Trip to Fenton / Trent Vale 22-08-2014

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
YU02 GZG	Blurton	Fenton	Charter	ABC Supreme
YU02 GZG	Fenton	Blurton	Charter	ABC Supreme
41502	Magdalen Road, Blurton	Trent Vale, opp Chubb Way	22	First Potteries

Today we decided to go to Trent Vale on the bus. Not before Matthew had been out for the day with his new day service. Matthew got up around 07:45 and had some toast and orange juice and used his computer whilst he waited to be picked up. He was picked up a little before 09:00 and we saw ABC Supreme minibus YU02 GZG. we got on the bus and sat down near to the back of the bus. they drove him The bus set off we turned right onto the A5035 where we saw Allendale NK02 KVF and we turned right onto Stanley Matthews Way. We got onto the East bound A50 which we did up to Longton. We went passed the interchange and saw First Potteries 61237 on a #1 service. We crossed the old A50 and went up Wood Street and then cut across on Anchor Road. As we turned left towards Bentilee we saw Stantons of Stoke KN61 EYG. We stopped just off Dividy Road to pick up another service user before getting back on the Dividy Road. There we saw Wardle Transport's latest double decker 4854. We carried on down to Bucknall and onto the A52. WE followed the A52 left towards joiners Square passing 37158 on the X39. We then turned left onto Victoria Road which we did up to Fenton before heading into the today service we got up and got off. Matthew spent the morning in the sensory room and using a computer. For dinner Matthew had sausage chips and gravy. We walked to the local pub and spent the afternoon looking at buses go past. We saw 53207 on the #23 and 60081 on the #1. After having a few drinks of pop we headed back to the day service. At home time we got onto minibus ABC Supreme YU02 GZG. We turned onto Glebedale Road. We carried on through Heron Cross and along Blurton Road and Beaconsfield Road, getting home around 15:00. At home Matthew had toast and some cherryade. We had six of eight #22's turns and required First Potteries 41502 was going to be on the 16:07 from Blurton. We set off to the bus stop around 15:55 and we walked all the way to the Magdalen Road stop. On the way we saw D&G 171 on the Plumline service.

D&G 171 in Blurton

A few minutes later and bang on time, First Potteries 41502 turned the corner as expected...

First Potteries 41502 in Blurton

We got on the bus and booked to Harpfields Road. We sat down towards the back of the bus and we set off onto the A5035. The bus was quite well filled and matthew wasn't able to get a picture inside this bus. The bus carried on towards Trentham. In Trentham we passed dud First Potteries 41522 going into Trentham Gardens on a #21B. We carried on through Hanford and we passed First Potteries 41540 on a #21 to Trentham. On New Inn Lane we passed dud First Potteries 42894 on a #22 to Dresden. We carried on through Hanford and to the A34. We crossed under the A500 and passed the pub before turning Right into Harpfields Road. We got up and got off the bus and Matthew got another picture of First Potteries 41502 as it carried on towards Newcastle and Hanley.

First Potteries 41502 in Trent Vale

As we got off we saw JayJays Travel NA04 ZLN going towards the hospital. We walked back onto the A34 and we saw a bus approaching in the distance. I thought it was a Scania on the #101 but as it got closer we could see it was a Dart. As it got closer we saw it was dud first Potteries 40376 running empty.

First Potteries 40376 in Trent Vale

We walked back to the pub and mum was just arriving. Matthew had a brunch with bread and butter followed by toffee sponge pudding with ice cream. Whilst we ate highlights of the passing buses included Bennetts Travel Solo MX53 FDJ running empty and ABC Supreme YN55 KXO. There were a couple of double deckers out on the #101 and they were First Potteries 32627 & 32634. When we had finished eating Matthew called uncle Dave on the phone to discuss today's activities. We set off onto the A34 and under the A500. In Trentham we passed Leons Coaches 214 and another double decker on the #101. First Potteries 32639. We turned onto the A5035 and we passed D&G 174 on the Trentham bound Plumline service. We got home around 18:00. Matthew then chilled out on his computer and watched 'On the Yorkshire Buses' until bedtime around 00:00... Mark

Trip to Shrewsbury 23-02-2013

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
2223	Harlescott, opp Tesco	Shrewsbury BS	25	Arriva Midlands
2348	Shrewsbury BS	Gains Park, adj Woodcrest Jct	1	Arriva Midlands
2722	Gains Park, adj Woodcrest Jct	Shrewsbury BS	1	Arriva Midlands
2727	Shrewsbury BS	Bayston Hill, opp Beeches PH	27	Arriva Midlands
2708	Bayston Hill, opp Beeches PH	Shrewsbury BS	27	Arriva Midlands
2383	Shrewsbury BS	Bayston Hill, opp Beeches PH	27	Arriva Midlands
2383	Bayston Hill, opp Beeches PH	Shrewsbury BS	27	Arriva Midlands
2345	Shrewsbury BS	Harlescott, opp Tesco	24	Arriva Midlands

Today we decided to revisit Shrewsbury. We haven't been for just over a year. The last time we went it was to ride on Arriva Midland Darts 2309 & 2310. We didn't do any research for this trip, other than check the weather. The weather was for grey skies and temperatures of 3' C. We got up around 09:00 and Matthew at some of his toast and drank his orange juice. We set off around 11:00 today and we headed North to get some LPG from Etruria, on the way we passed 40145 on the #22 service. After we had got the LPG we headed south down the A500 to it Southern end before joining on the A5182. We did this along to the A53 and then it was one straight road. Just North of market Drayton we encountered roadworks and a very strange phenomenon. The was a short stretch of road where all the tree's were draped in ice, but only 20 yards or so. Everywhere else was ice free. We carried on South. When we reached the A41 we stopped at the Shell garage and put some air in the tyres. We carried on a bit further. When we got to Shawbury we stopped again to have chips and sausage from the chippy here. Arriva Midlands 3732 came past whilst we ate. After eating the food we carried on to the Harlescott park and ride site. Since we last came there has been a new bus depot built here, and we could see a #64 branded Centro parked outside the depot. After visiting visiting the toilet we went to the back of Tesco to catch a bus down. Required Arriva Midlands 2345 made an appearance but it went to stand near the depot. At roughly the same time required 2223 appeared so we decided to catch this bus as it was going straight back. Matthew got a picture and we got on the bus.

Arriva Midlands 2223 in Harlscott

We booked Shrewsbury Daysavers and we sat down at the back. The journey in was pleasant enough and we got into town in no time. as we approached the main rod again we passed a Co-op on our right which mum pointed out to Matthew. Mum downloaded a Greggs app to her ohone so she could find sausage rolls for later. The app didn't work too well as it failed to render a map of where the shop was! At the same time she discovered the was an app for Poundland too! We got to the bus station and Matthew took a picture of the inside of 2223 too.

Inside Arriva Midlands 2223

We came out of the bus station and went across to the stabled buses. There was another bus photographer present but we did not recognise him. We walked past Arriva Midlands 2706 which had been on last February and also Bryn Melym M403 EFD which we had seen in Wrexham last January.

Bryn Melyn M403 EFD between duties in Shrewsbury

There were a group of teenagers sitting where we usually sit with Matthew so we had a bit of a wander round taking bus pictures. I was hoping something useful would turn up quickly and sure enough it did. Arriva Midlands 2348 came in on a #1 gains Park service.

Arriva Midlands 2348 Arrives in Shrewsbury bus station

The bus pulled into stand B and we raced around to get on it. I though we had been in this direction before and I was right. We had done 2308 in this direction back in October 2009! I downloaded the #1 timetable from the Arriva Midlands website to check how long it would take and the service frequency. It took around 20 minutes to get to the end and the frequency was every 15 minutes. As we waited to depart we saw a UVG bodied Dart enter the bus station. It was required Arriva Midlands 2383. We would try and go after this later. We set off over the Welsh Bridge and up toward Copthorne Barracks. We went beyond the point to which we had travelled before back on 2009 and then turned into the Hospital. Air Ambulance G-EEMA was parked on the helipad adjacent to the bus stop. We came back out of the hospital and carried on along to Gains Park Way. Weret sure if the end of this service was circular so when someone was at a stop getting on the bus we decided to get off. Matthew photographed the bus empty as we got off.

Inside Arriva Midlands 2348

We didn't know whether to wait at this stop or the stop opposite for the next bus. We decided to go for a short walk rather than wait 15 minutes in the stop. A few minutes later we saw 2348 return out of Gains Avenue. We had a little bus stop picnic and Matthew drank a can of coke. We thought that we could get a picture of the next bus on the opposite side of the road before catching it back. Arriva Midlands 2722 pulled up opposite an immediately behind it was Tanat Valley 214.

Tanat Valley 214 in Gains Park

After we had taken a picture of 214 we returned to the stop to wait for Arriva Midlands 2722 to return, which it did a few minutes later.

Arriva Midlands 2722 in Gains Park

We got on the bus which was nearly empty and sat down near the back. I looked up if we had been on this bus, and it was one that we had been on from Harlescott to Shrewsbury last February. I had thought that we we had aleady been on 2348 before, but I a had misread 2248 on his list when I hadn't used my glassed. So we had picked up 2 out 3 new buses so far. We got back into town only to see Arriva Midlands 2383 depart on the #27. We also saw the Dart 2345 which we had seen earlier. We now had a plan sort of. We would do the next #27 down towards Bayston Hill and try to intercept it. In the mean time we walked around to the edge of the bus station to take some pictures. Tanat Valley 573 made an appearance on a football shuttle.

Tanat Valley 573 in Shrewsbury

We saw the next #27 arrive and it was required Arriva Midlands 2727. We walked around to the correct stand and Matthew took a picture of Arriva Midlands 2727 which turned out much better than I thought it would.

Arriva Midlands 2727 in Shrewsbury bus station

We got on and sat near the back of the bus. This time last year we would have been on a #25 service. The #25 was split in two, with the Southern half becoming a #27. The route around the end has also changed slightly too. The circle at the end has become bigger, crossing the A5 on the A5112/49 and returning North along Pulley Lane. as we passed the end of Pulley Lane we saw Arriva Midlands 2383 heading back North. We did the bus well into the estate and we got off outside The Beeches pub as we turned a corner.

Arriva Midlands 2727 in Bayston Hill

We decided to wait 15 minutes for the next bus. We had worked out that there were either 3 or 4 buses doing this run, but the tiings didn't seem to quite work out. It was 15:00 and we didn't know if we were late or early as buses were due at this stop at 14:53 and 15:08. approximately 10 minutes passed and then we saw another DAF approaching. It was Arriva Midlands 2708.

Arriva Midlands 2708 in Bayston Hill

For some reason I thought we were on 2706, which was dud. Matthew soon corrected me at looking at the picture he was right as we had taken a picture of 2706 in Interurban livery as well as 12 months earlier. We passed 2383 again at the end of Hereford Road and we worked out there were only 3 buses in the circuit and we had been on 2 of them! We would go back to Shrewsbury and wait 15 minutes for 2383 to appear. We got back into Shrewsbury and Matthew took an inside view of Arriva Midlands 2708.

Inside Arriva Midlands 2708

We now had a short wait. We took Matthew to the toilet and walked around the outside of the bus station to wait for 2383. Arriva Midlands 2345 came and went again and we realised it was taking an hour to return and it left at around 35-40 minutes past each hour. Whilst there we saw Bryn Melyn's Icarus bodied bus W235 CDN arrive.

Bryn Melyn W235 CDN in Shrewsbury

We also saw Tanat Valley's plain white Wright Cadet MM02 ZVJ which used to be Arriva NW&W 2559 and is required

Tanat Valley 284 in Shrewsbury

A few minutes later we saw the UVG Dart 2383 arrive and so we got a picture of it as it came in.

Arriva Midlands 2383 arrives in Shrewsbury bus station

We raced around the outside of the bus station and then got on 2383. We sat down near the back and when the bus left the bus station it was nearly empty. that soon changed when we stopped at St Mary's Street as it was now around 16:00 and shoppers were returning home in droves. The bus was due back around 16:32 ish. I had worked out that we could get 2345 in as well as long as mum was ready to go as soon as we got back to Shrewsbury so I texted her to tell her what we planned to do. After a quick phone call we worked out the details. The bus was reasonably well filled and did not empty much until after we crossed the A5. when we reached Bayston Hill I went to the front to flash tickets for the return journey. We got back around 16:32 and Matthew took his empty bus photo of this UVG, only the second one he has been on the other being First 40751 back in May 2011.

Inside Arriva Midlands 2383

Mum was at the bus station and 2345 was already on stand albeit without a driver. Matthew said hello to a cooupe of girls and we waited for the bus. One girl musn't have said hello back to her loud enough, so he dragged me onto an unidentified Versa on the #70 to Oswestry to say hello to her again and this time he was happy with it! A couple of minutes later the driver for 2345 appeared and we got on the bus.

Arriva Midlands 2345 in Shrewsbury bus station

We got on and sat near the back of the bus. The journey back was pleasant, although when the bus went over to the East side of the A5112 we did get a bit worried! The bus eventually crossed over to the other side of the Road and we headed around the back of Tesco. We got to the end and Matthew photographed the bus empty.

Inside Arriva Midlands 2345

We went to the toilet before returning the the car. we saw NCB Motors coach C20 NCB arrive, dropping off a few fans or had just left the Shrewsbury match. We left Shrewsbury and headed north up the A53. By the tie we had retuned to the mystery icicles it was nearly dark. We decided to stop at the co-op at Loggerheads for lottery. and Matthew had some pop and Chocolate cake. We carried on North to the A5182 and across to Whitmore road, We joined the A34 and then turned left onto the A5035. We went passed the Hem Heat pub and Matthew wanted to go to Z carz so we carried onto to Longton. As we passed the depot we saw there were 4 buses present. We saw Mercedes minibus T131 SGA.

Z Carz T131 SGA in Longton

This was followed by V690 EBC, currently for sale on E-bay!

Z Carz V690 EBC in Longton

We then saw LDV minibus R920 WNT.

Z Carz R920 WNT in Longton

A car came up behind us and so we went on to Willow Row and turned around. Matthew then got a picture of W344 WNS.

Z Carz W344 WNS in Longton

We went down Longton Hall Road and then to Blurton. We got home around 18:20. For a late tea we had bangers and mash with carrots. Afterward he had some of his cake. Matthew chilled out on his computer and went bed around 00:00...Mark

Trip to Llandudno 25-04-2011

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
MIB 246	Longton Hall Road	Mostyn coach park, Llandudno	Charter	Copelands Tours
817	North West Gardens, (NW bound)	Junction, New Road (Stand Z)	14	Arriva NW&W
2276	Llandudno Junction Station Platform 5 (W-bound)	Llandudno, Trinity Square (SW) (SW-bound)	13	Arriva NW&W
818	North West Gardens, (E bound)	Llandudno Junction Station Platform 5 (W-bound)	19	Arriva NW&W
2277	Llandudno Junction Station Platform 5 (W-bound)	North West Gardens, (NW bound)	13	Arriva NW&W
2658	North West Gardens, (NW bound)	Llandudno Palladium (Stand Y)	5	Arriva NW&W
911	Llandudno Palladium (Stand B)	North West Gardens, (E bound)	84	Arriva NW&W
MIB 246	Mostyn coach park, Llandudno	Longton Hall Road	Charter	Copelands Tours

Today we took Matthew out on his first coach trip of the year. We had a choice of Blackpool or Llandudno with Copeland's (the operater which Matthew chose) and he chose to go to Llandudno. Matthew has only been to Llandudno once in recent years, and that was last summer when we did a coach trip to Rhyl and traveled on. In ancient times Matthew has done a pair of class 20's when he was around 2 on a coal day, and also a trip here on Easter Monday in the later 90's with Bakers when buses were still just something that made him lift his head and get excited when in his pram. Planning consisted of downloading all the Sunday timetables for he Llandudno area. As I was getting the car ready to go to meet the coach, I noticed my near neighbours setting off up the road. As we left home we saw them at the local bus stop. When we arrived on longton Hall road we didn't have to wait long for the coach to turn up MIB 246 was power for the day. Matthew loaded onto the coach quickly, and whilst we were waiting for a couple of passengers
I got off to check the car was locked. Behind our coach arrived the Blackpool coach, which was required MIB 236. As it pulled off Matthew's face dropped in disappointment at not getting the coach he wanted. It didn't take him long to forget anout that. Eventually the passengers we were waiting for arrived off a slightly late running PMT bus. It was our near neighbours! We set off around town picking up the other passengers, including a lad the Matthew used to go to school with Anthony Goodrum. After about an hour and a half we pulled into knutsford services for a quick toilet break. Already in the service was MIB 236 on the Blackpool and Matthew spotted this straight away! As soon as he got off our coach he ran and jumped on the other! after taking a picture inside and out, we persuaded him to come off and promised we would get this coach sometime in the future!


The elusive (to us) MIB 236 in knutsford services (matt)

A toilet break later we were back on the coach. A fairly some journey then followed and the driver pointed out a few sights and facts along the way. When in llandudno we parked on the Mostyn coach park and walked into town. Mum unusually had some company in our near neighbours, so she left us to our own devices! We found some toilets and then found a good vantage point for Matthew to take pictures. I then left him with uncle Dave whilst I fought may way to the front of a very busy chip shop queue! by about 12:40 we were ready to start catching buses... The first bus Matthew wanted was the Alexander bodied dart 2277 that was parked up in trinity square. "what's it on?"..."13"..."Where's it going?"..."Prestatyn".."What time is it due off?"..."oh....now!". So we missed that one. Out came the netbook. The 13 goes via Llandudno junction so if we catch somthing to there we'll probably get a similar bus back. The 14 goes to the junction area before going west. "whens the next 14?"..."12:54"..."Where does it go from?"..."Mostyn Street (NW bound)!". So we walked briskly around the corner to the stop and whithin a couple of minutes Arriva NW&W 817 appears from around the corner. We book our NW&W day rovers and sit down. The 14 takes a weird winding route through countryside and eventually as we approach the Conway area we start to see familiar sights we have seen off the train. Getting close to the tunnel and not wanting end up on the other side, we get off near the road and river area.


Arriva NW&W 817 in Llandudno (matt)

We got off at the new road stop and the bus disappeared around the corner. We decided to follow the bus and then we realised that we were only one stop away from the railway station. We walked across to the station where we saw that there was a 13:30 to llandudno on a service 13.Aafter a few minutes the 13 turned up with another ALX200 in the form of Arriva NW&W 2276 in interurban livery.


Arriva NW&W 2276 in Llandudno (Matt)

We did this back to the square in llandudno and watched it go. We realised that there was not another 14 as this service is every 2 hours on a Sunday service. the next Conway bound bus was a service 19 from the main stop on Mostyn Street just after the hour. off this bus there was a return 19 and another 13. we waited for 15 or so minutes and Arriva NW&W 818 turned up on the 19.


Arriva NW&W 818 in Llandudno (matt)

We set off with the intention of getting off on New road and hopefully we would be able to catch one or the of the buses back. As we approached the New Road stop we passed the 19 with a Plaxton bodied Dart. Decided not to get off and carried on to the stop opposite the station. as we approached the railway station we passed the other bus which was another Plaxton bodied Dennis dart. At this point I realised that we were stuck at Llandudno Junction for an hour! to pass the time we took Matthew to Iceland, where he photographed cakes in the store and chose some cans of Vimto. we drank some of the said cans and also visited the toilet in Llandudno junction station. All things considered the time went passed really quickly. We guessed that the bus back would be 2277 and sure enough it was.


Arriva NW&W 2277 in Llandudno (matt)

by the time we got back we realised that Matthew didn't have much time to get in some more buses. We decided to get in a couple of buses really quickly by catching something from Mostyn Street further into town and than catching something out again. the first bus that turned up was 2658 on a number 5.


Arriva NW&W 2658 in Llandudno (matt)

We did this 2 stops up to the Palladium and got off. Virtually straight away there was a bus opposite on a #84. This was ex London 911. A strange short Plaxton bodied Dart with very few seat in it. We did this back to the main stop in Mostyn Street.


Arriva NW&W 911 in Llandudno (matt)

With about an hour to go before the coach left we decided to et some more chips and eat them on the front. Matthew took a few more pictures and then we went back around to Mostyn Street to take more pictures and meet up with mum. Ona #12 Rhyl, we saw our first glimpse of one of the Ex London ALX400 that are being deployed all across the Arriva NW&W Wales area. This was 4041 and it looked very smart in the interurban livery.


Arriva NW&W 4041 in Llandudno (matt)

After meeting up with mum, it was back to the coach to wait for the 17:15 departure. There was a slight delay in departing as our neighbours couldn't find a toilet in the area as the one on the gardens shut just before we got there. Matthew took some more pictures in the coach park before departure.


Happy Days Coaches 214 in Llandudno (matt)

On departure we made good time until we hit the M56. We had a short stop at Chester services and then we slowly progressed along the M56 until we passed the M53 and we managed to travel a little quicker. We reached newcastle just as it started to go dark and we then had another hour around town dropping of passengers. We hit Longton Hall road just after 21:00.


MIB 246 in Longton Hall Road (matt)

After dropping off uncle Dave I came back and we gave our neighbours a lift. It was a tight squeeze getting 5 and a chair into the car considering the boot was full already. Matthew seemed to enjoy the challenge. Quite a good day, but the coach trip wa a bit of an epic. We will be choosing the trip a little more carefully in future (Mark)

Trip to Oswestry 05-09-2009

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
214	Oswestry BS	Morda	D71	Tanat Valley
266	Morda	Llynclys	445	Tanat Valley
268	Llynclys	Oswestry BS	445	Tanat Valley
2367	Oswestry BS	Whittington LC	70	Arriva Midlands

Today we decided to have a Tanat Bash. We had out first Tanat Valley bus in Shrewsbury a few weeks before. Planning consist of printing out a few timetables for the area. we set off and went via the A53, Blackbrook, the A51, A525 Whitchurch and then via Ellesmere. We parked up near the museum and we walked around looking for somewhere to eat. We ended up eating in somewhere called The Plaice in Salop Road, but I can't remember what we ate or how much it cost. As we came out matthew got a picture of a #70 service, being worked by 2367. this was just after 13:00


2367 on an inward bound #70 service in Oswestry (Matt)

we then went back to the bus station and Matthew took picture in and around whilst we waited for the D71 service which we planned to catch. In the bus station Matthew photographed this dart out of the same batch as the buses as the one he photographed earlier.


2378 in Oswestry bus station on a #2 service (Matt)

he also got a picture of 214 which we assumed would be the bus that was going to work the D71


Tanat Valley 214 awaits time before working the D71 service (Matt)

Tanat Valley 266, a Leyland Lynx also came in. we worked out from the timetabels that we could do 214 part way and then do 266 forward to Llynclys. We would then have around 3 minutes for the bus back. It was a bit of a risk but we decided to take it! We boarded 214 and it was virtually empty as left the bus station. We went to the next stop and the bus filled up! When we got to a suitable point (it a was cross roads in a dip in the road) we bailed off and waited for the following bus. The wait seemed like a long time but eventually 266 appeared


Tanat Valley 266 on a #445 service (Matt)

We did the bus to The White lion in llynclys and we wasted no time in crossing the road to wait for the return. the pavement has a scree surface and distinctly remember matthew slipping as he tried to stop having run across the road. Within seconds the return bus turned up and it was Lynx 2 268. When we arrived back Matthew got a picture of the inside of this bus.


Inside 268 (Matt)

When we arrived back we decided to call it a day. we met up with mum and worked out one last bus he could have done. he chose to do the #70 service and we worked out where we could do the bus to. Judging by the photograph and the photograph early, and taking into account the round trip time, we are 99% certain that this bus was Arriva Midlands 2367.


Arriva Midlands Route 70 branded bus almost certainly 2367 (Matt)

Matthew mum and uncle Dave did the bus whilst I drove the support vehicle. We arranged to meet and i thing there was a misunderstanding. I seem to remember wait outside a chip shop near Ellesmere and then having to drive back to Whittington level crossing to pick them up. The bus had spent a few minute in the depot as can be seen below.


Buses in Oswestry bus depot (Matt)

I then picked them up and we drove home. I seem to remember missing a turning and driving back via Nantwich and passing the bus station. Not a bad day and buses that most would kill for to ride on again...Mark