(26/02/2016 09:23)knutstransport Wrote: [ -> ]I'm pretty sure the 45/46/47 originated as council contracts for village services in the Northwich and Knutsford area which WBT decided to bid for (and won) after North Western started operating in Warrington with WBT deciding to run them as through services to/from Warrington.
There definitely used to be a 44 and I think there was a 43 too.
EDIT: The following is from Network Warrington's Wikipedia page (
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_Warrington ):
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Throughout the mid-late 2000s, Warrington Borough Transport made several cuts to their longer distance services in preperation for their eventual rebrand into Network Warrington. For example, in the summer of 2006 the 43 and 44 services to Northwich, via Acton Bridge and Little Legh respectively, were scrapped.[8] This was later followed by the 47 service to Northwich via Knutsford and High Legh, which was first shortened to Lower Peover and then stopped completely in November of the same year[9] (Network Warrington would later reinstate the High Legh - Warrigton section of this route at a reduced frequency of four services per week[10]). However this did lead to a streamlining of other routes, both long distance and in the town centre, which now had increased frequencies. The remaining 45 and 46 routes to Northwich were increased to a 2 hourly frequency[11] each during the day, with slight re-routing[12] to shorten journey times.[13] In 2015, as part of a timetable get dispute with a rival company, Network Warrington would cease to run a 45 service; increasing the 46 frequency to hourly and making it the only surviving route of their original 5 Northwich - Warrington services [14] (Slight route changes did take place so as Antrobus, Wincham and Lostock could still be served).
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(26/02/2016 11:21)Valandil Wrote: [ -> ]There definitely used to be a 44 and I think there was a 43 too.
Just going a Google it appears 43 was Acton Bridge to Northwich and 44 was Little Legh to Northwich.
There used to be some unusual bus routes. I recall a Tuesday and Friday only Sandbach-Congleton-Holmes Chapel-Knutsford-Tatton Park-Altrincham which had a variety of operators including Starline Travel, Bakers, Roadliner Travel and Whitegate Travel.
(26/02/2016 12:03)knutstransport Wrote: [ -> ]Just going a Google it appears 43 was Acton Bridge to Northwich and 44 was Little Legh to Northwich.
There used to be some unusual bus routes. I recall a Tuesday and Friday only Sandbach-Congleton-Holmes Chapel-Knutsford-Tatton Park-Altrincham which had a variety of operators including Starline Travel, Bakers, Roadliner Travel and Whitegate Travel.
I remember seeing that on VOSA; I think its service number started with an 'E'?
EDIT: There was an E36/7 from Northwich to Moulton and an E41 from Lower Peover to Greenbank, probably what I was thinking of.
(26/02/2016 12:06)Valandil Wrote: [ -> ]I remember seeing that on VOSA; I think its service number started with an 'E'?
EDIT: There was an E36/7 from Northwich to Moulton and an E41 from Lower Peover to Greenbank, probably what I was thinking of.
Was it the e69? That certainly ran part of the route as far as alderley edge when it was axed.
The Warrington - Northwich services were originally run by Crosville, then I remember around 1988 WBT taking over using ex-Eastbourne Atlanteans (still in previous operators livery) - I'm pretty certain the routes were 43-46 back then.
(26/02/2016 12:31)St Helens Rider Wrote: [ -> ]The Warrington - Northwich services were originally run by Crosville, then I remember around 1988 WBT taking over using ex-Eastbourne Atlanteans (still in previous operators livery) - I'm pretty certain the routes were 43-46 back then.
My husband recalls travelling on the Warrington/Northwich buses many times during the 60s and 70s when they were run by the North Western Road Car Co.
(26/02/2016 12:06)Valandil Wrote: [ -> ]I remember seeing that on VOSA; I think its service number started with an 'E'?
EDIT: There was an E36/7 from Northwich to Moulton and an E41 from Lower Peover to Greenbank, probably what I was thinking of.
It was H50 under Whitegate Travel. I think it might have had a different number previously. Interestingly it's still showing as active on VOSA as is 41 Lostock Green to Northwich!
(26/02/2016 12:13)djb Wrote: [ -> ]Was it the e69? That certainly ran part of the route as far as alderley edge when it was axed.
E69 was Saturday only Alderley Edge to Altrincham. The last holder of the contract was Tomlinson Travel who extended it to Holmes Chapel opposed to running the bus empty from Alderley Edge all the way to their facility in Winsford. I found a picture of a tatty Mercedes bus running the service in 2011 on Flickr:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/ps_bus_driver/22870871494
The Northwich to Warrington services prior to deregulation were joint between WBT and Crosville (I think) and numbered 43-46.
The H50 dates back to Crosville days, running between Holmes Chapel and Altrincham on Tuesdays. The H39 ran a similar route but extending past Holmes Chapel to Congleton on Fridays.
You have mentioned that routes to Northwich used to be run by North Western. I still remember riding route 37 or 38 from Warrington to Altrincham with Arriva in 2002.
Well GHA have cancelled their 45 Service so that means Network Warrington have won
PC1098981/27 - G H A COACHES LTD, UNIT 11, VAUXHALL INDUSTRIAL ESTATE, RUABON, WREXHAM, LL14 6UY
Cancellation Accepted: Operating between Northwich and Warrington given service number 45 effective from 29-Apr-2016.