Trip to Newport / Biddulph 01-09-2012

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
29	Newstead, adj Magdalen Road	Newport BS	350	Bakerbus
29	Newport BS	Crown Street, Stone	350	Bakerbus
217	Crown Street, Stone	Hanley BS	X1	Bakerbus
248	Hanley BS	Biddulph, High Street	9	Bakerbus

Today we had originally planned to go to Birkenhead, but with the timetable changes taking place over this weekend I asked Matthew if he wanted to go on the #350 service as it was the last day of operation on this service for bakerbus and he said yes. The weather forecast for today was for sunny intervals, so hopefully no rain! Whilst Matthew had his breakfast I went to Aldi for some food for the trip, and also to view what buses were out on the #350. The northbound 10:30 through Hem Heath was required Bakerbus 195, which should in theory be the Southbound 11:30 to Newport. For some reason the Southbound 10:30 didn't show and so I went back to finish off getting ready and to make up a packed lunch. We set off on the long walk to the bus stop around 11:15 and we arrived in time to see First PMT 40017 on a Longton bound #22 service. A few minutes later we saw a Bakerbus breadvan in the distance, but it wasn't in the newer wavy blue and yellow livery so it wasn't going to be 195. As it approached we saw it was dud Bakerbus 29.

Bakerbus 29 on their last day of operation on the #350

We got on a booked a Bakerbus day ticket. At a cost of £3.90 it is excellent valu considering how far you can travel on it. We sat down and settle in a for a 20 mile plus trip to Newport. We should have passed a #350 heading northwards but it hadn't shown up. When we got to Wedgwood passengers were asking about the Hanley bound bus. The driver told them that one of the three vehicles wasn't operating and so some of the passengers booked to Stone to catch something else to Hanley. We stooped at barlaston crossing to let a class 221 go passed before carrying on through Titensor and down to Stone. AS we reached town we saw Wardle Transport 2245 on a #250 service. South of Stone we were in new territory as we have never been South of Stafford Road. We span around the Cherryfields estate and passenger were still asking about the Hanley bus. The bus carried on into Yarnfield and then on to Eccleshall. Beyond there it was mainly high speed running to Newport with the exception of visiting Norbury down some very narrow lanes. We arrived in Newport bang on time at 12:50. The bus was empty and Matthew got a picture of this high spec if a little aged Mercedes minibus.

Inside Bakerbus 29

We had 30 minutes to kill. Just after we got off we saw Arriva Midlands 2941 on a Telford bound #481 service.

Arriva Midlands 2941 in Newport bus station

We visited the public toilet and then went to do a spot of shopping in Waitrose. Matthew brought some cans of Coke and a large Bakewell tart. after paying for his food and getting lottery tickets we headed back to have a bus stop picnic of Chicken sandwiches washed down with a can of Coke. A few minutes before we were due to leave the bus fired up and we got on for the return journey. We set off back Northwards at 13:20 and we made good time. I downloaded and checked the times of the X1 from stone and we realised there was a plus eight onto the 14:20. Passing through Norbury was interesting when we encountered a Transit van on the lane into town. As he was closer to the village he had to back up about 100 yds down the track. We carried on through Eccleshall where we saw Arriva Midlands 2266 on a #432 service. We carried on through Yarnfield and then we arrived in Stone a minute or so early. Matthew got a picture of Bakerbus 29 which we had just done well over 30 miles on.

Bakerbus 29 in Crown Street Stone

Matthew then went to the toilet and then we waited for the X1. We didn't see any other buses, but we were pleasantly surprised when we saw one of Bakerbuses Volvo B6's turned the corner. We had only been on one of the four so there was a good chance it was going to be required. As it got closer we saw it was required Bakerbus 217.

Bakerbus 217 in Crown Street Stone

The bus was empty and we settled down in some seats just on the hump on the near side of the bus. the journey was swift as you would expect of an 'X' service, We picked up a few passengers North of Barlaston and outside Trentham Gardens and then we headed up College Road passing one of Firsts new buses 41500. As we crossed over the Hanley ring road we passed Bakerbus 216 on a X1 service. We Arrived in Hanley bus station and after the bus emptied Matthew got a picture inside this fine ALX200 bodied bus.

Inside Bakerbus 217

We then headed of to the balcony so he could take a few pictures whilst I went to get some chips. Matthew got a picture of 40136 on a #20 service.

First Potteries 40136 in Hanley bus station

Whilst we ate the chips, Bakerbus 195 carried on the remainder of the #350 diagram! Bakerbus 29 switched onto the #9 service and we saw Wardle Transport 4650 going towards derby on the X50. Including 217, there were 2 other Bakerbus B6's parked up, so all of the type must have worked into Hanley at some point during the day. We then saw First Potteries 41499 arrive on a #23 service.

First Potteries 41499 in Hanley bus station

We decided to wait and see what was working on the next #9 so we could use the ticket that we already had. When it turned the corner and it was one of the new Hybrid double deckers we decided to do it as we have only been on one once before. It turned out to be bakerbus 248 which is the one we have already been on. We went down off the balcony and waited for the driver to return onto the bus. When we got on we went upstairs of course!

Inside Bakerbus 248

The journey took around 40 minutes. At the bottom of Smallthorne bank we passed 61244 on a #29 service. As we passed near the Bakerbus depot we passed Bakerbus B6 215 on a #9 and Bakerbus 29 on a #94 service. Before we got to Biddulph we passed First Potteries 60073 on a Southbound #7A service. We had seen this leave Hanley earlier in the afternoon. When we got to Biddulph bus station around 16:20, we got off and Matthew got a picture of Bakerbus 248.

Bakerbus 248 in Biddulph

As we walked down to mum we saw one of Bakerbus's newer acquisition, 250.

Bakerbus 250 in Biddulph

Before going down to mum in the car, we used the toilets by the bus station. We got in ans Matthew had a can of Coke before we drove off. Matthew wasn't quite ready to go straight home and so he directed us up to Congleton. We saw bakerbus 207 on the outskirts of town and we saw another beartown bus and Bakerbus 200 in Congleton bus station. We then headed down the A34 to Talke when we ran out of LPG. We got on the A500 and went to Longport to put some LPG in the car. We then went through Wolstanton to Milehouse and then past the First Newcastle garage where was saw new arrivals 34158 and 34286. We then went around Newcastle to Shelton and back onto the A500. We went to longton and went past the Z Carz depot where he got another picture of minibus BV51 BNO.

Z Carz BV51 BNO in Longton

Back down Longton hall Road and into Blurton we passed First Potteries 41499 again on the #23. We got in just before 18:00. Matthew settled down for the evening and had a snack of sausage on toast for supper...Mark