Trip to Hanley / Leek 12-10-2013

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
41500	Hanley BS	Leek BS	18	First Potteries
N880 AVV	Leek BS	Haregate	165	Clowes Coaches
N880 AVV	Haregate	Leek BS	165	Clowes Coaches
P403 MLA	Leek BS	Ashbourne BS	108	Aimée's

Today Matthew was in respite and was going to cover the Clowes Coaches 165 service. Matthew got up at around 09:30 today. He had breakfast of oatcakes and bacon and cheese and orange juice. we drove up to Hanley today. The route they took was along Dividy Road onto the A52. From there they went up into hanley via Bucknall New Road. we then went around Hanley and parked in the Tesco car park. we then walked over to the museum were we saw a few buses. 61145 was on a #7A service.

First Potteries 61145 in Hanley

Outside the museum we saw Wardle Transport 4813 on a #19 to Bradeley.

Wardle Transport 4813 in Hanley

First Potteries 40155 was on a #18 to Leek.

First Potteries 40155 in Hanley

we then went to the museum for a quick visit.

Hanley Museum

We used the disabled toilet, and after leaving the museum They went up to the bus station where we saw dud first Potteries 41500 on the #18 to Leek so we decided to do it from Birches Head to Hanley in the snow back in January 2013. We got on the bus and sat down. The bus left the bus station and went around town and then towards Towsend. The bus turned in Birches head and went down Milton Road and hen onto the A53. Th bus then carried on all the way up into Leek and then into the bus station. Whilst at thee bus station Matthew used the toilet and then we saw Clowes Coaches N880 AVV on the town circular service. we got on the bus and sat down. The bus left town on the A523 towards Ashbourne before turning into the Haregate estate. The bus returned through the town and then appeared on the A53 just outside of town. The bus turned at Morrison and then went up to Compton and into the bus station. We then walked to the Cafe for a late dinner. for dinner we had an English breakfast and a lemon meringue pie for afters. We then saw Aimmee's new arrival P403 MLA on the 108 so we decided to do it. We got on an sat down. Te bus left town on the A523 and out through Bottomhouse, after a couple of small diversions onto housing estates the bus got back on the A523 and continued on to Ashbourne. Here we were picked up and taken back to the respite place. We headed down the A515 until it met the A50, which we did back to Longton today. We went back to Bentilee past the Gladstone pottery Museum and up Anchor Road. He then had tea which was fish fingers and chips with beans followed by cake and custard. He then had a bath and chilled out in his room on his computer before bedtime at 00:00...Mark