Trip to Ellesmere Port / Chester 10-12-2011

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
2438	Ellesmere Port BS	Chester BS	401	Arriva NW&W
2342	Chester BS	Sealand, Western Avenue (NW-bound)	10	Arriva NW&W
2277	Blacon, Western Avenue (cnr)	Chester BS	10	Arriva NW&W
2298	Chester BS	Higher Shotton, Shotton B&Q (NW-bound)	X11	Arriva NW&W
689	Higher Shotton, Shotton B&Q (SE-bound)	Chester BS	10	Arriva NW&W

After a weekend away, Matthew was ready to go out again and for this trip he chose Chester. No research required for this trip we only have to pack our Chester timetables. We set off just before 12:00 stopping at Longport to top up with LPG. Despite heavy traffic on the M6, we got to Ellesmere port by 13:15. We went to eat in the market as usual put we could get a table. After waiting or over 5 minutes with no table looking like it was going to open up, we decided to eat elsewhere. We walked onto the main street and found a chip shop that had a couple of tables, called the Port chip shop or something similar. We ordered the food and as I was rushing backwards and forwards with trays of chip to the table the bag that was on my shoulder fell and swung onto my chips sausage peas and gravy! I cleaned the bag and then we ate our meals. As we ate we could see buses on the main road turn into towards the bus station. Heading into Chester in front of our bus was Arriva NW&W 2404 (dud). After we had finished eating and we had split up from mum, we headed to the bus station to take a few picture before going to Chester. GHA double decker DD05 was parked up and acting as the drivers mess today. After around 10 minutes our bus , which was the 14:17 to Chester approached. It was the same bus we had last time...2438!



Starting to become a mileage machine...Arriva NW&W 2438 o the #401 to Chester (Matt)

The bus was only half full and we had a unremarkable journey down to Chester. The bus was warm compared to the 5'C outside and was very welcome. When we got to the bus station Matthew photographed the inside of the empty bus.


Inside 2438 (Matt)

The first thing we noticed on arrival at Chester was a great big wheel that had been erected adjacent to the bus station. With light fading fast at this time of year, the plan was to catch a bus quite quickly. This also prevented us from freezing in the cold. 2258 was on a #10 which Matthew required, but it was a relatively new Dart. Rhyl allocated 2350 also made an appearance on an X11 which Matthew also turned down.


Rhyl's 2350 in front of Chester's wheel (Matt)

When the next #10 appeared it was 2342 which Matthew decided he wanted to catch. This was a refurbished V reg Dart which was also required. We did this bus which filled up quickly and was pretty much full as it left town. We decided to do this to the Welsh border so we could get back and possibly catch something else before it went dark. It was the first time we had bailed here and as we got off Matthew was able to get a picture of our bus just inside Wales.


2342 just inside Wales (Matt)

It was quite difficult to cross the road here as it was really busy with Xmas shopper leaving Chester. We eventually crossed and Walk all the way back into England...All of 75 yards! We had around a 10 minute wait for a return bus, and the pavement was narrow. Matthew was bouncing with excitement as he waited for the return bus. In the distance we could see the bus on this very long straight stretch of road. We could see it had Alexander ALX style bodywork, something that we have not seen on a Chester allocated Arriva bus. As it closer we saw it was dud Dart 2277, a vehicle which we had traveled on earlier this year into Llandudno!


After the long walk back into England, Ex Welsh Dart 2277 approaches (Matt)

The bus was nearly empty as most inbound services are at this time of day. Once again Matthew photographed the empty bus at Chester.


Inside 2277 (Matt)

When we got back we saw Optare Solo 689 on a #10. It was unusual to see a smaller vehicle on this service and Matthew didn't fancy it. We also saw 2358 which Matthew required and he didn't fancy this either! As we waited for our next ride we saw that First Manchester's 61527 had been painted into Park & Ride colours presumably for extra cover.


Now in Park & Ride colours... First Manchester 61527 (Matt)

whilst we waited for 2358 to depart, I rushed of to Somerfield to get some lottery tickets. The next bus of interest to appear was Dart 2298 on the X11, which we decided to do. We crossed the bus station and got a picture before we boarded.


2298 about to do the X11 to Holywell (Matt)

The bus filled up and was full and standing as we left town. as we boarded GHA's Aleander bodied bus SB27 was seen on the X20 to Winsford. We decided to do this bus just past Queensferry and just before Shotton, so as to give us a choice of service back to Chester. We got off at the stop know as Higher 'Shotton, B&Q' even though the B&Q is no longer there. by now it was properly dark and so we weren't able to get good pictures of moving buses. We decided to do the next bus regardless as it was getting quite cold now. The Next bus turned out to be the Solo we'd seen earlier 689. It was nearly empty. Matthew got on and honked the horn....Beep. I don't know why but he likes to do this on Solo's, and sometimes it get him into trouble! Matthew got a picture of the inside of this bus as we arrived in Chester.


Inside 689 (Matt)

As we got off the bus, with the aid of street furniture and his camera timer, he was able to get a picture of the outside of 689 too...


Arriva 689 in Chester bus station...unusual on a #10... (Matt)

As we were about to leave we saw 7553. It was then back to the car for sausage rolls before setting off home around 17:20. The journey home was non-stop and we pulled up outside the house around 18:20. Not a bad day considering the cold weather and the time of year. 3 out of 5 buses were new for Matthew...Mark

Trip to Ellesmere Port / Chester 15-10-2011

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
2438	Ellesmere Port BS	Chester BS	401	Arriva NW&W
2361	Chester BS	Garden City, Sealand School (SW-bound)	10	Arriva NW&W
2356	Garden City, Sealand School (SW-bound)	Wepre, Wepre War Memorial (NW-bound)	10	Arriva NW&W
2301	Wepre, Wepre War Memorial (SE-bound)	Chester BS	10	Arriva NW&W

Today we had decided to go to Chester. Preparation was to pick up the handful of timetable and put them in the bag! It was a really nice day for October and very warm. we set off a little before 12:00 and picked up uncle Dave on the way. Traffic was virtually non existent and we arrived in Ellesmere Port a fraction after 13:00. We had dinner in the market food court and then had a quick toilet stop. By the time we got to the bus station there was only about 5 minutes to wait for the 13:57 to Chester so Matthew didn't get many pictures here. After a short wait required 2438 appeared on the #401 to Chester.


Arriva NW&W 2438 on a #401 Liverpool - Chester service seen approaching Ellesmere Port bus station (Matt)

Matthew got his picture and we had a brisk walk to stop to get on. The journey was quite pleasant in the sun and we passed ALX300 DAF 2411 on an opposite working. As we approached Chester we saw school bus 60035 parked up at the front of the First depot. As we got off Matthew got his customary empty bus shot.


Inside 2438 (Matt)

We then had around 20 minutes or so in Chester. Matthew got a few more picture and I went to fetch Lotto tickets (turned out not to be winners again :-( ). Given the choice of 2361 on the #10 and 2349 on the X11, Matthew chose to do 2361. Either would have been a winner as they were both required. The bus wasn't as full as it has been the last few times we've caught this service and this made for a pleasant journey. I didn't notice, but instead of just drawing forward and taking the tight turn to leave the bus station, we reversed out, and then went round the back of the X11 stop so the turn wasn't so tight. Perhaps there was a problem with the steering on this bus. When we were traveling through the Garden City area. We noticed there was a bus in front stopped with it's hazard lights on. We thought that maybe it had broken down. We then stopped behind it and the driver asked us all to 'please get on the bus in front'. There must have been a fault on our bus. as we transferred, Matthew got a picture of 2361.


Arriva NW&W 2361 in Garden City as we swapped between buses (Matt)

We boarded the new bus, 2356 which was also required! Traveling through the Queensferry area we passed 7550 on an opposite working. We alighted by the Wepre war memorial and Matthew got a picture of 2356.


Arriva NW&W 2356 by the Wepre war memorial (Matt)

We crossed the road and waited for a return service. at 15:19 the electronic display said the next bus was 15:35 for a #12, but there was a #10 due at 15:24. A few minute later Ex Wrexham 2301 appeared and this was also required!


Arriva NW&W 2301 opposite the Wepre war memorial (Matt)

The journey back was noisy as there were a lot of teenagers on the bus. A few minutes later we arrived back in Chester bus station and Matthew got a picture of the 'Smartie' interior of 2301.


Inside 2301 (Matt)

We then had around 30 minutes in the bus station taking picture. Surprisingly, we did not see a single double decker bus in Chester apart from the sightseeing tours open toppers. Have 30069 and 30077 been withdrawn? First did seem to be a full complement of the Marshall Darts out, and also plenty of Solo's. What did take us by surprise was the addition to the fleet of ex Tameside Solo 40311 which we happened to get a photograph of by chance...


New to Chester 40311 (Matt)

Mum then drove into the Market car park for free parking (after 15:00). when she appeared she went to get sausage rolls from Greggs near the market and we took a few more pictures. When mum returned we set off back to the car, making sure we got the shot of our first sighting of a D&G bus in Chester on the relatively new #81 Winsford - Chester service.


First sighting of a D&G bus in Chester... D&G 40 on the #81 Winsford (Matt)

Returning home we tried to pick up Radio Stoke to listen to the match. The car had been int the garage for some work and all the presets had been lost. As the signal is always weak at Chester we were unable to get radio Stoke until we were on the outskirts of Warrington. We tuned in to find stoke 1-0 up and that was soon to be 2-0. Not a bad result against Fulham. We returned home via Longport to pick up LPG and Petrol. As we went south on the A500 we passed quite a few coaches heading North from Stoke's ground. At the A500/A519 junction we were trailing a Kings ferry coach which was probably the Fulham team coach. We reached home around 17:30 from another successful days bus photographing and bashing trip...Mark

Trip to Birkenhead & Liverpool 17-04-2011

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
4400	Birkenhead BS	St John's Garden, Liverpool	437	Arriva North West & Wales
4407	Victoria Street, Liverpool	Birkenhead BS	437	Arriva North West & Wales
2439	Birkenhead BS	King Street,St Brides Street	411	Arriva North West & Wales
2439	King Street,St Brides Street	Birkenhead BS	411	Arriva North West & Wales

Having had a week in respite, we promised to take Matthew to Birkenhead. We all slept in relatively late, so we did not set off today until 12:30. Picking Uncle Dave up on the way, we arrived in Birkenhead just before 14:00. First things first we had to eat. We went to Platters situated near the bus station. For 2 breakfasts and 2 sandwiches and drinks it came to around £17. Matthew, obsessed with shops and banks spotted a Yorkshire Bank branch with a nice cash machine, so he decided to take a picture.


Yorkshire Bank cash machine in Birkenhead (Matt)

After food we went to the bus station to see what was working. We asked Matthew if he wanted to go to Liverpool or New Brighton and surprisingly he chose Liverpool. This was his first visit to Liverpool and his first time through the tunnel. We hadn't done any research for this trip so i went to stand 7 to check Sunday service frequencies. Having just seen 2 or 3 different Arriva buses go to Liverpool, it wasn't surprising to see one service had 15 minute frequency to Liverpool so we decided to do the 437. he took a few pictures and we only had to wait about 10 minutes for the next 437, A short trip through the tunnel and we were in Liverpool. The bus stopped adjacent to St. John's Gardens and quite a few people stopped on. We stopped on because we thought we hadn't reached the end, and the others stopped on because we had! Eventually the driver shouted us down, and we inquired as to where to catch the return.


4400 in St John's Garden, Liverpool (Matt)

At first in Liverpool we went to the bottom of St Johns garden and sat on a white concrete podium, but 90% of the buses that went past were on the other side of a very wide road and obscured by a railing. After a few minutes we crossed the road and then installed ourselves in the triangle at the end of Victoria street. This wasn't too bad and we were able to get some pictures that weren't too bad. This part of Liverpool is quite difficult to get good bus pictures in sunny weather!


selwyns SEL 853 in Liverpool (Matt)

Eventually we crossed the road and sat near the bus stop on Victoria Street. The sun makes it very difficult to get a good picture here at this time of day. Eventuelly our ride back under the river appeared... Enviro 400 4407


4407 in Victoria Street, Liverpool (Matt)

A short trip back under the river and we were back in Birkenhead. We made a decision that we were going to go to New Bighton as we had seen a 'goldfish bowl' heading towards Clatterbridge and Matthew had indicated he wanted to ride on it. We had just missed the 36 past New Brighton and the next one was 57 past. Whilst waiting Matthew took several pictures. 60071 was on a #42 Mill Park service.


60071 in Birkenhead bus station. (Matt)

Matthew also saw this cadet he quite fancied but we didn't know anything about service 293.


2438 in Birkenhead bus station on a service #293. (Matt)

as went past on there near side new past an the far side heading towards Woodside. We guessed that this would be the next new Brighton service. We waited patiently and Matthew took more pictures. 60115 was on a #42 Woodchurch.


60115 in Birkenhead bus station. (Matt)

Eventually 2439 did turn up on the 411 New Brighton service


2439 in Birkenhead bus station. (Matt)

At this point mum called up saying she had finished shopping and was now waiting in the car. as we had just set off i said i would get off somewhere convenient and catch the next service back. unfortunately we passed another bus near Seacombe Ferry. we thought we would go 10 minutes further and then get off and cross the road and wait for a bus back. As we got off Matthew too another picture of this fine beast.


2439 on a New Brighton bound service 411 (Matt)

We crossed the road and the next bus back was a 423 Seacombe Ferry bus. As we did not know the route or timing we had to let it go. Matthew did get a picture of it as it passed and it was VDL bus 3005.


3005 on a Seacombe bound service 423 (Matt)

We weren't sure if the 411 back would be the same bus or a different one. When the bus did turn up it was the same! We walked back up to the bus station, met with mum and went back to the car for sausage rolls. We Filled up with LPG in Longport. We were back home before it went dark...Mark