Trip to Newcastle / Crewe 08-09-2012

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
34286	Sandyford, adj Newfield	Newcastle BS	99A	First Potteries
40145	Newcastle BS	Tunstall, adj stop A	99	First Potteries
34158	Tunstall, adj stop M	Crewe BS	20	First Potteries
34288	Crewe BS	Hanley BS	20	First Potteries

Today we were going on a local trip. worked First Potteries #20 - Hanley service Double Decker. As Matthew had an activity in the morning we decided to drive to Westport lake and then to a tour of South Cheshire and North Staffordshire by car. Matthew got up just before 09:00 and we took him up to Heathfield for 10:00. We Drove onto the A5035 and then along Stanley Matthews way. We went onto the Westbound A50 and ten onto the Northbound A500. We then went along The A527 to Chell and then we drive down to heathfield. Whilst there he went to the toilet. We collected him at 12:30 and then drove up to Wickes in Tunstall. We drove up onto High lane and then to Chell Roundabout. We then drove along the A527 Tunstall by-pass up to Wickes. We stopped there so we could have burgers and bacon baps at the burger van with the best view in town.

Burger with a view...

After eating we was First Potteries Alexander RL 34286 to Newcastle. We got on went upstairs sat down bus set off. The bus went via Trubshaw Cross and Longport. The bus then went via Porthill and Wolstanton to Newcastle. we got off we bus station we also saw First Potteries 40140 on a #72 service. We had an ice cream before returning to the bus. It we was First Potteries 40145 with it's ALX200 body. we got on the sat down bus set off through Wolstanton to Porthill and then down through Longport to Trubshaw Cross. We then headed up the Road into Tunstall. We went past the site of the proposed Morrisons in Tunstall. We got off Northwards through Tunstall on First Potteries 34158 we got on a #20 service.to Crewe. We went upstairs and sat down bus.

First Potteries 40142 in Tunstall

As we set off passed through we saw First Potteries 40142. The bus went up the A50 to kidsgrove and then forward Alsager and to Haslington we saw First Potteries 31518 then went past the railway station and into the bus station. Empty in We got off Then carried we saw First Potteries 34288 #20 service to Hanley. we got on went Upstairs. we sat down bus set off back to Haslington and then trough to Alsager. we then went down to Kidsgrove we did 40142 down to Tunstall saw then he went down through Burslem and then Hanley. we was picked up from the bus station we saw First Potteries 60128 was on a #20. we went back to Crewe and we saw 40143 on a #17 service back to the Hanley From here he walked back toey. where he met up with mum. Next we had a sausage roll and Coke. We drove down to Limekiln Bank and then onto Dividy Road. We went passed the Meadows and then on to Adderley Green where we passed 40169 on a Hanley bound #2 service. We then went down Anchor Road, around Longton and then passed the Z Carz depot. we got a picture of D104 XAN.

Z Carz D104 XAN

Next to that was a one time School bus DS51 ZJU.

Z Carz DS51 ZJU

There was Mercedes minibus BV51 BNO which has just had the Z Carz decals re-applied.

Z Carz BV51 BNO

Finally at the end of the row was coach V690 EBC. It had a service 279 sticker in the front window.

Z Carz V690 EBC

We passed a camper van as we went back past the depot. We then headed down Longton Hall Road passing First Potteries 40148 going towards Newcastle. We also saw First potteries 40152 heading towards Longton. We got home at around 16:40. We had bangers and mash for tea and Matthew then settled down for the evening before bedtime...Mark