Trip to Hanley / Newcastle 21-07-2023

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
67155	Hanley BS	Fenton, Opp Smithpool Road	23	First Potteries
113	Fenton, adj Travers Court	Newcastle BS	1A	D&G Bus
35946	Newcastle BS	Newcastle, o/s The Cherry Tree	25	First Potteries

Today Matthew was going out on the bus and was going to Blurton. He was also going to grandma's and going to the pub. Matthew got up around 09:00 and had toast and orange juice for breakfast. When it was time to go out went downstairs and we set off onto Temple Street. We cut through onto City Road and we headed down the hill and we went towards Stoke. We joined right onto the A52 and we walked along side the railway line. We continued along the A52 past the Stoke sorting office and we turned left onto Cauldon Road and right onto Boughey Road. We went into Hanley Park and we crossed over the canal and we headed to the sensory play area. Matthew hung around here for 30 minutes and afterwards we headed to the North West corner of the park and onto Cleveland Street. We continued onto Regent Road and we turned left onto Bethesda Street. We turned right onto the ring road. We crossed over Lichfield Street and we went to Venus Fish Bar for dinner. Matthew had sausage chips and gravy washed down with a can of Coke. Whilst we ate we saw First Potteries 63117 on a #11 to Newcastle. When we had finished we crossed over the ring road and cut through onto Birch Terrace and onto Lichfield Street. We turned left onto Albion Street and we headed down the hill and we visited the museum. After a look around the museum we headed onto Bethesda Street and up John Street to the bus station. Matthew went to the toilet and afterwards we waited for a bus back to Fenton. A short time later a bus arrived on stand. It was First Potteries 67155 on a #23 to Newstead.

First Potteries 67155 in Hanley bus station

We got on the bus and we booked to Fenton before we sat down towards the back of the bus. We set off out of the bus station and we ran down John Street and left onto onto Bethesda Street. We turned right onto the clockwise ring road and we turned left onto Hinde Street. We turned right onto Regent Road and forwards onto Cleveland Road. We ran down though Shelton along College Road and we ran down to the railway station. We turned right onto Glebe Street and under the railway line an we ran around the one-way system in Stoke and stopped by Stoke Minster. We turned left onto Church Street and we crossed the A500 and we ran under the railway line. After climbing up the hill into Fenton we turned right into Christchurch Street where we got up and got off the bus. Once off the bus we crossed over the road and we cut through onto Temple Street and back to the the residential unit. Matthew chilled out in his room and got ready to go back to Blurton. I arrived just before 15:00 and Matthew came downstairs and we cut through onto City Road. We headed to the bus stop and we waited for a bus towards Newcastle. A short time later we saw a bus approaching. As it got closer we saw it was D&G Bus 113 on a #1A to Audley.

D&G Bus 113 in Fenton

We got on the bus and we booked to Newcastle before sitting down towards the back of the bus. The bus set off down City Road and we ran down the hill over the old railway line to Leek and onto the A52. We ran under the railway line and over the A500 and straight into Stoke town centre. We continued along Church Street onto Hartshill Road and into the centre of Hartshill. We turned left into the Avenue and left again onto Hilton Road before turning right into the City General Hospital. As we travelled through the hospital we saw blue minibus GX13 AYT. Once through the hospital we turned right onto the A34 and we ran into Newcastle. We crossed the roundabout and we ran up Barracks Road and into the bus station from the South end. Once we got to the bus station we got up and got off the bus. We walked up towards the top end of the bus station whilst we waited for something we could catch. We saw D&G Bus 149 on a #9 to Biddulph.

D&G Bus 149 in Newcastle bus station

Also seen was First Potteries 63171 on a #4A to Hanley.

First Potteries 63171 in Newcastle bus station

A few minutes later we saw a bus arrive from the South. We went to see what it was. As we got closer we saw it was First Potteries 35946 on a #25 to Hanley.

First Potteries 35946 in Newcastle bus station

We got on the bus and we booked to the hospital before we went upstairs and sitting down. We set off out of the bus station onto Barracks Road. We ran Southwards onto the A34 and we got up and got off the bus by the Cherry Tree. We got off the bus and Matthew took a picture of First Potteries 35946 as it continued towards Hanley.

First Potteries 35946 in Newcastle

Once off the bus we headed along the A34 and we went up the hill towards Grandma's. At Grandma's Matthew had toast and a can of Irn Bru and used her computer. When it was time to go we went to the pub and we headed down Occupation Street. We turned left onto the A34. We continued southwards into Trent Vale past the site of a new Greggs. We continued through Trent Vale and we stopped at the pub. We walked into the pub and we sat down at our one our normal tables. Matthew had a brunch with oatcakes followed by toffee sponge pudding with ice cream. Highlights of the bus sightings included First Potteries 63179 on a #101 to Hanley and ABC Supreme YA67 VBB going Northwards. Once we had finished eating we set off We carried on along the A34 through Hanford and into Trentham. We turned left onto the A5035. 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. Matthew also had a can of Cherry Coke. We wrote the Blog and sent a couple of e-mails. We chilled out on the sofa until bedtime around 00:00... Mark