Trip to Longton / Trent Vale 01-04-2016

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
67602	Blurton, opp Ladybank Grove	Longton Interchange	22	First Potteries
67603	Longton Interchange	Stoke-upon-Trent, adj stop Q	2	First Potteries
41520	Stoke-upon-Trent, adj stop T	Trent Vale, Opp Black Lion	21	First Potteries

Today Matthew was going to the pub for his tea. Matthew had come home ill from his day service yesterday, and as a precaution he was at home today. Matthew got up around 08:00 and had a giant crumpet for breakfast washed down orange juice. Mum went out to visit grandma and Matthew and I chilled out at home. For dinner Matthew had half of a 3 egg Omlette washed down with a can of Coke. During the day I had been looking out for the #22's. The only required one out today was First Potteries 67602. We made a decision to go after this bus which we could do to Longton and go to Trent Vale Via Longton & Stoke. We worked out it was going to be on the 15:52 from Blurton to Longton. We got ready and we set off out of the house around 15:45. We walked to the stop on Beaconsfield Drive and the first bus to turn up at the stop was dud First Potteries 41512 on the #23 to Hanley.

First Potteries 41512 in Blurton

Seconds later required First Potteries 67602 came around the corner on the #22 to Longton as expected.

First Potteries 67602 in Blurton

We got on the bus and we booked to Longton, before sitting down towards the back of the bus. The bus set off up Beaconsfield Drive and at the end we turned left onto Church Road. We ran down under the old railway bridge and we continued onto Blurton Road. At the bottom of the hill the bus turned right onto Longton Hall Road. We climbed the hill past The John Marston pub and forwards onto Heathcote Road. At the end we turned left onto the High Level A50 ans we crossed the A50 onto Baths Road. As we entered Longton Interchange we saw D&G Buses 113 leaving on 'The Orange One' to Newcastle. We let the bus empty and then Matthew took a picture inside First Potteries 67602.

Inside First Potteries 67602

When we got to the bus station there was only dud First Potteries 67635 on a #1 to Hanley.

First Potteries 67635 in Longton Interchange

We found the appropriate Stand for the #2 and we sat down. As we waited we saw required First Potteries 66305 on a #2 to Hanley.

First Potteries 66305 in Longton Interchange

We also saw dud First Potteries 63172 on a #6A to Blythe Bridge.

First Potteries 63172 in Longton Interchange

a few minutes later we saw an Enviro 300 turn the corner on a Newcastle bound #2. We saw that it had a flip dot display, and with dud First Potteries 67604 on a #22, we knew there was a 50% chance that it was required First Potteries 67601... It turned out to be dud First Potteries 67603.

First Potteries 67603 in Longton Interchange

We got on the bus and we booked to Stoke before we sat down towards the back of the bus. The bus set off onto Baths Road and we turned left under the railway line onto King Street. We continued down the road and forward onto City Road and down to the bottom of Fenton. As we passed the end of Leek Road we saw D&G Buses 119 pull in front of us heading into Stoke on a 'Nines' service. We went under the railway line and over the A500 and into Stoke town centre where we got up and got off the bus. At the stop in front of us was required First Potteries 41521 on a #25 to Keele.

First Potteries 41521 in Stoke

We saw but weren't able to photograph required First Potteries 32079 on a #25 to Hanley. As we walked towards Campbell Place to catch our next bus we were able to get a picture of required D&G Buses 119 on a 'Nines' service.

D&G 119 in Stoke

We walked around the corner onto Campbell Place and there were a few people waiting at the stop for the bus. We didn't have to wait long before we saw dud First Potteries 41520 come around the corner on a #21 to the Trentham Hotel.

First Potteries 41520 in Stoke

We got on the bus and we booked to Trent Vale before we sat down towards the middle of the bus. The bus set off along Campbell Place onto London Road and we passed the City Cabs depot and First Potteries 41495 on a #21A to Hanley. We carried on along the road through Oakhill and into Trent Vale. Just before the end of London Road we got up and got off the bus. We crossed over London Road onto the A34 and we walked around the corner. Mum had already arrived at the pub and as he walked to the entrance we saw Lucky Seven taxi minibus SJ05 MDZ. On the main road we saw required First Potteries 65041 on a Stafford bound #101 service.

First Potteries 65041 in Trent Vale

At the pub 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 required First Potteries 65037 on a Stafford Bound #101 service as well as Roseville minibus BG07 XCN, Leons Coaches 214 and ABC Supreme P881 RND on a South bound shuttle. When it was time to go we got in the car to go and pick up uncle Dave. We went South down the A34 and we turned left onto the A500. At Sideway we went East on the A50 and we saw D&G Buses 31 on a #14 service as well as an unidentified white M reg coach. We came off the A50 at Heron Cross and we dropped down into Fenton to pick up uncle Dave. After we had picked up uncle Dave we came back up to Heron Cross and then right onto Blurton Road. As we traveled through Blurton we passed First Potteries 42893 on a #23 to Hanley, 41514 on a Blurton bound #23 service and First Potteries 67638 on a #22 to Longton. We turned right into Beaconsfield Drive and we got home just after 18:00. Matthew chilled out on the sofa on the computer most of the evening, occasionally going outside to 'The man cave' to visit me and uncle Dave to see what we were up to. Matthew went to bed around 00:30... Mark