Trip on the IBT Copeland's Tours tour 07-04-2013

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
53207	Ladybank Grove (adj), Blurton	Stoke railway station	23	First Potteries
MIB 542	Stoke railway station	Copeland's Tours depot	Charter	Copeland's Tours
MIB 864	Copeland's Tours depot	Stanley Matthews Way	Charter	Copeland's Tours
MIB 864	Stanley Matthews Way	Copeland's Tours depot	Charter	Copeland's Tours
MIB 614	Copeland's Tours depot	Cheadle town car park	Charter	Copeland's Tours
MIB 970	Cheadle town car park	Copeland's Tours depot	Charter	Copeland's Tours
MIB 346	Copeland's Tours depot	Stafford Road, Stone	Charter	Copeland's Tours
MIB 346	Stafford Road, Stone	Copeland's Tours depot	Charter	Copeland's Tours
MIB 746	Copeland's Tours depot	Trentham Gardens	Charter	Copeland's Tours
MIB 746	Trentham Gardens	Stoke railway station	Charter	Copeland's Tours

Today we decided to try out our first bus tour. We have seen many of these advertised on various newsgroups, but when one was happening locally we decided to give it a go. Once it was confirmed that the start time was 11;30, we made arrangement of how we were going to get there. Mum got Matthew out of bed at 10:00 whilst I got some sandwich meat for our packed lunched and checked out what bus was Te 09:40 from Longton was First Potteries 53207 which was gong to be our bus down to the station later. I also saw Wardle Transport 2531 whizz by on the #22 to Longton. When I got home Matthew was dressed and was eating his toast for breakfast. He had also drank his orange juice. We set off just before 10:50 and walked to the Ladybank Grove stop to wait for required 53207. The bus arrived a few minutes late and Matthew got his picture.

First Potteries 53207 in Blurton

We got on the First Potteries Solo and Matthew sat down without honking the horn. The bus filled up quickly and we were never going to get a picture inside this bus. We got to the railway station only a few minutes later, which was quite good considering the roadworks and diversion. When we got off Matthew took a picture of the rear of this bus in the sun.

First Potteries 53207 by Stoke railway station

Uncle Dave was at the bus stop waiting for us, he had walked down to meet us. We crossed the road and sat on the steps by the Southbound stop. We didn't know which direction the first coach would com from, but we were confident we could get to either stop quite quickly. There was a small crowd gathering by the station and they looked like they might be bus enthusiasts. They were waiting on both side of the street with the majority been by the Wedgwood monument. At a little after 11:30 we saw a Copeland's Tours coach at the lights in the distance on Leek Road. So we crossed over to try and get a good location to get a picture. The coach approached and we saw it was required Copeland's Tours MIB 542.

Copeland's Tours MIB 542 by Stoke railway station

The coach set off and someone came around to collect the fares (£10 each). We headed onto Stoke Road and turned right towards Hanley. We went anticlockwise around the ring road and then down Lichfield Street passing the new bus station. In the bus station was First Potteries 34311 presumably after working a #32A dupe to Alton Towers. At the bottom of lichfield Street we turned left onto Leek Road. At limekiln light we turned right on the a52 and then right again towards Bentilee. We passed First's Adderley Green garage where 40003 was near the front and we could see an Olympian near the wash plant. We went down Anchor Road and then around Longton to join onto the eastbound A50 passing nearby the Z Carz depot. We went through Meir tunnel and turned into the Copeland's Tours garage. They parked the bus in a favourable position in the yard Everyone got off and took pictures of MIB 542.

Copeland's Tours MIB 542 in the Copeland's depot

We were allowed to look around the yard and take pictures, the only exception being in the North East corner of the yard where the withdrawn buses were parked . One of the Withdrawn buses was Plaxton bodied DAF MIB 229. After a few minutes in the yard taking pictures we were told that the next coach was going to be DAF coach MIB 864. They started the coach up and we walked over to it and took a picture before we got on it.

Copeland's Tours MIB 864 in the Copeland's depot

The coach went to the roundabout at Meir Park and then turned back towards Stoke-on-Trent on the A50. At longton we came off the A50 and joined the A5035 passing nearby our house! We carried onto the A34 and then headed to Hanford. At Hanford e joined the Northbound A500 coming of at Sideway. We turned off the A50 and parked on Stanley Matthews Way near the Britannia Stadium and we all got off for a very quick photo stop here.

Copeland's Tours MIB 864 near the Britannia Stadium

We got back on the coach and then headed East back to the Copeland's Tours depot. Matthew waited patiently for the coach to empty and then got a picture inside this unusual coach.

Inside Copeland's Tours MIB 864

This time the coach stopped outside the gates of the depot to help keep the changeover between coaches quicker. Whilst this occurred we took Matthew to the nearby BP garage to us the toilet and we brought some coke and chocolate too. We managed to do this quite quickly and so we sat down on a barrier next to some work being carried out in the garage. A minute or so later MIB 614 emerged through the gates and everyone took a few picture before getting on it.

Copeland's Tours MIB 614 outside the Copeland's depot

This time we headed eastwards along the A50. Matthew had been a little moody on the first 2 coaches, but the stop and drink seemed to have perked him up. We had a good fast run up to the junction of the A522. We turned back towards stoke and headed into Tean. It was a good fast run and it was really enjoyable zooming down this country road at a reasonably fast pace. At Tean we continued to follow the A522 and turned right. At just after 13:30 we pulled up in the Cheadle town car park and at this point we were left here for a break whilst they changed vehicles. We were told we would meet back up at 14:45. Matthew took a picture of MIB 614 before it went back to the depot.

Copeland's Tours MIB 614 in Cheadle

We used the toilet in the car park and we went for a walk around. We ate the rest of the sandwiches that e had and then went for a walk. we found a Kebab shop open and so we decided to have a small portion of chips each too. Whilst we waited for the chips we saw a couple of buses First Potteries 53829 was on a Kingsley service and 65003 was heading to Uttoxeter and Matthew took a picture of it through the kebab shop window.

First Potteries 65003 in Cheadle

We got the chips and walked back to the car park. By the time we had eaten the chips washed down with a can of pop and then visited the toilet again it was 14:30 and we only had 15 minutes to wait.We sat on the Millenium sundial steps and waited for the next bus. Pretty much bang on time Copeland's Tours MIB 970 made an appearance and after everyone had taken there pictures we got on the coach.

Copeland's Tours MIB 970 in Cheadle

We carried on North on the A522 up to the A52 which we did to Cellarhead. At Cellarhead we turned left onto the A520 which we did to Meir before getting back on the A50 and going to the depot gates. We got off and Matthew waited to get a picture inside MIB 970 too.

Inside Copeland's Tours MIB 970

Matthew sat back down on his barrier and we had a drink and a chocolate bar. We didn't have to wait long before MIB 346 came through the gates. Everyone took pictures and then we got on the coach.

Copeland's Tours MIB 346 outside the Copeland's depot

The bus set off eastwards again, and this time we came off the A50 at the A521. In Draycott we turned right onto Cresswell Road and we headed down to the south end of Stone via Hilderstone. There was still plenty of snow in place despite there not being any snowfall for over 2 weeks! We then headed into Stone and then turned left as if we were going to the A34. We stopped in a layby outside the West Bridge Park Fitness Centre, a place where some of the Wardle Transport buses layover in the week when working the town services. Everyone got off and we took some more pictures.

Copeland's Tours MIB 346 near the leisure centre Stone

Whillst there we saw a coupe of veicles go past. First we saw Silver coach 2557 VY whizz by. The we saw Joseph's minibus J618 PNE come past too. After picture were taken we all got back on the coach. The coach headed up through Stone and then onto the A520 which we did up to Meir. We then returned to the depot again, this time going inside the gates. We backed into the coaches parking spot next to MIB 229 and then the coach empty and Matthew took a picture of inside too.

Inside Copeland's Tours MIB 346

We got off and then nipped to the BP garage again. Matthew visited the toilet and then got a can of Coke and a Galaxy caramel bar. We went back inside the yard and took a few pictures, before taking a picture of our final coach of the day MIB 746.

Copeland's Tours MIB 746 in the Copeland's depot

We got on and sat down near the back. It was now around 16:00 and we were heading back to the railway station. Not before having another photo stop first though. We Turned about on Meir Park roundabout and then headed back into Stoke-on-Trent for the final time. We came off at Longton again and once again went down the A5035 nearby our house. At the end of the A5035 is Trentham Gardens and we went down to the very bottom of the car park and stopped for the last time. We all got off and took pictures of MIB 746

Copeland's Tours MIB 746 near Trentham Gardens

I asked Matthew if he wanted to return home on the #23 or get mum to pick us up and he chose mum. After taking pictures we called mum up to say that we might a bit early and we would call her when we were close to the station. We got back on the coach and we turned North on the A34 up to Hanford. We then went North on the A500, coming off at the city Road junction. We then headed onto Leek Road. We called mum to let her to know she could set off to pick us up. We then arrived at the station and got off. In front off us was Notts+Derby Paladin bodied Volvo B10 136 on a rail replacement service. We got a picture and then crossed the road to wait for mum.

Notts+Derby 136 by Stoke railway station

We didn't have to wait too long before mum turned up. We got in the car and drove to heron Cross dropping Uncle Dave off on the way. we then saw Lightning Travel FD53 UNX and also First Potteries 53830 on the #23A service. we got home around 17:20 and I made everyone tea, which was chicken popcorn and fries. We looked at our pictures for the day and then Matthew had a bath around 20:00. When he was finished he chilled out on his computer before bedtime which was around 00:00...Mark