Trip to Hanley / Newcastle 06-12-2019

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
44515	Fenton, adj Travers Court	Hanley BS	23	First Potteries
65004	Hanley BS	Newcastle BS	101	First Potteries
63101	Newcastle BS	Fenton, Smithpool Road	11	First Potteries
44515	Fenton, adj Travers Court	Stoke, adj stop Q	23	First Potteries
37146	Stoke, adj stop P	Newcastle, Opp Cherry Tree	25	First Potteries

Today Matthew was in the residential unit and he was going to his day service. He was also going to see Grandma later on and going to the pub and returning to Blurton for a long weekend. Matthew got up around 08:00 and had toast and orange juice for breakfast. Whilst waiting to go out he watched buses out of the window. We saw First Potteries 63146 on a #11 to Hanley. In the morning Matthew did some baking. Later on we went downstairs and we cut through onto City Road. We waited for a bus towards Hanley. A short time later we saw First Potteries 44515 on a #23 to Hanley.

First Potteries 44515 in Fenton

We got on the bus and we booked to Hanley 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. We went past the railway station and due to roadworks we ran to the end of Station Road and turned right. We ran up Stoke Road and we turned right onto Avenue Road. At the roundabout we turned left onto College Road. 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 before we turned right onto John Street bus station where we saw First Potteries 37160 on a Kingfisher service to Uttoxeter. We got up and got off the bus and we waited for a bus to Newcastle. A short time later we saw First Potteries 65004 on a #101 to Stafford.

First Potteries 65004 in Hanley bus station

We got on the bus and we booked to Newcastle before We sat down towards the back of the bus and the bus loaded quickly and departed almost immediately we saw First Potteries 67152 on a #3 to Crewe. We set off through the bus station and onto John Street. We turned right onto Bethesda Street and left onto Broad Street. We ran down the hill and over the ring road onto Snow Hill Before we turned right onto Shelton New Road. We ran down through Etruria an up into Hartshill before joining the A52. We ran into Newcastle down George Street. We joined the one way system and we turned left on the roundabout onto Barracks Road. We went into the bus station and we got off the bus. Once off the bus we set off along Hassell Street and we turned right onto High Street. We turned right onto Ironmarket and we stopped at the pub. For dinner Matthew had a mixed grill washed down with a glass of Coke. For afters Matthew had a slice of chocolate fudge cake with ice cream. Once we had finished eating we set off onto Ironmarket and we turned left onto Castle Walk and we visited a phone shop. After we had finished we continued down castle Walk to the bus station. We waited for a bus back towards Fenton. A short time later we saw First Potteries 63101 on a #11 to Hanley.

First Potteries 63101 in Newcastle bus station

We got on the bus and we booked to Fenton before sitting down towards the back of the bus. Whilst the bus waiting to depart, we saw required First Potteries 37158 on a #25 to Hanley. We set off onto Barracks Road and we ran up to the Jubilee roundabout. We ran onto the A53 and around the one-way system onto the A52. We ran up George Street into Hartshill and we ran down the hill into Stoke town centre. After a brief stop we continued along Church Street out of Stoke and over the A500. We ran under the railway line and we continued onto City Road. At the top of the hill we got up and got off the bus. We crossed over City Road and we cut through to the residential unit. We went upstairs and Matthew waited for me to come and fetch him for the weekend. Around 15:00 I came to pick him and we got ready to go out. We went downstairs as we cut through onto City Road. We waited at the bus stop for a bus towards Stoke. A short time later we saw a bus turn the corner. It was First Potteries First Potteries 44515 on a #23 to Hanley.

First Potteries 44515 in Fenton

We got on the bus and we booked to Stoke before sitting down towards the back of the bus. We set off along City Road and we went down under the railway line and into Stoke. We continued into Church Street and we got up and got off the bus. Matthew took another picture of First Potteries 44515 as it continued towards Hanley.

First Potteries 44515 in Stoke

Once off the bus we walked towards the Newcastle stop. As we headed to the stop we saw First Potteries 65728 running out of service heading towards Newcastle.

First Potteries 65728 in Stoke

We waited for a bus towards Newcastle. A few minutes later we saw First Potteries 63113 on a #11 to Newcastle.

First Potteries 63113 in Stoke

behind that we saw a double decker approaching. It was First Potteries 37146 on a #25 to Keele.

First Potteries 37146 in Stoke

We got on the bus and we booked to Newcastle before we went upstairs and sat down. We set off along Church Street and off up the hill along Hartshill Road and we saw First Potteries 32649 on #25 to Hanley. 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. As we travelled through the hospital we saw D&G 27 on a #9 to Biddulph and First Potteries 67649 on a #22 to Longton. We bounced our way through the hospital grounds over the severe speed bumps and we joined the North bound A34 passing First Potteries 32634 on a #25 to Hanley. A couple of stops up the road we got up and got off the bus. Once off the bus we walked up the hill to Grandma's house. At Grandma's Matthew had toast and a can of Irn Bru and used her computer. He also had the pastry from a mince pie. When it was time to go we went to the pub in the car. We set off just after 18:00 and we ran down Occupation Street. We turned left onto the A34. We continued southwards into Trent Vale and we stopped at the pub. We walked into the pub and we sat down at our one our normal tables. Matthew had a brunch with oatcakes followed by toffee sponge pudding with ice cream. Highlights of the bus sightings included First Potteries 63098 on a #22 to Longton, Roseville DY65 MDN and First Potteries 65004 on a #101 to Stafford. Once we had finished eating we set off to uncle Dave's to pick him up. We ran down the A34 and we joined the Northbound A500. At Sideway we turned right onto the A50 and we saw ABC Supreme YN61 AXO heading Eastwards. We came off the A50 at Heron Cross. We dropped down into Fenton to pick uncle Dave up. Once we had picked him up we ran up to Heron Cross and we joined the Westbound A50. we veered left onto Stanley Matthews Way and we ran to the end. We turned right onto the A5035 and we crossed over the railway line into Trentham. We crossed over the canal and we turned right onto Brough Lane. We continued onto The Lea and we stopped at the shop. We picked up a parcel and Matthew brought a couple of chocolate bars and a small bottle of Coke. Once we had finished in the shop the continued along The Lea and we turned left onto New Inn Lane. We joined the A5035 and we ran over the railway line into Blurton and we got home around 19:30. Matthew chilled out on his computer and we composed a few e-mails and sorted a few things out. We then chilled out on the sofa doing e-mails and writing the until bedtime around 01:00... Mark