Old Liverpool Routes

[mr t]

RE: Old Liverpool Routes
The 61 was extended to Liverpool in November 1989 every 20 minutes.

The 14 was in competition with the H30 for some time before North Western curtailed it to Hough Green.

In the late 80s North Western had the express routes X3, Liverpool - Menlove Avenue - Widnes - Runcorn, X4 Liverpool - Edge Lane - Farnworth - Widnes - Runcorn, X5 Liverpool - Aigburth Road - Runcorn.
Then there was the H20/21/24/30/31 all old Crosville routes that were transferred via Wavertree Road & Picton Clock.
The H20 was Liverpool - Woolton Road - Belle Vale - Netherley - Hough Green - Widnes - Runcorn Halton Hospital, only evenings & Sundays
The H21 was Liverpool - Woolton Road - Church Road - Woolton - Hunts Cross - Halewood - Widnes - Runcorn Halton Lea, again evenings & Sundays.
The H24 was Liverpool - Woolton Road - Halewood Road - Halewood - Widnes - Runcorn Halton Lea (by 1989 only a few peak journeys remained on this)
The H30 was Liverpool - Childwall Road - Belle Vale - Netherley - Hough Green - Widnes - Runcorn Halton Lea (M-S daytimes)
The H31 was Liverpool - Woolton Road - Woolton - Hunts Cross - Halewood - Widnes - Runcorn Halton Lea.

In 1989 with the closure of Skelhorne Street, the H30/H31 were combined with the L81 and extended to Thornton, only lasting a year before they were curtailed back.
In Feb 1991 the H30 was curtailed at Hough Green apart from 1 return morning journey.
In July The H31 was then rerouted around Woolton & Halewood to operate the same as the 78 and extended to Murdishaw. This in retaliation for Merseybus extending their 78 via Hough Green to Widnes, which was later withdrawn in January 1992.
In May 1992, the H24 was withdrawn, and the H31 was renumbered 78A, and extended via Liverpool to the Festival Park, and 2 extra journeys on the H30. In November, it was curtailed at Liverpool again, and alternate journeys extended to Chester. It was curtailed back in September 1993, and increased to half hourly.
In November 1993 the 78A was renumbered H31 again and curtailed at Halton Lea.
In March 1994 most H31 journeys were withdrawn except 1 return am journey.
In June 1994 the H20 & H21 were withdrawn, leaving just 1 return H31 and 2 return H30s, the rest being covered by Haltons 14.
They were renumbered 30/30A by Arriva, with 3 30 journeys, and the 30A. The 30A was ran by Halton from February 2002, and an extra 522am 30 journey was introduced on behalf of Halton BC which remained as the 79C ran by Ace Travel until 18 months ago.

The H25 ran Liverpool - Princes Park - Aigburth Road - Speke - Widnes - Halton Lea. The H26 was inroduced in July 1991 and ran via Dingle instead of Princes Park, replacing the daytime H25. It was also extended to Murdishaw. In January 1996 it ceased being Limited Stop, and became a 25 in the summer. It was renumbered 32 in July 1997, with the evenings still H25 under contract. The H25 became a 132 in December 1999 and oeprated Garston - Murdishaw instead, curtailing to Halton Hospital in January 2000. Sunday daytime journeys were extended from Garston to Liverpool again in July 2000 until October.
THEN in shocking fashion, the 32 was renumbered 72 in September 2000 except for 3 am and 3 pm journeys and rerouted via Halewood, Lee Park, Belle Vale & Wavertree Road.
In July 2001, this arrangement returned to normal route, and the 72 became 32A and also ran via Liverpool Airport, although 4 am H25/25 journeys remained.
And finally, In October 2002 the 79C was introduced in via Hough Green & Belle Vale combining the 30 and existing 79C to Netherley, and the 32A was combined with the 82A and extended to Halton Hosital.