Trip to Uttoxeter 11-04-2012

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
PAG 512A	Uttoxeter BS	Catchems Corner	184	Phil Smiths Travel
61239	Blythe Bridge, adj Greenacres Avenue	Meir Broadway	6	First Potteries
4895	Meir Broasdway	Uttoxeter BS	X50	Wardle Transport
2217	Uttoxeter BS	Pennycroft Road	4	Arriva Midlands
2217	Pennycroft Road	Uttoxeter BS	4	Arriva Midlands
2288	Uttoxeter BS	Uttoxeter railway station	402	Arriva Midlands
2242	Uttoxeter railway station	Uttoxeter BS	402	Arriva Midlands
4777	Uttoxeter BS	Fenton, adj Travers Court	X50	Wardle Transport

Today I had another day off so we planned to go back to Uttoxeter and this week to cover the #184. We set off around 12:30 and today we direct to Uttoxeter. We saw 40147 on a #22 service and then we got to Uttoxtere arriving at 12:55 just before the 13:00 to Weston Coyney. On Arrival we saw East Staffs Mobility Link minibus MX04 KND in the car park by the shopping arcade. We then walked around to the bus station to wait for the bus. The bus arrived around 13:02 and loaded up promptly. It was a plain white Mercedes minibus, required PAG 512A.

Phil Smiths Travel PAG 512A in Uttoxeter

We got on the bus with the other eight passengers and the bus driver recognised us from last time we did the service which was probably close on 3 years ago! As we left Uttoxeter we passed Wardle Transport 4895 which we knew should be our bus back to Uttoxeter. We sat near the back ans then enjoyed the hour or so ride from Uttoxeter through the east Staffordshire countryside to the Blythe Bridge area, When all the regular passengers got off we moved to the front and chatted to the driver. We did the bus to Catchems Corner and then Matthew got another picture of this bus.

PAG 512A at Catchems Corner

We then crossed over the road and waited for the #6 to Meir. The bus was due around 14:20 and due in Meir at 14:26. The bus turned up slightly late, probably due to the roadworks in Blythe Bridge at the moment. It was dud First Potteries 61239.

First Potteries 61239 at Blythe Bridge

As he bus pulled away I thought we could always get off by Tesco, but the bus takes a different route in the week than it does on Sundays, so it went around the roundabout and onto the A50! I was a little bit panicked at this point thinking we might miss the bus in Meir, When we arrived we hadn't seen it turn across us, so it probably hadn't got there yet. We jumped straight off 61239 and trooted across the road to the stop on the opposite side of Broadway. 60073 was parked up at the stop awaiting time before returning back to Hanley. We asked a lady if she had seen the X50 and she hadn't. We only had to wait a minute or so and the bus appeared up the ramp as expected required Wardle Transport 4895.

Wardle Transport 4895 at Meir

We then had a 30 minute journey back to Uttoxeter on the top deck of this express service. The slower bit of the journey goes through Meir Heath. We passed 4776 on the run back down the hill, meaning we should have required 4777 later on. The bus then goes back across the A50 to Blythe Bridge and then back onto the A50 from the other side. The bus then storms the 8 or so miles Eastwards to the edge of Uttoxeter, before doing the last mile or so from the JCB the lower saloon of the bus.

Inside 4895

factory on the side road. The plan now was to do a circuit of the #4 town bus service and then catch the #1 to Sudbury to meet the 15:15 from Derby. When we got into Uttoxeter bus station the #4 was already I the bus station, and so we got off the Wardle double decker and filed off into the queue for the town service, which was required Arriva Midlands 2217 which we saw last week. We booked to the midpoint an when we reached there I got up to book the return tickets back to town. As the bus returned into town Matthew got a picture of the empty bus.

Inside Arriva Midlands 2217

When we got back the plan was to do the #1 to Sudbury which was required 2136. Matthew had seen another bus which I thought was either spare or on Layover, which was Arriva Midland 2288.

Arriva Midlands 2288 in Uttoxeter

2288 left the bus station and despite telling Matthew it was 2136 or wait 30 minutes for the bus home, Matthew decided to wait. The Trent Barton Swift service came in, which was 737. He also wanted to do that and I told him he couldn't because we couldn't get back Home. A few minutes later 2288 reappeared and went on stand to work the #402 to Burton. When I was researching this trip i had considered possibly doing this bus to the railway station but the return service didn't seem to stop at the station. Matthew wanted to do 2288 but we didn't have any way of getting back so I called mum to see if she could give us a lift. As we got off Matthew got a good picture of the bus.

2288 by Uttoxeter railway station

As we waited for a lift back We looked at the timetable and it also appeared that the return service didn't stop at the station. I decided it would be a good idea for us to walk up the ramp to the main road to make it easier for mum to find us. As we walked up we saw a bus heading our way so we ran back to the bus stop. The bus was required Arriva Midlands 2242.

Arriva Midlands 2242 by the railway station

As we traveled back into town I called mum to tell her we had got a bus afterall. She wasn't best pleased with me! So we got back to the bus station around 15:50 and we had around 15 minutes to wait for the X50 back homewards. Mathew had gotten a picure of he inside of 2242 as we got off.

Inside 2242

The first bus in was the Derby bound bus which we had ridden on last week 4776.

Wardle Transport 4776 in Uttoxeter

then our bus appeared and it was as predicted Wardle 4777. Matthew got a picture before we boarded. 2242 then got ready to do the #428 Lichfield service.

Wardle Transport 4777 in Uttoxeter

We texted mum to let her know we were on our way homewards, so she could drive to the other end to meet us. The journey back was fast.We saw Wardle 2407 on a #7 in Meir. We got into Fenton,passing 61555 on a Hanley bound #26. Around 16:50, we got off Matthew got another picture of 4777.

4777 in Fenton

It was then back to the car for sausage rolls and then driving home. We got into the house around 17:00...Mark.

Trip to Longton 09-04-2012

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
2546	Blurton, adj Ladybank Grove	Longton Interchange	22	Wardle Transport
60062	Longton Interchange	Meir Broadway	6B	First Potteries
60075	Meir Broasdway	Longton Interchange	6B	First Potteries
61239	Longton Interchange	Stoke, Church Street	26	First Potteries

Today was a typical bank Holiday Monday. It was cold and it had been raining all day. I went out around 12:00 to view the #22 bus and I was expecting the same bus as we usually see. I was surprised when something larger and red came around the corner and it was Wardle Transport 2546, which had been 163 in the D&G fleet before it had been purchased last year. It was a required bus and Matthew was bored, and he wanted to out and do it. The bus had already gone back towards Newcastle when he let me know he wanted to go out so we had a while to get ready for the return in Blurton at 15:08. We left home and walked all the way to the bus stop in Beaconsfield Drive in the rain. We had a couple of minutes wait before the bus rounded the corner bang on time and Matthew got a picture.

Wardle Transport 2546 in Blurton

We boarded the bus and sat down, the driver always smiles when I get a picture of this service and it turns out he is married to a girl I used to hang around with when I was a lad. We did the bus to Longton and Matthew got a picture of the inside of the bus.

Inside Wardle Transport 2546

As I knew Matthew wouldn't want to go straight home I thought we could pick up a few AG based Scanias as Matthew hasn't been on many of these. There were 6B buses due in either direction when we got to Longton as well as a Hanley bound #26. The Hanley bound #6B was required 61238 but we decided to turn this down.

First Potteries 61238 on a Hanley bound 6B

The Blythe Bridge bound #6B was required 60062 so we decided to do this bus.

First Potteries 60062 in Longton Interchange

As we got on the bus we saw the Hanley bound #26 and this was required 61239. I think Matthew decided there and then that he wanted to do this one later. We did the short trip to Meir and then we got off. Matthew got another picture of this beast as we got off.

60062 in Meir

We cross the road and sat in the stop waiting for the return #6B. By the timings I knew that it would have to be a different bus that the one we had just gotten off. The rain was still coming down and by now my shoes had taken on water and my jeans were wet around the ankles. After a couple of minutes we saw a bus come sweeping down the A520. It was 61239 heading into Hanley again. I had forgotten that the #26 takes a long route to Meir and that it also works the other way across Meir. After about a further 10 minutes we saw a Hanley bound #6B coming down the A520. As it got closer we could see it was First PMT 60075.

First Potteries 60075 in Meir

As we got on we checked the 'Buses I have traveled on' page and we saw that 60075 was also required too. We did this to Longton where Matthew got a picture of the near empty bus behind our seats.

Inside 60075

At this point we had a bit of a wait. Matthew turned down doing 60063 on a east bound #6B which was dud.

First Potteries 60063 in Longton Interchange

Within a couple of minutes another Eastbound #6B also came in which was 60083, also dud. The 16:20 to Hanley was 60059 which was another dud Scania. 16:32 came and went and at around 16:40 the bus turned up and it was required 61239 as predicted.

First Potteries 61239 in Longton Interchange

As we were about to leave 60062 re-appeared on a Hanley bound #6B. We set off and the bus was quite busy, picking up passengers at most stops on the way. As we got off Matthew had to say hello to someone before he got off and got another picture of 61239.

61239 in Stoke

We had arranged for mum to pick us up and she was parked in a side street waiting. Whilst we were there we saw 2 of the 3 #25 turns. 66852 was Hanley bound and 65732 was heading towards Keele. Both of these buses were dud, so of all the First vehicles we saw had 3 of the 4 required ones. I suppose we have to leave some for another day. We then got in the car and went to get some tea. Mum chose to go to Chunky Chicken in Broad street in Hanley where we sat in and had chicken burger with fries. Whilst there we saw 40026 on a #21A and 61235 on a #21. After eating we drove home. the Stoke match had started and we listened to the first 15 minutes on the radio as we returned home. We eventually got back at around 17:45. The match ended 1-1 and despite the weather and getting my feet wet, it wasn't a bad little jaunt out...Mark