Trip to Newcastle 24-05-2012

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
1450	Heron Cross	Bucknall Newhouse Road	Charter	Wardle Transport
40751	Bucknall Newhouse Road	Hanley BS	5	First Potteries
30029	Hanley BS	Newcastle BS	34A	First Potteries
40143	Newcastle BS	Biddulph High Street	99	First Potteries
40143	Biddulph BS	Newcastle BS	99	First Potteries
2260	Newcastle BS	Bradwell Hospital	35	Wardle Transport
2301	Bradwell Hospital	Newcastle BS	35	Wardle Transport
40148	Newcastle BS	Blurton Ladybank Grove	22	First Potteries

Today Matthew was in respite, and was going to college at least at the start of the day. Matthew got up around 07:00 and would have been redy for his transport to college at 08:00. It was his usual bus Wardle Transport 1450.

Wardle transport 1450 in Heron Cross

He would have arrived at college around 09:00. Today after 09:00 he went out for a bit of a trip around the Newcastle area. The first bus he had was First Potteries 40751 on the #5 to Hanley. They travelled through Bucknall and up Limekiln Bank. They got to Hanley around 10:00. After around an hour in Hanley, they spotted First Potteries 30029 on a #34 service. This was done through Festival park and up through Basford along the A53. This was done to Newcastle bus station where he got off. For dinner Matthew went to Morrisons in Newcastle. Matthew had a breakfast and the a lemon meringue for afters. Whilst in Morrisons they visited the toilets. Around 13:00 they saw 40143 was seen on a #99 to Biddulph. They travelled out through Wolstatnton to Porthill. They they went down through Longport and up to Tunstall. From Tunstall they traveled along the A527 to Biddulph. Matthew wanted to do this so he did this all the way to Biddulph and back the opposite way they came. In Newcastle Matthew saw 2260 on a #35 service. They did this to Bradwell. The return #35 was 2301 which he did back to Newcastle. as it was getting late, Matthew did a #22 homeward, which was First Potteries 40148. This was done South along the A34 to the hospital. They then went along Hilton Road and reapeared on the A34. After passing under the A500 they went through Hanford and Trentham. They Joined the A5035 which they did to Blurton. After he got back home we went out to MacDonalds for tea...Mark.

Trip to the Black Lion 21-04-2012

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
42726	Heron Cross	Longton Hall Road	23	First Potteries
40137	Longton Hall Road	Trent Vale, adj Woodlands Rd	22	First Potteries
40176	Trent Vale, opp Black Lion	Hanford opp Man in Space	21	First Potteries
40137	Hanford opp Man in Space	Blurton Road, Blurtn	22	First Potteries
40169	Blurton Road, Blurton	Heron Cross	23	First Potteries

Today Matthew went to the Black Lion again. Matthew was in respite so we arranged for a PA to go with him. He got up at 07:00 and had breakfast whilst he wait for the time when his PA arrived. At 12:00 the PA arrived and they set off to the bus stop in Heron Cross. Whilst there we saw Wardle Transport 1454,1450,1455.1453. If fact we saw the whole fleet. Wardle put on a special bus parade for him. Even the one that weren't fit to work were towed past on the back of a truck. They Walked to Heron Cross to wait for the Blurton bus. Copeland's tours MIB 783 was seen working on the #40. When the bus turned up it was required 42726.

First Potteries 42726 in Heron Cross

The bus was done to Blurton where Matthew was able to get another picture of this bus.

42726 in Blurton

Matthew visited the BP garage. They then crossed the road to wait for the 13:05 from Longton to Newcastle. After a short while the #22 turned up and it was Ex Chester 40137.

First Potteries 40137 in Blurton

They did this bus to the other side of the Black Lion and got off to Walk back.40153 was also seen on the #22 service. He then got another picture of the bus. Trip between stuff.

40137 in Trent Vale

Whilst out Matthew had his usual dinner of Sausage Chips Egg and Beans with Toffee pudding for afters. After dinner they walked to the stop opposite the Black Lion. The bus turned up and it was required 40176. Matthew got a picture of this bus.

First Potteries 40176 in Trent Vale

Out and about Copeland Tours Coach MIB 246 was also seen. Matthew visited the Co-op. The bus was done to the Man in Space in Trentham where he got another picture of this beast.

40176 in Trentham

Whilst waiting for the #22 he saw 40150 heading towards Newcastle and also another 61244 was seen on a #21. He also saw 40751 did the following #21A.

First Potteries 40751 in Trentham

Ex First Manchester 34069 is a great bus. After a short wait the #22 appeared and it was 40137 again.

First Potteries 40137 in Trentham

When he got off he got another picture of this bus.

40137 in Blurton

The journey was swift. The final leg of the trip from Blurton 30038 is a beast and it was 40169. He got a picture of this before he go on it.

First Potteries 40169 in Blurton

They did the bus to Heron Cross before walking back to the respite unit for his tea. He had a bath later and then chilled out before bedtime..Mark

Trip to Bucknall 17-06-2011

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
S973 OVP	Blurton	Bucknall	Charter	Z Carz
W187 RRE	Bucknall	Blurton	Charter	Z Carz
CE02 LYX	Blurton	Adventure Playground	Charter	Z Carz
CE02 LYX	Adventure Playground	Blurton	Charter	Z Carz

There had been a few changes tot the usual buses for this service and today was no exception, the first time this bu had done this service was the night before when it was a last minute replacement. Matthew had told me there had been a different bus but he didn't manage to get a picture the night before. When S973 OVP turned up the following morning he was able to get a good picture of this beast.


S973 OVP on the way to Blackfriars (Matt)

For the return journey, Z-carz found W187 RRE. This was a bus that had worked occasionally before, but this seem to be the regular preferred choice for this service. Matthew then had a round trip to Newcastle on CE02 LYX..Mark

Trip to Heron Cross 16-05-2011

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
T408 JUX	Blurton	Abbey Hulton	Charter	Z carz
S973 OVP	Abbey Hulton	Blurton	Charter	Z carz
3	Blurton, Magdalen Road	Blurton, Longton Hall Road (opp)	22	D&G
40751	Blurton, Longton Hall Road (opp)	Blurton, Highfield Drive (adj)	23	First Potteries
40383	Blurton, Highfield Drive (opp)	Newstead, Shepley Grove (adj)	23A	First Potteries

Matthew did his usual transport T408 JUX to College and had the rarer VW bus S973 OVP for his return.

The Internet was going a little slow tonight, so after tea I asked Matthew if he fancied a quick trip out. The D&G 22 will be finished by the end of May, so I thought it would be a good opportunity for Matthew to get in another D&G Solo nearby before the end. We took the long walk to the Magdalen Road stop and Waited for the bus. Within a few minutes D&G 3 appeared from around the corner.


D&G Optare Solo 3 on tonight 22 Newcastle - Longton (Matt)

After the Short trip to the Bottom of Blurton Road, we got off and Matthew took another picture of this fine beast,


D&G 3 disappears towards Longton (Matt)

When we got off I realised that we were in front of the similarly timed 23 to Hanley, so I worked out we could do this to the top of Heron Cross. A very short while later Ex first Glasgow UVG 40751 appeared.


My First UVG... First PMT 40751 on a 23 Hanley (Matt)

These buses having arrived from Glasgow around August 2009, Matthew has had to waited nearly 21 months to ride on his first UVG bus. Inside was nice neat and the seats were quite plush and soft. We did it to the Highfield Drive stop and then crossed the road. After a very short wait 40383 turned up on the 23A to Newstead. This bus was quite full and it would have been very full had this turn been a Solo tonight. The bus emptied out stop by stop and by the time we got to Shepley Grove we were the only ones left on. As we got off Matthew took a picture of the inside.


Inside Ex First Manchester 40383 on a 23A to Newstead (Matt)

Matthew didn't get a very good picture of the bus driving away as it was starting to go dark. we then took the short walk home. (Mark)

Trip to Abbey Hulton 17-01-2011

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Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
T408 JUX	Wolstanton	Abbey Hulton	Charter	Z Carz
40751	Abbey Hulton	Hanley BS	5	First Potteries
40167	Hanley BS	Newcastle BS	17	First Potteries
65034	Newcastle BS	Hanley BS	101	First Potteries
40751	Hanley BS	Abbey Hulton	5	First Potteries
T408 JUX	Abbey Hulton	Blurton	Charter	Z Carz

Originally respite this day booked off so we could take Matthew further afield, but an appointment with a 40167 and the torrential rain put pay to this! We changed the plans to take Matthew out for dinner in ,the new cafe on it was 08:00 and the Jackson's Nursery, but by the time we were all ready M420 UEH.


M420 UEH at Wolstanton on the way to Jackson's Nursery (Matt)

T408 JUX A regular trip for Matthew, he wanted to record it on his blog. LDV minibus with a high roof 40136 is an Ex Chester Dennis Dart. A500 A52 Newhouse Road. 40179 Plaxton bodied Dennis Dart. Mercedes 814D Scraggs 57 31 Werrington - Newcastle. GN53 EZT Blackfriars minibus
Coach today. PUI 5556 Mercedes minibus 56 Scraggs also on a #31.


Scraggs blue Buses Mercedes minibus PUI 5556 Hanley (Mark)

40751 was on a #5 Abbey Hulton to Hanley. 40167 was on a #17 Hanley - Newcastle via Wolstanton. 65034 was on it's usual #101 Stafford - Hanley service. 40751 was still working #5 Abbey hulton services later in the day. Copelands Tours MIB 104 MIB 236 MIB 246 MIB 279 MIB 293 MIB 864 are some of his favorite coaches.

T408 JUX A regular trip for Matthew, he wanted to record it on his blog. LDV minibus with a high roof ...Mark