Trip to Uttoxeter 24-07-2013

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
SN04 GBZ	Uttoxeter BS	Catchems Corner	184	Phil Smiths Travel
61246	Blythe Bridge, adj Greenacres Avenue	Meir Broadway	6	First Potteries
4895	Meir Broasdway	Uttoxeter BS	X50	Wardle Transport
2221	Uttoxeter BS	The Wharf, nr The Fire Station	4	Arriva Midlands
4212	Uttoxeter BS	Sudbury, adj Portway Head	1	Arriva Midlands
4776	Sudbury, opp Portway Head	Fenton, adj Travers Court	X50	Wardle Transport

Today I had a day off work so that we could go to Uttoxeter and cover the #184 service. Matthew got up a little after 10:00 and had toast and orange juice. Matthew got dressed and we set off around 12:30. As we left we saw one of our neighbours and we discussed the new X5 service starting next week. We headed towards Longton on the A5035 and then we dropped down onto the Eastbound A50. We headed out towards Blythe Bridge and then onto towards Uttoxeter. We got off the A50 and and onto the A522 into town. When we reached the town centre we turned left past the bus station and then parked in the car park behind the Co-op. We walked through to the bus station and we immediately saw Ashbourne Community Transport HF55 FPN was parked up between duties.

Ashourne Community Transport HF55 FPN in Uttoxeter bus station

Also making a slightly unusual appearance on the #32 as opposed to the normal Scania Omnicity was First Potteries 60061.

First Potteries 60061 in Uttoxeter bus station

We waited by the stop where the usual crowd waited for the #184 and a few minutes later SN04 GBZ which is new to the Phil Smiths fleet made an appearance.

Phil Smiths Travel SN04 GBZ in Uttoxeter bus station

The driver put the correct number in the front window and we got on and sat near the back. The journey was pleasant as always, passing the JCB factory and traveling through Denstone, Stub Wood and Hollington before heading into Cheadle. We then went to Blythe Bridge via Forsbrook and then up to Cresswell before returning to Catchems Corner where we got off the bus. Before we got off Matthew got a picture of the inside of this well fitted Mercedes.

Inside Phil Smiths Travel SN04 GBZ

He also got a close-up of the front when we got off.

Phil Smiths Travel SN04 GBZ at Catchems Corner

We then we walked across to Uttoxeter Road to wait for a 6A back to Meir. We saw First Potteries 61246 go up towards Blythe Bridge on time. We decided to have a little roadside picnic and Matthew ate 1/2 a sausage roll and drank a can of Irn Bru. The bus turned up pretty much on time and Matthew got a picture as we flagged down the bus.

First Potteries 61246 in Blythe Bridge

We sat down near the back and the bus headed along the A50 into Meir. This was a bus that we had last done in April 2012 from Victoria Place to Stoke. The journey was swift and we were there just a few minutes later. When we got off Matthew got a quick picture of 61246 before we headed off across the road to catch the X50.

First Potteries 61246 in Meir

We crossed the road and we only just made catching the bus. First 60073 was on the stop in front of us. The bus was dud Wardle Transport 4895. We got on and sat upstairs near the front. Matthew took a picture of the inside of this bus.

Inside Wardle Transport 4895

This was another of the bus we had been on back in April 2012 albeit on a different day. We sat back and relaxed for the journey to Uttoxeter. From next week the short journeys on the X50 will be diverted to Cheadle and renumbered X51. Out by Meir Heath we passed dud 4891 on a Hanley bound X50 service from Derby. We carried on through Blythe Bridge and Tean, through Fole and into Uttoxeter. As we entered town we saw Arriva 2221 on the town service. When we got to Uttoxeter Matthew got a picture of this fine bus.

Wardle Transport 4895 in Uttoxeter bus station

We met up with mum and Matthew had another 1/2 of sausage roll and a small bottle of cola. Between bites, we saw First Potteries 65033 on the #32A to Hanley.

First Potteries 65033 in Uttoxeter bus station

We formulated a plan on how to finish the day. We could catch the town service at 15:25 for a couple of stops out of town and then walk back for the 15:40 to Burton. We could get off near Sudbury for the X50 back to Fenton. A few minutes later Arriva Midlands 2221 returned on the town service. Behind that was Trent Barton 738 on the swift service. Matthew got a picture of 2221 before we got on it.

Arriva Midlands 2221 in Uttoxeter bus station

We got on and sat down near the back. We did the bus 2 stops up the A522 and then got off outside the Fox's biscuits factory. He got anther picture of Arriva Midlands 2221.

Arriva Midlands 2221 outside Fox's biscuits

All was still going to plan We started to walk back to the us station and we saw the Trent Barton 738 on the Swift service that we had seen in the bus station a few minutes earlier.

Trent Barton 738 on Uttoxeter High Street

We got back to the bus station and Arriva Midlands 4212 was n stand ready to work the 15:40 to Burton. Also arriving was Arriva Midlands 2227 which then went on layover. Matthew got a picture of Arriva Midlands 4212.

Arriva Midlands 4212 in Uttoxeter bus station

We talked to mum for a few minutes whilst we waited for 4212 to be ready for service. We also saw Arriva Midlands 2227 as it came off layover presumably to work the town service.

Arriva Midlands 2227 in Uttoxeter bus station

The driver was now ready for passengers and we got on the bus and went upstairs. Matthew went passed the last passenger to take a picture inside Arriva Midlands 4212.

Inside Arriva Midlands 4212

The plan was still working. We set off at 15:40 and we headed out of town. We headed into Doveridge and after we had navigated the tight turn in the village we headed out along Derby Road towards our destination. we didn't pass the X50 so it was all looking good. The bus was bang on time as we got off so Matthew got a picture of the bus before we crossed over to wait for the X50.

Arriva Midlands 4212 in Sudbury

We hope that this bus was going to be Arriva Midlands 4802, which is currently on loan to Wardle. 4802 was working this exact same service on Saturday. A few minutes later it rounded the corner and it was dud Wardle Transport 4776.

Wardle Transport 4776 in Sudbury

We got on and sat upstairs near the back. As it was quite warm this turned out to be a good move. In Uttoxeter We saw Arriva Midlands 2221 on layover and Wardle transport 4891 was heading out towards Derby on the X50. We carried on through Tean and Blythe Bridge and we passed Wardle Transport 4895 on the X50 to Uttoxeter. From Meir Heath we followed First Potteries 60083 down to Meir before we dropped down onto the A50 for a quick run down to Fenton. We came of the A50 and headed into Fenton along the link road. We then turned onto City Road and we got off outside Travers Court.

Wardle Transport 4776 in Fenton

We walked onto Smithpool Road and met up with mum who had picked up uncle Dave from work. We headed back hoe through Heron Cross and we saw Lightning Travel FD53 UNX parked up. We got home around 17:30. I went to the chip shop to get a portion of chips between us and Matthew had a sausage and gravy too. Uncle Dave looked after Matthew for an hour whilst we went out for a while and just after 20:00 we went to Uncle Dave's to take him home. We headed through Blurton and into Fenton via Heron Cross. After listening to music and eating custard creams and drinking Fanta we headed home around 22:00. We headed into Stoke and we got onto the A500 down to the A519. We then went along Whitmore Road, onto the A34 and we headed home along the A5035. Matthew then chilled out on his computer until bedtime around 00:00...Mark