Trip to Newcastle / Biddulph 23-12-2023

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
63359	Blurton, Magdalen Road	Newcastle BS	22	First Potteries
63349	Newcastle BS	Burslem, (stop G)	98	First Potteries
63174	Burslem, (Stop A)	Tunstall, stop A	3	First Potteries
63178	Tunstall, stop B	Newcastle BS	99	First Potteries
63179	Newcastle BS	Hanley BS	4A	First Potteries
63345	Hanley BS	Biddulph BS	7A	First Potteries
161	Biddulph BS	Hanley BS	9	D&G Bus

Today was the weekend before Chritmas so as is tradition, we always do a local trip. No research was done for this trip, we didn't even check the weather! Matthew woke up at 08:00 to have his medication. Matthew got uparound 10:30 and I went to fetch uncle Dave as we were starting from the house today. After getting ready we set off to the bus stop all the way on Magdalen Road and we waited for a bus towards Newcastle. We'd usually start by going to Trentham, but we wanted to avoid Stoke today as Stoke City were playing at home. As we waited we saw First Potteries 63178 on a #22 to Longton.

First Potteries 63178 in Blurton

A short time later we saw the bus turn the corner. AS it got closer we saw it was First Potteries 63359 on a #22 to Newcastle.

First Potteries 63359 in Blurton

We got on the bus and booked a Smart Day ticket at £3.50. This ticket is a multi-operator ticket valid throughout the North Staffordshire area. We sat down near to the back of the bus and the bus set off onto the A5035. We went past the Trentham Hotel we turned right into New Inn Lane. We turned left into Wilson Road and left into Church Lane. We continued down to the hill and we joined the Northbound A34. In the distance saw an unidentified Lakeside coach join the Northbound A500. We headed into Trent Vale. We turned right into Harpfields Road and we continued forwards on Hilton Road before turning right into the City General Hospital. 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 headed up Castle Walk and we stopped at the Pound Bakery. We bought sausage rolls and a can of dandelion & burdock and we headed back down Castle Walk to the bus station. We sat down and we had a sausage roll each and Matthew drank the can of dandelion & burdock. A few minutes later we saw a us heading for the Wolstanton corridor stand. We saw it was First Potteries 63349 on a #98 to Ball Green.

First Potteries 63349 in Newcastle bus station

We got on the bus and we flashed the Smart Day ticket to the driver before we sat town towards the back of the bus. The bus set off onto Barracks Road and up to the Jubilee roundabout. We crossed over onto the A527 and we ran out of town through Brampton up to May bank. We continued forwards through Wolstanton and at the roundabout we turned right onto Porthill Bank and across the A500. We ran up through Longport to Middleport and at Trubshaw Cross we turned right towards Burslem. We ran up Newcastle Street into Burslem and we got up and got off the bus. We took another picture of First Potteries 63349 before it carried on towards Ball Green.

First Potteries 63349 in Burslem

Once off the bus we walked around the corner onto the A50 to wait for a bus towards Tunstall. We didn't have to wait for long before we saw a bus approaching. As it got closer we saw it was First Potteries 63174 on a #3 to Crewe.

First Potteries 63174 in Burslem

We got on the bus and we flashed the Smart Day ticket to the driver before we sat town towards the back of the bus. We set off out of Burslem along Scotia Road past the Lidl supermarket. We turned left onto Williamson Street and then we turned right onto Tunstall High Street and we got up and got off the bus. We took another picture of First Potteries 63174 before it carried on towards Crewe.

First Potteries 63174 in Tunstall

We headed into Tunstall Cafe and Matthew went to the toilet whilst I ordered some food. Matthew had a slice of toffee cheescake washed down with a can of Cherry Coke. When we had finished we went outside and we crossed the road to catch a bus towards Hanley. Whilst we waited we saw Matthew's former transport bus DY08 FFX which is now in private ownership.

DY08 FFX in Tunstall

We waited at the bus stop opposite Subway, which is going to be relocting in early 2024 due to the state of the building. A short time later we saw First Potteries 63100 on a #3 to Crewe.

First Potteries 63100 in Tunstall

A few minutes later we saw our bus approaching. As predicted we saw it was First Potteries 63178 on a #99 to Newcastle.

First Potteries 63178 in Tunstall

We got on and flashed the Smart Day ticket. As the bus was empty Matthew took a picture inside First Potteries 63178 before we sat down.

Inside First Potteries 63178

We set off down the High Street and we stopped at the bottom before joining Brownhills Road. We ran down the hill to Trubshsaw Cross and we continued straight through Longport and over the A500. We went up Porthill Bank and we followed the A527 through Wolstanton & May Bank and into Newcastle. We crossed the roundabout onto Barracks Road and we entered the bus station. As we got off the bus we spotted Megabus 54609 on a M36 to Barnstaple.

Megabus 54609 in Newcastle bus station

Also seen was First Potteries 35938 on a #101 to Stafford.

First Potteries 35938 in Newcastle bus station

We waited for a bus towards Hanley. A short time later we saw a bus approaching the stand. As it got closer we saw it was First Potteries 63179 on a #4A to Hanley.

First Potteries 63179 in Newcastle bus station

We got on the bus and we placed our Smart Day ticket under the scanner before we sat down towards the back of the bus. The bus set off out of the bus station and onto Barracks Road. We crossed the Jubilee Roundabout and onto the A53. We ran into Basford and over the A500. We ran down into Etruria and over the A500. We continued along the A53 and we turned left onto Forge Lane. We ran out along the Lane and we crossed over the canal before we returned back into Etruria along festival Way. We crossed under the A53 onto Etruria Road. We ran into Hanley and into the bus station. We got up and got off. Matthew went to the toilet and we missed a #7A to Biddulph. We decided to go up to the car park and take a few pictures. We left the bus station and walked onto Lidice Way. We crossed lover John Street and we saw First Potteries 44511.

First Potteries 44511 in Hanley bus station

We went into the mulit-storey car park and we took a few pictures. We saw First Potteries 67177 on a #6 to Park Hall.

First Potteries 67177 in Hanley bus station

Also seen was D&G Bus 121 on a #7 to Packmoor.

D&G Bus 121 in Hanley bus station

We set off back towards the bus station and we saw D&G Bus 594 on a #16 to Leek.

D&G Bus 594 in Hanley bus station

We got back to the bus station and we had a choice of 2 buses towards Biddulph. There was a D&G Bus #9 or a First Pottereies #7A. We decided to wait for the First bus. A short time later it approached the stand. We saw it was First Potteries 63345 on a #7A to Biddulph.

First Potteries 63345 in Hanley bus station

We got on the bus and we placed our Smart Day ticket under the scanner before we sat down towards the back of the bus. The bus waited for time before setting off out of the bus station. We went down John Street and onto Bethesda Street. The road in front of the museum was closed so we turned right onto the the ring road. We turned right onto Broad Street and left onto Marsh Street and back onto the route. We turned right into Trinity Street. We turned left into Stafford Street and we continued forwards to Quadrant Road and we left Hanley along Town Road. We travelled through Sneyd Green and over Smallthorne roundabouts to Chell. At the roundabout we turned right and we ran down the A527 through Brindley Ford. We turned left to run through Brown Lees. We crossed over the A527 at Knypersley and we ran around through the housing estates of Biddulph before running into town via St John's Road, Colliers Way and up Wharf Road to the bus station where we got up and got off the bus. Matthew took another picture of First Potteries 63345 before it carried on back to Hanley.

First Potteries 63345 in Biddulph bus station

Once off the bus we visited the toilet. Afterwards we decided to go around the corner to the pub. We walked along Wharf Road and we turned left onto High Street. We stopped at the pub and Matthew had a glass of Coke. When we had finished we walked back along High Street and left onto Wharf Road. We stopped at the stop and we didn't have to wait long for a bus. A short time later we saw a bus approaching. As it got closer we saw it was D&G Bus 161 on a #9 to Westbury Park.

D&G Bus 161 in Biddulph bus station

We got on the bus and we placed the Smart Day ticket under the scanner for the final time today before we sat down towards the back of the bus. The bus set off onto the High Street and we turned left at the roundabout onto St John's Road. We ran around the estate and we turned left onto the A527 and we ran down through Brindley Ford into Fegg Hayes. We turned left onto Oxford Road and we ran forwards into Chell Heath. We passed Matthew's old school site which is going to be a new sheltered housing site. We ran through Bradeley to the traffic lights. We turned right and we ran up the hill through Smallthorne and right again onto Ford Green Road past the pub which which is not going to be a new Wetherspoons pub. At the top of the hill we turned left onto the A5272 and into Hanley. We ran into town along Town Road and we crossed over the ring road. We turned right onto Quadrant Road and we went under the Intu Potteries shopping centre. We ran forwards onto Stafford Street and we passed the town hall. We ran along Bagnall Street and into the bus station. We got up and got off the bus. Once off the bus and Matthew used the toilet. As we headed out of the bus station we saw D&G Bus 146 on a #32X to Uttoxeter.

D&G Bus 146 in Hanley bus station

Afterwards we headed across Lichfield Street and across the ring road and we stood near to the Venus Fish Bar to wait for mum. Mum and her friend Pauline turned up a few minutes later and we decided to go to another chip shop because it was very busy. We got in the car and we set off onto Lichfield Street and we crossed Joiners Square roundabout onto Victoria Road. We continued to the top and we ran forwards onto King Street. We turned left onto Park Street and we stoped oppsite to The Angel Inn. Mum went acrioss the road to the chip shop an when she came back we decided it would be easier to go home to eat the chips. Mum got back in the car and we set off along Park Street and we turned left onto King Street where they have started work on the new Burger King. We turned right onto the A50 link road and we ran along the high lavcel A50 to Heron Cross. We turned left onto Blurton Road and we turned right onto Church Street. We turned right onto Beaconsfield Drive and we stopped to let Pauline out. We continued through Blurton and back to the house. Matthew had sausage chips and gravy washed down with a can of Cherry Coke. Later on we went to drop uncle Dave off. We set off trough Blurton onto Beaconsfield Drive and we turned left onto Church Street. We veered left onto Blurton Road past the former Coral betting shop. We ran through Blurton and into Heron Cross and over the A50. At Heron Cross lights we turned left onto Grove Road. We ran forwards onto Whieldon Road. We stopped at uncle Dave's to Drop him off and Matthew drank some of uncle Rob's Irn Bru and used the toilet. We update his calendar. We got back in the car and we went up Wheildon Road past the former Regent which is now an Indian Restaurant. We ran forwards onto Grove Road and we saw green minibus R482 NDM parked up. We turned right onto Blurton Road and we crossed over the A50. We continued through Blurton and at the roundabout we veered right onto Church Street. We turned right onto the A5035 and back to Blurton. Later on we did some more of the Blog and wrote an e-mail. Matthew had a bottle of Irn Bru. We chilled out on the sofa until bedtime around 00:00... Mark