Last year's hourly bus service touring Salford pubs is back, and bigger than before. Same red double-deckers, but this year the Camra-organised tour is visiting Manchester and Trafford too. On Saturday May 10th the first bus will leave Eccles just before noon, then every hour until 9 pm, and follow its 28 mile route through Ordsall, Higher Broughton, Gorton, Chorlton and Urmston, returning to Eccles two hours later. There are 12 stops on the route, serving 18+ pubs, and offering a choice of about three dozen different real ales.

But the bus service is open to anyone and everyone, not just real ale drinkers. If you enjoy pubs, then give this a try. From an 18th century former coaching inn to a magnificent late Victorian gem, from a railway station converted to a pub, to a pub that thought it was going to be a railway station, they're all on our route. We've even included a country pub. And the trendiest of modern bars get a stop of their own, as do two Grade II listed pubs.

Full route and time details are shown here. You can join us at many points along the route. At each of the pubs included as stops, of course, but at many other points as well. No matter where you are coming from, by bus, tram or train, your journey from home towards Manchester city centre will cross our circular route. At each of these crossing points is an interchange with BttP; Broad Street (A6 north), Bury New Road, Cheetham Hill Road, Ashton Old Road, Hyde Road, Stockport Road, Kingsway, Wilmslow Road, Princess Road, Barlow Moor Road, Chester Road, Liverpool Road (Patricroft). A plan showing the location of these interchange stops is shown below; more detail will be added in the the coming days. The fare from the bus driver is £5 for an all-day ticket, on and off as often as you wish. Or buy in advance at the pubs shown below and pay just £4.50. Camra members get a further discount for advance tickets bought at Camra events. If you already have a ticket valid on the day for use on public transport within Greater Manchester (such as Senior ENCTS Pass, System One, operator season ticket, rail ticket) you are also entitled to the same 50p discount. In addition a flat fare of £2 is available for a single journey of any distance; no discounts on this fare.

Advance tickets can be bought from the Eccles Cross and Lamb Hotel (Eccles), Welcome Inn (Ordsall), Union Tavern, Star Inn (Cliff), Duke of York (Hightown), Jolly Angler (Ancoats), Royal Oak, Plough and Vale Cottage (Gorton), Blue Bell (Levenshulme), The Bar (Chorlton), Beech, Famous Trevor, Bowling Green (Chorlton Green), Steamhouse (Urmston), and Queens Arms (Patricroft).

ROUTE PLAN SHOWING THE PUB STOPS AND INTERCHANGE POINTS WITH OTHER PUBLIC TRANSPORT ROUTES. ALL JOURNEYS OPERATE CLOCKWISE ONLY.

WHERE TO JOIN US

Wherever you are coming from, catch whatever bus, train or tram is most convenient to you towards Manchester city centre. One option is to make your way to Hyde's Jolly Angler in Ducie Street, which opens at noon on Saturdays. The first departure from here is at 1235. If you are not familiar with the location of the pub, go to Whatpub from the link on the left, enter the pub name and you will find a locator map.

Alternatively, if access to any of the listed pubs is convenient for you, start from there. After all, waiting for the bus in a pub sounds better than standing in a bus shelter.

But if you want to make some early progress round our route, use one of the 23 interchange points which follow.

COMING BY BUS

SALFORD, Broad Street A6. Buses from Swinton, Walkden, Bolton numbers 8, 12, 25, 36, 37:get off at Frederick Road (old Salford Tech) and walk backwards (you know what I mean) into Frederick Road. The stop is across the road, about 100 metres, and our buses leave at 1210, 1320 then hourly until 2120.

SALFORD, Bury New Road Buses from Prestwich, Whitefield, Bury, East Lancashire. numbers 96, 98, X41, X43: alight from 96, 98 at Northumberland Street and walk down Knoll Street opposite, to the Star Inn, Back Hope Street (350 m.) Our buses leave from Knoll Street stop at 1217, 1327 and hourly until 1727, 1825, 1925, 2025, plus 2125 as far as Chorlton Green, From X41 and X43 limited stop services, either change at Prestwich to the 98, or continue to Manchester and make your way to the Jolly Angler.

MANCHESTER Cheetham Hill Road Buses from Bury, Middleton and Blackley, numbers 59, 88, 135: the 59 continues down Waterloo Road, where you can get off at the third stop, cross into Dudley Street and discover the Duke of York - use the Whatpub map locator (500 m. from the bus stop). from the 88 and 135 its best to continue to the city centre and the Jolly Angler. Our bus leaves the Duke of York at 1222, 1332 then hourly until 1732, 1830 then hourly until 2030, plus 2130 as far as Chorlton Green. Buses leave the Jolly Angler about 11 minutes later.

MANCHESTER, Ashton New Road. Buses from Bradford, Droylsden and Ashton numbers 188, 216, 217,231. Alight at the first stop in Great Ancoats Street, corner of Ducie Street. Walk 200 metres. Our buses depart from alongside the pub, in Pigeon Street, at 1235, 1345 and hourly until 1745, then 1842, 1941, 2041, plus 2141 as far as Chorlton Green.

MANCHESTER Ashton Old Road. Buses from Ashton and Fairfield, number 219. Alight at the stop just over the traffic lights at Pottery Lane, Beswick. Walk back into Pottery Lane and cross the road; total walking distance 150m. Our bus leaves this stop at 1241, 1351 the hourly until 1751, 1848, 1947, 2047, plus 2147 as far as Chorlton Green. If you time your arrival at Pottery Lane wrongly and have too long to wait for the next BttP, no problem. Stay on your 219 to the terminus in Piccadilly (11 mins) and walk 550 m. to the Jolly Angler.

MANCHESTER Hyde Road Buses from Hyde, Reddish, Denton and Stockport: numbers 7, 201, 203, 205,206: get off in Hyde Road at the first stop after going under the former railway bridge, outside Holt's Waggon & Horses. Cross the road and walk 80m down the woodland path and you're at the country pub, the Vale Cottage. Numbers 7, 168, 169, 188 stop outside the Royal Oak if your coming from the Droylsden/Ashton direction and the 171 stops two hundred metres away, still in Cross Lane. Our BttP leaves the Royal Oak at 1250, 1400 then hourly until 1800, 1854, 1953, 2053, plus 2153 as far as Chorlton Green. The Plough, on Hyde Road, is the third Gorton pub included in this tour. To start here get off your Hyde Road bus one stop later. Catch the BttP at the above times by walking up Chapman Street 350 metres to Cross Lane; our bus will pick you up at any westbound stop in Cross Lane.

MANCHESTER Stockport Road. Buses from Stockport and Hazel Grove numbers 191, 192, TP. Get off in Levenshulme at the stop just past Tesco. Walk forward, then left into Albert Road, under the railway bridge to the Station bus stop, a total of 300 metres. Our BttP will pick you up here at 1304, 1414 and hourly until 1714, 1813, 1907, 2006, 2106, plus 2205 to Chorlton Green only. Alternatively cross Stockport Road and turn right into Cromwell Grove just past the Albert Road traffic lights. Continue down Cromwell Grove until reaching the excellent Blue Bell (Sam Smith's), a total walk of 750 metres. Our BttP leaves from the bus stop outside four minutes earlier than the times quoted above.

MANCHESTER Kingsway, Buses from Parrs Wood, Cheadle and Macclesfield, numbers 50, 130. Alight at the last stop in Kingsway, cross the road into Moseley Road; our BttP will pick you up at the stop opposite Holt's Kingsway at 1305, 1415 and hourly until 1715, 1814, 1906, 2005, 2105, plus 2204 to Chorlton Green only.

MANCHESTER Wilmslow Road, Buses from Didsbury and Northenden, numbers 41-44, 142, 143. Alight in Fallowfield opposite Hyde's Friendship Inn, walk forward turning left into Wilbraham Road. Our stop is a total walk of 300m, and the BttP leaves here at 1308, 1418 and hourly until 1718, 1817, 1908, 2007, 2107, plus 2206 to Chorlton Green only.

MANCHESTER Princess Road. Buses from Southern Cemetery and Wythenshawe, numbers 99, 101, 104, 105, 108, 109. Alight at the stop alongside Whalley Range High School, just before Wilbraham Road. Walk 120m to the first stop in Wilbraham Road here our BttP will pick you up at 1310, 1420 and hourly until 1720, 1819, 1910, 2009, 2109, plus 2208 to Chorlton Green only.

MANCHESTER Barlow Moor Road. Buses from Southern Cemetery, Didsbury, Stockport and Reddish, numbers 22, 23, 23A, 84*. Alight at the first stop after the bus turns into Wilbraham Road; you can board our BttP at the same stop, if you can resist the temptaion that is Chorlton. Our BttP buses leave Chorlton Metrolink station at 1220, 1320, 1430 and hourly until 1730, 1826, 1920, 2018 plus 2118 to Eccles only. * Route 84 stops over the traffic lights in Manchester Road.

TRAFFORD Chester Road. Buses from Sale and Altrincham, numbers 18, 245, 263. Get off the 18 and 245 in Kingsway or the 263 in Chester Road Mall lay-by. Our BttP picks up at the second stop in Kingsway at 1230, 1330, 1440 and hourly until 1740, 1836, 1930, 2028, plus 2128 as far as Eccles.

SALFORD Liverpool Road. Buses from Irlam and Cadishead numbers 67 and 100. Choose between joining the BttP at the Queens Arms by getting off at Green Lane and walking 550m - BttP departures from here are at 1251, 1351, 1501 and hourly until 1801, 1856, 1950, 2048, plus 2148 to Eccles only - or continue into Eccles Bus Station. Our BttP leaves Eccles at 1150, 1300 and hourly until 2000, plus 2100 as far as Chorlton Green.

COMING BY TRAIN

PICCADILLY: Leave the station by the main exit and continue to the bottom of Station Approach. Turn right along Ducie Street for a total of 600m; the Jolly Angler is on the left side of the road. BttP leaves from Pigeon Street at the side of the pub at 1235, 1245 and hourly until 1745, 1842, 1941, 2041, plus 2141 as far as Chorlton Green.

ASHBURY'S: leave the station down the steps, walk northwards towards Ashton Old Road, cross the road to the BttP bus stop. Our bus leaves at 1241, 1351 the hourly until 1751, 1848, 1947, 2047, plus 2147 as far as Chorlton Green.

LEVENSHULME: from the station, cross the road, the BttP bus stop is on your right. Our BttP leaves here at 1304, 1414 and hourly until 1714, 1813, 1907, 2006, 2106, plus 2205 to Chorlton Green only.

URMSTON: The Steamhouse pub is on the Liverpool-bound platform. Access from the opposite platform is only by crossing via the Station Road bridge. Our BttP bus leaves at 1237, 1337, 1447 and hourly until 1747, 1843, 1937, 2035, plus 2135 as far as Eccles only.

PATRICROFT: the Queens Arms is visible at the western end of the platform. Access is down the steps, under the bridge and across the road. Where's it gone? Look behind you! To catch our BttP, walk back past the station steps to Cromwell Road (200m.). BttP departures from here are at 1251, 1351, 1501 and hourly until 1801, 1856, 1950, 2048, plus 2148 to Eccles only.

ECCLES: from the station, turn left and walk down Church Street (300m.) to Eccles Cross, turn left and both the Eccles Cross pub and the Lamb are on the left opposite the tram terminus. BttP leaves here at 1150, 1300 and hourly until 2000, plus 2100 as far as Chorlton Green only.

COMING BY TRAM

PICCADILLY: Go up to the main station concourse, ;leave by the main exit and continue to the bottom of Station Approach. Turn right along Ducie Street for a total of 600m; the Jolly Angler is on the left side of the road. BttP leaves from Pigeon Street at the side of the pub at 1235, 1245 and hourly until 1745, 1842, 1941, 2041, plus 2141 as far as Chorlton Green.

CHORLTON: Go up the steps onto Wilbraham Road. Cross the road. That's it. You've made it. Have a quick one in The Bar. Our BttP stops right outside. It leaves at 1220, 1320, 1430 and hourly until 1730, 1826, 1920, 2018 plus 2118 as far as Eccles only.

STRETFORD: Our BttP picks up at the stop across the road towards the traffic lights at 1228, 1328, 1438 and hourly until 1738, 1834, 1928, 2026, plus 2126 as far as Eccles.

ECCLES: No steps to climb. Just cross the road. The Eccles Cross and the Lamb are staring you in the face. Why resist? BttP leaves at 1150, 1300 and hourly until 2000, plus 2100 as far as Chorlton Green.