Trip to Newcastle / Biddulph 26-10-2019

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
63097	Blurton adj Ladybank Grove	Longton TI	22	First Potteries
113	Longton, stop C	Newcastle BS	1A	D&G Bus
65004	Newcastle BS	Tunstall, adj stop B	99	First Potteries
52	Tunstall, adj stop B	Newcastle BS	94	D&G Bus
37158	Newcastle BS	Hanley BS	4	First Potteries
67663	Hanley BS	Burslem, adj Hamil Road	7	First Potteries
67665	Burslem, Adj Dartmouth Street	Biddulph BS	7A	First Potteries
65033	Biddulph BS	Hanley BS	7A	First Potteries

Today we decided to stay local. We did no research for this trip other than to check the weather. It was set to rain all morning and the rain would end in the early afternoon. Matthew got up around 11:00 and had toast and orange juice for breakfast. We went out just before 12:00 with the plan to catch the 12:01 departure to Stoke. We set off onto Finstock Avenue and as we turned into Beaconsfield Drive we saw the bus pull away from the stop. We went back home for a few minutes and we returned to the bus stop. We saw First Potteries 67157 on a #23 to Newstead. We decided to catch the bus towards Longton. A few minutes later the bus turned the corner and it was First Potteries 63097 on a #22 to Longton.

First Potteries 63097 in Blurton

We got on the bus and we booked The Knot ticket at £7 each before sitting down towards the back of the bus. We set off along Beaconsfield Drive and at the end we turned right onto Church Road. We followed the road around to the left onto Blurton Road and at the bottom of the hill we turned right onto Longton Hall Lane. We climbed the hill into Longton and onto the A50. We crossed the roundabout onto Baths Road and we entered Longton Transport Interchange. We got off. We set off along the path better Wrights Pies and Barclays bank onto The Strand. We continued up The Strand to the Britannia cafe where we decided to have dinner today. Matthew had a breakfast washed down with a can of Coke. Once we had finished we walked back down The Strand to the bus stop where we spotted D&G 113 on a #1A to Wood Lane.

D&G 113 in Longton

We got on the bus and we flashed The Knot ticket to the driver before we sat down towards the back of the bus. The bus set off down The Strand. We turned left into Baths Road and we entered Longton Transport Interchange. After a brief stop we ran out onto Baths Road and we turned left under the railway line onto King Street. As we travelled down King Street through Foley into Fenton and forwards onto City Road, past the site of the new Costa Coffee. We ran down the hill over the old railway line to Leek and onto the A52. We ran under the railway line and over the A500. As we entered Stoke we saw First Potteries 44514 on a #11 to Hanley. We continued into into Stoke town centre along Church Street and we saw First Potteries 67153 on a #25 to Hanley. After a brief stop in Stoke we continued along church Street and forwards onto Hartshill Road. We ran up the hill and into Hartshill. We ran forwards onto George Street and we ran down the hill into Newcastle. We turned left at the roundabout onto Barracks Road and into the bus station where we got up and got off the bus. Once of the bus we saw D&G Bus 43 on a #94 to Congleton.

D&G 43 in Newcastle bus station

We walked down to the bottom end of the bus station and we saw First Potteries 63176 on a #72 to Clayton.

First Potteries 63176 in Newcastle bus station

We walked up to the top end of the bus station and we saw First Potteries 63112 on a #25 to Hanley.

First Potteries 63112 in Newcastle bus station

As we contemplated doing a bus to Tunstall. A short time later we saw First Potteries 65004 on a #99 to Chell Heath.

First Potteries 65004 in Newcastle bus station

We got on the bus and we flashed the Knot 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 67662 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 65004 before it carried on towards Chell Heath.

First Potteries 65004 in Tunstall

Once off the bus we walked down to the Tunstall Cafe and Matthew visited the toilet. Afterwards Matthew had a slice of toffee cheesecake washed down with a can of Coke. When we had finished we crossed over the road and waited for a bus back towards Newcastle. Whilst we waited we saw First Potteries 67651 on a #3A to Talke Pits.

First Potteries 67651 in Tunstall

A few minutes later we saw it was required D&G Bus 52 on a #94 to Newcastle.

D&G 52 in Tunstall

We got on the bus and we flashed the Knot 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. We ran forwards along the A5271 through Longport and over the A500. We climbed up Porthill Banks and surprisingly we turned right. 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 off the bus Matthew took another picture of D&G 52 as it went on layover.

D&G 52 in Newcastle bus station

A few minutes later we saw First Potteries 37158 on a #4 to Hanley.

First Potteries 37158 in Newcastle bus station

We got on the bus and we flashed our Knot Day ticket to the driver before going upstairs. The rear of the top deck was empty so Matthew took a picture inside First Potteries 37158.

Inside First Potteries 37158

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 visited the toilet before going over to John Street car park to take a few bus pictures. We went up a floor and we saw Arriva Midlands 2997 on a #164 to Market Drayton.

Arriva Midlands 2997 in Hanley bus station

Also seen was required First Potteries 65003 on a #18 to Leek.

First Potteries 65003 in Hanley bus station

Another bus seen was D&G Bus 53 on a #16 to Leek.

D&G 53 in Hanley bus station

After a while we saw Edwards Coaches National Express liveried coach BX16 CHV on a #528 to Rochdale.

Edwards Coaches BX16 CHV in Hanley bus station

We headed back to the bus station and we visited the shop. Matthew brought a can of Coke and a couple of chocolate bars. We headed down the bus station and Matthew decided to go to Biddulph. Whilst we waited we saw First Potteries 67663 on a #7 to Kidsgrove.

First Potteries 67663 in Hanley bus station

We got on the bus and we flashed The Knot 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. A couple of stops further up we got up and got off the bus. Matthew took another picture of First Potteries 67663 as it continued towards Kidsgrove.

First Potteries 67663 in Burslem

We had about 12 minutes to wait so we decided to walk back a stop to cut down on the waiting time. A we walked to the next stop we saw First Potteries 65033 on a #7 to Hanley. We got to the next stop and we waited for the bus. A few minutes later we saw First Potteries 67665 on a #7A to Biddulph.

First Potteries 67665 in Burslem

We got on the bus and we flashed The Knot day ticket to the driver before we sat down towards the back of the bus. We set off along High Lane and we ran forwards into 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. The bus was empty so we took a picture inside First Potteries 67665 before we got off the bus.

Inside First Potteries 67665

Once off the bus we walked along Wharf Road and we turned left onto the High Street. We continued past the former Royal Oak pub which is currently up for sale, with suggestion being mooted that it may become a new Costa Coffee. We stopped at Biddulph Pizza & Burger and we had 2 portions of fries and 2 cans to share between the 3 of us. We walked back up the High Street and we turned right onto Wharf Road. We visited the toilet and Matthew used the facilities. When we came out we saw D&G 157 on a #9 to Hanley.

D&G 157 in Biddulph bus station

We tried to go into the waiting room but it was all locked up. We ate the chips and Matthew drank a can of coke. Whilst we were eating we saw D&G 51 on a #94 to Newcastle.

D&G 51 in Biddulph bus station

We finished eating our food and we had around 20 minutes to wait for the bus back to Hanley. We walked up to the stop and we waited for the bus. A short time later we saw a Scania Omnicity approaching. As it got closer we saw it was First Potteries 65033 on a #7A to Hanley.

First Potteries 65033 in Biddulph bus station

We got on the bus and we flashed the Knot Day ticket to the driver for the final time today before we sat down towards the back of the bus. The bus set off onto the High Street and we turned left onto St Johns Road. We ran around the estate and onto Woodland Street. We crossed over the A527 at Knypersley. We ran through Brown Lees 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 up and got off the bus. We had arranged with mum to get picked up near to the bus station. As we walked through the bus station we saw D&G Bus 20 on a #16 to Leek.

D&G 20 in Hanley bus station

We crossed over Lichfield Street and we walked over to Birch Terrace where mum was parked up. She was waiting with Wright's sausage rolls and a can of Irn Bru for Matthew. Once in the car we set off down Birch Terrace and we turned left onto Lichfield Street and we saw First Potteries 44511 on a #6 to Hanley. We crossed over the A52 and onto Victoria Road. We climbed to the top of the hill and we joined the A50 link road. We joined the Eastbound A50 and we ran up to Longton. where we came off. We then headed to Z Carz to see what was parked up there this today. There was nothing on the spare ground and we turned left onto Willow Row. We saw Z Carz Mercedes minibus CE02 LYX in the compound.

Z Carz CE02 LYX in Longton

Also seen was recent arrival Z Carz Peugeot minibus YA13 AMK.

Z Carz YA13 AMK in Longton

Another vehicle seen was long-term SORN Renault minibus Z Carz YE52 UZX.

Z Carz YE52 UZX in Longton

We turned around and got back onto the A50 and we went Westwards to Heron Cross. We turned left onto Blurton Road and we ran through Blurton. We ran forwards onto Church Street and we turned right into Beaconsfield Drive. We got home around 19:15. For a late tea we had bangers and mash with carrots followed by a slice of egg custard tart. We spent time doing the e-mails and doing the Blog. We chilled out on the computer and watching telly until 01:00... Mark