Trip to Macclesfield 30-06-2012

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
2239	Macclesfield BS	Wilmslow, Styal Road (cnr)	130	Arriva NW&W
2243	Wilmslow, opp Styal Road	Macclesfield BS	130	Arriva NW&W
861	Macclesfield BS	Bollington, adj Turners Arms PH	10	Arriva NW&W
861	Bollington, adj Turners Arms PH	Macclesfield, opp Lord Street Alighting Only	10	Arriva NW&W

Today we decided it would be a relatively short trip again with Warrington and Chester being offered to him and Matthew chose Macclesfield. In respite from 07:00. He saw Wardle Transport 1454. Heron Cross is his favourite place in the whole world and he would prefer to live there rather than live at home good morning. I feel quite upset that he feels this way after all I have done to try and make him happy Birthday. Matthew was eating toast and drinking orange juice. He got up just after 10:00 and spent a couple of hours chilling before we set off. The weather was overcast with rain due for most of the afternoon in Macclesfield. Setting off around 12:00 we made it to the snack van at the north end of the A500 before 12:30, the time at which it usually packs up on a Saturday. We purchased 4 sausage/bacon sandwiches and 3 can for just over £10. We set off just before 13:00 and we saw the motorway was at a stand, so I diverted onto the Radway Green road. We then went to the edge of Crewe, turning towards Haslington and joining the route to Sandbach. We joined back onto the M6 at the next junction North. The motorway was slow here too and we decided to head to Macclesfield along the A54. The route was passed Jodrell Bank and then through Holmes Chappel. In Macclesfield we missed the car park we wanted to go into so we did a lap of town. In the end we parked on Park Green next to the toilets. As we arrived the heavens opened and there was a heavy shower for around 10 minutes. We visited the toilet and then got back in the car for a few minutes whilst the rain died down. We saw 2239 arrive from Manchester, and so we knew that this was going to be the 14:35 departure out. This bus was dud, being the only Manchester area Dart that we had previously done in Macclesfield. We also saw the bus go empty out of service, presumably to park up out of the bus station for a short while. When the rain slowed down and it started to brighten up we headed into the bus station. As we walked up the hill Arriva NW&W 4489 went passed on the #38 to Crewe. We got to the bus station just in time to see Clowes Coaches T459 JRH on the Leek service just before it left.

Clowes Coaches T459 JRH in Macclesfield bus station

We then had a 20 minute wait before 2239 was due to depart. We saw bakerbus 218 on a #391 service. We also saw a few of the Arriva MPD's such as 856,857,861,869 and 882. Around 14:30 we walked down to the stand after 2239 came back in to the bus station. Once again mum was going with us as I'm still not feeling 100%. We booked the arriva day savers and sat down. The original plan was to go to Monks Heath crossroads, where we know there are bus shelters (essential in this poor weather...). As we headed out past broken cross and along the A536, we passed an Arriva bus, which must have been the #130 we were going for. I checked the timetable on my phone only to find that the timings had changed since we last did this move and the buses pass much closer to Macclesfield! We had to quickly formulate a plan, because if we got off at the stop we originally intended to we would have been waiting for nearly an hour! A quick look at the timetable indicated the buses past each other North of Wilmslow and South of Handforth. So off we went into the unknown! North of Astra Zenica we hit the Edge... Alderley Edge that is. It was certainly an eye opener seeing the shops and people of this town from the bus. It was a tiny glimpse of seeing how the other half live. As we went through town we saw a Co-op next to a Waitrose by the railway station. A couple of miles North of this we were in Wilmslow, another affluent town. We decided to get off just North of town where it would be a little quieter. Two or three stops North of the town was Manchester Road. As we got off Matthew got a picture of this bus.

Arriva NW&W 2239 in Wilmslow

The sun was shining for a change as we crossed the road to wait for the return service. At the stop there was no shelter but there was a bench. The bench was wet and so we wiped it off so Matthew and mum could sit down. Using the txt service 84268, we confirmed the next bus was due at 15:26. Pretty much bang on time, we saw the bus approaching in the distance. It was almost certainly going to be required, The Dennis Dart got closer and we could see it was required Arriva NW&W 2243.

Arriva NW&W 2243 in Wilmslow

On the bus we asked Matthew if he wanted to get off and cover the bus that we had missed, or to go all the way back to Macclesfield. Matthew chose to go all the way back on 2243. The journey back was fairly unremarkable other than passing 2244 going the other way. Back in the bus station Matthew got a picture of the now empty 2243.

Inside 2243

When we got back Matthew indicated that he wanted to visit the facilities so we walked back down the hill to Park Green whilst mum went to Greggs to pick up some sausage rolls for later. On the way out he spotted someone in the furniture shop which he wanted to say hello to and so he ran into the shop and left me behind. We then walked up the hill back to the bus station, with a quick stop in a newsagents for pop and lottery tickets. Back at the bus station we met up with mum again. It was decided that we only had time for a quick out and back trip on something. One possiblility which I thought we were going to do was required Arriva NW&W 856, as seen here from the side of the bus station.

Arriva NW&W 856 in Macclesfield bus station

At the last minute Matthew decided to do dud Arriva NW&W 861 on a #10 Bollington service. The round trip take just over 40 minutes so we decided to go all the way to the end and then back on this bus. On the way there we passed the other bus working #10's today. It was dud Arriva NW&W double decker 4042. At the end off the route he got up and took a picture of the bus.

Arriva NW&W 861 in Bollington

He also got a picture of the inside too.

Inside 861

We then headed back into town. A passenger got on who looked as if he'd been working in a house removing a ceiling. He had gotten so dirty that the driver only let him on the bus if he didn't sit down! Back in Macclesfield we got off a stop early so we didn't have as far to walk to the car. we got back to the car just before 17:00 and we headed out of town, going towards the A34 and then South through Congleton and Kidsgrove. In Chesterton Matthew decided he wanted to go through wolstanton. We then got onto the A500 at porthill and then headed onto the A50 at Sideway. He then requested that we went past the Z Carz depot, and so we got off at Longton so he could get a picture of the buses as we drove past. Seen at the depot were W344 WNS ,D104 XAN and W187 RRE.

A Z Carz line-up

We then headed home via Duke Street respite before getting back around teatime at 18:00 which was bangers and mash and cake for afters washed down with coke. He visited a house across the road too and went upstairs to the bedroom and then downstairs and ate cake and used their toilet before going to the table outside to drink sparkling orange crush. Today respite unit bath and toilet. He also had toast and orange juice before bedtime...Mark

Trip to Crewe and Sandbach 14-01-2012

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
3330	Crewe BS	Sandbach o/s Common	37	Arriva NW&W
4489	Sandbach o/s Common	Haslington opp Oakland Avenue	38	Arriva NW&W
3331	Haslington nr Oakland Avenue	Elworth nr railway station	37	Arriva NW&W
861	Elworth adj railway station	Sandbach o/s Common	37	Arriva NW&W

Today we had planned on going Crewe, but the intention was to catch a #85 from Hanley to Crewe. I had misread a post on the Staffordshire and Merseyside bus group saying that the D&G Crewe to Newcastle service was being extended to Hanley from the 13th January, when in fact it was down as changing on 13th February. By this time Matthew had got is heart set on going to Crewe anyway! Having been to both Crewe and Northwich Last year, we decided to cover buses on the Crewe to Sandbach corridor. Preperation for the trip consisted of printing out the 31,37 and 38 timetables plus a map of these 3 routes from the Arriva site. After a bit of a hiccup, we set off for Crewe around 12:45. Arriving around 13:30 we parked up in the car park on Delamere Street and walked over to the bus station. We saw a couple of #84's and the spare at Crewe and these were all Plaxton Centros. What has happened to the Winsord allocated Cadets? Also seen at this point were D&G 27 on a local service and D&G 172. Before we traveled, we decided to have dinner at Les's Fish Bar. We all ate and drank and it came to around £17. After a quick toilet stop we headed back to the bus station to see what was working. There were 2 different services to Northwich just after 14:00. There was a 14:01 #31A and a 14:17 #37. As we got to the bus station, recent arrival to Winford 3330 came in on the #37. We decided to do this as it was required, and it would be only the second of this type we have ridden on. The bus parked on stand and the driver went for a quick break. Whilst we waited, Matthew got a picture of this fine bus.

Arriva NW&W 3330 in Crewe bus station

As we left I looked up what possible bus we could do next. We were scheduled to pass an inbound #38 from Macclesfield. The plan was that if it was an old double decker that we could get off and wait for it by the railway station and then do it back towards Macclesfield. As it approached we could see it was one of the 3 brand new double deckers allocated to Winsford. We passed the bus and it was required 4491. As it was a new bus we decided to stick with the one that we were on and travel further North. I worked out that the next bus we would pass was a #37 a couple of minutes out of Sandbach. Behind that by 18 minutes would be the next #38 to Crewe. It was decided that we would go to Sandbach Common and if we passed a good bus coming from Northwich on the #37, we could catch the following #38 and intercept it just outside Crewe on it's return. As we approached the roundabouts in Sandbach we could see it was another Palatine II like the bus that we were on. It was required 3331 so we were definately getting off to catch it on it's return. As we pulled into the Common, Matthew got a picture of the top deck as we filed off the bus.

Inside 3330

Getting off the bus, We decided that we could get a better picture than the one we took at Crewe...

3330 at Sandbach Common

We now had a 18 minute wait. We decided to fill the time with a it of shopping. We walked over to the local McColl's shop and brought some pop, a chocolate bar and Lottery Tickets. After doing our shopping we walked back to the Commom. D&G 64 was seen on a Nantwich to Rode Heath Service.

D&G 64 at Sandbach Common

The next bus in was a #319. I didn't even know where a #319 went to let alone who operated it! It eventually turned up and it was a very smart looking GHA Solo...

GHA S280 AOX at Sandbach Common

We then had 5 minutes before the #38 to Crewe was due. I guessed it would be one of the new ADL Enviro 400's and I was not wrong. It was required 4489.

Arriva NW&W 4489 at Sandbach Common

We got on the bus and worked out how far we could go. The buses would pass somewhere between The railway station and the bus station at Crewe. With the road by the railway station being very busy and the next section of road being a dual carriageway, I decided to get of at the Crewe end of Haslington by Oakland Avenue. It's a stop that we have been before when I used to take Matthew out on my own but didn't want to take him into Crewe. We got off and we had about 15 minutes to wait for the return bus. It wasn't too bad in the cold but very sunny afternoon. There should have been a #20 to Hanley First, so we stood on the green so we could get a better picture of it when it turned up. The # 20 was due at 15:22 and the #37 due at 15:26. Whilst we waited we saw 2 #20's head into Crewe. First was Potteries 60081 and this was followed 5 minuets later by Potteries 60196 which took a bizarre right turn down Primrose Avenue! Eventually our bus turned up a few minute late with a First bus right behind it.

Arriva NW&W 3331 in Haslington

We got on the bus and it was 3331 as was expected. It was quite full which explained the delay as it must of taken a while to load up at Crewe. We now had to decide where to catch the bus to and where we were going to meet up with mum. I decided that if we did the bus up to Sandbach Railway station, we could ride back to Sandbach on the shorter #37 Northwich to Sandbach service. That would take us to 4 buses for the day, and would be a good place to finish. I tried to call mum as we went through Haslington and Wheelock, but the signal was poor. She eventually called Uncle Dave back and we arranged to meet back at the Commom. We passed the next #37 and this was a Plaxton Centro so of no interest at this point in time. I had misread the timetable and I thought we were going for a dead time at Sandbach Station. We got off the bus at 15:52 and Matthew took a quick picture before we crossed the road.

3331 by Sandbach Station

We quickly crossed and headed to the stop. I check on the stop timetable and the bus wasn't due until 16:01. At this point we didn't know what was going to show up. Winsford has an allocation of around 50 buses and we have been on very few from this depot despite it being our closest Arriva NW&W depot. We thought it Could be a double decker, a Marshall bodied Dart or even a Plaxton Centro. The bus tuned the corner and we could see it was a Plaxton bodied Dart. As it got closer we could see it was dud 861 which we had travelled on on our last trip to Northwich. The bus was empty and Matthew took a picture as we boarded.

Inside Arriva NW&W 861

I think this bus must have swapped ready for the evening service. As it seemed to be a small vehicle for this service. about 5 minutes later we arrived back at the Common. direction and she just happened be on the Common. We got off and were able to get a good picture here.

861 at Sandbach Common

Mum had tried to follow the directions for Sandbach Common on her GPS but it wasn't there. She stopped to call us for directions and she just happened to have stopped on the Common next to 4489 on the #38 to Macclesfield. She could even hear us in the background. We walked over to the car and headed home. I drove NW to the M6 and then we traveled down to the A500. We listened to the Stoke match (away to Liverpool )as we traveled home and it was 0-0 still. We stopped at Longport for LPG and then drove home. We arrived home just before 17:00 and the result stayed at 0-0... Mark.

Trip to Northwich 17-12-2011

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
865	Northwich Interchange	Northwich, Iron Bridge (SW-bound)	1	Arriva NW&W
861	Northwich, Iron Bridge (NE-bound)	Northwich Interchange	1	Arriva NW&W
3360	Northwich Interchange	Wharton, nr Wharton Gardens	37	Arriva NW&W
3329	Wharton, opp Wharton Gardens	Northwich Interchange	31A	Arriva NW&W
7644	Northwich Interchange	Davenham, opp Prospect Drive	37	Arriva NW&W
2619	Davenham, Green Lane (cnr)	Northwich Interchange	31A	Arriva NW&W

Christmas is approaching and with it all the potential problems of overcrowding on the buses. As such we decided to go to somewhere a little quieter this week. Matthew chose Northwich from the list of destination we gave to him, and this was good because it also closer than many of the other places we go to. Short journey time are important at this time of year with it going dark before 16:00. There had also been a small snowfall the day before with about an inch of snow falling in Stoke on Trent. Research consisted of going to the Cheshire and Chester west council site and download and printing some Arriva, GHA and Network Warrington timetables and also printing a section of the local area bus route map. We set of a little later than usual at 12:15 and there was heavy traffic on the A500 and M6. For some reason I didn't look up the route and decided to go down the A54 instead of the A556. This route to Northwich took us through Middlewich, and as we passed by the town we spotted a large food van at the side of the road opposite the local garden center. We had already decided that today we would stop on the way to Northwich for something to eat instead of visiting a cafe in town, mainly because we had struggled to get a seat in a cafe when we visited in October and we though it would be even worse today. The food van called The Country Kitchen was on a small car park and after we did another circle of the one way system to get back to i we parked up on the car park. We had a sausage bap, bacon bap and a bacon and egg back plus 2 teas and it all came just over £9. at least the mistake on the route meant that we got to eat as planned. After we had finished our food we headed North towards Winsford, which we skirted around the edge of and then we continued into town. This time we parked a little closer to town than last time in a car park behind the local fish and chip restaurant. We arrived a fraction before 14:00. When we got there there wasn't much about bus wise. There was a #1 service sitting on stand which was required Arriva NW&W 865 and Matthew got a picture of it.


Arriva NW&W 865 in Northwich Interchange (Matt)

We looked up the time of the next GHA bus towards Chester. On a Saturday, the next bus was 14:40 so we would have had a long wait in the cold. We decided to do a filler move on the #1 and then to try and pick up the GHA bus on the way in. 865 had already been standing next to for a few minutes so we jumped on the bus and booked Arriva day rovers. By the time we left the service was reasonable full for the mile or so trip Westwards out of town. We decided to get off near Greenbank Raiway station as we knew the 82 passed by there from our last trip to Northwich. After about around a 5 minute journey, we alighted just after the station.


865 by the Iron Bridge stop (Matt)

When we crossed the road we realised that we hadn't passed the inbound service which was slightly overdue. As it was very cold we decided that if the Arriva bus turned up first we would catch it...Afterall we had already got a ticket. After a couple of minutes, a very full looking 861 appeared and Matthew got a picture!


Close up of 861 (Matt)

2 out of the 3 of us did manage to get a seat, but the bus was quite full of shopper going to pick up thing for Christmas. When we arrived Matthew waited for the bus to empty so he could get a picture inside. As we waited we saw a double decker appear on stand behind us.


Inside 861 (Matt)

Picture taken we went down to see where the double decker was going. It was on a #37 to Crewe, so we decided to do it to Winsford. We got a quick picture and then boarded to bus.


3360 about to work the #37 to Crewe (Matt)

On board the bus, we went upstairs to a virtually empty top deck. We checked Matthew's list and we saw that he had traveled on this bus before. Matthew was able to get a shot of the empty top deck behind our seats.


More smarties...Top deck of 3360 (Matt)

We had booked to Winsford, and we had not got a timetable for this service so we didn't know where we would meet the return service. Looking at the map it could be seen that various 31 and 37 services took different routes through the villages South of Northwich. We wanted to get off just outside Winsford where it was a residential area, and hopefully somewhere where all the service ran through. We got off on Wharton Road and then crossed the road to return to Northwich. Looking at the timetable on the stop it appeared that we had succeeded, as there were buses every 10 minutes. The next bus was a #31A at Wardle Transport minibus 1451. It appeared around the corner and it seem to be a Palatine II. Which as far as we knew there weren't any in the area. As it got closer we could see that it was definitely a Palatine II. The bus approached and we could see it was required 3329.


Nice surprise...3329 on a Northwich bound #31A service (Matt)

We did this very nice bus back to Northwich, and when we arrived back Matthew hotographed to now empty top deck of the bus.


Inside 3329 (Matt)

Back at Northwich there was another interesting bus which Matthew had not been on before. It was Marshall bodied Dart 7644. Matthew got a picture of this and we decided to do this to the edge of town.


7644 about to work a #37 (Matt)

On the bus, Matthew photographed the back which was still empty at this point.


Inside 7644 (Matt)

The bus filled up quite well and we departed towards Crewe. The bus seemed to go on a different route than we remember and the bus traveled a short distance along the A556. as the bus turned back towards Winsford we decided to get off. Matthew got another picture of this fine beast.


7644 in the middle of nowhere! (Matt)

Looking at the bus stop we could see that buses here were every half an hour and only towards Sandbach. We decided to walk forward as on the map this loop that is served by the #37 met up with the #31 in Davenham. We walked until we reached a main road and then asked a local where the stop for Northwich was. The stop was about 50yds away from where we were. On getting there we saw there was a bus back in less than 10 minutes. Matthew had indicated to us that he wanted to go to the toilet whilst there but with the bus imminent we decide to head back into town. I texted mum to see if she could locate a toilet for us so we could head straight there as soon as we got off. The bus soon appeared and it was a Plaxton Centro. Matthew had only been on one of these before so we realised that there would be a good chance of it being required. As it approached we saw it was 2619.


2619 in Davenham (Matt)

On the bus we looked up on his list to find that 2619 was the one of these type he had had before. Mum texted back with the location of the toilet which happened to be right next to the bus stops. When we got off we went straight to the faclilties. on the way back to the car matthew got another picture of 2619 in the fading light.


2619 on arrival at Northwich (Matt)

Back at the car we had sausage rolls and drinks. We turned the radio on to hear Stoke were drawing 1-1 at Wolves. We set off home this time along the A559 towards the A556. Crouch bundled in a goal to give Stoke a late winner, making it a record breaking 4 consecutive wins in the Premiership. As it was a low mileage trip we went straight down the M6 to Hanford, not getting LPG on this occasion. We were back home for around1 17:20...Mark