Trip to Middleton / Rochdale 27-11-2021

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
3101	Middleton BS	Rochdale Interchange	17	Go North West
37460	Rochdale Interchange	Kirkholt, Hogarth Road	6	First Manchester
69539	Kirkholt, Hogarth Road	Rochdale Interchange	6	First Manchester
37459	Rochdale Interchange	Oldham BS	409	First Manchester
33682	Oldham BS	Ashton BS	409	First Manchester
12197	Ashton BS	Hyde BS	330	Stagecoach Manchester

Today Matthew was in the residential unit and he was going to St Helens. We decided to re-visit Widnes. Matthew got up around 08:00 and had toast for breakfast. before Matthew went to Widnes he watched buses out of the window. whilst waiting for the time to go to the day centre, we saw Afford rent-a-car DY21 JWE.

Afford rent-a-car DY21 JWE in Fenton

Matthwe went into the living room and we saw Temple Street Church RX18 GZW.

Temple Street Church RX18 GZW in Fenton

Around 11:30 we came to pick Matthew up. After getting ready we went downstairs to the car. We set off onto Temple Street and we turned left onto Smithpool Road. We turned right onto Wheildon Road and we ran down the hill and picked up uncle Dave. under the railway line towards Stoke and we joined the A500. As we travelled Northwards up the A500 we saw silver minibus DG64 KUT, white minibus HT68 HHE, an unidentifled blue minibus and an unidentifled Moffat & Williamson coach. The A500 was quite bus as far as Longport and afterwards it eased off a little. We ran into Cheshire and we joined the Northbound M6 at junction 16. As we went up the M6 we saw silver minibus DN08 GOC, an unidentifled Parks of Hamilton coach, an unidentifled A2B Travel minicoach, an unidentifled Atlantic Travel coach and City Centre Central KE64 HFG. We ran up to Junction 19 and we got onto the Eastbound A556. We continued for a few miles and we ran forwards onto the M56. As we travelled Eastwards we saw an unidentified coach on National Express(#328). We took the junction to go onto the The anti-clockwise M60 and we circled around Manchester. We ran through Stockport and we passed an unidentified coach on National Express 540. When we got to the right junction we left the M60 and got onto the Eastbound A576. We ran the last couple of miles into middle and at the roundabout we ran forwards onto Limetrees Road. We entered the car park and we parked up. After visiting the toilet in the shopping centre we went outside to a newish cafe called Sub Station. Matthew had a breakfast washed down with a can of Coke. Once we had finished we said goodbye to mum and we walked over to the bus station. We saw Stagecoach Manchester 10850 on a #112 to Manchester. We went into the bus station and we looked for bus to catch. On layover was dud Go North West 6204. As we thought about where we could go we saw Go North West 3101 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 Transdev Rosso 733. 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 37460 on a #6 to Kirkholt. We got onto the bus and we flashed the System One tickets to the driver before we went upstairs and we sat down. 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 and 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 1232 on a R7 to Castleton. As it got closer we saw it was First Potteries 69539 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 and we turned left onto Oldham Road. We turned left onto Milnrow Road and 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 37459 on a #409 to Ashton. We got onto the bus and we flashed the System One tickets to the driver before we went upstairs and we sat down. The bus set off out of the interchange. We went down River Street and onto Water Street. We turned left onto the A6223 and we saw First Manchester 33747 on a #409 to Rochdale. We turned left onto Oldham Road and we continued into Balderstone. We continued Westwards along the A671 under the M62 and into Royton and we saw an unidentified Jacko's Travel midicoach. 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 37461 on layover. The plan now was to head up back to the other half of the bus station and we saw First Manchester 33831 on a #83 to Manchester. As we were about to enter the bus station to go to the newsagents we saw required First Manchester 33682 on a #409 to Ashton. We decided to abandon the plan to go to the newsagent and catch the required First double decker. We got on the bus and we flashed the System One bus ticket to the driver before we went upstairs and we sat down. The bus set off out of the bus station and down the hill before turning left. We crossed Oldham way and we went South Down the A627. We continued Hathershaw and Into Fitton Hill. We ran up the hill and into Bardsley. We ran forwards onto Waterloo and we ran down the hill into Ashton. We turned left onto the bus station where we got up and got off the bus. We waited for a bus towards Hyde. A short time later we saw Stagecoach Manchester 19352 on a #237 to Glossop. We walked into the bus station and Matthew used the toilet. We stood by the #330 stop and we watched buses coming and going from the bus station. On stand we saw Stagecoach Manchester 12126 on a #219 to Manchester. We looked up the time of the next #330 bus up to Hyde. A few minutes later we saw Arriva Midlands 12197 on a #330 to Stockport. We got on the bus and we flashed the System One day tickets to the driver for the final time today before we went upstairs and we sat down near to the back of the bus. We set off out of the bus station and onto the A6043. We turned left onto the A627 and we through Dukinfield and we ran into Hyde. We turned left onto Bank Street and we entered the bus station from the East end. Web got up an got of the bus and we saw Stagecoach Manchester 36422 on a #346 to Ashton. Once off the bus Matthew decided he wanted the toilet. The bus station toilet were closed so we went for a walk to look for somewhere for Matthew to go. We ran up Clarendon Street and we spotted a pub on the corner. We went in the pub and Matthew went to the toilet. After using the toilet Matthew had a glass of Coke. After we finished the drink we went outside and met up with uncle Dave. We walked back down Clarendon Street and mum was waiting for us in the car near to the old entrance to the railway station. Mum was waiting with a sausage roll and a can of Irn Bru. We set off along Clarendon Street and we turned right onto the A57. We turned right onto Clark Way and we ran to the end. We turned left onto the B6170 and we turned left onto A627. A few hundred yards up the road we pulled into a parking area and we stopped to pick up chips. Once we had the chips we continued on our journey. Matthew had sausage chips and gravy on a tray. We rejoined the A627 and we turned right onto the B6170. We turned left onto the M67 and we turned left onto the clockwise M60. We ran forwards onto the M56 and as we travelled Westwards. We ran forwards onto the A556 and we continued forwards as far as the M6. We joined the Southbound M6 and as we travelled down we saw Gwyn Jones YN06 NZX. We came off the M6 at junction 16 and we joined the Southbound A500. Seen on the A500 were taxi minibus SF11 MVO, white minibus BX60 ELH. We ran through Longport and Etruria and into Stoke. We came off the A500 and we ran through Shelton and Stoke. We came off the A500 and we turned left onto City Road. We ran up the hill into Fenton and we turned right onto Smithpool Road, We turned left onto Temple Street and back to the residential unit. Matthew went upstairs and went up to his room. 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.