Trip to Newcastle / Biddulph 17-02-2018

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
63101	Magdalen Road, Blurton	Trentham, adj Man-in-Space	22	First Potteries
67159	Trentham, adj Man-in-Space	Stoke-upon-Trent, adj stop R	21A	First Potteries
65005	Stoke-upon-Trent, adj stop R	Newcastle BS	25	First Potteries
37158	Newcastle BS	Tunstall, adj stop B	99	First Potteries
37158	Tunstall, adj stop A	Newcastle BS	99	First Potteries
65730	Newcastle BS	Hanley BS	4	First Potteries
43877	Hanley BS	Biddulph BS	7A	First Potteries
67658	Biddulph BS	Hanley BS	7A	First Potteries
66964	Hanley BS	Newcastle BS	25	First Potteries

Today we decided to stay local as Matthew wasn't in the best of health. We checked the weather and it was for cold mainly dry weather with some sunshine. Matthew got up just after 09:30 and had toast and orange juice for breakfast. We decided to go out on the 11:51 departure towards Newcastle. Just before 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 67631 on a #22 to Longton. Bang on time the bus appeared and it was dud First Potteries 63101 on a #22 to Newcastle.

First Potteries 63101 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. We went past the Trentham Hotel we turned right into New Inn Lane where we saw First Potteries 67159 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 another picture of First Potteries 63101 before it carried on to Newcastle.

First Potteries 63101 in Trentham

Once we got off the bus we waited at the bus stop for a couple of minutes. A couple of minutes later we saw the First Potteries E200 MMC approaching. As expected it was First Potteries 67159 on the #21A to Hanley.

First Potteries 67159 in Trentham

We got on the bus and we placed our Smart Day ticket under the scanner 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 Mayne Street before joining the Northbound A34. We crossed under the A500 and we saw First Potteries 63172 on the final #22 turn to Longton. We turned onto London Road and as we headed towards Stoke We passed First Potteries 42554 on a #21A to Tretham Hotel. We got off the bus outside of Maplins and Matthew took another picture of this bus.

First Potteries 67159 in Stoke

Once we got off the bus we walked towards The centre of Stoke. 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. On the way we saw First Potteries 41499 on a #11 to Newcastle.

First Potteries 41499 in Stoke

When we got to the stop we waited for the the next Newcastle bus to appear. Whilst we waited we saw DE&G Bus 157n on a #9 to Biddulph. A few minutes later we saw a Scania approaching. As it got closer we saw it was First Potteries 65005 on the #25 to Keele.

First Potteries 65005 in Stoke

We got on the bus and we placed our Smart Day ticket under the scanner before we sat down towards the back of the bus. We set off along Church Street and off up the hill along Hartshill Road. We passed the Noah's Ark pub and Just after the pub we turned left by the Co-operative Food store and we headed to the hospital. We bounced our way through the hospital grounds over the severe speed bumps and we joined the North bound A34. We went around the roundabout at the bottom end of Newcastle and we turned right onto Barracks Road before entering the bus station from the Southern end. Once off the bus we saw D&G bus 142 on layover in between working on the #94 to Congleton.

D&G 142 in Newcastle bus station

We walked down to the bottom of the bus station to take a few pictures whilst we waited for a bus towards Tunstall. We saw First Potteries 32081 on a #98 to Ball Green. A few minutes later we saw D&G bus 149 on a #85 to Nantwich.

D&G 149 in Newcastle bus station

A few minutes later we saw First Potteries 37158 on a #99 to Chell.

First Potteries 37158 in Newcastle bus station

We walked up to the top of the bus station and we waited for the crowds to die down. We got on the bus and we placed our Smart Day ticket under the scanner before we went upstairs. The rear of the top deck was empty so Matthew took a picture inside First Potteries 37158.

Inside First Potteries 37158

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 41502 on a #98 to Newcastle. We turned right onto Porthill Bank and we we went down the hill and over the A500. We passed the site of Funderpark and 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 37158 before it carried on towards Chell Heath.

First Potteries 37158 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 65733 on a #3 to Hanley and we decided to wait for the next Newcastle bus. A few minutes later we saw dud First Potteries 67603 going Northwards to Crewe.

First Potteries 67603 in Tunstall

The Enviro300 was followed by dud First Potteries 32647 on a #3 to Butt Lane.

First Potteries 32647 in Tunstall

A few minutes later the bus came around the corner and we saw that it was dud First Potteries 37158 again.

First Potteries 37158 in Tunstall

We got on the bus and we placed our Smart Day ticket under the scanner before we went upstairs. We ran down the High Street past the new building on the right and forwards onto Brownills Road. We continued down the hill and at Trubshaw Cross we continued down through Middleport into Longport. We crossed over the A500 and we climbed up Porthill Bank. At the top we turned left and we ran through Wolstanton and May Bank. We ran into Newcastle and we crossed the Jubilee roundabout onto Barracks Street. We went into the bus station and we got up and got off the bus. once in the bus station we had a look around to see what we might be able to catch. On Stubbs Street we saw D&G Bus 138 on layover, in between runs on the #94 to Congleton.

D&G 138 in Newcastle bus station

We decided that we wuld catch a bus to Hanley next. We saw First Potteries 65035 on a #101 to Hanley which we turned down.

First Potteries 65035 in Newcastle bus station

A few minutes later we saw First Potteries 65730 on a #4 to Hanley.

First Potteries 65730 in Newcastle bus station

We got on the bus and we placed our Smart Day ticket under the scanner before we sat down towards the back of the bus. 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. We let the bus empty and Matthew took a picture inside First Potteries 65730.

Inside First Potteries 65730

Matthew went to the toilet and we missed a #7A to Biddulph. We decided to go up to the carpark and take a few pictures. We left the bus station and walked onto Lidice Way. We crossed lover John Street and we saw First Potteries 67632 on a #3 to Crewe.

First Potteries 67632 in Hanley bus station

We went into the mulit-storey car park and we took a few pictures. We saw First Potteries 67636 on a #4 to Audley.

First Potteries 67636 in Hanley bus station

We also saw National Express liveried Travel De Courcey FJ13 EBA a #325 service to Birmingham.

Travel De Courcey FJ13 EBA in Hanley bus station

We came out of the car park to head back to the bus station. On the way we saw First Potteries 67640 on a #7 to Kidsgrove.

First Potteries 67640 in Hanley bus station

We went into the bus station and we visited the Spar shop. Matthew had a can of Coke as well as a couple of chocltae bars. Once we had paid for the thing we went to the stand to see First POtteries Dart 43877 arrive on the #7A to Biddulph.

First Potteries 43877 in Hanley bus station

We got on the bus and we placed our Smart Day ticket under the scanner 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 43877 before it carried on back to Hanley.

First Potteries 43877 in Biddulph bus station

We went to the toilet and once we had finished there we headed up wharf Street to the High Street. In the High Street we saw Biddulph Taxi's DS65 TUY. We headed to the Kebab shop and we picked up a couple of portions of fries. We walked back to the bus stops and as we turned the corner we saw D&G Bus 158 on a #9 to Hanley.

D&G 158 in Biddulph bus station

We sat down and we ate the fries. Matthew washed them down with a can of Vimto. We just about finished and we saw First Potteries 67658 on a #7A to Hanley.

First Potteries 67658 in Biddulph bus station

We got on the bus and we placed our Smart Day ticket under the scanner before we sat 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 got up and got off the bus. We walked down to the bottom end of the bus station and we saw First Potteries 66964 on a #25 to Keele which we decided to do.

First Potteries 66964 in Hanley bus station

We got on the bus and we placed our Smart Day ticket under the scanner for the final time today before we sat down towards the back of the bus. When it was time we set off out of the bus station onto john Street and left onto Bethesda Street. 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 ot the bus station we got up and got off the bus. In the bus station we saw D&G 113 on a #1A to Park Site.

D&G 113 in Newcastle bus station

We stopped at the toilet and afterwards we crossed over Barracks Road onto Hassell Street where mum was waiting. We got in the car and Matthew had a bottle of Irn Bru. 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. We continued South Through Trent Vale and Hanford and we joined the Northbiuond A500. We came off the A500 at Sideway and we joined the Eastbound A50. At LOngton we came off the A50 to check out what was at Z Carz this evening. There was nothing on the spare ground and we turned left into Willow Row and we saw Z Carz minibus YJ61 GYZ.

Z Carz YJ61 GYZ in Longton

In the compound we saw Z Carz CN57 HWA.

Z Carz CN57 HWA in Longton

We also saw Z Carz LV59 DZC.

Z Carz LV59 DZC in Longton

Finally we saw Z Carz HK57 LGW.

Z Carz HK57 LGW 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 turned right onto Beaconsfield Drive. We turned left onto Finstock Avenue and we stopped at the Co-operative food to pick up some things. We continued down Finstock Avenue and we got home around 19:00. For a late tea we had bangers and mash with carrots followed by a piec of cheesecake. 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.