Statto
Established Member
This is why we have multiple no 1's in Chester. The D1 to Wrexham and the C1 to Liverpool (much rerouted) are now both simply 1's, as is the old Chester City 1 to Blacon.
The current 1 Chester-Liverpool has no relation to the old C1. The 1 has it's origins in the X7 Chester-Liverpool via Ellesmere Port, which was introduced mid 80s as part of the Crosville TownLynx brand.
Late 80s when Skelhorne Street bus station closed X7 merged with the North Western X37, to become a joint Crosville/North Western X8 Banks-Chester, with a summer Sunday service, which diverted via Chester Zoo numbered X9. X9 was withdrawn mid 90s.
Late 90s, X8 was split at Liverpool, with Crosville section becoming Chester-Liverpool, a few changes were made including stopping at all stops, & rerouting via Birkenhead bus station, then early 00 Crosville renumbered the X8 to 1, & introduced ALX300s
Until Merseyrail extended electrification to Chester, the X7/X8 was well used, timed to take round about an hour, original service went via the M53 & Kingsway[Wallasey] tunnel from Hooton to Liverpool, Chester-Liverpool, in those says rail passengers had to change at Hooton so the bus was comparable with the train.
The C1, Monday to Saturday became operated by Merseybus as 1C Chester-New Brighton[although Sunday service was tendered by Cheshire County Council but as 1 Chester-Hooton], which was a merger from the Merseybus 1 New Brighton-Woodside via Seacombe & C1.
Merseybus renumbered 10C & diverted via Liscard, then under Arriva renumbered 401 back as 1C via Seacombe.
Arriva renumbered it to 402 diverted it via Ellesmere Port, before becoming part of a quality bus partnership scheme with joint service with Stagecoach & renumbered to 2, Arriva withdrew the 2 a couple of years ago, Stagecoach solely operate the 2