Trip to Fenton / Longton 09-02-2015

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
DV10 JCU	Blurton	Fenton	Charter	Shelton Care Group
DV10 JCU	Fenton	Haywood Hospital	Charter	Shelton Care Group
DV10 JCU	Haywood Hospital	Fenton	Charter	Shelton Care Group
DV10 JCU	Fenton	Longton	Charter	Shelton Care Group
DV10 JCU	Longton	Fenton	Charter	Shelton Care Group
DX53 VCA	Fenton	Benitlee	Charter	Shelton Care Group

Today Matthew went into respite but not before he spent the day with his day service. Matthew got up around 08:00 and had toast and juice for breakfast. The bus turned up and it was his usual transport, Shelton Care Group DV10 JCU.

Shelton Care Group DV10 JCU in Blurton

We got on the bus and it picked up another service user before going onto the A5035. We then turned left into Church Road. We went through Blurton and into Heron Cross. We carried onto Heron Street and then turned left onto Christchurch Street before getting to the destination. This morning Matthew had an appointment at the Haywood Hospital in relation to his feet. He went in his usual minibus Shelton Care Group DV10 JCU. The bus set off and went to High lane via Victoria Road and the Hanley ring Road before travelling through Sneyd Green and Smallthorne. Matthew had his feet checked and then they went back to Fenton in the minibus Shelton Care Group DV10 JCU. The bus went back along High Lane and they rounded Hanley on the ring road and backnup Victoria Road where they stopped off at Aldi so that Matthew could pick up his weekly shop. They went back to the day centre and Matthew had a baked potato with tuna and cheese. In the afternoon they decided to go up to Longton to have a look at the animals at pets at Home. They went in the usual minibus Shelton Care Group DV10 JCU. We set off up to the A50 Link Road and then we joined the A50 up to Longton. At the roundabout we turned sharp left to go onto the retail park. After seeing the animale we went to Tesco car park so we could see a few buses before we returned to the day centre. First we saw First Potteries 63171 on a #6B to Blythe Bridge.

First Potteries 63171 in Longton Interchange

Then we saw First Potteries 60202 on a #22 to Newcastle.

First Potteries 60202 in Longton Interchange

On a #2 to Hanley was First Potteries 60013.

First Potteries 60013 in Longton Interchange

Since Scraggs have taken over the #50 the service is worked almost exclusively by Scraggs Versa YJ59 GHH just as it was on this occasion.

Scraggs YJ59 GHH in Longton Interchange

A relatively new service is D&G's 'The Orange One'.Seen working the service towards Meir was D&G 112.

D&G 112 in Longton Interchange

The next bus seen leaving the interchange was First Potteries 63178 on a #6B to Hanley.

First Potteries 63178 in Longton Interchange

Another bus on the #2, this time bound for Newcastle was First Potteries 60012.

First Potteries 60012 in Longton Interchange

Demonstrator bus carrying the Raspberry Route colours but with a Northern Irish style cherished registration DRZ 9713 is First Potteries 63180 displaying #6 Longton.

First Potteries 63180 in Longton Interchange

We then saw another D&G bus, 113 doing 'The Orange One' towards Newcastle.

D&G 113 in Longton Interchange

We also saw another #22 service. This time it was First Potteries 60069 working a #22 towards Dresden.

First Potteries 60069 in Longton Interchange

This was followed by First Potteries 40009 on the #22A to Newstead.

First Potteries 40009 in Longton Interchange

The next #6B towards Hanley was being worked by First Potteries 63175.

First Potteries 63175 in Longton Interchange

On the following #2 to Newcastle was heritage liveried Scania First Potteries 60171.

First Potteries 60171 in Longton Interchange

Also present was First Potteries 60189 working the next #2 to Hanley via Meir.

First Potteries 60189 in Longton Interchange

We then saw First Potteries 63172 on another #6B to Blythe Bridge.

First Potteries 63172 in Longton Interchange

before we left we saw D&G Solo 114 on 'The Orange one' towards Meir.

D&G 114 in Longton Interchange

Going back to the day centre we set off out off Tesco's car park and went past the bus station onto King Street. We headed down King Street and forward onto City Road before turning left onto Glebedale Road and to our destination. When it was time to go we got in Shelton Care Group DX53 VCA for the journey up to the respite centre. We headed back out onto City Road and towards Longton on King Street. We turned left into clarence road and we headed over onto Anchor Road avoiding Longton town centre. When we got to Anchor Road we turned left and we headed up to Adderley Green. We turned left and we headed into Bentilee. Matthew was dropped off and he went upstairs to his room whilst he waited for tea. There were a few other buses dropping off service users. First to arrive was Stantons of Stoke minibus VU06 KFA.

Stantons of Stoke VU06 KFA in Bentilee

This was followed by Intercity taxi minibus SF58 EXE.

Intercity SF58 EXE in Bentilee

For tea Matthew had shepperds pie followed by cake. Matthew watch some television and then had a bath before going to his room. He used his computer and went to bed around 23:00... Mark

Trip to Trent Vale 21-02-2014

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
60015	Magdalen Road, Blurton	Trent Vale, opp Chubb Way (Unmarked)	22	First Potteries

Today was the last weekday of the college holiday. For the last 3 week or so the #22 service had now turned into a mainly Scania worked service, with Darts and Solos becoming quite rare. I had been to work in the morning and I had driven to Fenton along Blurton Road and had seen First Potteries 40180 on the early #22A turn. Matthew got up around 09:30 this morning and had some toast and orange juice for breakfast. He used his computer and watched his telly for a few hours before having half an omelette for dinner. I viewed the #22 buses but there weren't any required buses out today. First Potteries 40180 was on the #22A turn and was going to be passing through Blurton around 15:15. First Potteries 60196 was going to be working the bus through Blurton around 15:30 and First Potteries 60015 was going to work the 16:00. The other bus on the #22 was dud First Potteries 60013. We decided to go out on Scania First Potteries 60015 because of the time. It was an OK day with regards to weather. We set off just after 15:50 and we decided to walk to the stop on Magdalen Road. Whilst we waited we saw First Potteries 60013 on the Longton bound #22.

First Potteries 60013 in Blurton

That was followed shortly after by D&G 174 on the Plumline.

D&G 174 in Blurton

We didn't have to wait for long before First Potteries 60015 appeared from around the corner.

First Potteries 60015 in Blurton

We got on the bus and booked to Trent Vale. We sat down near the back. The bus urned on along the A5035 and into Trentham and then onto New Inn Lane. We carried on to Hanford passing First Potteries 40373 on the #21 and dud First Potteries 60074 on the peak #22 turn. We carried on down to Trent vale and onto the A34 where we passed 40024 on the #21A. The bus was maybe 1/3 full but people were spread out in the bus. After a few people had got off the rear of the bus Matthew took a picture towards the back of the few seats that were empty there.

Inside First Potteries 60015

The bus then turned into Harpfields Road to head towards the hospital and we got off, Matthew getting another picture of First Potteries 60015 as the bus drove away.

First Potteries 60015 in Trent Vale

We walked back onto the A34 and along towards the pub. Mum texted us to let us know she had beaten us into the pub today and we walked straight in to meet her. Matthew had two sausages, egg, chips and beans with bacon and 2 rounds of bread. For after he had toffee sponge pudding and ice cream. When we had finished we went to pick up uncle Dave. We headed onto the A34 and then onto the Northbound A500. We then went east on the A50 to Heron Cross and down into Fenton. When we picked up uncle Dave we headed back to heron Cross where we saw a few buses. First Potteries 41540 and 40367 were on #23/23A's and we saw a visitor at the Lightning Travel house YN04 CUY. We got back home around 17:45 and Matthew spent the night on his computer, watching bus DVD's and watching telly. He went to bed around 00:00...Mark

Trip to Newcastle 02-08-2011

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
40003	ladybank Grove, Blurton	Stoke railway station	23	First Potteries
66838	Stoke railway station	Newcastle town centre, the Alma inn PH (adj)	25	First Potteries
40139	hartshill, Kingswell Road (adj)	Stoke-upon-Trent, Lytton Street (adj)	26	First Potteries
60074	Stoke-upon-Trent, Lytton Street (opp)	Church Street, Stoke	25	First Potteries
66839	Church Street, Stoke	Stoke railway station	25	First Potteries
2931	Stoke railway station	Stanley Matthews Way, Hem Heath	500	Wardle Transport

Matthew hadn't been out yet this month, and as he had been quite good today I decided to take him out for an hour or two. We were ready about 30 minutes earlier than usual, so I decided we could go to the railway station on the other 23 diagram, the one that is almost always 40003. we went to the Ladybank grove stop tonight and after a few minutes sure enough 40003 turned up!


40003 in Blurton on it's usual 23 turn (Matt)

As we were earlier. I thought we could potentially cover all 3 buses on the #25 service, as well as one of the buses on the #26. This would of course depend on if all the buses were running to time. We did 40003 to Stoke railway station, and as it was on time we were able to casually cross the road to wait for the Keele bound #25 service. After a couple of minutes 66838 appeared on the service. I had worried Star Travel Minibus out that we should pass the next #25 outside stoke and we could go to the Alma and catch a #26 back to stoke for this bus. Going up Harsthill bank we passed 60074 on the Hanley bound #25 which was required! we got off outside the Alma and Matthew photographed the bus as it sped off...


66838 heads towards Newcastle on a #25 to Keele (Matt)

We got off the bus and head to the next bus stop towards Stoke. In hindsight we should have gone the other way as it was about 1/4 mile! after a short while 40139 turned up on the service. Initially I thought it was a bus that Matthew required, but I remembered it was the second bus we had the first time we had been to Chester specifically to ride on buses. we did this bus to Lytton Street, where once again Matthew got a shot.


Ex Chester Dart 40139 heading towards Longton on a #26 (Matt)

The plan was now, if the #23 was on time we would do it to Stoke station and pick up 60074 there, otherwise, just stay put and have a short ride on 60074. 40155 was indeed a couple of minutes late on the #23 Hanley, and we stayed put to make sure we got 40155. 60074 eventually rounded the corner. we did it to stoke and Matthew got a shot.


Purple 'W' 60074 on a #25 to Keele (Matt)

we crossed the road and waited about a minute before the next Hanley bound #25, this one was 66839 which we have had recently. we did it to the station and Matthew got a picture.


66839 on a #25 outside stoke railway station (Matt)

We then had 10 minutes to wait, before the #50, we did this by photographing the coaches behind the North Stafford hotel, and then sitting on the steps next to the bus stop. Todays #500 was 2931 which was the same as last time we did it. at journey end we crossed the road and then photographed the bus as it wait time for the return journey.


Wardle Transport 2931 at journey end on the #500 (Matt)

Afterwards we walked back home in darkness...Mark