Trip to Hanley / Loggerheads 21-04-2014

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
41497	Ladybank Grove , Blurton	Stoke-upon-Trent, adj stop P	23	First Potteries
138	Stoke-upon-Trent, adj stop Q	Newcastle BS	85A	D&G
65732	Newcastle BS	Hanley BS	25	First Potteries
66839	Hanley BS	Newcastle BS	25	First Potteries
NIL 8662	Newcastle BS	Loggerheads, adj Loggerheads Hotel	164	Bennetts
NIL 8662	Loggerheads, opp Loggerheads Hotel	Newcastle BS	164	Bennetts

Today we decided to go out on a local trip. We hadn't really planned on doing anything, but the weather was quite nice so I thought as it was a Sunday timetable we could try to ride on the Bennetts operated #164 service. I checked where the border of Staffordshire & Shropshire was and it turned out that loggerhead was just inside Staffordshire and was only ten minutes from Market Drayton. A quick check of the time table revealed that the bus departed from Newcastle at 30 minutes past the odd hours. Matthew got up around 10:30 and we had sausages, poached egg and beans with toast for breakfast washed down with orange juice. After doing some chores in the house we got ready and went out to catch the 12:54 departure from Beaconsfield drive on the #23 service. We walked around to the stop and we didn't have to wait for long for a Caetano Dart to make an appearance. It was required First Potteries 41497.

First Potteries 41497 in Blurton

We got on the bus and booked to Stoke. We sat down near the back of the bus. There were a few people on this bus so Matthew got a picture of the back seats almost as soon as we had sat down.

Inside First Potteries 41497

The bus set off through Blurton and filled up quite well. The bus continued through Heron Cross and into Fenton before heading down City Road and into Stoke. As we entered Stoke we passed red and yellow liveried Scania 60171 on the #26 to Meir. When we got to stoke we got off the bus and Matthew got another picture of First Potteries 41497.

First Potteries 41497 in Stoke

I had checked the #25 Hanley - Keele timetable earlier and there was a 13:22 off Stoke that got into Newcastle at 13:32... Two minutes after the #164 to market Drayton departs. Whilst we were in Stoke I decided to check for the #41 or #42. I didn't notice one and further after we got home revealed that it doesn't run on Sundays anymore. There was however the #85A which departs Stoke at 15:16. I thought that with the extra 6 minutes we should make the #164 departure at Newcastle. The bus arrived in Stoke and it was required D&G Solo 138.

D&G 138 in Stoke

Matthew was well behaved and he didn't try and honk the horn. We sat down at the back and the bus set off out of Stoke, up the hill towards Hartshill. We got to the stop opposite Noah's Arc and the bus dropped of a passenger. It was at this point that the driver realised the #85A goes via Penkhull on a Sunday timetable. So the driver turned the bus around and we headed back to Queens Road and back onto the normal route. The bus picked up another passenger on Hilton Road and then we turned into the hospital. We got into Newcastle a few minutes after the #164 departed. Matthew waited for the bus to empty and then got a picture inside D&G 138.

Inside D&G 138

Whe we got to Newcastle we saw a few buses parked up. The first bus we saw was required Bakerbus Streetlite 251

Bakerbus 251 in Newcastle bus station

We had a bit of a walk around the bus station and parked up out of service on Stubbs Street was First Potteries Dart 40147.

First Potteries 40147 in Newcastle bus station

Fron the bottom of the bus station we had a better view of the double decker parked up in the layover area. The was First Potteries 37156.

First Potteries 37156 in Newcastle bus station

We didn't want to wait around for close to two hours, so we decided to catch something go towards Hanley. There was a choice of two dud buses. First Potteries Volvo 66841 was on a #34 to Hanley and First Potteries Scania 65732 was on the #25 to Hanley. Matthew chose to do the 65732. After the passengers from Keele had finished getting of he got a picture of the bus.

First Potteries 65732 in Newcastle bus station

We waited for the driver change and an elderly gentleman very kindly let Matthew get on the bus first. As he was first on Matthew got a picture of the the inside of the bus here.

Inside First Potteries 65732

we sat down near the back of the bus. A few minutes later we set off out of the bus station towards George Street. We headed down the hill into Stoke and we passed First Potteries 66845 on the Keele bound #25. We passed the railway station an went into Shelton. We then passed the Hinds Street park and ride side before going into Hanley. When we got to the bus station matthew used the toilet and then he went to say hello to someone. I am encourage him not to run at people so he wanted to say hello to someone he spotted in the distance. We walked all the way across town into primark before we caught the person up, but at least he didn't scare anyone. We walked back to the bus station to have a look at what was parked up on Layover. First Potteries 32632 as closest to us,whcih was in between workings on the #32A to Uttoxeter via Alton Towers.

First Potteries 32632 in Hanley bus station

Also parked up was First Potteries double decker 37160, which was unusually displaying #7 Smallthorne. We spent around 15 minutes taking pictures from John Street multi-storey car park,as well as having a Milky Way and a bottle of Barr Cherryade. After we had finished e started to head back to the bus station. on the way we saw First Potteries 40028 on a #21 to Trentham.

First Potteries 40028 in Hanley

We carried on walking into the bus station and we had to find a bus that would get us to Newcastle before . It just so happened that First Potteries 66839 was in the bus station on the third #25 turn. Matthew got a picture of First Potteries Volvo 66839 before we boarded the bus.

First Potteries 66839 in Hanley bus station

We sat down near the back. There were already people on this bus so Matthew took a picture of the empty seats opposite us.

Inside First Potteries 66839

The bus set off out of Hanley and into Shelton. We went down College Road and past the railway station. We then went into Stoke town centre before going up the hill into Hartshill. We then went down into Newcastle getting there just after 15:00. We got off the bus and we could see the Bennetts bus already in the bus station on layover. It was required Bennetts NIL 8662.

Bennetts NIL 8662 in Newcastle bus station

Whilst we waited for the bus to be readied for service, Matthew visited the toilet and we had a walk around the bus station. We also took a few bus pictures before the bus came onto stand just before 15:30. As we were second on the bus and the first person sat right at the front, Matthew got a picture inside the bus straight away.

Inside Bennetts NIL 8662

we didn't have to wait long before the bus set off out of the bus station. We went onto the A34 and up to the A53. We had never done this service before so I was a little surprised when the bus went as if to go to Keele. Just after the the Jet petrol station he bus turned and headed up Seabridge Road and rejoined the a53 a little further out of town. We then carried on along the A53 out of Newcastle and into Whitmore. When we got to Baldwins Gate I was surprised again when the bus turned left just after the village. The road headed off to the a51 just outside Slaters Craft village. We turned right onto the A51 and went up to The Swan with Two Necks. I was expected the burn to turn left onto the A53 but it carried as if to go towards Nantwich. about a mile down the road we turned left onto a country lane the led back onto the A53. We continued along the A53 for a short while before turning off the road again.This was to travel through the village of Ashley. We headed back onto the A53 which we joined onto just outside Loggerheads. When we got to Loggerheads we got off the bus. and Matthew got another picture of this fine Mercedes minibus before it carried on towards Market Drayton.

Bennetts NIL 8662 in Loggerheads

We watched the bus go off into the distance before we walked over to the local Co-operative food store. Matthew said hello to a couple of members of staff and we brought some pop and chocolate before heading back over to the bus stop where we had a little bus stop picnic. Matthew drank a small bottle of Irn Bru and we shared a Toffee Crisp. The bus was due to come back north in a few 10 minutes and whilst we waited I phoned mum to tell her we would be back in Newcastle at 16:50. The bus then promptly re-appeared and Matthew got another picture of this step-entranced minibus.

Bennetts NIL 8662 in Loggerheads

We got back on the bus and it headed back North Via Ashley, the A53, The croft, the A51, Slaters Craft Village, Baldwins Gate, Whitmore and into Newcastle. When we got into Newcastle we got off the bus and mum was waiting for us. we walked back to the Ironmarket where mum was parked up and we decided to go to Chunky Chicken for tea. We drove out of town along the Northbound A53 we then cut across to Shelton New Road and we came into Snow Hill and parked up outside the shop. Matthew visited the toilet and then had a chicken burger and fries washed down with a can of Irn Bru. When we had finished we headed up to Festival Park so um could pick up a couple of 3 1 month/1GB sim cards that she brought for £2.99 each! We drove back onto the A53 before doing the A500 down to the A50. We went up to Z Carz to see what was parked up. There were a few vehicles tonight. Closest to the A50 was Z Carz Mercedes minibus M372 NWN.

Z Carz M372 NWN in Longton

Behind M372 NWN was Z Carz W221 CDN. Next to these two was former Ausden Clark coach CNZ 3828.

Z Carz CNZ 3828 in Longton

In the background was green minibus HX51 HRU. In front of these were two of the more modern minibuses. Firstly Z Carz CN57 HWA.

Z Carz CN57 HWA in Longton

Next to this was Z Carz GL04 CVE.

Z Carz GL04 CVE in Longton

We headed back onto the A50 and through to Heron Cross. We went back through Blurton where we saw First Potteries 41497 on the #23 again. We got back into the house around 18:00. matthew then chilled out at home on the computer. Whilst dad had a bath. Matthew went to bed at around 11:30...Mark