Trip to Fenton / Trent Vale 15-08-2014

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
41494	Blurton, opp Ladybank Grove	Hanford (Stoke-on-Trent), adj Mayne Street	22	First Potteries
65026	Hanford (Stoke-on-Trent), opp Mayne Street	Trent Vale, adj Woodlands Road	101	First Potteries

Today we decided to go to Trent Vale on the bus. Not before Matthew had been out for the day with his new day service. Matthew got up around 07:45 and had some toast and orange juice and used his computer whilst he waited to be picked up. He was picked up a little before 09:00 and the drove him through Blurton via Finstock Avenue and Beaconsfield Drive. At Heron Cross lights we went straight over and then onto Glebedale Road and then to his destination. Matthew spent the morning in the sensory room and using a computer. For dinner Matthew had sausage chips and gravy. We walked to the local pub and spent the afternoon looking at buses go past. We saw 53207 on the #23 and 60081 on the #1.

First Potteries 60081 in Fenton

At home time we took Matthew onto Glebedale Road. We carried on through Heron Cross and along Blurton Road and Beaconsfield Road, getting home around 15:00. At home Matthew had toast and some dandelion & burdock. We had seen all eight #22's turns and required First Potteries 41494 was going to be on the 15:37 from Blurton. We set off to the bus stop around 15:25 and we walked to Beaconsfield Drive. Whilst we waited for the bus we saw a couple of #23's. First we saw First Potteries 53828 on a #23A to Newstead.

First Potteries 53828 in Blurton

A few minutes later we saw First Potteries 40029 on a #23 to Hanley.

First Potteries 40029 in Blurton

Eventually, time passed and we saw a Caetano bodied Dart approaching. As it got closer we saw it was as expected First Potteries 41494.

First Potteries 41494 in Blurton

We got on the bus and booked to Harpfields Road. We sat down towards the back of the bus and we set off onto the A5035. The bus was nearly empty and Matthew took a picture of the back seat behind us. The bus stopped at the Crowcrofts Road stop and then carried on. The bus then stopped dead engine off. The driver managed to get the bus to restart and we carried on... The bus carried on towards Trentham and we passed dud First Potteries 40020 on the next #22 to Dresden. In Trentham we passed dud First Potteries 41498 going into Trentham. We carried on through Hanford and we passed First Potteries 41540 on a #21 to Trentham. We decided to get off the bus in Hanford to see what was on the following #101 Hanley service. Whilst we waited we saw National Holidays Setra bodied coach NH10 NSH.

National Holidays NH10 NSH in Hanford

A minute or so behind the National Holiday coach we Leon's Coaches 210 going North too. On a Stafford bound #101 was First Potteries 65004.

First Potteries 65004 in Hanford

We then saw Van Hool bodied coach Copeland's Tours MIB 293 going North.

Copelands Tours MIB 293 in Hanford

Eventually we saw a scania approaching in the distance. It was in 'heritage' red and yellow livery so we knew that it was a required bus. As it got closer we saw it was First Potteries 65026.

First Potteries 65026 in Hanford

We booked to Harpfield Road. We were only going 2 stops down the road, but the distance was close to 3/4 of a mile! As the bus was full we stood near to the front. We crossed the A500 and went passed the pub. When we got to the next stop we rang the bell and got off.

First Potteries 65026 in Trent Vale

We walked back to the pub and mum was already waiting. Matthew had a brunch with bread and butter followed by toffee sponge pudding with ice cream. Whilst we ate highlights of the passing buses included Bennetts Travel Dart T48 JBA running empty and Roseville's minibus SM07 UEH. There was only one double decker out on the #101 and that was First Potteries 32639. After we had finished eating we called Uncle Dave and we went to pick him up. We drove along the A34 and onto the Northbound A500 going East at the A50. We came off the A50 at Heron Cross and we dropped into Fenton to pick up uncle Dave. We set off back through Heron Cross and through Blurton getting home at around 17:30. Matthew then chilled on his computer. He then chilled out until bedtime around 00:00...Mark