Trip to Hanley / Biddulph 23-11-2024

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
67149	Blurton, Magdalen Road	Trentham, Man in Space	25	First Potteries
67152	Trentham, Man in Space	Stoke, stop R	25	First Potteries
35943	Stoke, Stop N	Hanley BS	25	First Potteries
173	Hanley BS	Chell, Biddulph Road	7A	D&G Bus
593	Chell, Biddulph Road	Biddulph, High Street	94	D&G Bus
67147	Biddulph, Wharf Road	Hanley BS	7A	First Potteries

Today we were doing a local trip as later on we had a party to attend. Matthew woke up at 08:00 and had his medication. Matthew got up around 10:00 and had toast and orange juice for breakfast. After getting ready we went in the car to pick up uncle Dave, We set off through Blurton onto Beaconsfield Drive and we turned left onto Church Road. We turned left onto Blurton Road and we went through the road works and up the hill to Heron Cross. We crossed over the A50 and we turned left at the traffic lights onto Grove Road. We continued onto Wheildon Road and we picked up uncle Dave. Afterwardsb we set off up Wheildon Road and forwards onto Grove Road. We turned right onto Blurton Road and we crossed over the A50. We ran down the hill and back through the roadworks and we turned right onto Church Road. We turned right onto Beaconsfield Drive and left onto Finstock Avenue. We stopped briefly to get some money from the cash machine and we carried on back to the house. After briefly going inside we set off on foot to the bus stop all the way over on Magdalen Road. We waited for a few minutes and the bus turned the corner. As it got closer we saw it was First Potteries 67149 on a #22 to Newcastle.

First Potteries 67149 in Blurton

We got on the bus and booked a Smart Day ticket at £4.80. 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 where we saw First Potteries 67152 was on the #21 to Hanley. We got up to get off the bus at the man in Space and Matthew took another picture of First Potteries 67149 before it carried on to Newcastle.

First Potteries 67149 in Trentham

We had already seen the bus we were going to catch on the opposite side of the road. We waited for it to run around the end of the route before we saw it return. As it got closer we saw it was First Potteries 67152 on a #21 to Hanley.

First Potteries 67152 in Trentham

We got on the bus and we placed our Smart Day ticket. The bus was empty so Matthew took a picture inside First Potteries 67152 before we sat down towards the back of the bus.

Inside First Potteries 67152

The bus travelled through Trentham up New Inn Lane, We passed the building site where new housing is being built. At the top of the hill we turned right into Hanford along Wilson Road. We ran down Mayne Street before joining the Northbound A34. We crossed under the A500 and we saw First Potteries 67151 on #21 turn to Trentham. We turned onto London Road and we ran through Oak Hill past the former Oak Hill pub. We continued through the the West End before running into Stoke Town centre and Campbell Place. There was nothing of interest parked up in City cabs and we got up and got off the bus. Matthew took another picture of First Potteries 67152 before it carried on towards Hanley.

First Potteries 67152 in Stoke

Once we got off the bus we walked towards The centre of Stoke. We went around the corner into Church Street to Stoke Cafe. Uncle Dave escorted Matthew downstairs to the toilet and I ordered the food. Matthew had a breakfast washed down with a can of Coke. After we had finished eating we walked down Church Street to the Newcastle bus stop. When we got to the stop we waited for the the next Hanley bus to appear. As we had a party to attend later we needed to head up to Biddulph as quickly as we could. Whilst we waited we saw First Potteries 35948 on a #25 to Keele.

First Potteries 35948 in Stoke

A few minutes later we saw the bus aproaching. As it got closer we saw it was First Potteries 35943 on a #25 to Hanley.

First Potteries 35943 in Stoke

We got on the bus and we placed the Smart Day ticket under the scanner before we went upstairs and sat down. The bus set off out of Stoke town centre and across the A500 and under the railway line. We followed the A52 and we ran past the railway station to joiners Square. We turned left onto Lichfield Street and we turned left onto the ring road and we turned right onto Bethesda Street and right onto John Street and into the bus station and we got up and got off the bus. We went into the Spar shop and Matthew got a bottle of Coke and a couple of chocolate bars. We headed up to the John Street car park to take a few bus pictures. We saw D&G Bus 6006 on a #9 to Clayton.

D&G Bus 6006 in Hanley bus station

Also seen was D&G Bus 24 going into one of the layover spaces.

D&G Bus 24 in Hanley bus station

Afterwards we saw First Potteries 44514 on a #11B to Bentilee.

First Potteries 44514 in Hanley bus station

We walked back to the bus station and Matthew went to the toilets. Afterwards we sat down and Matthew had a Twirl Duo. We saw D&G Bus 6007 on layover. A short time later we saw a bus we could catch approaching. It was D&G Bus 173 on a #7A to Oxford.

D&G Bus 173 in Hanley bus station

We got on the bus and we placed the Smart Day ticket under the scanner before sitting 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 before we went across onto Marsh Street and then 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 and we got up and got off the bus. Matthew took another picture of D&G Bus 173 before it continued towards Oxford.

D&G Bus 173 in Chell

Once off the bus we waited for something towards Biddulph. It was raining so we decided to take the first service to arrive. A few minutes later we saw a bus approaching. As it got closer we saw it was D&G Bus 593 on a #94 to Congleton.

D&G Bus 593 in Chell

The bus set off onto the A527 and through Brindley Ford and Knypersley and we turned right into Park Lane left into Woodlands Street. We turned right onto Church Close and we turned left onto Church Road. We continued onto Princess Street and we turned left onto Well Street. We turned right onto Biddulph High Street and we got up and got off the bus. We took another picture of D&G Bus 593 before it carried on towards Congleton.

D&G Bus 593 in Biddulph

We crossed over the road and we visited the bakery. Matthew bought a piece of millionaires shortbread and a can of Fanta. We crossed over the road and we headed towards the pub. On the way we passed Wharf Road and we saw D&G Bus 6003 on a #9 to Newcastle.

D&G Bus 6003 in Biddulph bus station

We continued to the pub and Matthew went to the toilet. We went to the bar and we had a small glass of Coke. After drinking our drinks we headed up the High Street to Wharf Road and we saw First Potteries 67147 about to work the next #7A to Hanley.

First Potteries 67147 in Biddulph bus station

We also saw D&G Bus 104 on layover in between runs on the #95 to Audley.

D&G Bus 104 in Biddulph bus station

A short time later First Potteries 67147 was made ready for service and pulled up onto the bus stop. We got on the bus and we placed the Smart Day tickets on the scanner for the final time today. As the bus was empty, Matthew took a picture inside of First Potteries 67147 before we sat down towards the back of the bus.

Inside First Potteries 67147

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 crossed over the A527 at Knypersley. We ran through Brown Lees and we rejoined the A527 by the industrial estate. We ran down through Brindley Ford and to Fegg Hayes. We ran up the hill to Chell and we turned left onto High Lane. We ran back through Smallthorne & Sneyd Green into Birches Head. We ran forwards onto Town Road and we crossed over the ring road. As we ran onto Quadrant Road and we went forwards onto Stafford Street. We ran past the town hall and onto Bagnall Street and we entered the bus station. We got up and got off the bus. Whilst had a look around and we saw D&G Bus 797 on a #9A to Tunstall.

D&G Bus 797 in Hanley bus station

Matthew went to the toilet and afterwards we headed across the Lichfield Street and across the ring road to the chip shop. Matthew had sausage chips and gravy washed down with a can of Coke. Mum arrived to pick us up. When we had finished eating we set off out of the car park onto Lichfield Street. At joiners Square roundabout we went around the crash on the roundabout and we turned right onto the A52. We ran past the railway station and over the river Trent Before following the A52 right and under the railway line. We turned left and joined the A500 and veered left onto Wheildon Road. We crossed over the canal and unnder the railway line and we dropped off uncle Dave. We contionued up Wheildon Road and we ran forwards onto Grove Road. 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. We arrived back around 17:00. We had a couple of hour to relax and get ready for the party. We Started the Blog and we download the pictures from today. Matthew had can of Cherry Coke and the millionaire's shortbread from earlier. After getting ready we got on the car and we set off just before 19:00. We got on the A5035 and we headed to Trentham. We turned right onto the A34 and we headed North through Hanford into Trent Vale. We turned left onto Riverside Road and we turned left and we crossed over the Lyme Brook and parked up. We went into the party and we wished our friend happy Birthday before finding a seat and having a glass of Coke. Later on there bwas a buffet and Matthew had sandwiches, cocktail sausages, party rings and Swiss Rolls. It was a fancy dress party and Matthew went dressed as an Arriva Bus driver!. We stayed for a couple of hours and we said goodbye to everyone before we got in the car. As we ere about to set off we saw Ellisons coach 18 BOS leave the Clayton Wood training ground, presumably the Stoke City Coach from the away game at QPR earlier in the day. We set off onto Riverside Road and we turned right onto the Soutbound A34. We ran through Hanford intob Trentham and we turned legft onto the A5035. We ran over the canal and railway line into Blurton and we got back just 21:00. Matthew had his medication and Later on we did some more of the Blog and wrote an e-mail. We also tested the new ice making machine. We chilled out on the sofa until bedtime around 00:00... Mark