Trip to Uttoxeter 24-12-2013

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
3714	Uttoxeter BS	Sudbury, adj Portway Head	1	Arriva Midlands
3615	Sudbury, opp Portway Head	Uttoxeter BS	X50	Wardle Transport
2622	Uttoxeter BS	The Wharf, nr The Fire Station	841	Arriva Midlands
3709	Uttoxeter BS	The Wharf, nr The Fire Station	4	Arriva Midlands
736	Uttoxeter BS	Denstone, adj Hawthorn Close	Swift	Trent Barton
738	Denstone, opp Hawthorn Close	Uttoxeter BS	Swift	Trent Barton
3714	Uttoxeter BS	Sudbury, adj Portway Head	1	Arriva Midlands
4808	Sudbury, opp Portway Head	Fenton, adj Travers Court	X50	Wardle Transport

Today we decided to re-visited Uttoxeter. Usually when we went to Uttoxeter we would go on a Wednesday so we could travel on the Wednesdays only #184 to Weston Coyney operated by Phil Smiths Travel. This bus is now operated by JST International and only runs as far as Cheadle. It is a Tuesday, so we had the chance to do some different buses than we usually cover. Research for today consisted of checking the weather for the trip (cold and sunny), and to have a quick look at some of our previous visits to Uttoxeter on the Blog. Matthew got up around 09:30 today and had some toast and blackcurrant juice for breakfast. Later in the morning he had a Fudge flavoured yoghurt. We set off from home around 12:15 heading out onto the A5035 towards Longton. At Z Carz was M534 RSO which still has missing panels on the nearside of the coach. We turned onto the East bound A50 which we did to the outskirts of Uttoxeter. We did the last mile or so into Uttoxeter along the A522 before parking up behind the bus station. We went to the cafe in the arcade behind the bus station. He visited the toilet and then had a brunch with bread and butter washed down with a can of Coke. After we had finished we headed into the bus station to see what was working. It was around 13:20 and there was a bit of a gap in the service. Bakerbus 254 Arrived on the #428 from Lichfield before going onto the #402 to Burton.

Bakerbus 254 in Uttoxeter bus station

This was the first time we had seen this service since it went over to Bakerbus operation in August. We didn't have to wait long before another couple of buses arrived into the bus station. Arriva Midlands 3708 came in on the #4 town circular service and then Arriva Midlands 3714 arrived on the #1 to Burton.

Arriva Midlands 3714 in Uttoxeter bus station

We decided to do the #1 up too Sudbury for an X50 back. We got on the bus and sat down near then back. Matthew took a picture of the seats behind us.

Inside Arriva Midlands 3714

At 13:35 the bus set off out of town and onto the A50. We then headed up the hill and then into Doveridge. This was the first time we had done a long bus on this service. Previous trip on this service have been on Darts and double deckers. It was quite interesting seeing a bus of this length turn into Bell Lane. The bus carried on towards Sudbury and just after the junction for the A515/A50 we got off the bus and crossed over for the return service. We only had around 5 minutes to wait and then we saw the bus round the corner. It was dud Wardle Transport 3615.

Wardle Transport 3615 in Sudbury

We got on the bus and it was nearly empty, so Matthew took a picture inside the bus when we got on.

Inside Wardle Transport 3615

We sat down near the back of the bus. The bus set off and joined onto the A50 before heading into Uttoxeter. When we got into the bus station we saw another bus arrive. It was required Arriva Midlands 2622. It went on layover for a short while and it was going to do the next #841 to Stafford.

Arriva Midlands 2622 in Uttoxeter bus station

When it was time for the bus to leave it came on stand. I wasn't sure which route the bus was going to take out of town and whether we could catch it or not. It turned out the bus left town towards the bakery so we decided to catch the bus bus a few stops out of town. We got on and Matthew took a picture of the empty rear of the bus.

Inside Arriva Midlands 2622

We sat down near the back and the bus set off out of town. When we got to the bakery we got off. We were trying to use the Firstbus bus app to see if there was a bus due back into town. As we were looking at the phone we saw Wardle Transport 4808 on the X50 to Derby! We walked back into the bus station and we stopped at The Smithfield to say hello to someone. Matthew used the toilet and then we saw Arriva Midlands 3708 arrive. It was coming off the town service and going onto the #1 to Burton. The #1 from Burton came in and it was required Arriva Midlands 3709. This was now going onto the #4 town circular.

Arriva Midlands 3709 in Uttoxeter bus station

We decided to do this out of town to the bakery again. This would give us a chance to do the Trent Barton Swift service later. We got on and sat down near the back. Matthew got a picture of the empty seats behind us.

Inside Arriva Midlands 3709

The bus set off out of town and we got off by the bakery again. We thought about catching the Swift back into town as the logos are on the inbound stops, but luckily as will be seen later we decided to walk back. We turned the corner into the bus station and we were surprised to see the Swift bus already in the bus station. Matthew took a picture of the bus before we walked into the bus station up to the bus.

Trent Barton 736 in Uttoxeter bus station

The bus wasn't quite ready for service. Whilst we were waiting for the driver, we saw First Potteries 65003 on the #32A to Hanley.

First Potteries 65003 in Uttoxeter bus station

When the bus had been readied for service we got on and Matthew took a picture inside the bus towards the rear and we sat down.

Inside Trent Barton 736

The bus set off out of town and past the bakery before forking right and crossing the A50 by MacDonalds. We headed out of town towards Rocester and we turned into town. due to roadworks there was a section of the route that was now one way. I wondered if this would have a bearing on the return service and it did. A lady tried to get on the bus trying to go to Uttoxeter and she had to wait for the other service to come the same way down the road. We came out of the other side of Rocester and then we headed into Denstone. I saw a place where there was a shelter on the opposite side of the road so we got off there. We crossed the road to wait for the return service. The bus appeared roughly on time at 15:10 and it was required Trent Barton 738.

Trent Barton 738 in Denstone

We got on the bus and sat down near the back. Due to the roadwork the bus went past Rocester along the main road and then headed in Rocester from the other end. The lady that tried to get on the bus earlier now got on the correct bus and we did a lap around Rocester before heading into Uttoxeter. The reason we didn't see the Swift coming into Uttoxeter earlier is that the route into town takes in the retail park stopping outside Tesco. After calling at Tesco the bus headed into town and into the bus station. Before we got off Matthew took a picture inside Trent Barton 738.

Inside Trent Barton 738

Opposite us was Bakerbus 257, which was on layover before working the #402.

Bakerbus 257 in Uttoxeter bus station

Matthew got another picture of Trent Barton 738, with Arriva Midlands 3714 sneaking into shot behind it.

Trent Barton 738 in Uttoxeter bus station

There was just time to go to the toilet before getting another picture of Arriva Midlands 3714 which was bout to work the next #1 to Burton.

Arriva Midlands 3714 in Uttoxeter bus station

Matthew was a little unsure about doing this bus, but it was the best way to get for Wardle Transport 4808 on the X50 without waiting in the cold! We set off out of town and through Doveridge. There seemed to be some kind of walk going on which caused us a slight delay. We got to the same point as earlier on the road to Sudbury and we got off the bus. We crossed the road to wait for the X50. I called mum to tell her our plans and how long the bus would take. The bus turned up and as expected it was dud Wardle Transport 4808.

Wardle Transport 4808 in Sudbury

We got on and went upstairs. When we got past the only other person on the top deck Matthew took a picture inside Wardle Transport 4808.

Inside Wardle Transport 4808

We sat down and the bus set off. We joined the A50 and we headed into Uttoxeter and then the bus station. Bakerbus 254 and Arriva Midlands 3709 were both on layerover in the bus station and I took pictures out of the window of the bus. When it was time the bus set off on it's journey towards Stoke-on-Trent. The bus did the A522 through Checkley and into Tean. We had another short pause here before carrying on through Draycott and into Blythe Bridge. We crossed the railway line and then headed over the A50 into Meir Heath. We went out towards Rough Close and then back into Meir along the A520. On the A50 we passed Wardle Transport 2204 on the X51 to Cheadle. This was the first time we had done this service since the route had been revised to take in Longton. We came off the A50 at the East end of Longton before heading down The Strand. As we travelled down The Strand we could see that most of the shops had shut early. The bus went past the bus station before we got back onto the A50. The bus came off the A50 at Heron cross and we did the A50 link road to city road. When we got to Travers Court we got off the bus. Mum had been to drop off a few Christmas presents and was a couple of minutes late picking us up. We were able to see First Potteries 40003/40373 and 42727 on the #23 service. mum picked us up and we headed into Heron Cross via Smithpool Road and Grove Road. We dropped off a few more presents before continuing through Blurton onto the A5035. We did the A5035 to Trenthan and then we did the Northbound A34 up to Trent Vale. We picked up a MacDonalds meal for Matthew before we headed home back down the A34 and A5035. We got home around 18:00. Matthew ate his chicken nugget meal and plain cheesburger washed down with a Coke. We then chilled out watching Christmas Eve televsion and writing the Blog. Matthew chilled out on his computer and is expected to got to bed around 00:00...Mark