Trip to Hanley / Stafford 19-09-2015

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
63099	Bentilee, adj The Hillberry	Hanley BS	26	First Potteries
32630	Hanley BS	Stafford Town Centre, Chell Road (Stand B1)	10	First Potteries
60072	Stafford Town Centre, Chell Road (Stand B1)	Hanley BS	10	First Potteries
65564	Hanley BS	Bentilee, adj Twigg Street	2	First Potteries

Today Matthew was nearing the end of an 8 night stay in respite. We had arranged for his day service to take him our for the morning. Matthew got up around 08:30 and had toast for breakfast. The folks from his day service came to pick him up and they walked down the road to the stop outside the Hillberry where all three Bentilee bus services stop at. The first bus to turn up was a #26. As it got closer we saw that it was required First Potteries 63099.

First Potteries 63099 in Bentilee

we got on the bus and brought a First Potteries network day ticket at £5.50. We sat down near to the back of the bus and the bus set off along the A5272 towards Bucknall. At Bucknall we joined the A52 and we crossed Leek Road and up limekiln Bank. On the edge of Hanley we joined the clockwise ring road and went around to Lichfield Street and we stopped at the stop outside the bus station. We let the bus empty and Matthew took a picture inside First Potteries 63099.

Inside First Potteries 63099

Once off the bus we walked up Stafford Street to go to the bank. On the way we saw First Potteries 41512 on a Hanley bound #8A service.

First Potteries 41512 in Hanley

Further up the road we saw First Potteries 65706 on a #3 to Keele.

First Potteries 65706 in Hanley

Just before the toilets we saw Scraggs Blue Buses 36 on a #5 to Abbey Hulton.

Scraggs Blue Buses 36 in Hanley

We walked up to Tontine Square and used the cash machine and then we headed back down Stafford Street. When we got the bus station the bus to Stafford was in the bus station. It was required First Potteries 32630.

First Potteries 32630 in Hanley bus station

We got on the bus and we flashed the network day ticket to the driver before going upstairs. As the top deck was empty Matthew got a picture inside First Potteries 32630.

Inside First Potteries 32630

The bus set off out of the bus station and down towards Shelton. We joined Shelton New Road and headed up towards Newcastle. We went over the crossroads and at the roundabout we went straight across onto George Street. We headed down the hill and onto Barracks Road before entering Newcastle bus station. After a short wait at the bus station we carried on Southwards down the A34 past the hospital and through Trent Vale. We crossed under the A500 into Hanford and we continued South into Trentham and past Trentham Gardens. We carried on through the roadworks and through Tittensor before carrying on towards Stone. We left the A34 at Newcastle Road and ran into Stone town centre. After a quick stop at Granville square we went around the town on the one way system before crossing the A34 and into Walton. We went through the industrial estate before re-joining the A34 for the run down to Stafford. We went into town along Stone Road and Foregate Street before turning right into Chell Road where we got up and got off the bus. We walked through the car park and visited the toilets near to Broad Street. We walked through the Guildhall Shopping Centre and onto Market Square. We turned left onto Gaolgate Street and we walked up to the Butlers Bell pub were we had dinner. For dinner Matthew had burger and chips washed down with a glass of Coke. For afters Matthew had warm chocolate fudge cake with custard. After he had finished eating Matthew went to the toilet before they set off back to the bus stop to catch the bus. We walked up to the roundabout before turning left onto Chell Road. There were a few minutes before the bus back to Hanley was due, so we took a few bus pictures whilst we waited. we saw required Arriva Midlands 2375 on a #828 to Brereton.

Arriva Midlands 2375 in Stafford

This was followed by dud Arriva Midlands 2367 on a #1 to Baswich.

Arriva Midlands 2367 in Stafford

Matthew travelled on this bus from Oswestry to Whittingham on the #70 with mum and uncle Dave back in September 2009! We then saw dud Arriva Midlands 2292.

Arriva Midlands 2292 in Stafford

We had this bus from Cannock to Hednesford back in April 2014. We then saw required Arriva Midlands 2294 on a #11A Stafford town circular.

Arriva Midlands 2294 in Stafford

Shortly behind the Dart was required Arriva Midlands 4203 on a #75 to Cannock.

Arriva Midlands 4203 in Stafford

Eventually the bus back to Hanley made an appearance. It was unusually an older Scania, the very dud former Newcastle based First Potteries Scania 60072.

First Potteries 60072 in Stafford

We had this bus on quite a few occasion on the #22 service! We got on the bus and we flashed the network day ticket to the driver before sitting down near to the back of the bus. The bus set off around town via the railway station and the bus station on Gaol Square. The bus set off Northwards up the A34 right the way up to the Roundabout South of Stone where we turned to go through the industrial estate at Walton. We turned right onto the B5026 and we crossed the A34 and onto the A520. We followed the bus around the one way system and we stopped at the main Northbound bus stop on Crown Street. The bus continued North up Newcastle Road and we re-joined the A34 by the Filleybrook BP service station. The bus went North up the A34 past Tittensor and Trentham. After travlling through hanford we crossed under the A500 into Trent vale and then past the hospital into Newcastle. After a brief stop in Newcastle bus station we joined Barracks Road and headed out of town along the one way system and George Street. We left Newcastle and joined Shelton New Road for the run into Hanley. We went passed on of the day centre's matthew attends and we went up Snow Hill into Hanley. The final run into Hanley was Broad Street, Marsh Street, Pall Mall and Bagnall Street before entering the bus station. Once off the bus Matthew went to the toilet. In the bus station we saw First Potteries 65027 on the #18 to Leek. We went outside to the Bentilee stops and we saw dud First Potteries 65026 on the #26 to Meir.

First Potteries 65026 in Hanley

They turned down doing this bus as First Potteries Scania 65564 was on the #2 to Newcastle.

First Potteries 65564 in Hanley

We got on the bus and they flashed the network day tickets to the driver for the final time today before sitting down towards the back of the bus. The bus set off out of the bus station onto Bethesda Street before we joined the anti-clockwise ring road. We went down Limekiln Bank and across Leek Road onto the A52. In Bucknall we turned right onto the A5272 and we ran up to Bentilee. The bus turned left onto Twigg Street and we got up and got off the bus. We walked back to the respite centre and Matthew said goodbye to the staff from the day centre. Matthew chilled out in his room until teatime when Matthew had sausages and chips followed by cake and custard. In the evening Matthew watched telly with the other service users and used his computer. He had a bath and then settle down to bed around 23:00... Mark