Trip to Ball Green 01-05-2009

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
W591 YBN	Blurton	Chell Heath	Charter	Z carz
MIB 236	Chell Heath	Chester Zoo	Charter	Copeland's Tours
MIB 236	Chester Zoo	Chell Heath	Charter	Copeland's Tours
W591 YBN	Chell Heath	Blurton	Charter	Z carz
40116	Smallthorne, Robinson Avenue (opp)	Ball Green, Wilding Road shops (adj)	21A	First Potteries

Matthew had is usual bus to School. Matthew went to Chester Zoo and back on Copeland's Tours MIB 236. He returned home on his usual bus.

Another Smallthorne trip after school. Back in 2009, the final 3 step entranced Darts in the First PMT fleet had been soldiering on for over a year. Matthew had noticed their demise before I had, and at one stage he would only travel on a step entranced Dart. About a year after this phase had ended, Matthew had clocked up quite a few miles on Darts 40115/6/26. The current phase of bus travel was to travel to Smallthorne and take the First interesting bus North to wherever.

We set off around 4:30 and when we reached Heron Cross we passed an ex PMT Dart which Matthew photographed out of the car window.


Ex First PMT Dennis Dart MIB 783 on a Copelands #40 Longton - Fenton Circular in Heron Cross (Matt)

20 or so minutes later we arrived at the stop in Smallthorne. Straight out of the car 40116 appeared and I knew he would want to catch this! A quick phone call was made to tell mum where to pick us up, and off we went...


40116 in Smallthorne (Matt)

One of the last few buses still with the grey and red moquette, Matthew as always took a few pictures inside.


The view forward inside 40116 (Matt)

15 minutes later we arrived at the Ball Green stop and Matthew took another photo of 40116. It is the one and only time we've been to Ball Green on the bus, and why else would anyone go there?


40116 on arrival at Ball Green (Matt)

Not the last time Matthew rode on 40116, but certainly the the one and only time he's done a step entranced Dart to Ball Green. On the way home we passed another step dart, 40126 in Blurton.


40126 in Blurton (Matt)

So, 2 of the 3 PMT Darts seen out today, plus another 1 on a Copelands service. (Mark)

Trip to Fenton 13-02-2009

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
W591 YBN	Blurton	Chell Heath	Charter	Z carz
W591 YBN	Chell Heath	Blurton	Charter	Z carz
MIB 783	Longton Hall Road	Christchurch Street, Fenton	40	Copeland's Tours
40170	Christchurch Street, Fenton	Ladybank Grove, Blurton	23	First Potteries

Matthew did his usual transport of W591 YBN to School and back.

Another Friday after School run out, we gave Matthew a choice of a couple of buses to do and he chose to do the 40 which worked out well because we could do a bus back home too. We drove down to Longton Hall Lane to ensure that he actual got to the bus and then waited for the service to appear. Out of the grey murky horizon appeared MIB 783.


Copelands Tour's MIB 783 on Longton Hall Road (Matt)

We did the bus down through Heron Cross and Mount Pleasant and then alighted in Fenton opposite the town hall in Christchurch Street. We didn't have to wait long before 40170 appeared on a #23 service.


40170 in Christchurch Street (Matt)

We got on the bus and did it to Blurton. When we got to Blurton Matthew got another picture.


40170 in Blurton (Matt)

We then had the long walk home. Matthew had scored both buses on this occasion...Mark

Trip to Middleport 22-01-2009

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
W591 YBN	Blurton	Chell Heath	Charter	Z carz
W591 YBN	Chell Heath	Blurton	Charter	Z carz
11	Middleport‎	Upper Huntbatch, Hanley	39	Wardle Transport

Matthew had his usual transport to school and back in the form of W591 YBN.

Back then we would give Matthew a couple of choice of buses which we do on a Friday afternoon. Tonight Matthew chose to do the #39. We set off up the A500 and drove up from Longport towards Middleport. It took a bit to find the bus, as it was parked up in what seemed like the middle of nowhere in an industrial estate! When we found it, mum dropped us off and we crossed the road after getting a picture. It was Wardle Transport 11 and it was just going dark.


Wardle Transport 11 in Middleport about to work the #39 to Hanley (Matt)

We got on the bus and and it seemed to take a strange route. it spiraled out of Middleport and then went into Burslem. we went behind the old Somerfield and then headed across Sandbach Road and towards Sneyd Green at th top of Sneyd Green it turned in towards Birches head and did a loop until it headed into Hanley. I called mum and arranged to meet in Upper Huntbach Street. On a previous Friday when we had taken Matthew into Hanley he had gotten really upset when we tried to leave. As we got off the bus Matthew photographed it empty.


Inside Wardle Transport 11 (Matt)

We then headed home and Matthew updated his Fotopic...Mark.

Trip to Crewe 02-01-2009

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
MIL 2173	Crewe BS	Chesterton, Dragon Square	127	Stanways

Matthew was in the middle of his Stanways phase, and we saw this as the perfect opportunity to take him to ride on the Fridays only #127 Crewe chesterton service. we drove to Crewe and parked in the Delamere street car park opposite the bus station. Mum went to do a bitt of shopping and we had arround 30 minutes in the bus station, in which Matthew took a few bus pictures.


7644 between duties in Crewe bus station (Matt)


7612 on a #6 Shavington service in Crewe bus station (Matt)


MIL 2173 just before working the service #127 to Chesterton

Having boarded the bus, we did this all the way to journeys end, Dragon Square. Whilst in crewe mum had brought a new computer desk for Matthew which was currently across the back seat. Whilst we were adjusting the package in the car, Matthew spotted a woman across the road and made a run for it, as he went he narrowly missed being run over by a lorry. Needless to say having scared us half to death Matthew got a bit of a telling off! Still at least he didn't get hurt.

Trip to Uttoxeter 24-12-2008

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
N627 HDM	Uttoxeter BS	Weston Coyney	184	Phil Smiths Travel

We arrived at Uttoxeter just before 13:00, and whilst Matthew dragged me off to the toilet, mum ordered food for all of us. Mum chose Matthew with a bap (batch as they called it here) and a bottle of pop, a for uncle Dave, and and mushroom batches with a cup of tea for me and herself. As she handed the pop over to Matthew, he decided to drag it over the top of my cup of tea knocking it over my lap! I spent most of the afternoon with a dark wet patch on my right leg from knee to groin...



N627 HDM in Uttoxeter bus station (Matt)



N627 HDM arrives in Weston Coyney journey from Uttoxeter (Matt)

We walked back up to the, met with mum and went back to the car for

First trip on the Plumline 05-12-2008

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
2963	Ladybank GR, Blurton	Church Street, Stoke	Plum	Wardle Transport

This was the first trip on this service 4 days after the start. A straight forward trip between Blurton and Stoke Via Stanley Matthews Way. Just Time to take a photograph at Stoke before going home...

(Mark)



Plum liveried WT58 SOT stands in stoke on the 17:00 Blurton-Hanley (Matt)


Also in Stoke, Top travel LDV minibus R303 VUJ in Church Street (Matt).

Trip to Chester 08-16-2008 (Day two)

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
40100	Chester BS	Huntington	5	First Potteries
40100	Huntington	Chester BS	5	First Potteries
40128	Chester BS	Ellesmere Port BS	3	First Potteries
60107	Ellesmere Port BS	Chester BS	1	First Potteries
50055	Chester BS	Dorset place, Kingsway	53	First Potteries
50023	Dorset Place, KingswayBS	Chester BS	53	First Potteries
50047	Chester BS	Gorse Stacks	53	First Potteries

We started the day in the bed and breakfast. We all had a full cooked breakfast except Uncle dave who had a sausage sandwich. As often is the case Matthew photographed his breakfast.


Breakfast...Looks nice doesn't it? (Matt)

After breakfast we walked the short distance to the bus station to see what was working. Almost immediately 40100 appeared in the bus station and sat at the top waiting to work it's next turn.


40100 in Chester Bus station (Matt)

Eventually, the blind was set for #5 and Huntington. We booked First day rover tickets and boarded the bus. The inside was in really good condition considering the buses age, and it had all the original high back, well upholstered seats. The bus travelled fairly lightly load to it's destination, but it was quite early on a Saturday morning. At destination end we booked Matthews return ticket and Matthew took a picture of the interior of this nice bus.


Inside 40100 (Matt)

Sometimes drivers like it when you have an interested in the vehicles that they drive on a day to day basis and this was one such occasion, As we had a few minutes before we were due to travel back to Chester, we talked about this bus, Chesterbus, high Floor buses coming to an end and Pensions. Matthew also got out to take a good picture of the bus.


40100 standing at the end point in Huntington (Matt)

Eventually we set off back taking a slightly different route until we met back up with the road we ran along on the outward journey. When we got back to Chester bus station Matthew spotted another high floor dart in the form of 40128 on the #3 Rivacre. So off we went again...


40128 in Ellesmere Port bus station (Matt)

When we arrived at Ellesmere Port, I can't remember if the wasn't much out or Matthew just fancied a ride on 60107. either way that was the bus we returned to Chester on. At Chester we stood a while and took some more bus pictures. One such bus photographed was 41068 working a service #26


41068 in Chester bus station (Matt)

We decided that we would go shortly, but before we went I thought it would be a good idea for Matthew to catch a couple of Mercedes minibuses. We got timetables for the #53 to Kingsway and we decide to do a bus out and then wait for the next bus to return as the buses were fairly frequent. First bus to make an appearance on the #53 was 50055 which we did to the end of the route.


50055 returning to Chester along Kingsway (Matt)

We got off the bus and did it to the end. for some reason on the return we walked to the next stop which is only about 100 Yds away. Matthew then photographed the next bus running up to the end, before it turned and then picked us up.


50023 on Kingsway heading to the terminus (Matt)

After we returned to Chester, to end the day we did one last bus to gorse Stacks where we met up with mum before driving home.


50047 on Gorse Stacks (Matt)

All in all a very successful trip, with the only regret that we didn't travel on a Ikarus bodied DAF when we had the chance... Mark