Trip to Hanley / Newcastle 08-12-2023

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
67151	Fenton, adj Travers Court	Hanley BS	23	First Potteries
63176	Hanley BS	Newcastle BS	4A	First Potteries
67176	Newcastle BS	Fenton, Smithpool Road	11	First Potteries
67174	Fenton, adj Travers Court	Newcastle BS	11	First Potteries
44511	Newcastle BS	Newcastle, o/s Cherry Tree PH	22	First Potteries

Today Matthew was in the residential unit and he was going out on the bus. Later on he was also going back to Blurton. Matthew got up around 08:00 and had toast and orange juice for breakfast. We saw Shelton Care Group YP70 JYJ outside. We went downstairs and we set off onto Temple Street and we cut through onto City Road. A few minutes later we saw a bus approaching. As it got closer we saw it was First Potteries 67151 on a #23 to Hanley.

First Potteries 67151 in Fenton

We got on the bus and we booked to Hanley before we sat down towards the back of the bus. The bus set off down City Road and we joined the A52 and ran under the railway line. After crossing over the A500 we ran into Stoke town centre along Church Street. We followed the one-way system around onto Elenora Street and right onto Copeland Street. We turned left onto Glebe Street and we ran under the railway line before turning left onto Station Road. After stopping briefly outside the railway station we turned right onto College Road and We turned left onto Avenue Road and we turned right onto Snow Hill. We turned left and ran up Broad Street. We turned right onto the ring road and left onto Bethesda Street. We turned right onto John Street and we ran up to the bus station. Once in the bus station we got up and got off the bus. We waited for a bus to Newcastle. We were considering what bus to do next and we saw First Potteries 65029 on a #101 to Stafford. A few minutes later we saw a bus come around the corner. It was First Potteries 63176 on a #4A to Talke Pits.

First Potteries 63176 in Hanley bus station

We got on the bus and we booked to Newcastle before sitting down towards the back of the bus. We set off out of the bus station and onto John Street. At the bottom of the road we turned right onto Bethesda Street. We turned left onto Broad Street and then we joined the clockwise ring road. At the end we turned left onto Etruria Road before going under the A53 onto Festival Way. We ran past Waterworld and we turned left onto Forge Lane past a new minibus building by the Brindley Farm pub. We looped under the A53 and we joined the Westbound A53. We crossed over the A500 at Etruria and and we ran up the hill into Basford and we ran down hill to the edge of Newcastle and we got onto the one way system. At the jubilee roundabout we turned left onto Barracks Road before turning right into the bus station. We got up and we got off the bus. Once off the bus we had a look around to see what we might catch. We saw First Potteries 63102 on a #4A to Hanley.

First Potteries 63102 in Newcastle bus station

We walked out of the bus station onto Castle Walk and we turned left onto Ironmarket whwre we stopped at. We turned left onto Astley Walk and we stopped at Superdrug. We brougt a bottle of Coke. When we had finished shopping we turned left onto Hassell Street. We returned to the bus station and we waited for a bus to Fenton. A short time later we saw First Potteries 67145 on a #22 to Longton.

First Potteries 67145 in Newcastle bus station

The bus appeared and it was First Potteries 67176 on a #11 to Hanley.

First Potteries 67176 in Newcastle bus station

We got on the bus and we booked to Fenton before sitting down towards the back of the bus. We set off onto Barracks Road and we ran up to the Jubilee roundabout. We ran onto the A53 and around the one-way system onto the A52. We ran up George Street into Hartshill and we ran down the hill into Stoke town centre. After a brief stop we continued along Church Street out of Stoke and over the A500. We ran under the railway line and we continued onto City Road. At the top of the hill we got up and got off the bus. We crossed over city Road amd we cut through Upper Furlong Street onto Temple Street. We turned left onto Smithpool Road and we stopped at the chip shop. We brught dinner and we set off back. WE walked along Smithpool Road and we turned right onto Temple Street and back to the residential unit. Matthew went upstairs and had dinner. For dinner Matthew had sausage chips and gray washed down with a can of Coke. Matthew went to his room and chilled out until we arrived to pick him up. We arrived around 15:00 and when back up for his coat because it was raining. Matthe came back down and we said goodbye to mum and cut through onto City Road. AS we walked towards the stop we saw a bus approaching. It was D&G Bus 44 on a #1A to Audley.

D&G Bus 44 in Fenton

Matthew decided to turn this down as there was a first bus behind. As it got closer we saw it was First Potteries 67174 on a #11 to Newcastle.

First Potteries 67174 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 along Church Street. After a brief stop in Stoke we continued along church Street and forwards onto Hartshill Road. We ran up the hill and into Hartshill and we saw First Potteries 35941 on a #25 to Hanley. We ran forwards onto George Street and we ran down the hill into Newcastle. We turned left at the roundabout onto Barracks Road and into the bus station where we got up and got off the bus. Once off the bus we walkd down to the bottom of the bus station to see what we could see. We saw First Potteries 63172 on a #4A to Kidsgrove.

First Potteries 63172 in Newcastle bus station

A few minutes later we saw First Potteries 35937.

First Potteries 35937 in Newcastle bus station

It ran past the bus station and turned left into Hassell Street. It turned right onto Stubbs Street and the bus emptied out before running out of service. A few minutes later we saw First Potteries 63362 on a #101 to Hanley.

First Potteries 63362 in Newcastle bus station

Another vehicle we saw was D&G Bus 112 on a #1 to Meir.

D&G Bus 112 in Newcastle bus station

A short time later we saw another bus approaching. As it got closer we saw it was First Potteries 44511 on a #22 to Longton.

First Potteries 44511 in Newcastle bus station

We got on the bus and we booked to the hospital before we sat down towards the front of thr bus. 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. 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. Matthew also had a small donut. When it was time to go we went to the pub and we headed down Victoria Street. We turned left onto the A34. We continued southwards into Trent Vale. 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 63112 on a #101 to Stafford. Once we had finished eating we set off We carried on along the A34 through Hanford and into Trentham where we saw Holmeswood PO68 BYG heading Northwards. 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 and a couple of Manchester Tart. We wrote the Blog and sent a couple of e-mails. We chilled out on the sofa until bedtime around 00:00... Mark