Trip to Leek / Stoke 26-07-2016

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
DV10 JCU	Blurton	Fenton	Charter	Shelton Care Group
DV10 JCU	Fenton	Leek	Charter	Shelton Care Group
DV10 JCU	Leek	Blurton	Charter	Shelton Care Group
41520	Stoke, adj stop X	Blurton, opp Ladybank Grove	23A	First Potteries

Today we had decided to renew the bus pass, but not before he had been to his day service. Matthew got up around 08:00. He got dressed and had a giant crumpet and orange juice for breakfast. Just before 09:00 his transport to his day service turned up and it was Shelton Care Group DV10 JCU.

Shelton Care Group DV10 JCU in Blurton

We set off onto the A5035 and we went over the railway line and into Trentham. We turned right into New Inn Lane and we picked up another service user before. We rejoined the A5035 and we ran over the railway into Blurton before turning left into Church Road. We ran down through Blurton along Blurton Road and we joined the A50. We came off at the link Road and we ran up the hill to City Road. We ran down City Road and we turned left onto Glebedale Road and to our destination. In the morning Matthew chilled out in the sensory room and then used the computer. For dinner Matthew had pizza followed by cake. After dinner Matthew went our for a drive. For the trip we climbed aboard Shelton Care Group DV10 JCU. We set off onto Glebedale Road and right onto City Road. At the roundabout we turned left onto Victoria Road and we ran down to Joiners Square. We turned right onto the A52 and we ran to the traffic lights. We followed the road around to the right and we ran through Bucknall. We turned left onto Eaves Lanes Bucknall Grange and continued onto Greasley Road. Before we joined the A5009 we saw Stanton's of Stoke PSU 988 in a side street. We turned right onto the A5009 and we ran past the Cemetery to Milton and we turned left. We then ran through to Newford Crescent and onto the Northbound A53. We ran up through Stockton Brook and we saw First Potteries 65001. We continued North through Endon and Longsdon and we ran down the hill and over the Churnet and into Leek. We ran into the town centre and parked up and walked to The Cock Inn. In the pub Matthew went to the toilet and then had a drink of Coke. When it was time to go we climbed back aboard Shelton Care Group DV10 JCU for the driver home. We rana round the one way system an onto the A523 to the centre of town. We turned left onto the A53 and we ran near to the bus station and down to the A520. We went 'straight outta Compton' and forwards onto Cheddleton Road. We ran through crossed under the Ipstones branch of the railway and back over the Churnet Valley Railway and through Cheddleton to Wetley Rocks we saw M&A Travel minibus BG08 AET. At Cellarhead we turned right onto the A52 and we ran through Werrington and onto Ash Bank. We turned left onto Salters Lane and we ran through Hulme and onto Park Hall Road. In Adderley green we ran past the Scraggs depot and we saw Scraggs 8416 VT. At the roundabout we turned left onto Anchor Road and we saw First Potteries 41496 at the back of the depot. We ran down the hill and we turned right near to the bottom. We weaved our way around the back of Longton and we joined King Street West of Longton. We continued down onto City Road and then left into Glebedale Road and to our destination. After a brief stop we set off onto Glebedale Road and we turned right onto City Road. At the roundabout we turned right onto the A50 link road and then onto the Westbound A50 and we ran down to the Bet365 stadium. We ran along Stanley Matthews Way and we turned right onto the A5035 and we ran over the railway line in Trentham and we turned right into New Inn Lane. After dropping off another service user we came back towards Blurton. Matthew got home just before 15:00. Matthew took another picture of Shelton Care Group DV10 JCU.

Shelton Care Group DV10 JCU in Blurton

Matthew had toast and a drink of orangeade whilst he waited for the time to go out. On a normal Tuesday we would have done the #22 to Grandma's. Between us we had seen all 3 buses... Unusually there was a Solo out today, First Potteries 53122. The other two turns were being worked by First Potteries 67601 & 67602. Around 16:00 we got in the car and we drove onto Beaconsfield Drive and left onto Church Road. We turned left onto Blurton Road and we ran through Blurton to the A50. We went West onto the A50 and we passed D&G 112 on 'The Orange One', well off its normal route. We went South on the A500 briefly and we circled over the A500 onto Campbell Road. As we ran towards Stoke we passed Bennett's Mercedes minibus FY52 GOP. We joined the one-way system and we parked up by the market. We went into the One Stop Shop in Stoke and Matthew used the toilet. We got Matthew's pass in record time today. It was the quickest we have ever gotten his pass sorted in the last decade! Once we had sorted it, we went out onto Church Street and we said goodbye to mum. As we were about to set off onto Glebedale Street we saw D&G 171 on the #14A to Hanley.

D&G 171 in Stoke

We also saw First Potteries 53208 on a #23A to Hanley.

First Potteries 53208 in Stoke

We walked around the corner and we sat by the bus stop whilst we waited for the bus to come. Whilst we waited we saw First Potteries 67631 on a #2 to Newcastle and First Potteries 37146 on the #25 to Hanley. A few minutes later we saw a Dart approaching... As it got closer we saw that it was dud First Potteries 41520.

First Potteries 41520 in Stoke

We got on the bus and we booked to Blurton before sitting down towards the back of the bus. The bus set off along Glebe Street and we turned left onto Church Street. We crossed obver the A500 and we went under the railway line where we saw D&G 161 on a 'Nines' service to Clayton. Part way up city road we were flagged down by passing Alton Towers Transport T743 JHE which was on a E2 service. The driver of the other vehicle was telling our driver about a crash on City Road by the bed shop. The road ahead had been closed. That explained why we saw 'The Orange One' service on the A50 earlier. We turned right onto Smithpool Road and one of the staff member from Matthew's day centre got on the bus. We continued forwards onto Wheildon Road and we ran up to Heron Cross via Grove Road. We turned right onto Blurton Road and we crossed over the A50. We ran through Blurton along Blurton Road and we turned right onto Church Road. We turned right onto Beaconsfield Road and when the bus got to the end we got up and got off the bus. Matthew took another picture of First Potteries 41520 before it carried on towards Newstead.

First Potteries 41520 in Blurton

We walked home and we got into the house around 17:00. We chiiled outat home and then we went out for MacDonalds. We set off onto Beaconsfield Drive and then left onto Church Road. We ran down through Blurton along Blurton Road and we joined the A50. We came off at the link Road and we ran up the hill to City Road were we saw Intercity SV07 VDL. At the roundabout we turned right onto Victoria Road. We ran down the hill to the Macdonalds Drive Thru, and after we had picked up Matthews food we ran back up the hill to City Road. We stopped at KFC for our tea, and then we joined the A50 link road. Westbound A50 and we ran down to Heron Cross. We turned left onto Blurton Road and we ran through Blurton onto Church Road. We joined the Westbound A50 and we ran down to Heron Cross. We turned left onto Blurton Road and we ran through Blurton onto Church Road. We turned right onto Beaconsfield Drive and we got home around 19:45. Matthew had a hamburger and chicken nuggets with fries , washed down with a cup of Coke. He then chilled out on his computer until bedtime around 00:00... Mark