Trip to Hanley / Trent Vale 02-12-2016

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
67602	Magdalen Road, Blurton	Trent Vale, opp Chubb Way	22	First Potteries

Today Matthew was going to the pub for his tea, but before he was going to the dentist. Matthew should have been going to his day service, but he was currently off sick. Matthew got up around 08:00 and had a giant crumpet and orange juice for breakfast. Mum went out just before 09:00 and we set off for the dentist around 09:20. We set off through Blurton on Beaconsfield Drive and we turned left onto Church Road. We turned left again onto Blurton Road and we ran down through Blurton to Heron Cross where we saw Lightning Travel T2 DLT parked up. We crossed over the A50 and we dropped down into Fenton to pick up uncle Dave. After we had picked uncle Dave up we continued down to the A500. At the junction of City Road we saw Copeland's Tours new coach MIB 783 about turn right onto City Road.

Copelands Tours MIB 783 in Stoke

We continued along the A500 to the Stoke Road junction and we turned right onto Stoke Road. We went under the railway line and up the hill through Shelton and forwards onto Snow Hill. At the ring road we went right and we ran around town to Town Road where we crossed over the ring road and came back the other way. We came off the ring road onto Upper Huntbatch Street and we turned left into Garth Street where we parked the car. We walked over to the dentists and Matthew was perfectly well behaved whilst he had a check up and we discussed future treatment. Once we had finoshed we headed back to the car and we drove back onto the ring road. We turned left onto Lichfield Street and we ran down the hill to Joiners Square. After crossing over the roundabout we ran up Victoria Road and we turned right onto the A50 link road. We joined the Westbound A50 and we came off again on Blurton Road at Heron Cross. We ran through Blurton along Blurton Road and we turned right onto Church Road and right again onto Beaconsfield Drive. We got back home around 10:40. The plan was now for uncle Dave to look after Matthew whilst I went to the railway to do some work. Matthew had other ideas and insisted on coming with me! We set off just after 11:00 onto Beaconsfield Drive and we ran through Blurton along Church Road and Blurton Road. At Heron Cross we went Eastwards along the A50 to Longton where we came off onto baths Road. In Longton Interchange we saw First Potteries 53830 on a #12 service. We also saw First Potteries double decker 32057 coming into the interchange on a #11 service. We turned right onto Market Street and we turned left onto Anchor Road. We turned right onto Sutherland Street and we saw blue minibus GN03 MTZ in it's usual spot near to the police station. We turned right onto Weston Coyney Road and we followed an unidentified white F&L Travel minibus. At the end of Weston Coyney Road we turned left onto the A520. There were some temporary traffic lights and once we had passed them and got onto the fast section we stormed up to Cellarhead. We went across the crossroad and forwards into Wetley Rocks and then into Cheddleton. We turned right onto Basford Bridge Road and we ran down into the valley and parked up outside the railway station. After Matthew had been to the toilet he helped me hang some Christmas decorations and then we cleaned seats and tables of strands of tinsel that had fallen off during decoration. At dinner time we ran back up the the A520 and Matthew had a burger and a can of Coke at the Truckers Tucker food van. We ate the burger and we drove back down to the station. After Matthew had used the toilet we went through the rest of the train and cleaned the seats of tinsel as well as wiping down all of the table on the train ready for service tomorrow. After doing some cleaning in hr toilets and the old mess room we got back into the car and we set off home. We turned right onto Basford Bridge Road climbed the hill onto the A520 where we saw City cabs EF05 OLX heading towards Cheddleton village. We went through Wetley Rocks to Cellarhead and across the crossroads and into weston Coyney. After the temporary traffic lights we saw Copeland's Tours MIB 986 & MIB 268 going the other way. We ran to Meir and at the roundabout we turned right and joined the Westbound A50. We ran down a couple of junction to Longton and we came off onto the high level A50. We went past Z Carz and we saw CE02 LYX / S973 OVP / Y568 XFV parked up on the spare ground. We turned left onto Heathcote Street and we hit heavy traffic outside the school. We then saw D&G 109 on the #40 to Hanley. We continued onto Longton Hall Road and at the end we turned left onto Blurton Road. We turned right onto Church Road and right again onto Beaconsfield Drive. We got back home around 15:30 and we saw first Potteries 67643 on a #22 to Longton. Once in the house Matthew had toast and a glass of shandy. Today we went to catch the 16:26 to Newcastle. We set off on foot to the bus stop all the way onto Magdalen Road. I hadn't seen the bus earlier so we didn't know what to expect apart from it wouldn't be First Potteries 67643 as that was on the bus before. The bus turned the corner and it was was First Potteries 67602.

First Potteries 67602 in Blurton

We got on the bus and we booked to Harpfields Road. We sat down towards the back of the bus and we set off onto the A5035. We crossed over the railway line into Trentham and we passed First Potteries 67633 on a #22 to Longton. We turned right into New Inn Lane and we climbed the hill into Hanford. We turned right into Wilson Road and we passed First Potteries 67151 on a #21A to Trentham Gardens. We turned left Church Lane passing first Potteries 67156 closely followed by First Potteries 67155, both on #21's to the Trentham Hotel. We ran down the hill and joined the A34 and we saw white minibus R2 OGO. We crossed under the A500 into Trent Vale passing South Stafford College HJ58 KZA South. We turned right into Harpfields Road and we got up and got off the bus. Matthew took another picture of First Potteries 67602 as it continued towards Newcastle.

First Potteries 67602 in Trent Vale

Once we had seen the bus go up the road we crossed over and walked down to the A34. We walked back to the pub and we sat on the wall to wait for mum. Whilst we were there we saw Newcastle School HJ60 KXH, First Potteries 65038 on a #101 to Hanley and E-zec patient transport YJ16 GGY. A few minutes pater we saw First Potteries 65039 on a #101 to Stafford.

First Potteries 65039 in Trent Vale

We waited a little longer and we saw City Centre Central minibus RV55 XAA. A short while later we saw First Potteries 67643 again on the last #22 turn to Longton.

First Potteries 67643 in Trent Vale

A few minutes later mum turned up and we went inside the pub. Matthew had a brunch with oatcakes followed by toffee sponge pudding with ice cream. Whilst we ate highlights of the passing buses included Stanton's of Stoke 3093 RU going North as well as required First Potteries 65035 on a #101 service to Stafford. When it was time to go we got in the car to go home and we went South down the A34. As uncle Dave was already with us we didn't have to go and pick him up. We carried on along the A34 through Hanford and into Trentham. Ouside the old Trentham garden we saw Plants minubus P16 NTM parked up in the layby. We turned left onto the A5035 and we crossed over the railway line and into Blurton. We got back around 19:00. Matthew chilled out on his computer and we sorted a few things out. We chilled out on the sofa until bedtime around 00:00... Mark