Trip to Fenton / Hanley 01-10-2014

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
DV10 JCU	Blurton	Fenton	Charter	Shelton Care Group
60013	Fenton, adj Victoria Place	Hanley BS	6	First Potteries
65567	Northwood, adj Cheshire Cheese	Hanley, adj stop Q2	7	First Potteries
61246	Hanley BS	Fenton, adj Victoria Place	6	First Potteries
DV10 JCU	Fenton	Blurton	Charter	Shelton Care Group

Today Matthew was going to his day service, and we were taking him out on the bus. Matthew got up around 08:00 and had toast and orange juice for breakfast. The minibus for his day service was the usual Shelton Care Group DV10 JCU. The bus went onto the A5035 and onto Church Road. we continued though into Blurton Road and through Heron Cross. In Heron Cross we onto Heron Street and we continued around to Glebedale Road before getting to the destination. After a short while at the unit we walked up to Victoria Square to wait for a bus to Hanley. A short while later dud First Potteries 60013 appeared on the #6 to Hanley.

First Potteries 60013 in Fenton

We got on the bus and booked Smart Day tickets. We sat down and the bus set off down Victoria Road. We saw dud First Potteries 61160 going the other way towards Longton. We crossed the roundabout at joiners Square we climbed up Lichfield Street up to the ring Road. We went left onto the ring road before turning right into Bethesda Street and then onto John Street / Liddice Way. The bus pulled into the bus station and we got off. We set off on foot through Hanley to walk up to Central Forrest Park. On Town road as we crossed over the ring road, we saw First Potteries 32053 on a #8A to Hanley.

First Potteries 32053 in Hanley Town Road

Further up the road toward Central Forest Park Matthew had a can of Coke. We then saw First Potteries 40367 on a #8B to Brown Edge.

First Potteries 40367 in Northwood

After a quick walk around in Central Forrest Park, we crossed over the road to catch a bus back towards Hanley. The bus came around the corner and it was required First Potteries 65567 on a #7 service.

First Potteries 65567 in Northwood

We got on the bus and flashed our Smart Day tickets, before we sat down. The bus set off back along Town Road and into Hanley. We went down Quadrant Street and into Stafford Street.We got off the bus in Stafford Street and we walked to the bus station. Whilst at the bus station saw Wardle Transport 4809 on the #19 to Bradeley. We walked to the sop outside the bus station to wait for the #6 back to Fenton. Whilst we were there we took a few bus pictures. We saw First Potteries 61235 on a #1A to longton.

First Potteries 61235 in Hanley bus station

Wardle Transport 4814 was on a #16 to Leek. A few minutes later we saw First Potteries 60057 on a #2 to Bentilee.

First Potteries 60057 in Hanley bus station

Next we saw red and yellow liveried First Potteries 60171 on a #6B to Blythe Bridge.

First Potteries 60171 in Hanley bus station

We decided to do the next bus, which was First Potteries 61246 on a #6 to Meir.

First Potteries 61246 in Hanley bus station

We got on the bus and flashed our Smart Day tickets. before sitting down. The bus set off and turned into Birch Terrace and onto Charles Street, around the site of the old bus station. The bus then turned right onto Old Hall Street before going around the ring road onto Lichfield Street. The bus crossed over the Roundabout in Joiners Square before continuing up Victoria Road. At the top of Victoria Road by the Square, we got up an got off the bus. We walked across city road and into the unit. For dinner Matthew had fish finger sandwiches. After dinner Matthew play bowling on the Wii until it was time to come home. The bus came to fetch to bring him home and it was his usual Shelton Care Group bus DV10 JCU. We got on the bus and the bus went onto Glebedale Road and through Heron Cross. We went Straight through Blurton and onto the A5035, getting home around 16:00. Matthew had some toast and a drink of pop and I went to fetch uncle Dave. For tea Matthew had sausage Chips and gravy. After some time on the computer we went to take uncle Dave home. We set off onto the A5035 and onto Stanley Matthews Way. We headed onto the A50 and through Heron Cross and down to uncle Daves. We spent some time listening to music and watching music videos, as well as watching telly and looking at old bus magazines, timetables and newspaper articles. At 22:00 we left uncle Dave an went onto the Northbound A500. We turned around at Stoke And went South down the A500 until we reached the A519. We turned left onto whitmore Road and then onto the Southbound A34. We then went towards Longton along the A5035, getting home around 22:25. Matthew then chilled out on his computer until bedtime around 23:30...Mark

Trip to Stoke 30-05-2011

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
64	Trentham Road, Magdalen Road	Longton Transport Interchange	22	Scraggs
61237	Longton Transport Interchange	Duke Street, Fenton	6B	First Potteries
60004	Duke Street, Fenton	Church Street, Stoke	26	First Potteries

Matthew returned home from respite care at dinner time, and I knew he would be interested in going out on the #22 service. The bank holiday and Sunday service has been taken over by Scraggs Blue Buses, and this had started the day before. Yesterday I went out to get a photograph of the first running, and today I went out to see what had worked on the second run. both days had produced Scraggs Blue Buses 64 which Matthew had not been on before. It had been raining all day and was forecast to stop around teatime. I took him out as planned, with the intention of catching the bus to Longton and then returning straight away. We walked the short distance to the Trentham road stop and waited for the bus to turn up. After a few minutes,we saw the Blue step entranced minibus appear in the distance. I hindsight we should have gone to the next stop as the bus emerged out of the sun and made it difficult for Matthew to get a good photograph.


Scraggs Blue Buses 64 on a Newcastle to Longton Service (Matt)

We boarded the bus which was half full. Shortly after boarding we followed 40138 through Blurton as it headed towards Hanley on a #23 service. People were talking about the service, and I think it can be said that everyone is willing that the new 'trial' service is a commercial success and that Scraggs continue to run it. When we got to Longton, Matthew photographed the empty inside of the bus.


Inside Scraggs 64, showing it's ex Arriva Interior (Matt)

When we got off, I was hoping that Matthew would get straight back on but he had different ideas,
He did get a much better shot of the bus as it left Longton Transport interchange though.


Scraggs Blue Buses 64 Departs for Newcastle (Matt)

OK..so we got to plan B... I thought we could catch a bus to Fenton and then catch one back. We could then catch the return Scraggs bus back homewards. The next bus in was a 6B to Hanley and Matthew indicated that he wanted to catch it.


61237 pulls into Longton Transport Interchange on the #6B to Hanley (Matt)

On the way towards Fenton we passed 61143 coming the other way, we also passed 61160. After this short run we got off. The timetable indicted a 20 frequency towards Hanley, which I thought was good for a Sunday evening. There was also an hourly 26 to Stoke. We then decided that perhaps the best thing to do was to go to Stoke and then maybe catch a bus to Blurton from Stoke. According to the timetable board, the 26 Newcastle and the 6B Hanley were due at the same time. First bus to turn up was the 6B which was 60057.


60057 on the following 6B Hanley (Matt)

It then occurred to me that maybe the board hadn't been changed. I looked at the date at the bottom and it said from February 2011... That was the last change! We then saw 61237 across the road returning from Hanley.


61237 heading back towards Longton on a #6B (Matt)

I texted the 84268 service to see when the next bus was due, the service retuned a load of 6B's and nothing else... Oh...perhaps the bus doesn't run the late... I was just considering crossing the road and waitng for 60057 to go back to Longton, when a 26 Newcastle turned up about 7 late. I now know the bus does still run and wasn't affected by the timetable change...The bus turns up and it'ts 60004, now the lowest numbered single decker in the First Fleet that is still running. We did this bus to Church Street, Stoke.


60004 on arrival in Stoke on a #26 to Newcastle (Matt)

We we got to Stoke Matthew decided he was staying put for a short while. I tried to give him alternatives for going home, he could either catch a 21 or a 23. but he just wanted to stay put. At that point mum called to see if we were OK. I asked Matthew if he wanted to go home in the car or bus and he chose car??!! So mum set off and we had around 15 minutes in Stoke watching buses. Amongst others 40138 turned up on a #23 Blurton - Hanley


40138 on a 23 to Hanley (Matt)

Eventually mum turned up and we returned home via Trent Vale and Trentham. Matthew insisted we called at the One Stop Shop on the Lea and he purchased some biscuits. As we travelled along Trentham Road we passed Scraggs 64 on a Newcastle bound 22. Had we gone back to Longton and caught the 22 bus, we wouldn't have got home much earlier.... Mark