Trip to Ellesmere Port & Chester 02-01-2010

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
2435	Ellesmere Port BS	Chester BS	401	Arriva NW&W
50025	Chester BS	Plas Newton Lane	51	First Potteries
50025	Plas Newton Lane	Chester BS	51	First Potteries

Matthew started the Christmas holidays with Flu, and was in bed for most of the first week. After the Christmas itself, I was working and the weather was awful, so we were only able to take Matthew to some nearby shop where he took a few bus pictures. In order to make sure Matthew got at least one good trip out, mum arrange to have the weekly shop delivered between 18:00 - 20:00, which should give us plenty of time to take Matthew to Ellesmere port & Chester.

Setting off at around 12, the sky was a little bit dark, although the forecast for the Chester area was suppose to sunshine and snow showers. By the time we got onto the M6 it was black skies, heavy snow and poor visibility due to spray! Having fought our way through the storm, it was sunny by the time we reached Ellesmere. Even though it was sunny, the wet floors and the only just above freezing temperatures made dining al fresco at the Grace Arms a non starter today. Instead we opted for the Cafe on the high street, which we have been once before. Matthew chose a brunch (Breakfast and chips) with extra hash browns...



Brunch... (Matthew)

Matthew also checked out the toilets at the cafe, as he often does and found a different sink that he had not seen before.



Fordham Sink... (Matthew)

After dinner we drove to Asda, so mum could go shopping, and Matthew could go to the bus station. We spent about 3/4 here in the cold awaiting a 401 to Chester, in which time Matthew took a few bus pictures. During this time we saw a doudle decker on a #401, but it was heading in the opposite direction...:-(



Arriva North West & Wales 3308 on a Liverpool bound #401. (Matthew)

Eventually 2435 turned up on #401 ,a little more crowded than usual, probably because it was late!



2435 at Chester on the #401 back to Liverpool (Mark)

Once we got to Chester at around 15:00 Matthew stood in his usual spot and took pictures. The highlights of this trip were GHA bus N9_GHA, and GHA bus Dennis dart M166 XMA



N9 GHA on the #82 at Chester bus station. (Mark)



M166 XMA on the #H4 at Chester bus station. (Mark)

Mum got to Chester at around 16:00, and the plan was to let Matthew choose a bus to catch and I was going to pick them up from a convenient point. Having just missed being able to catch M166 XMA, Matthew chose to catch First PMT bus 50025. the bus was displaying Kingsway on the roller blind and had a Plas Newton board in the front window. Assuming it was a #53 Kingsway, I had told mum to take him to Gorse Stacks where I would pick them up. Unfortunately after I had left them they found out that the bus was a #51 Plas Newton, which did not stop at gorse Stacks! Mum decide to do the full circuit, and I said I would get the lottery and met them back at the bus station...



50025 on the #51 Plas Newton at Chester bus station. (Mark)

Matthew and mum got back just before 17:00 and we set off home via a petrol station. Back on the M6 we encountered heavy traffic due to an accident! We eventually got back home at 18:50 to find out that Asda had tried to deliver the shopping at 18:35...Drat!

Trip to Ellesmere Port & Chester 31-10-2009

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
2446	Ellesmere Port BS	Chester BS	401	Arriva NW&W
50046	Chester BS	Plas Newton Lane	51	First Potteries
50044	Kingsway	Chester BS	53	First Potteries

As a treat for good behaviour, Matthew was asked where he wanted to go, and he chose Chester. We started off by heading to Ellesmere Port, where we went to the Grace Arms for dinner. This allowed Matthew to have something to eat before we got started, and he could photograph some buses too. We spent around an hour here eating, purchasing packs of pipers crisps to take home and taking photographs.


65740 on a Liverpool bound #1, outsaide the Grace Arms

After dinner, we drove into Ellesmere Port town centre and headed to the bus station. We made a decision on which bus to catch into Chester and after nearly catching the #4 GHA service, we chose to #401 Liverpool - Chester. Arriva NW&W 2446 promptly arrived and we did this to Chester, where Matthew had around an hour to take photo's in and around the bus station.


2446 at Ellesmere Port on the Arriva #401 to Chester.


30060 at Chester BS working a #2 Chester-Blacon via Saxon Way

After mum had arrived from Ellesmere Port by car, we decided to take Matthew on a quick out and back trip. Last time we had been to Chester, we had done the #53 to Kingsway. Whilst waiting for the next bus back, we had spotted a #51 disappear round by the shops. I had assumed that these routes were very close together at this point in the road, so you could catch a #51 up and a #53 back, or vice versa. It turns out that last time the bus had been diverted due to roadworks! having already got on a #51 we asked to go to the point where the bus passed the closest to Kingsway. Not really knowing where we were going, we asked the driver to let us know where we had to get off. We got off on Plas Newton Lane, and he told us to head down Queensway, and Kingsway was at the end. It took us a few minute, but we eventually ended up in familiar teritory...


50046 in Plas Newton Lane on a service #51 to Chester.

A short 10 minute wait and the #53 Chester service appeared, after we watched it go the other way


50044 in Kingsway on a #53 to Chester.

(Mark)