Trip to Longton 14-01-2013

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
30034	Ladybank Grove, Blurton	Longton TI	22A	First Potteries
30034	Longton TI	Finstock Avenue, Blurton	22A	First Potteries

After yesterday's drive to Morrisons, today Matthew was going into respite and we had not got any bus plans. Before he got up I went for a walk around Blurton to view buses to see if anything interesting was working. I had already seen 30029 work a #22A on the 2nd of January, so I was expecting another to work soon. There had been some snow overnight and it was snowing again. The turn that 30029 had worked previous was ALX200 Dart 40145 today, and the next #22A turn was due Longton bound at 10:17. It didn't turn up, so I walked down to the A5035 to view the #350's. Perhaps the bus would appear for the 10:47 Blurton - Longton as it often did when the 10:17 didn't show. The #350's were Wardle Transport 2406 (southbound) and 2407 (Northbound towards Hanley). I walked back to the route of the #22A and as I turned the corner into Finstock Avenue required First Potteries Leyland Olympian 30034 made an appearance. I thought that I would go back and tell Matthew about this bus and that we could perhaps get a round trip on it before I had to go to work. When I got back Matthew had just got up and he was about to eat his breakkast of toast. I asked Matthew I he wanted to go out to do one round trip on 30034 and of course he said yes. He got dressed and we attempted to get out to the ladybank grove stop for the 11:17 working. We set off in the snow and as we turned in Finstock Avenue we saw 30034 turn into Beaconsfield Drive. We ran towards the stop but the bus was half way up the road by the time we turned the corner...Drat! Rather than wait in the snow we went back home. I set my alarm on my phone so we could set off for the 11:47 in good time and Matthew had a glass of Coke. The alarm went of and we put out coats back on and set off. We got to the stop a couple of minutes before the bus was due ans this gave Matthew time to adjust his camera before 30034 came around the corner ad got a picture.

First Potteries 30034 in Blurton

We got on the bus and went upstairs. As it empty we sat at the front on some original grey and red zig-zag seats. These were the only pair of originals on the bus. Matthew got a picture o the top deck when the bus stopped at the next stop.

Inside First Potteries 30034 top deck

We carried on along the length of Beaconsfield and turned left at the end onto Blurton Road.At the roundabout there were some roadworks so we waited at the lights before carrying on under the old railway bridge for the Florence Colliery to Hem Heath Line. At the bottom of Blurton Road we turned into Longton Hall Lane. We hit a branch as we stopped at the stop. The route doesn't get double decker more than a dozen times in a year if that. At the top of Longton Hall Road we went around the A50 and into the Interchange. Matthew stayed upstairs whilst I flashed the tickets to go back to Blurton. We saw Wardle Transport 1406 arrive into interchange presumably to swap drivers for one of the Local turns out of Longton. at 12:10 we set back from the stand and then the bus cut out. The driver switched everything off and restarted to bus. After a couple of attempts he got the bus to restart and we set off. The bus stopped a couple more times as we retraced the route back to Blurton. I phoned mum to ask her to put the kettle on for a Pot Noddle. The driver dropped a passenger of on Finstock outside the rent office and the bus stalled again. After the last stop on Finstock we got up to get of the bus. The driver stopped before turning into Beaconsfield. Matthew took a picture of the empty lower deck as we were about to get off.

Inside First Potteries 30034 lower deck

The driver asked if it was OK to be dropped off in Finstock. I asked if the bus was going out of service and he said yes as he was having gearbox problems. We got off and Matthew got another picture of 30034.

First Potteries 30034 back in Blurton

The bus then went empty along Magdalen Road and towards Newcastle garage. We walked back home to find out mum had done us both egg, beans and toast for dinner. I then said goodbye to Matthew and went to work. He chilled out on his computer for the afternoon before mum took him up to Bentilee for his respite stay. Mum set off and the weather was quite bad so she stopped to see if one of her friends daughters needed a lift and the answer was yes so they did a loop around Blurton and stopped at Costcutters to wait for the friend. Matthew had a can of Coke and a Milky way and then they met up with mum friends daughters who were very pleased to see we saw Wardle Transport 1321 go past. They drove the friends daughter up to Abbey Hulton. They drove to Heron Cross and then onto Victoria Road via the A50 link road. we passed Wardle Transport 4652 on the X50. They carried on to down to leek Road and then across the junction at Limekiln Bank. They dropped the friend off on the main road before going down School Lane and Abbey Lane and back onto the A52. The then headed off to Bentilee where mum dropped Matthew off for respite. we saw Wardle Transport 4546 from his window before tea. Tea was chips and Fish Fingers followed by chocolate cake with custard. After tea he had a bath and chilled out for the evening. For supper he had toast before bedtime...Mark