We ran forwards onto Cross Green and we turned left onto Liverpool Road. At the roundabout we turned right onto the Formby Bypass and we continued Southwards. We ran forwards onto Scaffold Lane and we continued Southwards through Lady Green. We ran forwards onto Southport Road and at the roundabout we turned right onto Moss Lane. We got to a section of road where there was another bus service so we decided to get up and get off the bus. We got off the bus by Edgemoor Drive and Matthew got another picture of Stagecoach Lancashire 15304 as it continued towards Liverpool.

Stagecoach Lancashire 15304 in Thornton

Once off the bus we decided to cross the road and wait for smoething going Northwards. We had already seen on the map the there was a bus heading Northwards on a #54 to Thornton. A few minutes later we saw the bus approching. It was Arriva NW&W 2916 on a #54 to Thornton.

Arriva NW&W 2916 in Thornton

We got on the bus and we placed the Metro cards to the driver. The back of the bus was empty so Matthew took a picture inside Arriva NW&W 2916 before we saw down towards the back of the bus.

Inside Arriva NW&W 2916

After a quick check on the bustimes.org map it seemed that Thornton was only just up the road! We set of along the A565 and we turned right onto Edge Lane. The bus turned left onto Runnels Lane and terminate towards the Notrh end. We got off the bus and Matthew took another picture of Arriva NW&W 2916 as it waited to depart towards Liverpool.

Arriva NW&W 2916 in Thornton

The bus was due to sit there for a few minutes before returning South So I asked Matthew if he wanted to walk to the main road and catch a different bus to which he agreed. We walked Northwards up Runnells Lane and at the end we turned left onto Lydiate Lane. We went forwards onto Green Lane and we went past the Nags Head pub. We turned right onto the A565 and we headed to the Nearest Southbound stop. We looked at the map and we could see a bus approaching to the North. As it got closer we saw it was Arriva NW&W 4578 on a #47 to Liverpool.

Arriva NW&W 4578 in Thornton

We got on the bus and we we placed the Metro cards on the reader before going upstairs. We headed Southwards down the A565 and into Crosby. We turned left and followed the A565 Southwards to Seaforth. We turned left onto the A566 and we headed Eastwards to North Park. We turned right onto Stanley Road and we continued Southwards past the Bootle New Strand shopping centre. We continued Southwards to Kirkdale and we crossed the railway line. We didn't want to go too far into the unbknown so we decided to get of the bus where there were some shops, so we got up and got off the bus. Once off the bus Matthew took another picture of Arriva NW&W 4578 as it continued Southwards towards Liverpool.

Arriva NW&W 4578 in Kirkdale

Once off the bus we headed into a nearby convenience store and we brought a can of Coke and a couple of Chocolate bars. WE headed across the the vide road and we sat at the Northbound bus stop. Whilst we were ating a chocolate bar we saw Arriva NW&W 4632 on a #52 to Netherton.

Arriva NW&W 4632 in Kirkdale

We decided to catch the net bus to somwhere mum could come and pick us up. A few minutes later we saw Arriva NW&W 3022 on a #53 to Crosby.

Arriva NW&W 3022 in Kirkdale

We got on the bus and we place the metro card on the scanner for the final time today before sitting down towards the back of the bus. We set off Northwards up Stanley Road and we ran past Bootle New Strand shopping center. We continued Northwards past North Park and we ran forwards on Linacre Road. We turned shap left onto Bridge Road and we crossed the roundabout continuing along Bridge Road. We crossed the railway line and we ran forwards onto Seaforth Road. We turned right onto Church Road and right onto Crescent Road. We ran forwards onto Ewart Road and we crossed over the roundabout onto Sandy Road. We followed the road around to the left onto Cambridge Road. We turned right onto the A565 and we headed Northwards over the railway line. We turned left onto South Road and right onto Mount Pleasant and we ran Northwards onto Oxford Road. We turned right onto Mersey Road and we crossed over the railway line. At the roundabout we ran forwardes onto Corobnation Road. We turned left onto Islington and we ran up to the roundabout and did a 180' turn to get to the bus terminal. When we arrived at the bus station the bus eptied out and Matthew got a picture inside Arriva NW&W 3022 before we got off the bus.

Inside Arriva NW&W 3022

Also in the bus station was Stagecoach Merseyside 15564 which was on a #53 to Liverpool.

Stagecoach Merseyside 15564 in Crosby

We walked around the corner to the Sainsbury's where mum had parked up to pick us up. We got in the car and we set off towards the Nag's Head in Thorton which we had seen earlier on on our travels. We set off out of the car park onto Richmond Road and we crossed over the roundabout onto the Eastbound A565. We ran for about a mile up the road and we turned right into Green Lane. We turned left into the pub car park and we parked up. As we got to the door we saw a sign that said 'No walk-in customers'. We returned to the car and we tried to book online but the website would not let us book. We tried to phone up but they weren't answering the phone either! We decided to try another pub in the area so we looked it up and we set off. We turned left onto Lydiate Lane and we headed Eastwards. We crossed over the B5422 and we ran forwards onto Northern Perimeter Road. We followed it to the end and we turned left onto Copy Lane. We crossed the A5036 and we continued Eastwards to Old Roan. We ran forwards onto Aintree lane and we got to the pub in about 1/2 mile. We parked up and whilst the pub was currently operating with a limited menu due to supply issues, we were able to get in angoet something to eat. Matthew went to the toilet and afterwards we returned to the table and mum ordered the food. Matthew had a burger and chips washed down with a glass of Coke followed chocolate fudge cake and ice cream. When we had finished we got back in the car and we headed back to the Hotel. We travelled Westwards along the Aintree Lane and we turned right onto the A59 at Old Road. We ran northwards to the giant interchange and we got onto the Eastbound M58. We ran about 10 miles or so up the the M6. We went Northwards up the M6and we came off at junction 27. We turned left onto A5209 and almost Immediatley we turned right onto the Northbound B5250. We ran Northwards through Mossy Lea and Writington and into Heskin. We turned right onto Park Hall Road and we turned left into the hotel grounds. This time we went right around the main hotel and we parked at the back, which was a little closer to the room thean the previous car parking spaces we had used. We walked back to the room and we chilled out on the laptop writing some of the Blog. Matthew had a can of Irn Bru and we settled down to bed around 00:00... Mark