Trip to Fenton / Trent Vale 29-08-2014

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
41501	Magdalen Road, Blurton	Trent Vale, opp Chubb Way (Unmarked)	22	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 Beaconsfield Drive and left onto Ashby Crescent. We got back onto Beaconsfield Drive and turned left onto Church Road At Heron Cross lights we went straight over and then left onto Christchurch Street 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 followed by a bakewell tart and custard. We walked to the local pub and spent the afternoon looking at buses go past. We saw 53209 on the #23 to Hanley.

First Potteries 53209 in Fenton

Twenty minutes later we saw 53829 on the following #23 to Hanley.

First Potteries 53829 in Fenton

Going towards Blurton on the #23 was First Potteries 53208. This was followed by First Potteries 53830 on the next #23 to Hanley.

First Potteries 53830 in Fenton

At home time we took Matthew onto Glebedale Road Street and down City Road to Stoke. The went South down the A500 and then East on the A50 to right onto Stanley Matthews Way. We then went left onto the A5035 getting home around 15:00. At home Matthew had toast and some dandelion & burdock. Just before 15:30 we set off waling all the way to the bus stop on Magdalen Road. We did not know what was working this service as I had missed seeing it earlier We did know that it was going to be First Potteries 41494/41497/41512/42892 or 43877 as these had been seen working on other turns. At 15:42 a few minutes late we saw a First Potteries Caetano Dart turn the corner. As it got closer we saw it was required First Potteries 41501.

First Potteries 41501 in Blurton

We got on the bus and sat down near to the back. The bus was fairly well filled as it set off right onto the A5035. The bus carried on through to Trentham and we passed First Potteries 43877 on a #22 to Dresden. We turned right into New Inn Lane and down past the man in Space before climbing the hill towards Hanford. We turned rightonto Wilson Road before going left onto Church Lane. We passed First Potteries 41522 on a #21 to Pacific Drive. We crossed the A34 and then went under the A500. The bus emptied a little and Matthew took a picture facing forward.

Inside First Potteries 41501

We turned right into Harpfields road and we got up and got off the bus. Matthew took another picture of First Potteries 41501 as it headed of towards Newcastle & Hanley.

First Potteries 41501 in Trent Vale

We hadn't passed the next Dresden bound #22 so we though about waiting for it.We decided no to waited and we walked around the corner towards the pub. I had allowed extra time in case Matthew wanted to get off and wait for another bus. As such we had a few minutes time to kill. Going towards Stafford we saw dud 65040.This was followed by required First Potteries 43875 on the #22 to Dresden. Had we waited for the #101 at hanford we would have been on dud First Potteries 65004 which we saw on the Hanley bound #101.

First Potteries 65004 in Trent Vale

First Potteries 65004 was a bus that we had traveled on from Alton Towers to Werrington back in June 2010. We waited for a few minutes for mum to arrive and we went into the pub where Matthew had a brunch with bread and butter followed by toffee sponge pudding with ice cream. Whilst we ate highlights of the passing buses Stantons of Stoke ONZ 1128 plus First Potteries double deckers 32634 & 32639 on #101's. 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 where we passed Maynes Irizar coach NIB 4162. we went East at the A50. We came off the A50 at Heron Cross and we dropped into Fenton passing First Potteries 40027 on a Blurton bound #23A service. After we had picked up uncle Dave,we set off back through Heron Cross and through Blurton getting home at around 18:00. Matthew then chilled out watching 'On the Yorkshire Buses' and bus videos on his computer. He then chilled out until bedtime around 00:00...Mark