Trip to Talke 15-05-2011

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
6008	Hanley BS	Newcastle BS	164	Arriva Midlands
40305	Newcastle BS	Clayton	72	First Potteries
40305	Clayton	Newcastle BS	72	First Potteries
40018	Trentham Road, Magdalen Road	Longton Hall Road, Adj Surgery	22	First Potteries
40023	Blurton, Longton Hall Road (adj)‎	Blurton, Ladybank Grove (adj)	23A	First Potteries

Originally, we were due to take Matthew out locally on the Saturday, but due to a few things happening this did not work out. So we promised to take him out for dinner and then catch a few buses. The original plan was to drive to Talke, have dinner at the Swan Inn and then catch 2 or 3 buses towards home. I worked out a move to get a 34A to Hanley, back to Newcastle on a soon to be defunct 17A and then a 22 whilst it's still PMT on a Sunday. I went out at around 11:45 for a short walk and I saw that 40018 was on the 22 diagram today. The 34A leaves the Swann Inn at Talke at 25 past the hour, so I worked out if we left home at 13:00 and drove to Talke, we would have an hour to order and eat. Leaving home at 13:00 we arrived in the pub car park at around 13:20. We orderer our meals (3 Sunday roasts) and sat down to wait. The 13:25 was 65732 which we saw stop virtually opposite the pub on Chester Road. 45 minutes pasts and the meals weren't ready. We then saw 60208 on the nearside heading towards Kidsgrove. Before we knew it 60013 went past on the 14:25 and we knew we were not going to get that bus today. Shortly after the bus went passed the meals arrived! The meals were very nice but had taken over an hour! After we had finished eating, we decided that maybe we could catch up with 60013 and then doing this back to Newcastle we could miss doing the 17A today and just the 22 from Newcastle. We set off down Coalpit Hill and then onto the A34 and then the A500. We came into Hanley via the A53 and then onto the new section of the ring road. At the junction of Clough Street and the ring road we saw 60013 pull ahead of us, and then it disappeared up Broad Steet. We carried on round the ring road and then around the outside of the bus station parking on Percy Street. As we pulled up we could see an Arriva Midlands Solo on stand about to work a 164 to Market Drayton. Matthew took a picture and we waited for 60013 to appear.


Arriva Midlands Solo 6008 about to work the 164 to Market Drayton. (Matt)

When 60013 pulled up, it went on stand to work a 20 to Crewe. I didn't realise that the diagrams for the 34A and 20 were integrated! So I needed to find a bus back to Newcastle to get the 22. Matthew suggested the 164 and it was a good idea. So we got on the 164 and did this to Newcastle. Unbeknown at the time, we had already been on 6008 in Shrewsbury back in January 2010. As Harry Hill often says "What are the chances of that happening!".


6008 departs Newcastle for Market Drayton (Matt)

After we got off, Matthew took a picture of D&G 28 which had failed in the bus station whilst working a 94A. In attendance was D&G support vehicle 420.


D&G 28 about to work to Audley (Matt)

We then saw First PMT 40305 arrive to work a 72 Clayton service. Having looked at the timetable and seem a 30 minutes frequency, I asked the driver out long it took to travel out and back on this bus to which he replied "half an hour". So to keep Matthew occupied whilst waiting for the 22, we decided to do this bus to Clayton and Back.


Inside 40305 (Matt)

Having never done this bus and route before it was interesting to see the strange route which loops back on itself and then crosses the road, finishing just short of Trentham / Hanchurch. at the end of the route I got up and got the return tickets. On the way back in to Newcastle, mum called to say she was on her way home, and asked if we wanted her to divert into Newcastle to pick us up. Matthew said yes. Whilst in Newcastle Matthew decided he wanted to catch D&G 132 which was on the 24 to Hanley via Penkhull and Stoke. As he'd already agreed to be picked, up we had to turn it down.


D&G 132 in Newcastle on the 24 to Hanley (Matt)

After a bit of running around pointing at every bus and wanting to catch it, Matthew eventually returned to the car. We drove home and got in the house at around 16:30. At this point I realised that Matthew could still get 40018 if he wanted in less hectic surroundings, So I looked up if it was possible to get a different bus back without any long festering waits. It turned out the was a 23A returning in virtually the same path through Blurton. So we left the house and as it was starting to rain we went to the nearest stop with a shelter to catch the 22.


First PMT Solo 40018 on the 22 Newcastle - Longton (Matt)

As we got to Ladybank Grove, 40020 turned in from Finstock Avenue to form a 23 to Hanley. We stopped on the bus we were on and 40020 followed us down through Blurton.


First PMT 40018 disappears towards Longton (Matt)

We got of at the bottom of Longton Hall Road and saw 40020 continue on it's journey to Hanley. Matthew visited the spar shop and we waited for the 23A. 40018 returned a few minutes before the 23A arrived with Adderley Green based Solo 40023.


First PMT Solo 40023 on a 23A to Blurton (Matt)

We go on this quite well filled bus and did it to it's destination Ladybank Grove.


40023 on arrival in Beaconsfield Drive (Matt)

After Matthew had got another picture we took the long walk home (Mark)