Trip to Potteries Apedale Running day 19-05-2019

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
165	Fenton, adj Travers Court	Stoke, railway station	23	D&G Bus
207	Stoke, railway station	Hanley, Bethesda Street	Special	PMT
207	Hanley, Bethesda Street	Apedale Light Railway	Special	PMT
55	Apedale Light Railway	Newcastle, Merrial Street	Special	Bournemouth
55	Newcastle, Merrial Street	Apedale Light Railway	Special	Bournemouth
NTU 125	Apedale Light Railway	Newcastle, Merrial Street	Special	Hollinshead
NTU 125	Newcastle, Merrial Street	Apedale Light Railway	Special	Hollinshead
L453	Apedale Light Railway	Hanley, Bethesda Street	Special	PMT
L453	Hanley, Bethesda Street	Apedale Light Railway	Special	PMT

Today Matthew was in the residential unit and he was going to his day service. He was also going out the the POPS rally, which this years was being held at the Apedale Heritage Centre. Matthew got up around 08:00 and had toast and orange juice for breakfast. Whilst waiting to go to the day service we saw silver minibus EF17 KWM parked up outside. I arrived about 09:20 and we got ready to go out. The plan was to catch a bus to the Stoke railway station and to get the feeder bus service from the railway station to Apedale. We went downstairs and we set off onto City Road and down to the stop outside the flats. We waited for a bus to Hanley. The bus turned the corner and we saw it was D&G Bus 165 on a #23 to Hanley.

D&G 165 in Fenton

We got on the bus and we booked to Stoke railway station before we sat down towards the back of the bus. We set off down City Road and we joined the A52 to go under the railway line and over the A500. We continued onto Church Street. and into the centre of Stoke. After a brief stop we continued around the one-way system onto Elenora Steet and right onto Copeland street. We turned left onto Glebe Street and we went under the railway line before turning left onto Station Road. Near to the railway station we got up and got off the bus. Uncle Dave walked down from Fenton to meet us and we waited for the feeder bus. Whilst we waited we saw First Potteries 65705 on a #25 to Keele.

First Potteries 65705 by Stoke railway station

10:00 came and went and the bus didn't show up. There were other people waiting for the bus on the other side of the road so we crossed over and we waited on the steps next to the bus stop. Whilst we waited we saw Matadars coach M77 TDR appear outside the railway station on rail replacement work.

Matadars M77 TDR by Stoke railway station

Some body spotted the bus coming along Station Road so we crossed over the road to the other side. As it got closer we saw it was dud PMT Bristol 207 on a service to Hanley.

PMT 207 by Stoke railway station

We got on the bus, and we found out that the first bus hadn't run, and this would be the next bus to Apedale. We decided to do it up to Hanley and back to Apedale. We sat down near to the back and the bus set off along Station Road. We turned right onto College Road and part way up the hill we saw Premier Travel DL11 GXP in a side street. After running the hill through Shelton we continued onto Cleveland Road and forwards onto Regent Road. We turned left onto Lower Bethesda Street and we crossed over the ring road onto Bethesda Street. The bus stopped outside the museum and we asked the driver if we had time to get out and take a picture. He said we had so we got off the bus and we crossed over the road and took another picture of PMT 207.

PMT 207 in Hanley

We got back on the bus and a few minutes later the bus set off along Bethesda Street. We turned left onto Broad Street and we crossed over the ring road. we ran for around 1/2 mile and we turned left into college Road. We ran down the hill through Shelton and at the end of the road we turned left onto Station Road. We had a brief stop outside the railway station and then we continued on our way. We ran to the end of Station Road and we ran forwards onto the A52. We turned right onto City Road and we ran under the railway line. We crossed over the A500 entering Stoke town centre. We continued along Church Street onto Hartshill Road and into the centre of Hartshill. We continued down to the edge of Newcastle. We continued down to the jubilee roundabout and we turned right into Ryecroft. We turned right onto the Northbound A34 and we passed Sainsbury's. At Newcastle bus garage there were on 3 vehicles. We saw First Potteries 63100. We carried on Northwards up the A34 to Chesterton. We turned left onto London Road and at the next roundabout we turned left onto Loomer Road. We ran to the end of Loomer Road and into Apedale Country park. Once off the bus Matthew went the heritage centre and went to the toilet. We decided to have a walk around the site whilst we waited for mum to make an appearance. We walked past the railway station and down the hill onto the large green area where all the buses were parked. One of the first buses we spotted was recent arrival in the area First Potteries 47519 which had been borrowed from Newcastle garage.

First Potteries 47519 in Apedale Light Railway

There were around 30 vehicles or so on display. Further down the row we saw Warrington 92 parked up.

Warrington 92 in Apedale Light Railway

Also seen was Fowler's Leyland coach G601 XMD which did a run to Keele.

Fowlers G601 XMD in Apedale Light Railway

Stanton's always bring vehicle to the local rallies and this year was no exception. We saw Stanton's of Stoke Solo 4051 VT which is used for local stage work.

Stanton's of Stoke 4051 VT in Apedale Light Railway

After we had done a lap of the site we went to the top end to wait for mum to arrive. Whilst we waited we saw PMT 604 which had just returned on site having done a run to Keele.

PMT 604 in Apedale Light Railway

Also seen was PMT 755 which had just returned from a run to Newcastle.

PMT 755 in Apedale Light Railway

Mum appeared and we went into the heritage centre. Matthew went to the toilet and after we got a table in the cafe. Matthew had his usual breakfast washed down with a can of Coke. He also helped me and his mum eat breakfast. When we had finished we went outside to get another bus. We spotted Bournemouth 55 on a service to Newcastle.

Bournemouth 55 in Apedale Light Railway

We got on the bus and we sat down towards the back. We set off along Loomer Road and at the roundabout we turned right onto London Road. We ran to the end and we turned right onto the Southbound A34. We ran Southwards for around a mile and a 1/2 past the bus garage, and we turned left onto Ryecroft. We ran to the Jubilee roundabout and we did a u-turn back onto Ryecroft before veering left onto Merrial Street. The bus stopped and the driver asked anyone if they want to get out and take a picture. We decided to get out and we got another picture of Bournemouth 55.

Bournemouth 55 in Newcastle

We got back onto the bus and we set off along Merrial Street. We turned right onto High Street and we continued forwards onto Liverpool Road. We turned left onto Ryecroft and at the roundabout we turned right onto the Northbound A34. We ran Northwards for around a mile and a 1/2 and we veered left onto London Road. We turned left onto Loomer Road and we ran into the site and unloaded in front of the heritage centre. Once of the bus we walked down to the bottom of the site and we asked the which were the next few buses out, most of the buses were buses we have been on many times, but we found out the Hollinshead NTU 125 was about to the Next Newcastle service. We sat on some seats overlooking the site so that we could see when the bus was about to move and we had a drink of Fanta. We spotted the bus moving so we got up to walk towards the bus stop. Matthew took a picture of Hollinshead NTU 125 as it passed us as we walked to the bus stop.

Hollinshead NTU 125 in Apedale Light Railway

By the time that we got to the stop the bus was already starting to load. We managed to get on the bus but we all had to seat separately. We set off along Loomer Road and at the roundabout we turned right onto London Road. We ran to the end and we turned right onto the Southbound A34. We ran Southwards for around a mile and a 1/2 past the bus garage, and we turned left onto Ryecroft. We ran to the Jubilee roundabout and we did a u-turn back onto Ryecroft before veering left onto Merrial Street. The bus stopped and the driver asked anyone if they want to get out and take a picture. Nobody did ass the bus was so full no one wanted to risk not getting a seat again! we set off along Merrial Street. We turned ran forwards onto Church Street and at the roundabout we turned right onto the Northbound A34. We ran Northwards for around a mile and a 1/2 and we veered left onto London Road. We turned left onto Loomer Road and we ran into the site and unloaded in front of the heritage centre. before we got off Matthew took a picture inside Hollinshead NTU 125.

Inside Hollinshead NTU 125

Once off the bus we met up with our friends Debbie and Dom. Matthew decided he wanted to go to the toilet. After Matthew had been to the facilities we walked down to the bottom end of the site. We found out the PMT 453 was going to be doing a run up to Hanley. We decided that we were going to do once last out and back run on this bus. The bus pulled up at the bus stop a few minutes after it was due to depart and Matthew took a picture of this bus.

PMT L453 in Apedale Light Railway

The bus set off along Loomer Road and at the end of the road we crossed the roundabout onto Wolstanton Road. We crossed over the A34 and we ran forwards onto the B5369. We ran through Dimsdale and we crossed over the A527. We continued to Basford and we turned left onto the A53. We crossed over the A500 and we ran up towards Festival Park. We turned right at the roundabout onto Etruria Road and at the right Road we turned right. We crossed over Broad Street and we turned left into Bethesda Street. We stopped outside the museum and when we got off to take a picture, when we got back on were weren't able to sit together again! A few minutes later we set off along Bethesda Street. We turned left onto Broad Street and we crossed over the ring road. we ran for around 1/2 mile and we turned left into college Road. We ran down the hill through Shelton and at the end of the road we turned left onto Station Road. We had a brief stop outside the railway station and then we continued on our way. We ran to the end of Station Road and we ran forwards onto the A52. We turned right onto City Road and we ran under the railway line. We crossed over the A500 entering Stoke town centre. We continued along Church Street onto Hartshill Road. The bus really struggled to get up the hill and we ran up the hill at walking pace and into the centre of Hartshill. We continued down to the edge of Newcastle. We continued down to the jubilee roundabout and we turned right into Ryecroft. We turned right onto the Northbound A34 to Chesterton. We turned left onto Brymbo Road following PMT 466. The driver of the lead bus decided that this wasn't the way to go and we did a u-turned and we ran back to the A34. We travelled Northwards for another junction and we turned left onto London Road and at the next roundabout we turned left onto Loomer Road. We ran to the end of Loomer Road and into Apedale Country park. Once off the bus Matthew visited the toilet and we went to the cafe and Matthew brought a twister. Once we had brought the lolly we spotted a minibus on the road and he went to investigate. We had a look at the PSV disc and we found out it was Craig Ian Ashley J11 BOT.

Craig Ian Ashley J11 BOT in Apedale Light Railway

We returned to the car and we met up with mum and uncle Dave. We got in the car and we set off out of the Apedale Country Park onto Loomer Road and we diverted into Turner Crescent past the depot and we saw E-zec patient transport minibuses. We continued along Loomer Road and we turned sharp right onto London Road. We turned right onto Holditch Road and left onto Bymbo Road. We continuned along the A34 through Cross Heath and into Newcastle. As we passed the depot which was empty. We turned left onto Ryecroft and at the roundabout we turned right onto Barracks Road. We continued onto the Southbound A34 and we turned left onto The Avenue. Travelling up towards Hartshill. At the end we turned right onto Hartshill Road. We ran down to Stoke and onto the one way system. We turned right onto Elenora Street and we followed the road around onto Copeland Street. We ran forwards onto Glebe Street and we followed the one way system onto Church Street. We crossed over the A500. We dropped down into Fenton and we dropped off uncle Dave. Once we had dropped him off we returned up to Smithpool Road and right onto Temple Street and back to the residential unit. We went upstairs with Matthew and we spent a few minutes with him before we said goodbye. we saw white minibus DN68 YVP parked across the road. Matthew drank a bottle of Irn Bru. For tea Matthew had pasta and tuna followed by a Bakewell tart. Later on Matthew chilled out in his room. He watched television and used his computer. Matthew had a bath and then had toast for supper. He then chilled out in his room until bedtime around 23:00... Mark.