Trip To Newcastle / Biddulph 09-12-2017

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
67637	Magdalen Road, Blurton	Trentham, adj Man-in-Space	22	First Potteries
63100	Trentham, adj Man-in-Space	Stoke-upon-Trent, adj stop R	21A	First Potteries
119	Stoke-upon-Trent, adj stop R	Newcastle	1	D&G Bus
67647	Newcastle BS	Tunstall, adj stop B	99	First Potteries
137	Tunstall, adj stop A	Newcastle BS	94	D&G Buss
32632	Newcastle BS	Hanley BS	4	First Potteries
63100	Hanley BS	Biddulph BS	7A	First Potteries
67640	Biddulph BS	Hanley BS	7A	First Potteries
65033	Hanley BS	Newcastle BS	25	First Potteries

Today we decided to stay local as there had been snowfall overnight. We checked the weather and it was for cold mainly dry weather with some snow showers. Matthew got up just after 10:00 and had toast and orange juice for breakfast. We decided to go out on the 12:21 departure towards Newcastle. Just after twelve we said goodbye to mum and we walked all the way to the bus stop on Magdalen Road. Just before our bus arrived we saw First Potteries 67635 on a #22 to Longton. Bang on time the bus appeared and it was dud First Potteries 67637 on a #22 to Newcastle.

First Potteries 67637 in Blurton

We got on the bus and booked a Smart Day ticket at £5.30. This ticket is a multi-operator ticket valid throughout the North Staffordshire area. We sat down ear to the back of the bus and the bus set off onto the A5035. There was only one other person and they got off in Trentham before we did. As we went past the Trentham Hotel we saw an unusual sight. First Potteries 63100 was on the #21A to Hanley. Assuming we didn't hang around too long, we would be on this bus to Stoke. We got up to get off the bus at the man in Space and Matthew took a picture of the empty bus behind us.

Inside First Potteries 67637

Once we got off the bus we waited at the bus stop for a couple of minutes and Matthew played with the snow. A couple of minutes later we saw the First Potteries Streelite approaching. As expected it was First Potteries 63100 on a #21A to Hanley.

First Potteries 63100 in Trentham

We got on the bus and we flashed our Smart Day ticket to the driver before we sat down towards the back of the bus. The bus travelled through Trentham up New Inn Lane and right into Hanford along Wilson Road. We ran down Church Lane before before joining the Northbound A34. We crossed under the A500 and we saw First Potteries 67631 on the final #22 turn to Longton. We turned onto London Road and as we headed towards Stoke We passed First Potteries 67154 on a #21A to Tretham Hotel and Lucky Seven minibus E2 PDL. We got off the bus outside of Maplins and Matthew took another picture of this bus.

First Potteries 63100 in Stoke

Once we got off the bus we walked towards The centre of Stoke and we saw First Potteries 43875 on a #21 to Trentham Gardens. We went around the corner into Church Street to Stoke Cafe. Uncle Dave escorted Matthew downstairs to the toilet and I ordered the food. Matthew had a breakfast washed down with a can of Coke. After we had finished eating we walked down Church Street to the Newcastle bus stop. A few minutes later we saw 2 Newcastle bound buses. The first was dud D&G 160 on a #9 to Newcastle.

D&G 160 in Stoke

This was followed by required D&G 119 on the #1A to Park Site.

D&G 119 in Stoke

We got on the bus and we flashed the Smart Day ticket to the driver before sitting down towards the back of the bus. The bus waited a minute or so at the stop before setting off along Church Street and up Hartshill Bank. We passed through Hartshill onto George Street and down into Newcastle. We turned into Barracks Road and we entered Newcastle bus station. Once we got off the bus we walked up Stubbs Street looking at the buses on Layover. One of the buses was D&G Bus 138 which would later leave on the #94 to Congleton.

D&G 138 in Newcastle bus station

As we got to the top of Stubbs Street we saw Arriva Midlands 3698 on a #164 to Market Drayton.

Arriva Midlands 3698 in Newcastle bus station

We stood at the top end of the bus station whilst we decided what bus to do next. We saw First Potteries 65732 on a #4 to Hanley.

First Potteries 65732 in Newcastle bus station

A fairly recent development has been the #2 service to Westbury Park which was being worked by branded bus D&G Bus 41.

D&G 41 in Newcastle bus station

We walked over to the Longport bound bus stands and we briefly considered doing D&G 138 on the #94 to Congleton as far as Tunstall. After we turned that bus down we watched buses before the next #99 made an appearance. Whilst we waited we saw First Potteries 65705 on a #4A to Hanley.

First Potteries 65705 in Newcastle bus station

A few minutes later our bus appeared and it was dud First Potteries 67647 on a #99 to Chell Heath.

First Potteries 67647 in Newcastle bus station

We got on the bus and we flashed the Smart Day ticket to the driver before we sat down towards the back of the bus. We set off out of the bus station and onto Barracks Road. We crossed the Jubilee roundabout onto the A527 and headed through Wolstanton. As we travelled North up the road we passed First Potteries 32630 on a #99 to Newcastle. We turned right onto Porthill Bank and we we went down the hill and over the A500. We went through Middleport and at Trubshaw Cross we went left onto Brownhills Road. We joined Tunstall High Street and at the top of the Road we got up and got off the bus. Matthew took another picture of 67647 before it carried on towards Chell Heath.

First Potteries 67647 in Tunstall

We walked a few paces down the High Street and we entered the Tunstall Cafe. Matthew went to the toilet and I ordered his toffee cheesecake and a can of Coke. Once Matthew had finished eating we said goodbye and we crossed the road. We wanted to go back towards either Hanley or Newcastle. We turned down First Potteries 67604 on a #3 to Hanley and we decided to wait for the next Newcastle bus. Around 10 minutes later a bus appeared and it was dud D&G Bus 137 on a #94 to Newcastle.

D&G 137 in Tunstall

We got on the bus and we flashed the Smart Day ticket to the driver before we sat down towards the back of the bus. The bus set off down the High Street and forwards onto Brownhills Road. As we travelled down to Trubshaw Cross the snow was coming down quite heavily. We ran forwards along the A5271 through Longport and over the A500. We climbed up Porthill Banks and surprisingly we turned right. Since the cancellation of the #17 the service must have been divert through Bradwell and Hempstalls to pick up that section of the route. We turned right onto Arnold Grove and we went past the cemetery. We turned left onto Bursley Way and then left onto Bradwell Lane. We turned right onto Hanbridge Avenue. We turned left onto Dimsdale Parade West and then right onto Hassam Parade. We crossed over Milehouse Lane and we continued through Hempstalls into Newcastle. We passed the side of the old PMT bus garage and we turned left onto Liverpool Road and passed the Freebird. We turned left onto Ryecroft and at the roundabout we went onto Barracks Road. We pulled into the bus station and we got up and got off the bus. Once offthe bus we went to look for a bus towards Hanley. We saw First Potteries 37156 on a #101 to Hanley.

First Potteries 37156 in Newcastle bus station

We also saw First Potteries 32632 on a #4 to Hanley.

First Potteries 32632 in Newcastle bus station

We decided to do First Potteries 32632 so we got on the bus and we flashed our Smart Day ticket to the driver before going upstairs. The rear of the top deck was empty so Matthew took a picture inside First Potteries 32632.

Inside First Potteries 32632

The bus set off out of the bus station and onto Barracks Road. We crossed the Jubilee Roundabout and onto the A53. We ran into Basford and over the A500. We ran down into Etruria and over the A500. We continued along the A53 and we turned left onto Forge Lane. We ran out along the Lane and we crossed over the canal before we returned back into Etruria along festival Way. We crossed under the A53 onto Etruria Road. We ran into Hanley and into the bus station. Once off the bus we decided that if we were going to go to Biddulph on the bus we would have to do it almost immediately and not got up to the car park to take bus pictures. Matthew went to the toilet and then we went to the Spar shop and brought a can on Coke and some chocolate bar. to the Biddulph bus stop. At the top end of the bus station we saw First Potteries 32081 on a #32 to Cheadle.

First Potteries 32081 in Hanley bus station

We also saw First Potteries 67642 which looked like it was going to work the next #7A to Biddulph. The bus ended up swapping onto the #3 to Crewe.

First Potteries 67642 in Hanley bus station

We went outside the bus station and we saw First Potteries 32634 on a #6 to Weston Coyney. We went back to the Biddulph stop and surprisingly we saw First Potteries 63100 on the #7A to Biddulph.

First Potteries 63100 in Hanley bus station

We got on the bus and we flashed the Smart day ticket to the driver before we sat down towards the back of the bus. The bus waited for time before setting off out of the bus station. We went down John Street and onto Bethesda Street before we went across onto Marsh Street and then we turned right into Trinity Street. We turned left into Stafford Street and we continued forwards to Quadrant Road and we left Hanley along Town Road. We travelled through Sneyd Green and over Smallthorne roundabouts to Chell. At the roundabout we turned right and we ran down the A527 through Brindley Ford. We turned left to run through Brown Lees. We crossed over the A527 at Knypersley and we ran around through the housing estates of Biddulph before running into town via St John's Road, Colliers Way and up Wharf Road to the bus station where we got up and got off the bus. Matthew took another picture of First Potteries 63100 before it carried on back to Hanley.

First Potteries 63100 in Biddulph bus station

Once off the bus we went to the toilet. Matthew wanted to do the next #7A back to Hanley. We decided to go to the kebab shop and buy some fries and a can off pop. We walked down the High Street to the shop and we returned back up to Wharf Road. We ate the chips and we saw D&G Bus 32 on a #9 to Hanley.

D&G 32 in Biddulph bus station

A short while later the bus arrived and it was First Potteries 67640.

First Potteries 67640 in Biddulph bus station

We got on and flashed the Smart Day ticket to the driver before sitting down towards the back of the bus. The bus set off onto High Street and we turned left at the roundabout onto St John's Road. We ran around the estate and we crossed over the A527 at Knypersley We ran through Brown Lees via the diversion route and we rejoined the A527 by the industrial estate. We ran down through Brindley Ford and to Fegg Hayes. We ran up the hill to Chell and we turned left onto High Lane. We ran back through Smallthorne & Sneyd Green into Hanley. When we got back to Hanley we let the bus empty out and Matthew took a picture inside First Potteries 67640.

Inside First Potteries 67640

We decided to catch one more bus and meet up with mum and Newcastle. A few minutes later we saw First Potteries 65033 on a #25 to Keele.

First Potteries 65033 in Hanley bus station

When it was time we set off out of the bus station onto john Street and left onto Bethesda Street were we saw Travel De Courcey (National Expres) FJ13 EAA on a #540 to Manchester. We crossed over the ring road and we ran down through Shelton along Regent Road and College Road. We passed the railway station and we continued forwards onto the A52. We followed the road to the right under the railway line and we saw an unidentified Robin Hood coach. We crossed over the A500 entering Stoke town centre. We continued along Church Street onto Hartshill Road and into the centre of Hartshill. We turned left into the Avenue and left again onto Hilton Road before turning right into the City General Hospital. Once through the hospital we turned right onto the A34 and we ran into Newcastle. We crossed the roundabout and we ran up Barracks Road and into the bus station from the South end. Once we got off the bus we saw First Potteries 67638 about to run back empty to the garage.

First Potteries 67638 in Newcastle bus station

We crossed over barracks Road and we waited for mum to come and pick us up. After a short while she appeared and we got in the car. We went around the outside of Newcastle and we stopped at the Dancing Octopus for chips. We drove back down the A34 and we saw Roseville SM07 UEM. We continued South Through Trent Vale and Hanford and into Trentham. We turned left onto the A5035 and we ran through Blurton and Dresden to Longton. We stopped at Z Carz to see what was parked up this evening. There was nothing on the spare ground and we turned left into Willow Row where we saw Z Carz LDV minibus CN57 HWA.

Z Carz CN57 HWA in Longton

We returned onto the A50 and We ran Westwards and we came off at Heron Cross. We turned left onto Blurton Road and we ran through Blurton before turning right onto Church Road we saw First Potteries 67635 on a #22 to Longton. We turned right onto Beaconsfield Drive and we got home around 19:00. For a late tea we had bangers and mash with carrots followed by a Manchester Tart. Matthew chilled out on his computer and we did some more of the Blog and out our bus pictures online. Matthew went to bed around 01:00... Mark.