Arriva Speke Hall shuttle

[northwichcat]

Does anyone know if the Arriva shuttle between South Parkway and Speke Hall has a route number or specific departure stand at South Parkway?

The Merseytravel leaflet doesn't seem to mention either which doesn't help in finding the bus at South Parkway.
http://www.merseytravel.gov.uk/pdf/...e (from 06 April until 09 September 2012).pdf

Interesting that the fare is a lot less than for the South Parkway to Airport shuttle of almost the same distance also run by Arriva!

 

[northwichcat]

Found out today that the service departs South Parkway stand 5 and it's operated by a Solo SR that simply says "SPEKE" on the front.

Although, the route shuts down for the winter after tomorrow so this may change before next year.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

My wife and I are members of the National Trust and have visited Speke Hall many times, but always by car for purposes of convenience, as the journey from our area in Cheshire East would be rather subject to certain changes en route to make this journey by public transport with the associated time delay in both directions.

I have looked at the 2012 National Trust Handbook, which gives travel information for all of their properties and for Speke Hall, the entry on page 286 states:-

Train. Liverpool South Parkway..2 miles.

Bus. Services to Liverpool Airport and to Liverpool Lime Street. All within 1 mile of entrance (then 1/2 mile to entrance). Additional service planned, telephone for details.

--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I would warn forum members using public transport to access certain National Trust properties that there can be exceedingly long driveways from the nearest road access point. Lyme Park in Cheshire and Erddig in North Wales are two notable examples of this. Always check out this information in advance by telephoning each property, if you are unsure of the actual distance involved, especially with children and elderly people involved.

 

[Stonesourscotty]

This Service is Operated by St Helens depot and can have anything from Welsh Plate Solos to MX12 New Solo SR's it has also had Cadets on the route every now and again.

 

[northwichcat]

I would warn forum members using public transport to access certain National Trust properties that there can be exceedingly long driveways from the nearest road access point. Lyme Park in Cheshire and Erddig in North Wales are two notable examples of this. Always check out this information in advance by telephoning each property, if you are unsure of the actual distance involved, especially with children and elderly people involved.

Tatton Park is another. The Knutsford entrance isn't that fare from Knutsford station but it's a long walk to the mansion and gardens. There used to be a Sundays and Bank Holidays only summer bus that did 3 journeys in each direction to the mansion but it was withdrawn. The only time there is a bus now is when the RHS run one for people to get to and from the flower show.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Tatton Park is another. The Knutsford entrance isn't that fare from Knutsford station but it's a long walk to the mansion and gardens. There used to be a Sundays and Bank Holidays only summer bus that did 3 journeys in each direction to the mansion but it was withdrawn. The only time there is a bus now is when the RHS run one for people to get to and from the flower show.

Did there not used to be a bus service that passed through Rostherne village to enable that particular entrance to Tatton Park to be used? Perhaps my memory plays me false here, but I have a feeling that it left Altrincham many years ago with a service number with a "letter" prefixing a number.

 

[jopsuk]

Interesting that the fare is a lot less than for the South Parkway to Airport shuttle of almost the same distance also run by Arriva!

The airport may charge Arriva for access; the National Trust may subsidise the bus? That, or simple demand based pricing?

 

[northwichcat]

Did there not used to be a bus service that passed through Rostherne village to enable that particular entrance to Tatton Park to be used? Perhaps my memory plays me false here, but I have a feeling that it left Altrincham many years ago with a service number with a "letter" prefixing a number.

There used to be a Tuesday and Friday only Sandbach-Altrincham service that stopped at the Rostherne Gates for Tatton Park between Knutsford and Altrincham. There was only one return working on each of those days so it led to complaints from people in Rostherne that they couldn't use the bus to make a return trip to Knutsford on the same day.

Can't remember the service number but it was a Starline Travel route where the Tuesday operation got transferred to Bakerbus and the Friday to Roadliner. The latter using a 50 seater coach and complaining that hardly any passengers used the route when they withdrew from running the service.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

The airport may charge Arriva for access; the National Trust may subsidise the bus? That, or simple demand based pricing?

The 501 uses Arriva Merseyside's standard single fare price, so it's the same cost to do Liverpool Airport-Liverpool City Centre as to do Liverpool Airport-Liverpool South Parkway.

The Speke Hall shuttle uses a lower price than a standard single.

 

[Statto]

This Service is Operated by St Helens depot and can have anything from Welsh Plate Solos to MX12 New Solo SR's it has also had Cadets on the route every now and again.

More likely St Helens loan vehicles to Speke, as Speke drivers, drive the route, illogical for St Helens to operate the route considering the distance from SH depot considering allowing drivers time getting to the changeover spot, & Speke depot is near the route.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

There used to be a Tuesday and Friday only Sandbach-Altrincham service that stopped at the Rostherne Gates for Tatton Park between Knutsford and Altrincham....Can't remember the service number but it was a Starline Travel route where the Tuesday operation got transferred to Bakerbus and the Friday to Roadliner.

I have a feeling that the service number was the H50.

 

[northwichcat]

I have a feeling that the service number was the H50.

Googling that brought up this service:
http://holmeschapelpc.tripod.com/busH50.html

It mentions Whitegate Travel and 2003 so the route must have gone to Whitegate Travel before being withdrawn altogether.

 

[Stonesourscotty]

Statto your completely wrong SH drive the route and Bus the route there is a regular driver who posts on Dartslf that regularly works this so i can say this with some confidence.

 

[northwichcat]

The bus driver gets a 32 minute break at Speke Hall between 13:18 and 13:50 as well as a few shorter breaks so I imagine it's possible for one driver to take the bus all day. The route starts operation at 10:38 and finishes at 17:00.

Speke Hall-South Parkway with no intermediate stops isn't exactly a complicated route for a non-local driver to learn.