Trip to Rudyard Lake 29-05-2013

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
FJ10 BJX	Shelton, opp Cemetery Road	Rudyard Lake	Charter	Aiming High
FJ10 BJX	Rudyard Lake	Hanley Park	Charter	Aiming High
FJ10 BJX	Hanley Park	Shelton, adj Cemetery Road	Charter	Aiming High

Today Matthew had an Aiming High trip arranged. Matthew got up just after 08:00 and had toast and orange juice for breakfast. They sat off around 09:30 onto the A5035 past the hem Heath pub. They continued onto New Inn Lane and followed First Potteries 40154 along on a #21A to Bradeley. They stopped at the Wrights Pie shop n Hanford and picked up some mini sausage rolls to put i his packed lunch. Shopping done they carried on down Mayne Street and onto the Northbound A34. At Hanford roundabout they tuned right onto the Northbound A500. They did this up to Shelton New Road where we turned and then parked up at the Crossroads building. He said goodbye to mum and went into the building to use the toilet. When everyone was ready they went out to the bus, which was the usual aiming High vehicle for Shelton FJ10 BJX.

Aiming High FJ10 BJX in Shelton

Matthew and friends got on the buses and they set off towards Rudyard Lake. They went along Shelton New Road up to Snow Hill and onto Broad Street. We passed 40373 on a #21 service. We went onto the ring road which we did around to Bucknall New Road. We went down Limekiln bank and turned left onto Leek Road. We then carried on along this road until we reached the A53 Which we did forward to Leek. We went trough the town and onto the A523. We saw First Potteries 40383 on a #18 service. We carried on along the A523 to Rudyard where we off parked adjacent to the lake. We stopped at the visitors centre, where Matthew went to the toilet. We then walked over to the boast which we were going to be using today. It was a twin hulled, rowing boat.

Matthew's boat for the day at Rudyard Lake

We sat in the boat and we decided that today we would row over the lake in one single long session. Part way along Matthew got bored with rowing and he threw his oar into the lake. After the oar was retrieved he decided from this point on he was just going to relax and let everyone else do the work. He got a picture of cattle grazing close to the shore of the lake.

A view from the boat

They headed back to shore and then we had our packed lunch was down with more orange juice. They had a bit of time to spare, so after visiting the toilet again they set of back to Hanley Park. They headed down the A523 into Leek. We saw 40375 on a #18 service. We then did the A53 to Badderley Green and then onto Leek Road. We passed Wardle Transport 2038. We did Leek Road down to Botteslow street before cutting across Lichfield street into Shelton before parking up in Hanley Park. After 30 minutes here they returned to the minibus and headed back across Stoke Road to the Crossroads building. He went inside to use the toilet and photographed the sink. We picked up at 15:00 and we drove from Shelton New road to the A53 to pick up some LPG. Whilst we were filling up we spotted First Potteries 34158 on a #34 to Audley. After getting LPG We carried o Along the A53 to the A500. We did this south to the A50 and then to Longton. There were a few buses parked up by Z Carz today. was there as well as mini coach W344 WNS.

Z Carz W344 WNS in Longton

We also saw recent arrival W221 CDN.

Z Carz W221 CDN in Longton

Then we spotted a new vehicle to Z Carz, Mercedes minibus M372 NWN.

Z Carz M372 NWN in Longton

We turned passed the Willow Row compound to see if there was anything there. Lightning minibus FD53 UNX and MJ03 DPU were inside the building. T408 JUX was also there. We got back onto the A50 and headed to heron Cross where and then picked up uncle Dave. We picked him up and we headed through heron Cross through Blurton. We got back home at around 16:00. around 17:00 i went to fetch some food for tea from the chip shop. We had sausage chips and gravy. Matthew had a chill out on his computer before we went to uncle Dave's around 20:20. We went via Blurton Road and Heron Cross. Here we drank pop, ate custard creams, watched telly and listened to music on uncle Dave's computer. Around 22:00 we left uncle Dave's and got onto the A500. We Headed South to the A519 where we got onto Whitmore Road. We went down to the A34 and then onto the A5035 we stopped at Nat West to use the cash machine and carried on along the A5035 and to home. Matthew then chilled out on his computer until going bed until around 00:00...Mark

Trip to Rudyard Lake 30-09-2012

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
FJ10 BJX	Shelton, opp Cemetery Road	Rudyard Lake	Charter	Aiming High
FJ10 BJX	Rudyard Lake	Shelton, adj Cemetery Road	Charter	Aiming High

Today Matthew went to Rudyard Lake with Aiming High. He could have gone on the but wasn't selected for the trip on that occasion. We checked the weather for today and it was for rain starting sometime in the morning. We woke Matthew up around 08:30 bu he wasn't to keen on going today. We persuaded him to get up and if he didn't fancy going when hr got to Shelton that he could come home. We set off a little after 09:30 and as we travelled up we realised that we didn't have any spare batteries we had to call in a shop in Hartshill to make sure that he had some. Whilst in Hartsill we saw First Potteries 32627 on a #25 to Hanley. We got to Shelton just before 10:00 and Matthew took a picture of FJ10 BJX whilst it was parked up empty.

Aiming High FJ10 BJX in Shelton

Matthew went into the building to use their toilet. When he came out we said goodbye and left him there. They then travelled up through Hanley to Cobridge. They did the A53 up to leek and then did the A523 to the lake. When they go there Matthew took a picture of the Lake.

A view of the lake

They also went on the steam train today. After a short wait Victoria turned up on their train.

Victoria on the Rudyard Lake Steam Railway

After getting off the train Matthew took another picture of the Lake.

Another view of the Lake

They then got on the Sailability boat and had a quick trip over the Lake. When they got back they watched some ducks at the Lake edge.

Ducks on Rudyard Lake

It was then back to the Aiming High bus FJ10 BJX and back to Shelton on the reverse route that they took up to the Lake. They took the A523 to Leek and then onto the A53, they then turned at Cobridge and went around Hanley. Matthew went past the bus station and we saw 60189 on a #20 service. we also saw 61243 on a #21. They then headed to Shelton. Matthew came home with a couple of Aining High workers. They came along Victoria road to Fenton and then did the A50 link road and to Heron Cross. They then went toward Blurton. When he got back he saw a Wardle Transport bus approaching on the #22 service. As it got closer he got a picture of the bus, Wardle Transport 2541.

Wardle Transport 2541 on the #22 service

When Matthew got home we finished the saw Wigan Coachways DSK 516.up on Ladybank Grove. we saw Z Carz T408 JUX on a 408 Service then had chicken Popcorn and fries and a trifle for afters for tea, before having a bath and going to bed...Mark

Trip to Rudyard Lake 15-08-2012

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
FJ10 BJX	Shelton, opp Cemetery Road	Rudyard Lake	Charter	Aiming High
FJ10 BJX	Rudyard Lake	Shelton, adj Cemetery Road	Charter	Aiming High

Today Matthew was going to Rudyard Lake. This was the third time he was due to go to Rudyard Lake this year, but it was the first time he actually got to go. The first the time the weather was really poor ans it was cancelled at short notice, the second time was the 15th July, The day before he was due to go and told us it was cancelled because the boat had broke and he went to Tatton Park instead. We checked the weather for today, and it said it would be clear until around 12:00 with rain moving in for the afternoon. Matthew got up a little after 08:00. He needed a little bit of persuasion to get up, but he got out of bed eventually and had toast for breakfast. He was picked up by a couple of members of staff from Crossroads and they took him up the Shelton to meet the bus. On the way up he passed Wardle Transport 4777 on the X50. When he got to Shelton his transport for the day was waiting. It was Aiming High FJ10 BJX.

Aiming High FJ10 BJX in Shelton

They went up to John Street in Hanley to pick up a few others and whilst there he saw First Potteries 60013 on a #20 to Crewe. Also in Hanley they saw GHA single decker SB27 on the X81. He also saw First 60081 on the #34. They headed North Eastwards to Leek and then up the A523 to Rudyard Lake. They also stopped at a new Shell garage. At the lake Matthew took a few pictures. Here is a picture of the lake with many boats moored up on there.

Boats on Rudyard Lake

Later he took a picture of the jetty.

The jetty on Rudyard Lake

They went out on a boat for a while and then it started to rain heavily so the headed back to shore.

Another jetty on Rudyard Lake

After they got back to shore they decided to have a trip on the Rudyard Lake Steam Railway. It was the red tank engine King Aurthur on his train.

King Aurthur at The Dam station

After a round trip on the railway, they headed back to the minibus and headed homewards. Matthew also saw a coach parked up at the lake. He headed back to shelton. They travelled down the A523 and then onto the A53. At Cobridge they turned left toeards Hanley. They then went around Hanley and then to Shelton along Shelton New Road. The two members of staff drove him home and saw Mercedes minibus N257 BWC. In Stoke he saw 60063 on the #26 service. they then went through Fenton to the A50 link road and then to Heron Cross and Blurton. Matthew got home a little earlier than expected just before 15:00. He then had his usual Wednesday night of a chippy tea and then a visit to Uncle Dave's before returning home just before bedtime...Mark

Trip to Rudyard Lake 13-08-2010

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
FJ10 BJY	John St, Hanley	Rudyard Lake	Charter	Aiming High
FJ10 BJY	Rudyard Lake	John St, Hanley	Charter	Aiming High

This was a trip organised by Aiming High. Parents were instruct to meet on John Street and the bus would depart around 10:00. Whilst we were waiting Matthew took some bus picture on Lichfield Street, until the bus turned up and we legged it round the corner so Matthew could board the bus


Aiming High FJ10 BJY to Rudyard Lake (Matt)

Apparently Matthew had been relatively well behaved and really enjoyed himself!

We walked back up to the bus station, met with mum and went back to the car for sausage rolls...

(Mark)