Trip to the POPS rally 17-05-2015

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
8763	Britannia Stadium	Newcastle, School Street	Special	GM Buses (Preserved)
RM467	Newcastle, School Street	Britannia Stadium	Special	London Transport (Preserved)
658	Britannia Stadium	Trentham Gardens, coach drop off point	Special	Yorkshire Traction (Preserved)
1902	Trentham Gardens, coach drop off point	Britannia Stadium	Special	Midland Red (North) (Preserved)
NXL 847	Britannia Stadium	Stoke, railway station	Special	Eastern Belle (Preserved)
JVY 516	Stoke, railway station	Britannia Stadium	Special	York Pullman (Preserved)
CRS 66T	Britannia Stadium	Stone	Special	Strathtay Coaches (Preseved)
CRS 66T	Stone	Britannia Stadium	Special	Strathtay Coaches (Preseved)
604	Britannia Stadium	Hanley, Bethesda Street	Special	PMT (Preseved)
604	Hanley, Bethesda Street	Britannia Stadium	Special	PMT (Preseved)

Today was the day of the annual POPS rally, currently held at the Britannia Stadium. It is one of the highlights of Matthew's social calender... Matthew got up just after 10:00 and had toast and orange juice for breakfast. We set off around 11:30 to go and pick uncle Dave up. We set off through the Blurton Farm estate and onto Church Road. We turned left at Critchlow's Corner and down Blurton Road. We cross the A50 and we turned left at Heron Cross. We picked uncle Dave up and we headed back up through Heron Cross. This time we joined the A50 and we went West the short distance to the turning for Stanley Matthews Way we turned by the Britannia Stadium and we parked up in front of the West stand. We set off down to where the buses were being displayed behind the Boothen End and on the way we stopped to look at dud Crosville Olympian DOG 104, formerly First Potteries 30039. Behind this was required Crosville half cab double decker DFG 157

Crosville DFG 157 at the Britannia Stadium

We visited Dave Spencer's stall to buy a few DVD's. We also visited the book stall and brought a Stagecoach fleet book. We also brought the North Staffs fleetlist produced by POPS, and the programme for today's event. We then went around the corner to where the buses were being diaplyed. One of the stars of the show was Tim Deakins very fine example of an all Leyland Olympian.

PMT 757 at the Britannia Stadium

The bus which has been in preservation for around a year has been returned to the livery it carried when the bus was delivered back in 1989. Also present was one of the regulars at the local bus rallies, PMT 198. Freshly painted in red and yellow livery was former PMT Leyland Lynx 860.

PMT 860 at the Britannia Stadium

One we haven't seen at the rally before was Northern Scottish Oympian double decker 16.

Northern Scottish 16 at the Britannia Stadium

Only in preservation for around 2 years was former PMT Dennis Lance 866 / 60100. Keith Stanton recently started his own company have started Wardle Transport and working with Arriva after their take over of Wardle Transport. He brought the welfare bus fleet along with a couple of the coaches. He expanded the business with a few schools contracets, buying some of the double deckers that used to be with Wardle Transport. One such example is 815 DYE, which used to be 4898 in the Wardle Transport fleet.

Stanton's of Stoke 815 DYE at the Britannia Stadium

It had recently been repainted in this variation of the old Wardle Transport colours. There were a few buses parked right against the Boothen End stand. One such vehicle was National Travel West 4771. Also present today was newly preserved Leyland Olympian 30031, which official presented to POPS by First in a ceremony today.

First PMT 30031 at the Britannia Stadium

At the top end of the Boothen end was Merseybus 1301. We started to look at the diplays on the other side of the row. One bus which we have seen before on our travels is First Worcester Dennis Trident 33404.

First Worcester 33404 at the Britannia Stadium

This is a bus that we haven't been on yet, but we have seen it a few times on our trips to Bromsgrove as it is a regular on the #144 from Worcester to Birmingham. Next to this was Bury corporation double decker 201. At the very back of the site was this very unusual bendy coach, Mortons 3111.

Mortons 3111 at the Britannia Stadium

Another favourite at the local rallies was this former Bassetts coach, SUX 476X.

Bassetts SUX 476X at the Britannia Stadium

We carried on down the row... We also saw this very nice Barton coach, 966. One that we haven't seen before was this Alder Valley Leyland National 127. First Potteries sent along a couple of buses. On of which was Caetano Dart 43877.

First Potteries 43877 at the Britannia Stadium

Other Staffordshire bus companies attending the rally also sent vehicle. One such vehicla was this rather nice modern double decker representing Midland Classic 55. They have painted in Stevenson of Uttoxeter's old colours. First Leicester sent this double decker painted in Leicester City Transport heritage livery, First Leicester 32646.

First Leicester 32646 at the Britannia Stadium

Another old favourite was this Mercedes minibus carry a the red and yellow livery, PMT MMM120. Copeland's Tours sent along 3 of there vehicles. One of the coaches they sent was Van Hool bodied coach MIB 394.

Copeland's Tours MIB 394 at the Britannia Stadium

Arriva Midlands sent along one of their new Streetlites allocated to Cannock, Arriva Midlands 3305.

Arriva Midlands 3305 at the Britannia Stadium

Arriving back on site after a run out on the road was dud London Transport Routemaster RM467. Towards the bottom of the site was GM Buses Metro Cammell Weymann bodied double decker 5320.

GM Buses 5320 at the Britannia Stadium

Select buses, the South Staffordshire operated sent 2 of their buses along. The was J722 GAP double decker and Enviro 200 WA09 FHK.

Select WA09 FHK at the Britannia Stadium

Routemaster Buses of Nantwich sent along former Stagecoach coach BAH 809X as well as their ALX200 bodied Dennis Dart.

Routemaster Buses BAH 809X at the Britannia Stadium

Further up the row was Chester City Transport double decker 4. There was also a former Warrington Borough Transport Dart 214 in this nice light blue livery.

Warrington 214 at the Britannia Stadium

One of Martin Hearson's Bournemouth bus fleet is required Bournemouth 103.

Bournemouth 103 at the Britannia Stadium

We decided to head to the bus stop and to catch something, as we headed to the stop we saw required GM Buses 8763 was about to work a service to Newcastle. We stopped to get a picture of the bus before we got on it.

GM Buses 8763 at the Britannia Stadium

We got on the bus and we went upstairs. We set off out off the stadium and onto the A50. The bus went South down the A500 before we came off the road at Hanford and we joined the A34. We headed along through Trent Vale an passed the hospital before we came into Newcastle. The buses were stopping on School Street, so we headed over the Jubilee roundabout and around the one way system. We turned off the A52 onto Hanover Street and then right into School Street. The bus stopped and the other bus that was duplicated the service was already parked up in front of us. It was dud London Transport Routemaster RM467.

London Transport RM467 in Newcastle

We took pictures of the buses and I asked Matthew what bus he wanted to travel back to the Britannia Stadium on. He chose the Routemaster so we got on the open platform at the back and went upstairs. When it was time the bus set off onto Barracks Road and down onto the A34. We continued South to the A500 and then we went North. when we got to the Sideway roundabout we went East up the A50 and we circled around the Britannia Stadium. When we got back to the Stadium, we got up and we let the bus empty out. Matthew took a picture inside London Transport RM467.

Inside London Transport RM467

We decided to have a little break from the buses and we walked back towards the car. Arriving in after a run out on the roads was Yorkshire Traction 658. This was followed in by two Northern Irish based Leyland Tigers with Alexander bodywork. Leading the group was Ulsterbus 1321.

Ulsterbus 1321 at the Britannia Stadium

This was followed by a slightly older bus, Ulsterbus 1250. Matthew visited the toilets in the stadium and then we headed back to the car where we had sausage sandwich and sausage rolls washed down with a bottle of Irn Bru. When we we had finished eating we said goodbye to mum and headed back to the Britannia Stadium to ride on a few more buses and take a few more pictures. At the bottom of the site we saw one of Stanton's of Stokes newest arrivals, minibus BV57 VGP.

Stanton's of Stoke BV57 VGP at the Britannia Stadium

We realised that the Yorkshire Traction Olympian we had missed earlier was about to work a service to Trentham Gardens. We saw the bus move on to the stop so we headed over to go and catch this bus, Yorkshire Traction 658.

Yorkshire Traction 658 at the Britannia Stadium

We got on the bus and we sat upstairs. The bus set off out of the stadium and onto the Southbound Stanley Matthews Way. We joined the A5035 and we headed into Trentham. We carried on to the end of the road where we crossed over the A34 and went into the main entrance of the gardens. We turned left past Frankie and Benny's and we circled around the car park to the coach drop off point. We got off the bus to take another picture of Yorkshire Traction 658.

Yorkshire Traction 658 at the Trentham Gardens

Also duplicating the service was dud Midland red 1902. We decided to do this back, but not before getting another picture of this fine bus.

Midland Red 1902 at the Trentham Gardens

We got on the bus and the bus headed back onto the A5035. We turned left onto Stanley Matthews way and we went up to and around the stadium before we stopped next to the other exhibits. We let thr bus empty and Matthew took a picture inside Midland Red 1902.

inside Midland Red 1902

Opposite us was a bus that we hadn't seen earlier. It was former Wardle Transport DAF double decker 4812, now D&G 178 and painted in D&G colours.

D&G 178 at the Britannia Stadium

We had managed to do the trip in less than 30 minutes, so when we walked down to the stop we saw the 14:20 departure hadn't left. It was Eastern Belle Duple bodied coach NXL 847.

Eastern Belle NXL 847 at the Britannia Stadium

We got on this fine example of a 1950's bus and we sat down near to the back. The 14:20 X60 service was a service that was serving the old gates to Trentham Gardens, Stoke railway station and then back to the Brit. The riding was very interesting. The suspension was very soft and when you went over a bump the bus continued to bounce for a short while. Gear selection seemed to be shear luck as to whether it would go in and the exhaust was quite noisy. All these little things added to the character of the ride. That with the superb Art Deco style coachwork inside the bus. Even the light fittings had an Art Deco style to them with their ridged form. The bus set off onto Stanley Matthews Way and then right onto the A5035. At the A34 we turned right and we stopped for a photo stop outside the old gate of Trentham Gardens. They shunted the buses around to get a few different pictures, but we decided to stay on the bus and swap to the other bus duplicating the service when we got to the railway station. When it was time to leave we set off first onto the A34 and up to Hanford. We turned right onto the A500 and the bus put in a good turn of speed. We did the A500 up to Stoke town centre. We joined the A52 and we went under the railway line and we followed the road around towards Stoke railway station. When we stopped at the we got off and as there was a crowd we crossed the road to get a better picture of Eastern Belle NXL 847.

Eastern Belle NXL 847 by Stoke railway station

We decided to do the other bus back that was duplicating this service, required York Pullman JVY 516.

York Pullman JVY 516 by Stoke railway station

This was another bus from the 1950's that had an Art Deco styled interior. We sat down near to the back of the bus and the bus set off up College Road. It soon became apparent that the ride on these two similar looking buses was very different. The suspension on this bus was hard... Rock Hard. College Road and the Avenue into which we turned left both have speed bumps and we felt every single one! We turned left onto Stoke Road and Left again onto station Road again. We followed the A52 adjacent to the railway line before turning left onto City Road. We turned right onto Christchurch street and we turned right again onto Station Bridge Road. We headed through Heron Cross before we turned right onto the A50 for the run up to the Brit. When we got back to the stadium Matthew didn't wait for the bus to empty to get a picture inside this bus, we just got off. We noticed that the 15:10 to Stone hadn't yet departed with Strathtay Coaches CRS 66T, so we walked over to it and casually got a picture of it before getting on.

Strathtay Coaches CRS 66T at the Britannia Stadium

The duplicated bus on this service had already departed and we didn't see it ahead of us. This was dud Midland Red 1918. We set off once again down Stanley Matthews Way and onto the A5035. This time we went South on the A34. We Seemed to go quite quickly although we never caiyght up with Midland Red 1918. We entered Stone from the North today. We came down Newcastle Road and around the one way system until we parked up behind Midland Red 1918 on Crown Street. We got off the bus and Matthew went to the toilet. Once he came out he took a picture of dud Midland Red 1918.

Midland Red 1918 in Stone

We decided to go back North on the Strathtay Coach again, mainly because I think Matthew wanted to photograph the inside of this coach empty when we got back to Stoke. The coach set off Back North up Newcastle Road and onto the A34. We carried on North up to Trentham before taking the A5035 back to Stanley Matthew Way and then to the Stadium. Once we got back we let the coach empty before Matthew took a picture inside Strathtay Coaches CRS 66T.

Inside Strathtay Coaches CRS 66T

Buses were now starting to leave the site and their were gaps making easier to get pictures of some of the buses. One of these buses was First Potteries 63250. The door was open so Matthew also took a picture inside First Potteries 63250 too.

Inside First Potteries 63250

The control bus for the day where the POPS team sell the programmes and fleet list from was required PMT 127. We also visited one of the stall and we brought a handful of photographs. We managed to get back quicker than the booked time on the last trip to Stone, enabling us to make the last full round trip service of the day which was being worked by dud PMT Bristol VR 604.

PMT 604 at the Britannia Stadium

We got on the bus and we went upstairs and we sat down in the top deck. This service wqs to Stoke railway station and Hanley Museum. The bus set off onto the A50 and onto the Northbound A500. We followed the A52 along adjacent to the railway line and we stopped at Stoke station. After a short while the bus carried on up College Road and onto Regent Street. We turned left into Bethesda Street and we crossed over the Hanley Ring Road before stopping outside the City Museum. We decided not to get up as we just stayed put for the trip back to the Brit. At departure time the bus set off onto broad street and we headed through Snow Hill. We turned right onto Shelton New Road and we joined onto the Southbound A500. We rocketed down the A500 to Sideway before turning onto the A50 and towards the Brit. On the roundabout outside the Stadium Mercedes Minibus PMT MMM120 had been dispatched to go and collect all the signs dotted around, guiding people into the event! We went into the stadium and the bus emptied out, and Matthew got a picture inside PMT 604.

Inside PMT 604

We got off the bus and we had one last walk around the site taking pictures. Leaving as we got there was Midland Red coach 674.

Midland Red 674 at the Britannia Stadium

Still parked up awaiting departure was Chesterfield 124.

Chesterfield 124 at the Britannia Stadium

As we headed back to meet mum at the car we saw Oldham Corporation double decker 163 departing the site We met up with mum and we went to drop uncle Dave off in Fenton. We went back through Heron Cross and into Blurton. We turned into the Hollybush estate to go pick something up off an friend. We rejoined Blurton Road and we went up to the Blurton Farm estate. We had to drop the something off that we had just picked up in Hatfield, but we weren't exactly sure where we were going. we did eventually find the place but it was by sheer luck. We headed home getting back around 17:30. Matthew watched a few of the PMP video DVD's we had just purchased and looked at the fleet books. For a late tea Matthew had chicken popcorn & fries with a few baked beans. He then chilled on his computer for a while whist I finished off writing Saturdays Blog entry. Matthew had a bath whilst I played on my Yahama keyboard (badly). For the last few hours Matthew chilled out on his computer until bedtime around 12:30... Mark

Trip to York 31-07-2011

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
MIB 978	Brunswick Street, Newcastle	St George's Field Coachpark, York	Charter	Copelands Tours
G336 CSG	York Clifford's Tower	York Clifford's Tower	Tour	York Pullman
G336 CSG	York Clifford's Tower	York railway station	Tour	York Pullman
E313 MSG	York, Nunnery Lane car park (opp)	York Clifford's Tower (opp)	Tour	York Pullman
G337 CSG	York, Stonebow Stop B	York Clifford's Tower (opp)	Tour	York Pullman
MIB 978	St George's Field Coachpark, York	Brunswick Street, Newcastle	Charter	Copelands Tours

Earlier this week we decided to book on our 2nd Copeland's Tours trip of the year so far to York. Preparation for the trip included printing section of the York bus map and printing out a load of First York Timetables along with Arriva service 415. I had looked up the price of the York Pullman City Tour, but I initial dismissed this as not an option. As it was a longer trip we decide to do this coach from it's last scheduled pickup of Newcastle. As we were unable to park in Brunswick Street, I dropped everybody off and put the car in the Vue car park for the day. Of course, as soon as i left a space became available in the street! Matthew enjoyed watching a procession of coaches and bus coming down the street for the few minutes we had to wait before our coach turned up at around 08:50. When the bus turned up it was not the one Matthew wants most desperately to travel on, but it was required... MIB 978. the route from Newcastle was A34,A500,M6 and then M62 After around an hour on the road, we stopped at the Birch Service station on the M62. here we stopped for a quick toilet stop and we visited the shop where Matthew purchased the latest issue of 'Buses'. When we went to the toilet we used our RADAR key as always to access what we thought was the disabled toilets. I could hear voices from the other side so I slowly opened the door. What the door actually was, was a shorter route to the toilets. When mum came around to the toilet from the other side I don't think she saw the funny side... We got to the toilet proper and used the key again. after the toilet stop Matthew photographed our trusty steed before we boarded the coach for the rest of the journey.


Copeland's tour MIB 978 in Birch services (Matt)

We continued out journey West, and as the coach climbed up the bank on Saddleworth Moor, I'm sure we slowed to around 30mph! Over the other side and we continued at a better speed. Joining the A1(M) then A64 and A19. We arrived at the St. George's field coach park at around 11:45. On the way in we passed a pub called the Mason's Arms a I suggested we ate there. We sat outside on a table where Matthew could see the buses go past and i went in to see a menu. Due to the food being not stuff Matthew liked and the fact that most main meals were £8 plus, we decided to just get 2 plates of chips to share and 3 drinks. A portion of chips cost £3.25 and the food and drink altogether cost £11.30! Whilst we waited for the food, Matthew took a few pictures.


York Pullman double decker M209 VSX on Fishergate (Matt)

After eating we had to make a decision on what to do. Mum wasn't feel very well, and was concerned with how far she was going to have to walk to get there. I had said we should have walked out of town towards the next bus stop to catch something inbound, but as the decision seemed counter intuitive, we ended up walking into town. It was a warm humid day with hazy sunshine and the walk was hard going. We got as far as Clifford's Tower, where we were struggling to read the York bus map whilst walking and keep Matthew happy. The map consists of coloured numbers by the stops and it was hard to try and work out where buses were actually going in relation to where we were and what buses stopped at the nearest stop. As mum was really struggling today we made the decision to do the York Pullman city tour. There was a bus at the stop G336 CSG, so we got the tickets and boarded the bus.


York Pullman City Tour G336 CSG in Tower Street (Matt)

Unusually, Matthew wanted to sit downstairs and we had to persuade him to go upstairs and sit in the open air. Having not been to York since the early 80's apart from one brief visit to Railtrack to remove a giant camera, doing the tour bus was a good thing. we spent over an hour on the first tour bus doing one complete circuit and then getting off at the railway station. We left mum on the bus so she could go further round towards the shops. As we got off Matthew photographed the tour bus as it pulled off into the distance.


After over a complete circuit, we see G336 CSG pull away from the railway station (Matt)

After we got off by the railway station we decided to have a walk around and take a few bus pictures. We decided to walk towards the wall and along Station Road. As we passed under the city wall, we saw a First Volvo double decker on a lay over.


First Yorkshire N&W 30960 on a layover off Station Road from it's X4 duties (Matt)

We carried on a short way along Station Road and then got on the wall where it is level with the road. We then walked along the wall towards Nunnery Lane taking some pictures off the wall of buses as we went.


Yorkshire Traction 705 taken off the wall on Station Road (Matt)

When got off the wall in nunnery lane, We used the facilities in the car park and then crossed the road to catch the next tour bus. Whilst we waited we saw several other York Pullman buses on the 44 service, a coach and also a Routemaster! The next tour bus was E313 MSG. Matthew was a little surprised and didn't get a good picture here. we sat downstars on this bus for a short while. As we learned from the last run the bus stops in St. Leonards Place for a good 10-15 minutes, we got off for a drink and to take pictures.


Deadly rivals! York Pullman City Tour E313 MSG stands alongside City Sightseeing Tours 4010 off St Leonards Place (Matt)

Back on the bus we went upstairs in the covered section. It was warm, but at least we weren't in direct sunlight. We called mum to see where she was. She hadn't done to much with her feeling ill and was now waiting in front of Clifford's Tower, so we decided to do the bus around to their to meet her. When we got off. we had about an hour and 30 minutes before the coach was leaving. I thought it would be a good idea to get some food before the return journey and to see if we could get one more bus. mum was the only person that knew where Greggs was as she had been before. Matthew was dragging me out in front and I didn't now where I was going. he ended up dragging me down Spurriergate. I eventually got him to stop and we head back towards the Tower and then we saw a sign for a place called Chico's. We didn't find Chico's, but we did find sandwich shop opposite Tesco Express where we did get a rice crispy slice and a Shortbread caramel slice and some pop. I decided to go up towards The Stonebow, which is somewhere I knew I could get the Tour bus from. it just so happened to be where Greggs was and we were able to get some sausage rolls too! Whilst waiting for the tour bus, we saw Volvo B6 40571 on a #12 service.


First Volvo B6 40571 on a #12 to Acomb Park (Matt)

A few minutes later, required G337 CSG turned up, and we had amanged to get all 3 tour buses out today.


Our last tour bus of the day G337 CSG in the Stonebown (Matt)

We got off by Clifford's Tower again, and then started to walk back toward the coach park. As we went we saw several buses including a Scraggs (of Stoke) minibus.


Scraggs VT 9389 in York (Matt)

He also photographed Volvo double decker 30965...


First Yorkshire N&W 30965 on a #4 University service (Matt)

We go back to the coach a little early, so we decide to sit down on the bank of the Ouse and eat our sausage rolls before returning to the coach. We set off a fraction before 17:00 On the journey back, we hit traffic outside York, but by the time we were back on the A1(M) we had a clear run. We stop at Birch services again. Where the were a couple of Mayne coaches parked up.


Mayne 53 in Birch Services (Matt)


Mayne 54 in Birch Services (Matt)

We were back in Newcastle around 20:00 and we walked back to the Vue car park. After dropping Uncle Dave home. We got home around 20:40. today was a good trip and we could have done thing differently, but I think we made the best decision considering we couldn't remember the City or work out which buses went where within the City. If we return again any time soon we will have a much better idea about which buses to catch in this strange City. more of Matthew's photographs from this day can be found here...Mark