Trip to Potteries Apedale Running day 11-05-2025

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
2	Apedale Light Railway	Newcastle BS	Special	Chase
207	Newcastle BS	Apedale Light Railway	Special	PMT
805	Apedale Light Railway	Newcastle BS	Special	PMT
2	Newcastle BS	Apedale Light Railway	Special	Chase
30001	Apedale Light Railway	Newcastle BS	Special	First Devon & Cornwall
30001	Newcastle BS	Apedale Light Railway	Special	First Devon & Cornwall

Today Matthew was going to the Potteries Apedale Running Day. Matthew woke up at 08:00 and had his medication. Matthew got up around 09:30 and had toast and orange juice for breakfast. After getting ready we went to pick up uncle Dave. We got in the car and we set off around 11:10. We set off through Blurton onto Finstock Avenue, right 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. Afterwards we set off down Wheildon Road and forwards onto the A500. We turned left onto Church Street and we ran around the one-way system. We turned right onto Campbell Place and left onto Hartshill Road. We ran to the edge of Newcastle and we ran down George Street. At the roundabout we turned left onto Barracks Roac and right onto the Northbound A34 to Chesterton. We turned left onto London Road and at the next roundabout we turned left onto Loomer Road. We ran to the end of Loomer Road and into Apedale Country park. We parked up near to the visitors centre. As we walked into the site we saw PMT 801 waiting with the next bus to Newcastle. We had a quick chat to one of the organisers who informed us there would be a 0 minute frequency bus to Newcastle. After we had seen the train we went into the heritage centre for dinner. Matthew had a full English breakfast washed down with a can of Coke. Whilst we ate we saw First Devon and Cornwall 30001 and PMT SL805 working shuttles to Newcastle. When we had finished eating we went down to the bottom of the site to see the bus. We had a round 20 minutes before the next departure. We walked down to the bottom passing PMT 466. We looked at the buses on the the right hand side of the site first. We saw Chase 2 parked atthe front of the row.

Chase 2 in Apedale Light Railway

The chase bus departed and we saw Scarlet Pimpernel JYC 855 parked up.

Scarlet Pimpernel JYC 855 in Apedale Light Railway

Also in the row was North Western 139.

North Western 139 in Apedale Light Railway

Another vehicle seen was D&G Bus 6006.

D&G Bus 6006 in Apedale Light Railway

Afterwards we saw Stanton's of Stoke Enviro200 579 UXR.

Stanton's of Stoke 579 UXR in Apedale Light Railway

We walked back up to the entrance and there were 2 buses ready to depart. Nearest to us was First PMT 917 getting ready to work to Newcastle.

PMT 917 in Apedale Light Railway

The other bus was Chase 2, which we decided to do as this was the least travelled of the 2 buses.

Chase 2 in Apedale Light Railway

We got on the bus and we sat down towards the back. We set off along Loomer Road and at the roundabout we at the roundabout we went forwards onto Wolstanton Road. We crossed over the the Southbound A34. We ran Southwards for around a mile and a 1/2 past the bus garage, and we turned left onto Ryecroft. We turned left onto Barracks Road. We turned right into the bus station and we stopped on Stubbs Street to pick up passengers and for another photo stop. We got up and got off the bus and we decided to let the 2 buses go back and stay in Newcastle for 30 minutes for a cake break. We set off up Castle Walk and we went to Costa Coffee. Matthew had a slice of millionaire's shortcake and a bottle of Coke. After we had finished we headed back down Castle Walk and into the bus station. We waited around for the next bus, and to our surpise we saw it was PMT 207 on a shuttle to Apedale.

PMT 207 in Newcastle bus station

We got on the bus and we sat down near to the back. We set off down Stubbs Street and we re-joined Barracks Road. We turned left onto Ryecroft and right onto the A34. We continued North through Cross Heath and we turned left onto london Road. At the roundabout we turned left onto Loomer Road and we ran into the site and unloaded in front of the heritage centre where we got up and got off the bus. Once off the bus we went back down to the bottom of the site to look at the buses on the left hand side of the site. At the top of the row we saw Bournemouth 55.

Bournemouth 55 in Apedale Light Railway

Also seen was Doncaster single decker 43.

Doncaster 43 in Apedale Light Railway

Another vehicle see was Stagecoach Manchester 20974 in Magic Bus livery.

Stagecoach Manchester 20974 in Apedale Light Railway

We walked up to the top of the site and Matthew went to the toilet whilst I queued up to get lollies. Matthew had a orange Callipo. Whilst we were eating our lollies we saw required PMT SL805 appeared on a Newcastle Shuttle.

PMT SL805 in Apedale Light Railway

We asked the driver if he was going to Newcastle and he said he was going one way only, so we would have to come back on one of the other buses. We got on the bus and we sat down towards the back. We set off along Loomer Road and at the roundabout we turned right onto London Road. We ran to the end and we turned right onto the Southbound A34. We ran Southwards for around a mile and a 1/2 past the bus garage, and we turned left onto Ryecroft. We turned left onto Barracks Road. We turned right into the bus station and we got up and got off the bus. We got off to take pictures and we saw Chase 2 pull up behind us.

Chase 2 in Newcastle bus station

We decided to do Chase 2 as opposed to the other duplicate PMT 207, which we have done for many miles and also was sounding very rough. We got on the bus and we sat down towards the back of the bus. We set off down Stubbs Street and we re-joined Barracks Road. We turned left onto Ryecroft and right onto the A34. We ran North through Cross Heath and we turned left onto Brymbo Road. We travelled through the industrial estate and we turned right onto Holditch Road. At the roundabout we turned left onto London Road. we ran past the site of where Lidl would like to put a new store. We turned left onto Loomer Road and we ran into the site and unloaded in front of the heritage centre where we got up and got off the bus. We saw that next the next service had not yet departed. As we turned we saw it was First Devon & Cornwall 30001 on a Newcastle shuttle.

First Devon & Cornwall 30001 in Apedale Light Railway

We got on the bus and we went upstairs in this fantastic open topped bus. We set off along Loomer Road and at the roundabout we turned right onto London Road. We ran to the end and we turned right onto the Southbound A34. We ran Southwards for around a mile and a 1/2 past the bus garage, and we turned left onto Ryecroft. We turned left onto Barracks Road. We turned right into the bus station and we got up and got off the bus. Matthew got another picture of First Devon & Cornwall 30001 before we got back on the bus.

First Devon & Cornwall 30001 in Newcastle bus station

We got on the bus and we sat downstairs. We set off down Stubbs Street and we re-joined Barracks Road. We turned left onto Ryecroft and right onto the A34. We continued North through Cross Heath and we turned left onto london Road. At the roundabout we turned left onto Loomer Road and we ran into the site and unloaded in front of the heritage centre where we got up and got off the bus. Once off the bus we went back down to the bottom field for one last look at the buses. We went went to the stall and Matthew bought a photo of and a picture the branded First Potteries buses from around 2020. We walked back towards the top of the site and we saw brand new D&G Bus 6012 departing the site.

D&G Bus 6012 in Apedale Light Railway

We walked back to the the car and Matthew had a bottle of Coke. We turned around and we set off onto Loomer Road. We turned right onto London Road and we ran past the site of a new Lidl. We turned right onto the A34 and we ran into Newcastle. We turned left onto Ryecroft and right onto Barracks Road. We joined the Southbound A34 and we turned left onto The Avenue. We ran to the end and we turned right onto Hartshill Road. We ran down to Stoke and onto the one way system. We turned right onto Elenora Street and we followed the road around onto Copeland Street. We ran forwards onto Glebe Street and we followed the one way system onto Church Street. We crossed over the A500 and we veered left onto Whieldon Road past the old Board Products factory which is being converted into a new soft play place. After dropping off uncle Dave we ran back up Wheildon Road and forwards onto Grove Road. At Heron Cross we turned right onto Blurton Road and we crossed the A50. We ran through Blurton and at the roundabout we veered right onto Church Street and we saw silver minibus SF21 FRK parked up. We turned right onto the A5035 and back to Blurton. Later on we did some more of the Blog. For a late tea Matthew had donner meat chicken burger and fries washed down with a can of Dr Pepper followed by a New York Cheesecake. Matthew had a bath and afterwards we had some . We wrote some of the Blog and we went to bed around 00:00... Mark