Trip to Joiners Square / Trent Vale 25-09-2015

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
DV10 JCU	Blurton	Fenton	Charter	Shelton Care Group
DY08 FFX	Fenton	Joiners Square	Charter	Shelton Care Group
DY08 FFX	Joiners Square	Blurton	Charter	Shelton Care Group
60193	Magdalen Road, Blurton	Trent Vale, opp Chubb Way (Unmarked)	22	First Potteries

Today Matthew was going to the pub for his tea, but not before he had been out with his day service. Matthew got up around 08:00 and had toast and orange juice for breakfast. Just before 09:00 his transport to his day service turned up and it was Shelton Care Group DV10 JCU.

Shelton Care Group DV10 JCU in Blurton

We got on the bus and the bus set off onto the A5035. We went over the railway line into Trentham before turning at New Inn Lane. We turned into Pacific Drive and we picked up another service user before going back onto New Inn Lane. We returned along A5035 before turning left into Church Road and forwards onto Blurton Road and we carried on to Heron Cross. We turned right to go through the traffic lights and onto Heron Street. After crossing over the railway we turned left onto Christchurch Street before reaching our destination. In the morning Matthew went into the sensory and spent time using a computer. We went to fetch dinner from the chip shop. For dinner he had sausage chips and gravy from the chips shop. After dinner we went to the pub. Today we went to the pub in Shelton Care Group DY08 FFX.

Shelton Care Group DY08 FFX in Fenton

The bus set off onto Glebedale Road and we turned left onto City Road. After the pedestrian crossing we turned right onto Manor Street. At the end of Manor Street we turned left onto Victoria Road and we headed down to Joiners Square. We crossed the roundabout onto Lichfield Street and we arrived at the destination. Matthew went to the toilet and then had a drink of Coke. Highlights of the bus sightings included First Potteries 63100 on a #6 to Meir. He enjoyed socialising with his day service staff and the other service users whilst listening to music on the Jukebox. When it was time to go They climbed back aboard Shelton Care Group DY08 FFX. We headed down Palmeston Road and onto the A52 before turning left onto Victoria Road where we saw Scraggs Blue Buses YJ54 BSX on a #50 to Caverswall. On Victoria Road we went to the top turning sharp right onto City Road. We turned left into Glebedale Road and to our destination. We stopped briefly before setting off onto Glebedale Road before turning right onto City Road. We headed towards Longton along City Road and then King Street. Just before we got to the railway bridge we turned left onto one of the side street and we weaved our way through over to Anchor Road. We headed up the hill into Adderley Green and we turned left at the gas tower. On the depot were First potteries 40173 & 40373. We carried on along Dividy Road into Bentilee and we dropped another service user off at respite. We then returned to Adderley Green and back down Anchor Road. We went around the one way system in Longton and Crossed over the A50 and onto the A5035. We carried on to Blurton getting back around 15:00. Today we were catching the 16:30 from Blurton to Trent Vale and due to the change in the timetable in early September it was impossible to work out what bus was going to work this service! Buses seen earlier in the day on the #22 included required First Potteries 41521, 42553 & 65041! Matthew had some toast and a drink of Cherryade and used his computer whilst we waited for time to pass. He also helped me to shred some documents!At 16:20 we set off on foot to the bus stop all the way over on Magdalen Road. 16:30 came and went and whilst we waited for the Newcastle bound service we saw dud First Potteries 41070 on a Longton bound #22.

First Potteries 41070 in Blurton

Some builders working on a house near to the bus stop had very helpfully parked two vans right in front of the bus stop! A few minutes later a 'Olympia' liveried Scania rounded the corner and it was the very dud First Potteries 60193.

First Potteries 60193 in Blurton

First Potteries 60193 was one of seven Scanias that were until recently allocated to the Newcastle garage and were the mainstay of the #22 service prior to the timetable change at the beginning of the month. If the controller of AG happens to read the Blog could you please send something interesting or required on the Fridays 16:14 off Longton... Buses that we have already been on can be found here... :) We got on the bus and we booked to Harpfield Road. Te bus set off onto the A5035 and we turned right towards Trentham. As we approached the railway line we passed Scraggs coach 6626 VT. In Trentham we turned right onto New Inn Lane and we passed Free Spirits MK52 PXH heading to it's weekend parking spot. In Hanford we passed First Potteries Dart 40367 on the 3rd #22 turn and further up Wilson Road First Potteries 50296 streaked past on a #21 to Trentham. We joined the Northbound A34 and we crossed under the A500 into Trent Vale. Further up the road we turned right into Harpfields Road and we got up and got off the bus. Matthew took another picture of First Potteries 60193 as it carried on towards Newcastle.

First Potteries 60193 in Trent Vale

As we walked back onto the A34 we saw Allendale PO59 GHA go by in the distance towards Newcastle. We walked along the A34 to the pub and no buses passed us by. We turned back and we saw a red and yellow Scaina Omnicity in the distance so we walked back past the street furniture to get a clear view. As we waited for the Scania approach we saw an ABC Supreme minibus join the A34 off harpfield Road. As it got closer we saw that it was ABC Supreme Mercedes minibus P881 RND on a hospital link shuttle.

ABC Supreme P881 RND in Trent Vale

Right behind it was dud First Potteries Scania 65026 on a #10 to Stafford.

First Potteries 65026 in Trent Vale

We met up with mum and Matthew had a brunch with bread and butter followed by toffee sponge pudding with ice cream. Whilst we ate highlights of the passing buses were Coaches YN63 ZHH Steel's (Addingham) & Copeland's Tours MIB 615 both going South. We also saw ABC Supreme CN05 SVS on a hospital bound hospital link service. After we had finished eating we went to the car and Matthew called uncle Dave to tell him we were on the way. We set off down the A34 and we passed First Potteries 53042 on a Hanley bound #21 service. We then joined the Northbound A500. At Sideway we went Eastwards along the A50 to Heron Cross were we were caught up by Paul's of Stoke Y13 POS. We dropped into Fenton and we picked uncle Dave up, and we came back through heron Cross. We crossed the A50 and we went into Blurton along Blurton Road. At the BP garage we saw Paul's of Stoke Y13 POS & City Cabs SJ54 MWY. We followed the road forwards onto church Road and as we turned right into Beaconsfield Drive we saw First Potteries 32630 on a #22 to Longton and First Potteries 53830 on a #23 to Hanley. We got home around 18:15. Matthew then chilled out on his computer until bedtime around 00:00... Mark