St Helens Corporation Transport

Municipal Pride

The traditional and historic livery was richly applied and smartly cared for; the original logo was unmistakable. It is seen on the side of this AEC, built to London RT specification ...

... although gold and cream is not the most legible.

Such luxuries as a posh livery soon faded as the decline in passenger numbers forced economies on the Council ...

... but, at least, the coat of arms remained! 

Needless to say a timetable book was an essential must-have for locals, including a route map and street map combined ...

... simple timetable guides because services were all frequent ...

... and, inevitably, those delightful adverts for products long consigned to happy memories ...

... here for "pure new" milk in 1937. 

fbb can find no date for this, more extensive route map (below).

And IN COLOUR! 

The map would have been hand drawn by Corporation staff; one page for the red lines but drawn in black, and one page for the black printing. Two printing blocks would then have been etched using noxious chemicals. Two passes of the paper would be needs, one for each colour.

Now, you can draw a map in full colour on the computer ...

... and let the clever stuff do all the hard work!

Then came Merseyside PTE ...

... and now we have moved on to "franchising". An anonymous Stagecoach has taken on most of the routes that were operated by Arriva, leaving the blue buses parked in their misery at Haydock racecourse.

Merseytravel Prospects

Yesterday fbb looked at the multiplicity of NON franchised routes that served St Helens or just impinged on the greater St Helens district.

Steve Rotheram and his chums have been made significant changes, mostly improvements, to st Helens timetables. The implementation of these changes has produced a much tidier network of "town" services with well grouped route numbers.; just like the old Corporation network - well, nearly.

fbb will take a quick gallop through the alterations, in a way, the detail is only important to local bus passengers, but the scheme does illustrate the potential of the franchising system to benefit users.

So, here we go ...

23 : Town Centre Circular - IMPROVEMENT

Every hour - linking the town centre with two big supermarkets. Additional journeys have been added since F-day.

Former operator was Hattons.

24 : Town Centre, Hard Lane - IMPROVED

Every hour : now with extra coverage.

Was route 60, operated by Hattons

25 : Town Centre : Eccleston

25A : Town Centre : Rosley Drive

IMPROVED

25 - every 60

25A - every 60

25 is new

25A was 153 operated by Huyton Travel

Services operate a coordinated timetable.

26, 27, NOT USED

28 : Town Centre : Laffak - Ashurst Drive

REVISED

NO "METRO" PICTURE FOUND

every 60

Monday to Friday reduced from every 30

Saturday service introduced

Formerly operated by Hattons

29 : Town Centre : Rainhill

WITHDRAWN

30 : Laffak - Town Centre - Farnworth - Widnes

IMPROVED

This is a cross town service ...

... from Laffak to Widnes.

Was service 17 operated by Arriva.

As 30, Saturday service is increased: Evening and Sunday buses to Laffak added.

To Be Continued

as part of Weekend Variety blogs.

SPOILER ALERT : some St Helens town services are UNCHANGED!

 Next Saturday Variety blog : Sat 26 sept 

These Are NOT Franchised

Merseyside's St Helens district is much bigger than the town which gives it its name.

St Helens is shaded GREEN. The other districts are; Knowsley (blue), Sefton (orange), Wirral (pink) and Liverpool (yellow). The next area to join the F-Club is Wirral.

The trouble with boundaries is that they often do not match where  buses and trains actually go. That is dashed inconsiderate of the bus planners but maybe the best for the passengers.

So fbb is going to review all those routes that enter the District of St Helens but are NOT part of Steve Rotheram's franchise scheme.

We begin with St Helens route 20 which is now Manchester (Bee Network) 612. 

20, renumbered 612 

Route & Timetable changes

Bee Network Permit

Wigan, Newton le Willows, St Helens

Every 30 min

Saturday daytime frequency increased.

Evening & Sunday journeys introduced. 

Operated by GoAhead North West

So it is a "Manchester" service that runs into St Helens. It is operated in Merseyside on a "permit". That means that Merseyside accepts the registration with no further debate or scrutiny. Manchester "carries the can" for the whole route.

22/22A renumbered 322 

Route & Timetable span extended

Warrington's Own  Buses Franchise (Cat 2)

Warrington to Ashton 

Because this route does not make it to St Helens town centre, fbb is not showing a map. It does help reduce the onset of fbb's insanity in a complex situation.

Every hour

Evening & Sunday 22A withdrawn replaced with additional 322 journeys.

Earlestown to Wigan 22A journeys  replaced by the extended 612 service.

A Category 2 Franchise is awarded to 'smaller' (?) operators and involves less commercial risk. 

There has been a significant amount if change involving the former 22/22A and the former 20

61

No change 

Arriva (Runcorn Depot) Permit

Halton Hospital and Runcorn to Liverpool

Every hour; Unchanged

Just grazes the St Helens area, calling at Prescot and Huyton which we remember (yes we do remember) from the 10/10A/10B blog.

312

No change

Preston Bus Permit

Ormskirk - Skelmersdale - Rainford

Every hour

Unchanged

Exceptionally, fbb will include this slightly fuzzy map of the 312 from Lancashire Council. It serves to engender wide-eyed wonder as to how and why such a rambling route should have ever evolved.

It doesn't go anywhere near Preston, either! It is, however, a nicer map than that from Merseyside!

329

Unchanged

MD Bus Permit

St Helens to to Warrington

Continuation to Warrington direct

Roughly every hour?

Unchanged

The only "independent to" operator running in to St Helens. Here is the "roughly" timetable.

Lest readers should wonder at the paucity of this service, there is also:-

329

Unchanged

Arriva (Runcorn Depot) Permit

St Helens to to Warrington

Every 30 min

Unchanged

The route is the same as the MD Bus journeys.

360

Unchanged

Arriva (Runcorn Depot) Permit

Warrington to Wigan

Every hour

Unchanged

The final two barely justify inclusion, but they both do run into St Helens district. Both routes take workpeople to the vast business areas called "Omega". The area is close to Warrington.

921

No change

Howard's Permit 

Gillars Green to Omega Business Parks

5 journeys at shift times

Unchanged

922 

No change 

Warrington's Own Buses Permit

Town Centre to Omega Business Parks

5 journeys at shift times

Unchanged

Town Centre? This usually means St Helens Town Centre in the lists but the 922 does NOT serve St Helens.

You would think Steve and his chums ought to know that!

Look closely and you will see the 921 does run via St Helens ...

... there; in the little box!

One way or another, it seems that franchising will not be as clear cut as its enthusiastic proponents are wont to suggest. There will be areas of inconsistency in fares and lack of interavailability of tickets. There will be areas of confusion as passengers grasp that not all their buses are yellow!

Tomorrow we take a very quick look at St Helens franchised routes and, fbb promises, it will be simpler than the above.

And there is Wittal to join the F-club next week.

 Next St Helens blog : Fri 25 Sept 

We Interrupt The St Helens Blog ...

More Momentous Merseyside Matters

MV Royal Daffodil is a former Mersey ferry, built in 1962 to provide passenger ferry service across the River Mersey in England. Until a major refit in 1998 /1999, she was named MV Overchurch, she began service for Birkenhead Corporation Ferries in 1962 and was in regular service on the river until her withdrawal in December 2012.

The last new ferry across the Mersey was built 60 years ago and the vessels, despite renovation, have been looking rather tired. Before the opening of the Mersey Tunnel, the ferries were the No 1 choice for fluvial traverse.

There were trains in tunnel as well.

But yesterday was the naming if a brand new boat. Called, repetitively, Royal Daffodil. It has coast a modest £29 million.

Yesterday was a misty moisty morning ...

... when big cheese Steve Rotheram was on hand with the inevitable collection of sound bites ...

... with the vessel somewhat eclipsed by the meteorological murk. The ferry looks better in sunlight!

There was a display of daffodil yellow stuff ...

... and a formal naming by Claire Sweeney.

Claire Sweeney?

She is an actress and singer of some repute whom fbb has never experienced.

Claire Jayne Sweeney (born 17 April 1971) is an English actress, singer, and television personality. Known for her portrayal of Lindsey Corkhill on Channel 4's Brookside (1991–1992, 1995–2003), she also played Roxie Hart in Chicago (West End, 2001–2002) and starred in touring productions of Guys and Dolls (2006), Tell Me on a Sunday (2011), Legally Blonde (2011), and Educating Rita (2012). She was a panellist on ITV's Loose Women between 2003 and 2005, and presented 60 Minute Makeover from 2004 to 2006.

So now fbb knows.

Route 10 and 10A, A P. S.

In yesterday's blog, fbb forgot to include pictures of these franchised routes fully yellowed. Herewith 10 ...

... and 10A.

And a 10A before F-day en route to Liverpool ONE.

Note that ONE is in all caps!

That is because it is not just a bus station ...

... it is what's known in "urban development speak" as a "Destination" packed full with shops, offices, flats and hospitality.

It also has a green bit in the middle.

It is no longer served by the 10 and 10A

We return to the St Helens franchise tomorrow.

 Next New Network blog : Thurs 24 Sept