Trip to renew the bus pass 03-06-2010

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
40373	Church Street, Stoke	Hanley BS	23A	First PMT
60201	Hanley BS	The Avenue, Kidsgrove	34A	First PMT

Matthew's bus pass ran out yesterday, so we planned on renewing the pass and possibly going somewhere with him. By the time Matthew had got up and dressed today, we had ruled out going anywhere distant. First we took him to have his hair cut (mum didn't want his new picture with long messy hair), and then we drove down to Stoke to visit the one stop shop. Paperwork shown and new photograph taken, five minutes later he had his new bus pass.

First thing to do was to have a late dinner, as he had only had two rounds of toast for a late breakfast. So we went to the Cafe across the road from the one stop shop. We managed to get a window seat and Matthew watched buses go by as he ate his dinner...



Scraggs Blue bus PUI 5558 in Church Street, Stoke (Matthew)


After dinner it was obvious to us that Matthew wasn't going to accept just picking up the bus pass and he wanted to ride. Having first told us that he wanted to do the 24 to Hanley, Matthew choose at 23A that was parked opposite awaiting time. Had he been more patient, he could have had step entranced D&G dart 31 towards Newcastle (L170 CKH), which we passed going up College Road.



Inside 40373 (Matthew)



40373 in Hanley bus station (Mark)

When we got to Hanley, I persuaded him to go up to the balcony whilst he thought about which bus he wanted to catch next. Unusually, there were two double deckers parked up (31518/9), a rare site in Hanley these days.



31519 in Hanley bus station (Mark)

When 60201 rolled into the bus station, Matthew decided he wanted to do this bus. It was on a 34A to Kidsgrove. I have never done this bus service throughout before, Hanley to Kidsgrove via Newcastle. What an epic journey! This run takes over an hour! It didn't help that it was boiling hot and bus kept stop to wait time. When the bus stops, the cooler air stops! Eventually around 17:00 we arrive in Kidsgrove...



60201 disappears into the distance (Matthew)



60205 in Kidsgrove (Matthew)

After we arrived in Kidsgrove, we walked the long way to the car park where mum was waiting

(Mark)