Trip to the Roaches 17-06-2012

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
FJ10 BJX	John Street, Hanley	The Roaches	Charter	Aiming High
FJ10 BJX	The Roaches	John Street, Hanley	Charter	Aiming High
40144	Hanley BS	Newcastle BS	34	First Potteries
2203	Newcastle BS	Audley Council Offices	94A	Wardle Transport

Today was an Aiming High trip to the Roaches. We got up around 08:30 and had bacon on toast for breakfast before setting off towards Hanley at 09:30. Because of the construction of the new bus station we had to go into John Street from the other end. We arrived in Hanley just before 10:00. We had a short wait before the bus appeared. It was one of the usual two aiming High vehicles FJ10 BJX. Matthew got a picture of this bus before getting on with his backpack.

Aiminhg High FJ10 BJX in John Street

They set off towards Limekiln bank just after 10:00 and saw 40179 on a #2 service. They then onto the A53 via Abbey Hulton and then through to Baddeley Green. The also went past the Total petrol station and past a Shell petrol station too. The journey would have taken just over 30 minutes. On the way they He also saw 65041 on a #18 Leek service too. beyond leek they did the A53 up to Blackshaw moor and then turned into Tttesworth reservoir. Whilst there Matthew came across and photographed this Staffordshire County Council coach PN57 CVG.

Marcopolo coach PN57 CVG near the Roaches Street

Matthew had his packed lunch out and they would have left the Roaches around 14:20. After going to the toilet they Left Tittesworth and went back towards Blackshaw Moor. They got back onto the A53 and they went through Leek Badderley Green to Cobbridge. They then traveled along Waterloo Road to the Hanley ring road. They then Travelled up Lichfield street to John Street. We got to Hanley to pick him up. He saw First Potteries 40154 on a #23 service. Around 14:50 they had already got back to Hanley. Back at Hanley Matthew saw 40144 on a #34 service which he wanted to do so we did it to Newcastle. We set off toward festival park and around the industrial units and then onto the A53. The bus then went through Etruria and down into Newcastle. At Newcastle we saw Wardle Transport 2203 on the 94A to Audley so we arranged with mum to pick us up from Audley Council Offices. We travelled up the A34 and through Chesterton to Audley. After a visit to the local Co-operative food store where he picked up some pop and cake. We went back to the car and mum picked us up from Bignall End and we headed home via Chesterton and Newcastle past the First garage. we then went along the A519 stopping at the BP garage. We then went onto Whitmore Road before returning home Via Trentham. We passed Wardle transport 2532 on the #22. Whilst stopped we We go home around 15:30 and later Matthew had a burger for tea...Mark.

Trip to Stoke / Hartshill 09-02-2012

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
1450	Blurton	Abbey Hulton	Charter	Wardle Transport
GN53 EZT	Abbey Hulton	Newcastle	Charter	Blackfriars
GN53 EZT	Newcastle	Abbey Hulton	Charter	Blackfriars
1450	Abbey Hulton	Blurton	Charter	Wardle Transport
40138	Ladybank Grove, Blurton	Newstead	23	First Potteries
40138	Newstead	Stoke railway station	23	First Potteries
66841	Stoke railway station	Stoke-upon-Trent, adj St Dominic's School	25	First Potteries
60176	Stoke-upon-Trent, adj Richmond Street	Church Street, Stoke	26	First Potteries
66851	Church Street, Stoke	Stoke railway station	25	First Potteries
2279	Stoke railway station	Stanley Matthews Way	500	Wardle Transport

Todays was another PA traing day. Matthew started the day around 07:45 with his usual transport in the form of Wardle Transport 1450.

Wardle 1450 in to Abbey Hulton

He arrived at college around 08:50. later, he went out on GN53 EZT, one of the minibuses from college on a trip up to Newcastle and back around 12:00. He returned home on Wardle Transport 1450 and arrived home around 16:00. As arranged the PA turned up at 20:00. The weather was forecast for rain turning to snow some time in the evening. The plan was to emulate the move we did on Monday which worked our really well. After the long walk up to the bus stop ,dud First Potteries 40138 was on the #23 tyrn which we did out towards Newstead. The bus emptied out and Matthew got a picture of the inside of this ex Chester beast.

Inside First Potteries 40138

I got up and booked tickets back towards Stoke railway station. The bus made good time, and we passed 40154 heading towards Blurton on the #23A just outside Stoke. In Stoke, unusually we passed a Hanley bound #25. We got off the bus outside the railway station and Matthew got a picture of 40138.

40138 outside Stoke railway station

Right behind us at this point was that Hanley bound #25 which was 66841. i had thought it was an early bus at this point. Matthew want to use the toilet so we went into Stoke station to use the facilities. We arrived back at the Stoke bound stop at 20:49, which was after the Keele bound #25 should have been. The thinking that 66841 was running early was dismissed when another #25 turned up with ALX200 Dennis Dart 40152.

40152 on a Hanley bound #25

At this point we realised that the move might still be on as 66841 was the late running #25 and we hadn't missed it. Shortly after 40152 headed up to Hanley, 66841 returned on the Keele bus.

66841 outside Stoke railway station

It had gone 21:00 now, and the #26 should have already set off from Newcastle. I thought that if we went through Stoke and we hadn't passed the #26, we could get off in Harsthill and hopefully still catch it. We did make it through Hartshill without passing the bus so we got off and Matthew took a picture of the Volvo.

66841 in Harthsill

We crossed the road and waited for the #26. It was about 21:10 now and it was obvious the bus we were waiting for was a couple of minutes late. It eventually turned up and it was required Scania 60176. As we got off Mathew took a picture of this bus.

60176 in Stoke town centre

We crossed the road and waited at the stop for the #23. As we checked the time it looked certain that we had missed this bus. This would mean that we would get to ride on ALX200 Dennis Darts 40152 and 154. Both buses aren't required but Matthew quit likes these vehicles. We crossed the road to the Hanley bound stop for the #25. 40152 pulled up opposite on the Keele bus, and a minute or so later, dud 66851 appeared on the Hanley bound #25. We did this to stoke station where we got off and Matthew got a picture.

66851 outside Stoke railway station

We now had a wait of around ten minuted in which we would see 40154 on the #23 also appear before the #500 service. Sure enough it did turn up and Matthew got a picture.

40154 outside Stoke railway station

We did give Matthew the chance to do this but he turned it down in favour of seeing what turned up on the #500. This turn out to be the right thing to do as the bus that appeared on the #500 was required Wardle Transport Dennis Dart 2279, Which was formerly D&G 11. This is the first time we have had one of these ex D&G buses on the #500. When we left the railway station it was damp and cold, but by the time we got on to Stanley Matthew way the temperature had plummeted and there was a heavy frost starting to form. We got off at the end of Stanley matthews Way and Matthew got a picture of 2279.

Wardle Transport 2279 on Stanley Matthews Way

We then had a short walk home. It took longer that usual as Matthew had developed a fascination with breaking up frozen snow as walked home. we arrived back in the house around 22:10...Mark

Trip to Stoke 25-07-2011

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
40154	Waterside Drive, Shepley Grove	Stoke railway station	23	First Potteries
66847	Stoke railway station	Church Street, Stoke	25	First Potteries
66841	Church Street, Stoke	Stoke railway station	25	First Potteries
2931	Stoke railway station	Stanley Matthews Way, Hem Heath	500	Wardle Transport

Matthew has been away with respite, so I decided to take him out tonight to ride a few buses. I had seen 40379 earlier and because of the time I had assumed it was going to be on the 23A evening diagram. The bus was not required, but it had been a while since we had been on this bus. We walked to the stop in Newstead, and from he stop you could see a factory which had been on fire early that evening. When an ALX200 turned the corner we were most surprised! With only 3 AG allocated ALX200 to choose from, it turned out to be 40154. This was another bus that was not required, but we had been nearly 3 years since we last went on this bus too! As it pulled up at the stop, Matthew got a good picture...


40154 in Newstead (Matt)

We did the journey to Stoke which was relatively uneventful. There was a man on the bus who wanted to go to Dresden, but was not aware that this bus was only going to Newstead as most evening service don't go to Longton. He was advised to get off in Fenton and catch the #26. Just after he was dropped of we passed a Marshall bodied Dart on a #26, so that would have worked out quite well for him. As we got of we looked across the road to see 1 person at the stop. We must have missed the #25 Keele... Matthew took a picture of the bus we had traveled down on.


40154 outside Stoke railway station (Matt)

After we took the picture, we saw the #25 Keele so we ran across the road to catch it. It was required Volvo 66847 with the silver 'W'. We did the short trip into Stoke town centre and we did not pass the #25 hanley. As we got off to take the picture of 66847, 66841 pulled up on the opposite side of the road and Matthew took a snap picture. In the end we weren't able to get a picture of 66847.


Here's one he took earlier...66847 as seen on the 10th July (Matt)


66841 in Stoke (Matt)

We crossed the road and were just able to get on it. When we got back to the station Matthew was able to get another better picture using his timer to holder the camera steadier.


66841 outside Stoke railway station (Matt)

Round the back of the north Staffs hotel was a national holidays coach which Matthew was able to get a picture of by using a post to steady his camera and using his timer again. It did take a couple of attempt to get a shot with no car in front of it. after we sat and waited for the #500. Tonight it was another Solo, 2931 (BU54 ALL) which we had been on a few week previously on the #58. We did the journey now in darkness. Matthew photographed some of the passenger notices inside the bus. What he did not photograph was the 3" high Spongebob Squarepants sticker under the handrail next to the ticket machine! . It's the little details like this that make buses so individual. We got off on Stanley Matthews Way and then crossed the road to photographed the bus before it's return.


Wardle Transport Solo 2931 (BU54 ALL) on Stanley Matthews Way (Matt)

After taking a few pictures with the aid of posts and timers we set off on the long walk home...Mark.