Trip to Joiners Square / Trent Vale 31-10-2014

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
DV10 JCU	Blurton	Fenton	Charter	Shelton Care Group
DV10 JCU	Joiners Square	Fenton	Charter	Shelton Care Group
DV10 JCU	Fenton	Blurton	Charter	Shelton Care Group
41500	Magdalen Road, Blurton	Trent Vale, opp Chubb Way (Unmarked)	22	First Potteries

Today we were going to the pub at Trent Vale. Not before Matthew had been to his day service. It was also the first day of the new Fridays only #79 Audlem - Nantwich - Hanley service. Matthew got up just before 08:00 and had toast and orange juice for breakfast. Around 09:00 the bus came to pick us up and it was Shelton Care Group DV10 JCU. We got on the bus and sat down. We set off through Blurton via Newbury Avenue and onto Finstock Avenue. We went through Blurton and Heron Cross. At the lights we carried on straight into Heron Street and onto Glebedale Road before reaching our destination. Matthew then got another picture of Shelton Care Group DV10 JCU.

Shelton Care Group DV10 JCU in Fenton

In the morning Matthew spent time in the sensory room and on the computer. For dinner Matthew had sausage chips and gravy from the chippy. In the afternoon they went to a pub in a Lucky Seven taxi. Then route to the pub was via City Road, Victoria Road. We saw Copland's Tours MIB 516 going the other way. We crossed joiners Square and onto Lichfield Street and to our destination. We got to the pub and parked up. Matthew used the toilet and had a drink of Coke. We also view some of the buses going past. We then saw First Potteries 40028 running empty towards Hanley.

First Potteries 40028 in Joiners Square

Going the other way was Intercity taxi minibus ND58 EDJ.

Intercity ND58 EDJ in Joiners Square

When it was time to leave the a Shelton Care minibus turned up to take them back to the base. It was his usual bus Shelton Care Group DV10 JCU. We got on the bus an sat down. Going back to the base we took a longer route. The bus headed onto the A52 via Palmerston Street. At the bottom of limekiln Bank we turned left towards Hanley. We then turned right onto Keelings Road, coming out at Townsend onto Town Road. We turned right and went through Sneyd Green. At Smallthorne Roundabouts we headed right down Ford Green Road before doubling back towards Chell Street along Community Drive and right onto Esperanto Way. We returned towards Hanley and around the ring road before going down Lichfield Street. We crossed Joiners Square onto Victoria Road and up to the end before turning onto City Road and back to the base. When it was time to go home we got back onto Shelton Care Group DV10 JCU. The bus went through Heron Cross and over the A50 into Blurton. we got home around 15:00. Matthew had toast and a drink of dandelion & burdock before we set off to the bus stop around 16:00. On the way we saw D&G 174 on the Blurton Plumline service.

D&G 174 in Blurton

This was followed by the Grocott Centr's newest minibus AY14 FBJ.

Grocott Centre AY14 FBJ in Blurton

As it was half term traffic was quieter and the bus was bang on time. A expected it was First Potteries 41500.

First Potteries 41500 in Blurton

We got on the bus and booked to Harpfields Road. We sat down near to the back of the bus and the bus set off onto A5035. In Trentham we passed First Potteries 41512 on the #22 to Dresden. Further up Wilson Road we passed First Potteries 41070 on a #21 to Pacific Drive. We joined the A34 and went under the A500 in Trent Vale. We turned right into Harpfields Road and we got off the bus. We got off the bus and Matthew got another picture of First Potteries 41500.

First Potteries 41500 in Trent Vale

We walked back onto the A34 and we saw mum driver past. On the way to the pub we saw Stoke-on-Trent city council welfare bus FJ59 GKA going towards Newcastle. This was followed by First Potteries 65026 on a #101 to Stafford.

First Potteries 65026 in Trent Vale

We walked into the pub and met up with mum. Matthew had a brunch with bread and butter followed by toffee sponge pudding with ice cream. Whilst we ate highlights of the passing buses was First Potteries 32635 on a #101 to Stafford and Bennetts Dart T48 JBA going towards Newcastle. After we had finished eating we called Uncle Dave and we went to pick him up. We drove along the A34 and onto the Northbound A500. We went East at the A50. We came off the A50 at Heron Cross. We dropped into Fenton. We passed First Potteries 40154 on a #23A to Blurton. After we had picked up uncle Dave, we headed up to Heron Cross and we saw Lightning Travel T2 DLT. As we passed through Blurton we saw First Potteries 41512 on the #22 to Dresden. We got home around 17:40. Matthew chilled out watching bus videos and using his computer before bedtime around 00:00... Mark

Trip to Stoke / Newcastle 06-02-2012

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
1450	Blurton	Abbey Hulton	Charter	Wardle Transport
1451	Abbey Hulton	Blurton	Charter	Wardle Transport
40003	Ladybank Grove, Blurton	Newstead	23	First Potteries
40003	Newstead	Stoke railway station	23	First Potteries
66840	Stoke railway station	Newcastle Town Centre, adj Alma Inn PH	25	First Potteries
60136	Newcastle Under Lyme, adj Seagrave Street	Church Street, Stoke	26	First Potteries
40028	Church Street, Stoke	Stoke railway station	23	First Potteries
66849	Stoke railway station	Church Street, Stoke	25	First Potteries
66852	Church Street, Stoke	Stoke railway station	25	First Potteries
2406	Stoke railway station	Stanley Matthews Way	500	Wardle Transport

Today Matthew had an extra trip out, in order to help to train up a new PA. He started the day on his usual college transport, Wardle Transport 1450.

Wardle 1450 in Blurton

He did to Abbey Hulton and back 1451. As arranged, the PA turned up at 20:00 and we walked all the way to Ladybank Grove. As we had just missed the 19:56 to Hanley, and it was a freezing cold evening, we decided to wait on the other side of the road and do the bus out to Newstead First. The bus turned up and as it is most of the time, this turn was worked by First Potteries 40003.

First Potteries 40003 in Blurton

As we passed through Newstead, I got up to book ticket back to Stoke station. The journey ent to plan and we alight outside the railway station we he got a better picture of 40003.

40003 outside Stoke railway station

We crowssed the road and in a matter of minutes we could see a Volvo single decker approaching. It was required 66840.

First 66840 outside Stoke railway station

We decided to do this to the outskirts of Newcastle and to do the #26 back into Stoke. As we went through Stoke town would could see the Scania we would have on the #26 heading into Newcastle, We also passed another Volvo heading towards Hanley which we would probably ride on later. We got off in George Street Newcaslte and Matthew attempted to get a better picture of the bus.

66840 pulls away on George Street

We crossed the road and headed into Newcsatle, going to the stop opposite The Rigger. We only had to wait a few minutes and we could see our bus approaching. It turn out to be required 60136.

First Potteries 60136 approaches...

We got on and found a seat near the back. A few people got off on the way to Stoke so Matthew was able to get a picture of the inside of this bus.

Inside 60136

In Stoke town centre we got off, and Matthew was able to get a much better picture of 60136 under the bright street lights in town.

60136 on Church Street, Stoke

As we had not seen the other #23 diagram we crossed the road in the hope that we might not have missed it. A minute or two later, 40028 turned up on this turn.

First 40028 on Church Street, Stoke

At the railway station Matthew was able to get a better picture.

40028 outside Stoke station

All was going well. We hadn't passed the #25 so we crossed the road in anticipation of this and sure enough after a couple of minutes required Volvo 66849 appeared. We arrived in the town centre and we could see a Hanley bound #25. We were abel to cross the road and get a picture of 66849 before looking at our next bus.

First Potteries 66849 on Church Street, Stoke

After getting his picture of 66849, we turned to see required 66852 and he got a picture of this too!

First Potteries 66852 on Church Street, Stoke

Back at the railway station, Matthew was able to get another picture of 66852.

First Potteries 66852 outside Stoke station

It was now time to wait for the last bus of the day, the #500 to Stanley Matthews Way. As we waited we saw 40028 returning back towards Blurton. After around 10 minutes Wardle Transport 2406 appeared on the #500. It was quite well loaded today, but everybody else got off at the DHL warehouse or before. We did the bus to the end of Stanley Matthews Way where Matthew was able to get a reasonable picture of this beast.

Wardle Transport 2406 on Stanley Matthew Way

When then had a short walk home and we said our goodbye's to the PA. I think secretly he quite enjoyed this hectic evening of bus travel...Mark

Trip to the City General Hospital 12-06-2011

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
80	Magdalen Road, Blurton	Maternity Ward, City General	22	Scraggs
57	Maternity Ward, City General	Ladybank Grove, Blurton	22	Scraggs

Today was a very wet and miserable day. I missed seeing the 10:15 off Newcastle today, but I saw the return which was Scraggs 57. This as far as I aware a new vehicle to work the service. Having seen a different bus on the 14;00 off Newcastle last week, I had wondered if this was to give the driver a legal break, whilst another bus and driver do a round trip. I went to view the 14:00 ex Newcastle again this week and it was a different bus, Scraggs 80. Having seen this and with Matthew requiring both buses, I asked him if he wanted to do one bus to the hospital for a different one back and he said yes. Just before time, with big coats on we walked across to the Magdalen Road stop. As predicted the bus turned up with Scraggs 80.


Scraggs 80 in Magdalen Road on the #22 to Newcastle (Matt)

Inside Matthew photographed the very nice interior...The bus even had a radio!


Inside Scraggs 80 (Matt)

After around 20 minutes we alighted at the hospital.


Scraggs 80 leaving the Hospital towards Newcastle (matt)

We waited in the shelter on the Newcastle side of the road because the weather was foul. I had completely forgotten about the 41 service running on Sundays until one turned up heading towards Hanley.


D&G 90 on a #41 to Hanley (Matt)

We waited in the bus stop until we saw the Scraggs bus negotiated the hospital chicane and then we ran across to the Longton bound stop. Matthew then took a picture.


Scraggs 57 on the 15:15 Newcastle - Longton (Matt)

Also as predicted this was Scraggs 57. Matthew also noticed the security tax disc holder special designed for PSV vehicle and took a photograph of that too.


Interesting Tax and PSV disc holder (Matt)

After another 20 or so minutes journey we were back in Blurton. We followed 40028 from Trent Vale to it terminus on Longton Road whilst working a 21A, and we also passed Scania Omnicity 65034 on a 21 to Hanley. We then walked home in the rain having been out slightly less than an hour and got in two new buses... Mark

Trip to the Britannia Stadium 09-06-2011

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
BS51 ZJT	Blurton	Abbey Hulton	Charter	Z carz
GN53 EZT	Abbey Hulton	Newcastle	Charter	Z carz
GN53 EZT	Newcastle	Abbey Hulton	Charter	Z carz
BS51 ZJT	Abbey Hulton	Blurton	Charter	Z carz
40028	Ladybank Grove, Blurton	Heron Street, Heron cross	23	First Potteries
2961	Britannia Stadium	Blurton	500	Wardle Transport

Matthew hadn't been out for a few days and it was a clear night, so I asked him if he fancied a ride on the 500. This is a service we have been to photograph at this time of year in the past, but there are only a bout 4 weeks of the year when it is light enough to get a good picture at the hem Heath end. Previous viewing of this service have seen an X reg step entranced bus a couple of years ago and more recently Optare Solo's. In order to get to ride on the bus, i worked out you could catch a bus to Heron Cross, walk to the Britannia Stadium and then cath the bus to the end of Stanley Matthews Way. We made the long walk to Ladybank Grove and waited for the 20:52 from Newstead. Whilst we ere waiting we saw the bus go in the opposite direction. It was Optare Solo 40028 which we have not previously travelled on.


40028 heading towards Newstead (Matt)

After around 6 or 7 minutes, the bus returned on the Hanley bound service.


40028 on a #23 to Hanley (Matt)

After the short journey to Heron Cross, Matthew photographed the bus as it left towards Hanley.


40028 departs Heron Cross for Hanley (Matt)

After we got off, we walked the long walk to the Britannia Stadium. when we arrived at the stop we had around 25 minutes to wait. Eventually, we saw the bus go up the ramp and we could see it was a Versa! We did the quick journey along Stanley Matthews Way and just before we got off Matthew photographed the empty inside.


Inside Wardle Transport 2961 (Matt)

It was just too dark to get a good picture of the bus, but he did manage to get a picture.


2961 turning on the roundabout, about to form the #500 to Norton (Matt)

After we watched the bus go, we walked home the rest of the way... Mark