That Barnsley to Wakefield Bus

Over the years there has been a good link between Barnsley & Wakefield by bus. Stagecoach Yorkshires hourly 59, Tate's Travels hourly 96 and two hourly 97 with the hourly Arriva 194 and passengers were spoilt for choice. Unless they were traveling in the Evenings or on Sundays. Evening & Sunday Services between Barnsley & Wakefield and ovcourse Wakefield & Barnsley have been very poor over time with passengers having to use the Arriva 59 to Royston and then the Stagecoach 57 to Barnsley and the oppersit way around. This normally ment missing a connection after getting off the 57 in Royston or missing the 57 after getting off the 59 but that might just have been my luck. However recently Stagecoach have pushed the 59 up on a 'Use it or Loose it basis' and this ran a Sunday service between the towns. This with the Evenings 194 from Arriva lead to an improved service with some sort of link if it all went belly up. This did occur to me one snowy evening in Febuary when despite BBC Look Norths Mr Hudson saying it would snow i pushed my luck and did a West Yorkshire Day Rider on Arriva. This went to plan until i, myself and me Mr Mills arrival in Huddersfield when it started to snow... Very lightly ill add however it started to snow. This became worse as i sat on Arriva Darwen 1804 (YJ08EEB) and by the time we reached Dewsbury i was late and after getting buses to Wakefield i had just missed the last 59 of the day (Stagecoach were on Strike that day so last service was earler then normal ex Wakefield to which i arrived at 2 minutes after its departure) Ovcourse it was snowing and getting worse. Both Tates went running and the 194 traveling down small roads as it does didn't look promising. After a errr long wait in what i believe to be the worst bus station in Yorkshire; One for another day... I managed to get the 194, As suprised as i was it had turned up. Formed by an Arriva DAF Wright Commander. As we traveled more into the unknown there was me, two passengers over 60 using passes and the driver, Once we got into Walton the snow was bad and the bus got into a few situations and slides however we got to Ryhill and then into Royston which for its size had been hit suprisingly bad. As the bus plowed (Been a good word) towards Barnsley i decided to jump of at Roundhouse and try and cacth the last strike day number 1 home from town (19:00) the time now been 19:03 so after hurring across the road i did manage to catch, 47299 (YJ55BLK) was produced. I'm not sure how the Arriva Commander and driver got back home again but i dont' think would have been running any sort of service. Anyway, Ive finished talking about one of the most memorable trips ive had so far in 2012. The Buses between Wakefield & Barnsley have gained in strengh recently and after Stagecoach introduced the Sundays and Evenings 59s shortly after my trip in the snow, on the 28/04/12 Tate's Travel has now introduced a Sundays timetable on route 96 to Wakefield, Whether thats to get at Stagecoach in compertition or Arriva i'm not sure but at a guess it will be. The First trip on this service was noted by myself on Sunday 29/04/12 formed by ADL Dart Enviro 200 1091 (YX09HZH) however due to the rain this was not photoable.