Trip to Bucknall 08-03-2013

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
1501	Blurton	Bucknall Newhouse Road	Charter	Wardle Transport
1648	Bucknall Newhouse Road	Blurton	Charter	Wardle Transport

Today Matthew was at college again. This week has been exceptional for different buses working on his college run. most weeks the same bus work there and back every weekday. Up until last night 4 different buses had work this week. Matthew got up around 07:30 and got dressed. The bus arrived just after 08:00 and it was Wardle Transport 1501 which he scored on Wednesday evening but didn't get a photo. Today he got a picture, but it wasn't fantastic as it was a misty grey day outside.

Wardle Transport 1501 in Blurton

The bus went through Blurton to Heron Cross and the they got on the eastbound A50. They did this to Longton and then got onto Anchor Road were we passed Wardle Transport 1647. we turned right at then end and went past the First garage where he saw First Potteries 41500. They carried on to Dividy Road were we saw wardle Transport 4891. we then we onto the A52 and then onto Newhouse Road. At college Matthew had for fish and chips for dinner with ice cream roll for afters. He then went to the toilet. Afternoon lesson over matthew went out to find his bus was a little late arriving. When it did turn up it was Wardle Transport 1648 and a fifth bus for the week! we got on the bus. This bus had the same grey and red patterned seat that were in Wardle Transport 1649. we set off down Newhouse Road and then crossed over the A52 and cu through the back streets to Twigg Street. the went along Dawlish Drive and then onto Dividy Road by Lidl. we went passed the First garage and saw 40379 at the back of the depot. They then went round the top end of the Longton one way system and onto the A5035. Despite not having at bus at 15:30 he was back home by 16:22! As I had been warned we would be late I took his camera out to him expecting a different bus to appear and it did. Matthew took a picture of the seats before getting a picture of the outside of the bus.

Wardle Transport 1648 in Blurton

Mum arrived home a few minutes later and then we went to the Black Lion. We set off down the A5035 and then onto the Northbound A34 until we got there. Matthew had a Brunch and then toffee sponge and custard for afters. Whilst eating we saw Wardle Transport 1424 head South down the A34. After calling uncle Dave on the hone to say we were coming. We set off back down the A34 and then onto the A5035. Matthew went in the house with mum and I carried on to fetch uncle Dave. He chilled out on his computer whilst we watch music on MTV Rocks, going to bed around 23:30...Mark

Trip to Park Hall 10-08-2011

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
40379	Finstock Avenue, Blurton	Lightwood Road	23	First Potteries
40138	Lightwood Road	Park Hall	26	First Potteries
61243	Park hall	Hanley BS	26	First Potteries
4650	hanley BS	Stafford Street, Hanley	61	Wardle Transport
40373	Hanley BS	Ladybank Grove, Blurton	23A	First Potteries

Matthew was taken out today by two people from a local organisation that are employed to look after young adults for a small fee and allow to access things they like to do. Last week was the first time and we broke them in gently by getting them to take Matthew to a local beauty spot by car and then he had a long walk. Today we upped the stakes slightly by arranging for them to take Matthew to Park Hall on the bus! Planning consisted of me printing out a journey plan for each direction using both the west midlands traveline web site for the outward journey and the national traveline door to door website for the return. The journey were deliberately planned for Matthew to change buses in quiet streets well away from any bus stations to ensure maximum success for them in carrying out this task. with instructions in hand and bus fare and travel pass we waved then off and they set off on the long walk to the stop. The journey the WM traveline suggested was one that i would have never though of and it evolved using the half hourly #23 Blurton to Longton via Newstead service to the outskirts of Longton, before catching the #26 forward to Park Hall. They didn't have to wait long before unrequired 40379.


40379 on the #23 Longton Service (Matt)

As far as I am aware this bus was done as per instructions on to Lightwood Road crossed the road and waited.I think they must have missed a bus and had to wait around 30 minutes for the #26 which on this occasion was required 40138. meaning Matthew has now been on both ex chester AG allocated darts in less than two weeks.


40138 on a #26 Meir and the Hanley (Matt)

Matthew we got off at Park Hall around 11:50 and had a wander around for a short while. The weather deteriorated and so the workers decide to go off the plan and catch a bus into Hanley. They waited for the bus around 12:30 and we dropped onto required 61243.


61243 on a 26 Hanley service (Matt)

Once in Hanley Matthew took then up onto the balcony so he could keep and eye on all the comings and goings and also to get pictures. When they suggested to Matthew catching a bus to back to Blurton he wasn't having any of it! He spent 40 minutes up there and they eventually persuaded him down with a drink in the cafe. At this point we spotted Wardle Transport double decker 4650 on a #61 and told them he wanted to catch it. with some quick thinking, they decided to do it for 1 stop so he could get a ride on it. as he got off he got a picture.


4650 in Hanley on a #61 to Tunstall (Matt)

Walking back to the bus station, we saw 'new to the potteries' East Lancs bodied Dennis Dart 40779, and Matthew got a quick snap of it.


Newbie 40779 see on the #1/#2 circuit in Hanley (Matt)

Back at the bus station Matthew was persuaded to get on unrequired Dennis Dart 40373 on a #23A Blurton, which unfortunately he did not get a photograph of. Matthew was a little bit moody when he came home but I think the people looking after him generally did a good job and did some quick thinking. I think they certainly learned a few things today from Matthew :-) ...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.