Trip to Longton 14-01-2013

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
30034	Ladybank Grove, Blurton	Longton TI	22A	First Potteries
30034	Longton TI	Finstock Avenue, Blurton	22A	First Potteries

After yesterday's drive to Morrisons, today Matthew was going into respite and we had not got any bus plans. Before he got up I went for a walk around Blurton to view buses to see if anything interesting was working. I had already seen 30029 work a #22A on the 2nd of January, so I was expecting another to work soon. There had been some snow overnight and it was snowing again. The turn that 30029 had worked previous was ALX200 Dart 40145 today, and the next #22A turn was due Longton bound at 10:17. It didn't turn up, so I walked down to the A5035 to view the #350's. Perhaps the bus would appear for the 10:47 Blurton - Longton as it often did when the 10:17 didn't show. The #350's were Wardle Transport 2406 (southbound) and 2407 (Northbound towards Hanley). I walked back to the route of the #22A and as I turned the corner into Finstock Avenue required First Potteries Leyland Olympian 30034 made an appearance. I thought that I would go back and tell Matthew about this bus and that we could perhaps get a round trip on it before I had to go to work. When I got back Matthew had just got up and he was about to eat his breakkast of toast. I asked Matthew I he wanted to go out to do one round trip on 30034 and of course he said yes. He got dressed and we attempted to get out to the ladybank grove stop for the 11:17 working. We set off in the snow and as we turned in Finstock Avenue we saw 30034 turn into Beaconsfield Drive. We ran towards the stop but the bus was half way up the road by the time we turned the corner...Drat! Rather than wait in the snow we went back home. I set my alarm on my phone so we could set off for the 11:47 in good time and Matthew had a glass of Coke. The alarm went of and we put out coats back on and set off. We got to the stop a couple of minutes before the bus was due ans this gave Matthew time to adjust his camera before 30034 came around the corner ad got a picture.

First Potteries 30034 in Blurton

We got on the bus and went upstairs. As it empty we sat at the front on some original grey and red zig-zag seats. These were the only pair of originals on the bus. Matthew got a picture o the top deck when the bus stopped at the next stop.

Inside First Potteries 30034 top deck

We carried on along the length of Beaconsfield and turned left at the end onto Blurton Road.At the roundabout there were some roadworks so we waited at the lights before carrying on under the old railway bridge for the Florence Colliery to Hem Heath Line. At the bottom of Blurton Road we turned into Longton Hall Lane. We hit a branch as we stopped at the stop. The route doesn't get double decker more than a dozen times in a year if that. At the top of Longton Hall Road we went around the A50 and into the Interchange. Matthew stayed upstairs whilst I flashed the tickets to go back to Blurton. We saw Wardle Transport 1406 arrive into interchange presumably to swap drivers for one of the Local turns out of Longton. at 12:10 we set back from the stand and then the bus cut out. The driver switched everything off and restarted to bus. After a couple of attempts he got the bus to restart and we set off. The bus stopped a couple more times as we retraced the route back to Blurton. I phoned mum to ask her to put the kettle on for a Pot Noddle. The driver dropped a passenger of on Finstock outside the rent office and the bus stalled again. After the last stop on Finstock we got up to get of the bus. The driver stopped before turning into Beaconsfield. Matthew took a picture of the empty lower deck as we were about to get off.

Inside First Potteries 30034 lower deck

The driver asked if it was OK to be dropped off in Finstock. I asked if the bus was going out of service and he said yes as he was having gearbox problems. We got off and Matthew got another picture of 30034.

First Potteries 30034 back in Blurton

The bus then went empty along Magdalen Road and towards Newcastle garage. We walked back home to find out mum had done us both egg, beans and toast for dinner. I then said goodbye to Matthew and went to work. He chilled out on his computer for the afternoon before mum took him up to Bentilee for his respite stay. Mum set off and the weather was quite bad so she stopped to see if one of her friends daughters needed a lift and the answer was yes so they did a loop around Blurton and stopped at Costcutters to wait for the friend. Matthew had a can of Coke and a Milky way and then they met up with mum friends daughters who were very pleased to see we saw Wardle Transport 1321 go past. They drove the friends daughter up to Abbey Hulton. They drove to Heron Cross and then onto Victoria Road via the A50 link road. we passed Wardle Transport 4652 on the X50. They carried on to down to leek Road and then across the junction at Limekiln Bank. They dropped the friend off on the main road before going down School Lane and Abbey Lane and back onto the A52. The then headed off to Bentilee where mum dropped Matthew off for respite. we saw Wardle Transport 4546 from his window before tea. Tea was chips and Fish Fingers followed by chocolate cake with custard. After tea he had a bath and chilled out for the evening. For supper he had toast before bedtime...Mark

Trip to Tunstall 28-07-2011

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
14	Church Steet, Stoke	Hanley BS	41	D & G
4998	Hanley BS	Smallthorne, Hadfield Green (adj)	61	Wardle Transport
2962	Smallthorne, Hadfield Green (adj)	Sneyd Green, Berwick Arms (opp)	61	Wardle Transport
4607	Sneyd Green, Berwick Arms (opp)	Tunstall, Asda Superstore (adj)	61	Wardle Transport
40149	Tunstall, Woodland Street stop C	Newcastle BS	99	First Potteries
66841	Newcastle BS	Clayton Village, Beechwood Close(opp)	72	First Potteries

It's the first day of the college holidays, and we promised Matthew a local trip out after we had finished our meeting social services. We planned on trying to get a couple of the Wardle Transport double deckers which now work the #61 Hanley - Tunstall service. As we had not had any dinner we gave Matthew a couple of choices where to eat dinner. matthew chose to eat his dinner in Stoke. this would be good because then we could catch a #41 to Hanley. With step entranced bus D&G 6 & 12 regularly working on this service we would have a reasonable chance of riding on one of these beasts! Dinner was a breakfast at the London Grill. We sat on one of the table they now place outside, and Matthew watched buses on the #21 and #21A such as 60079 and 40745. After dinner we walked onto church Street to catch a #41 First bus we saw was D&G 30 on a #41 but it was heading towards Newcastle not Hanley.


D&G 30 on a #41 to Clayton (Matt)

We only had to wait another 5 or so minute before D&G 14 turned up on the Hanley bound service.


D&G 14 on a #41 to Hanley (Matt)

We got on the bus and immediately notice the very strange moquette design on the Marshall bodied Dennis Dart. When we arrived in Hanley and the bus emptied, Matthew photographed the inside of this strange bus.


Unusual moquette in D&G 14 (Matt)

After arriving, we immediately went on the balcony to watch the buses coming in and out of the bus station. Arriva Midlands 2703 was on the #164 service. There were quite a few Ex Chester Scanias working on local services such as the #21 and then another #41 heading toward Clayton appeared, which was D&G 116.


D&G 116 on a #41 to Clayton (Matt)

At this point we only had 10 minutes to wait for the half hourly service to Tunstall. Wardle Transport double decker 4998 was parked up and we thought that this might be the bus that was going to work the 14;30 departure. about 14:25 the double decker drivered up and then went round the block to come onto stand. Matthew took a picture off the balcony as the bus pulled up.


Wardle Transport 4998 about to work the #61 Tunstall (Matt)

We left the balcony and went down into the bus station to catch the bus. We booked to Tunstall and went upstairs. We sat a couple of seats behind the stairs on the right hand side as the front seats were already taken. As we left Hanley I looked at the timetable to see where we were going to pass other buses on the #61 service. I worked out we should pass a bus just outside Hanley and as I looked this up we passed Northern Counties double decker 4607. Further consultation of the timetable revealed that we could go to Smallthorne, catch another 61 back to Sneyd Green and we be able to catch 4607 up to Tunstall on the following service. When we got to smallthorne we got off the bus and matthew took another picture of 4998 pretty much where he used to stand every afternoon after school back when we used to live around the corner!


Wardle Transport 4998 in Smallthorne (Matt)

We crossed the road and we had about 7-8 minute to wait for the return service. we were hoping for another double decker but instead we got required Optare Versa 2962.


Wardle Transport 2962 in Smallthorne on a #61 to Hanley (Matt)

We did the short trip to Berwick Road and then waited for 4607 to appear. As we hoped 4607 appeared from around the corner. we went straight upstairs and we were able to get the front seats this time. Matthew took a picture of the upper decker from his front seat vantage point.


Wardle Transport 4607 upper deck (Matt)

We did this Tunstall via Smallthorne, The Bradley retirement village, Chell heath and then into Tunstall via Furlong Road. We passed 4998 in Chell Heath and Matthew got a nice picture! When we got to Tunstall, Matthew photographed the lower deck as we left the bus at Tunstall.


Wardle Transport 4607 lower deck (Matt)

Outside he also got a nice picture of the outside too...


Wardle Transport 4607 in Tunstall (Matt)

When we got to Tunstall Matthew seen keen to catch a different bus back. I thought he would want to catch a #20 or #20A into Hanley. We turned down 65732 on a 20A as we thought it was a bit new. The next bus was a 99 to Newcastle. I should have realised that he would want to do this one as he is a big fan of First PMT's ALX200's. The bus appeared and it was required 40149.


First Potteries 40149 on a #99 to Newcastle (Matt)

Another quiet journey, and when we arrived in Newcastle Matthew photographed the empty inside of 40149.


Inside 40149 (Matt)

Now is where the fun starts! Newcastle is a very difficult place to take Matthew as it is very narrow, very crowded and there is lots of choice. Given the choice of about 4 different buses to catch he was pointing at one and running towards another. One bus that I thought he would want to catch is Ex chester Dart 40137 on a #22 to Longton. he went towards it but only wanted to photograph the inside through the front windows.


Inside Ex Chester 40137

Matthew eventually chose 66841 on a #72 Clayton, This was unusual as we had been on this bus earlier this week! I think the choice was made mainly on the people aboard the bus as when we did finally get on it he had to say hello to 3 different people. We sat down and as we were about to leave we saw a First PMT 30034 pulled into the bus station. It was displaying X39 so it was probably having a driver change before running empty to Alton Towers to pick up passengers. Matthew was keen to do this bus and I'm sure we will do so at some point in the near future. We booked this bus to the nearest point to our house and then I called mum to come and pick us up. As the bus emptied out Matthew photographed the empty bus behind us.


Rear seats of 66841 (Matt)

We had about 15 minutes on the bus and then we got off on Ferndown Drive South. Matthew photographed the bus as disappeared into the distance.


66841 powers away into the distance on Ferndown Drive South (Matt)

We sat on Northwood lane for a few minutes and then mum appeared. There was a slight delay as she was in Matalan when I called her up! Stanways F39 ENF is a beast of a bus. We did the short car journey home and then prepared for this evenings European football game and for bangers and mash for tea... Mark