Trip to Newcastle / Biddulph 02-01-2021

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
67152	Fenton, adj Royal Oak	Stoke, Adj stop Q	23	First Potteries
65731	Stoke, Adj stop Q	Newcastle BS	11	First Potteries
67657	Newcastle BS	Tunstall, Adj Stop A	99	First Potteries
65729	Tunstall, Adj Stop M	Crewe BS	3	First Potteries
2934	Crewe BS	Congleton BS	38	Arriva NW&W
49	Congleton BS	Biddulph BS	94	D&G Bus
63178	Biddulph BS	Hanley BS	7A	First Potteries

Today Matthew was in the residential unit and he was going to his day service. He was also to do a local trip. Matthew got up around 08:00 and had toast for breakfast. before Matthew went to the day centre he watched buses out of the window. whilst waiting for the time to go to the day centre, we saw Temple Street Church RX18 GZW.

Temple Street Church RX18 GZW in Fenton

Also seen was First Potteries 67156 on a #23 to Hanley.

First Potteries 67156 in Fenton

we went downstairs and we set off onto Temple Street. In the distance we saw Temple Street church minibus RX18 GZW. We carried on along Temple Street and we turned left onto Christchurch Street. We waited for a bus towards Hanley. After a short wait we saw First Potteries 67152 on a #23 to Hanley. We got on the bus and we booked a Network Day ticket at £7.50. We sat down towards the back of the bus and we set off along Christchurch Street. We turned left onto City Road. and we joined the A52 to go under the railway line and over the A500. We continued onto Church Street where we got up and got off the bus. Once off the bus we walked along Church Street to Stoke Cafe. Matthew went to the toilet and I ordered the food. For dinner Matthew had a breakfast washed down with a can of Coke. Once we had finished eating we set off onto Church Street and we waited at the bus stop for a bus to Newcastle. A few minutes later the bus appeared and it was First Potteries 65731 on a #11 to Newcastle. 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 along Church Street and forwards onto Hartshill Road. We ran the mile or so up to Hartshill and to the top of Newcastle. We descended down George Street into Newcastle and we turned left at the roundabout onto Barracks Road. We turned into the bus station and We got off the bus and we sat on the bench at the bottom of the bus station whilst we decided what we were going to do next. A few minutes later we saw required Arriva Midlands 3697 on a #164 to Market Drayton. As we contemplated doing a bus to Tunstall. A short time later we saw First Potteries 67657 on a #99 to Chell Heath. 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 67154 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. Once off the bus we walked to Tunstall Park. We crossed over the road and we walked down the path onto The Blvd. We crossed over Victoria Park Road. We walked around Tunstall Park for a while. We walk northwards through the park and into the North West corner to the sensory play area. We walked through the park and Matthew went to the toilet and went to the cafe and Matthew had a can of Coke. After spending a while there we walked back to the South East corner of the park. We returned back into Victoria Park Road and we turned right onto The Blvd and right onto High Street. We waited for the next Crewe bus. A short time later we saw First Potteries 65729 on a #3 to Crewe. We got on the bus and we flashed the Network Day ticket to the driver before sitting down towards the back of the bus. We set off High Street. and we continued North onto the A50. We ran through Goldenhill and down the bank into Kidsgrove. We ran under the railway line and we passed the site of the new Lidl being built. into Cheshire and we crossed over the A34. We continued into Church Lawton and then into Alsager. We continued Westwards along the B5077 under the M6 and into Radway Green. We followed the road to the right up Slaughter hill and we continued straight up into Haslington. We turned left onto Crewe Road and we re-joined the B5077 towards Crewe Green. We crossed over the roundabout onto the Westbound A534 and we ran towards Crewe railway station. We past the railway station where we saw Arriva NW&W 2951 on a #38 to Macclesfield. We continued for around 1/2 mile before turning right into Edlestone Road. We ran into town crossing over the railway line and forwards onto Chester Bridge. We followed the road around onto Delamere Street and we turned right into the bus station where we got up and got off the bus. Once off the bus we saw Arriva NW&W 2501 on a #31 to Northwich. We walked into the main station and we saw Arriva NW&W 2934 on a #38 to Macclesfield. we got the bus bus ready for service. We got on and we brought Arriva Day Saver tickets at £5.50 each before we sat down. The bus set off out of the bus station and we turned left onto Delamere Street. We followed the road around to the right onto Chester Bridge and we crossed the railway line and onto Edleston Road where we saw Arriva NW&W 2933 on a #38 to Crewe. At the end of the long straight road we turned left onto the A534 and we ran past the railway station ans past B&Q. The bus emptied a little and Matthew to a picture of the empty seat adjacent to us inside Arriva NW&W 2934.

Inside Arriva NW&W 2934

We traveled Eastwards along Crewe Road. We went through Haslington and Winterley and further North through Wheelock Heath. We crossed the A534 and we ran through Wheelock. We ran over the canal and into Sandbach town center past Sandbach School. When we got to the Common onto Congleton Road. We joined the A534 and past the site of the new development by the M6. We continued along the A534 and we crossed over the M6 and into Arclid. We carried on through Medhurst Green and we crossed over the Wall Hill roundabouts. On the edge of Congleton we joined the A34 and we ran East along the road for a short while before going onto West Street. We entered town along Antrobus Street, Mill Street and Mountbatten Way. We turned right into Market Street, past the Bear Grills cafe and into the bus station. We got off the bus. We walked up to the top end of the bus station and Matthew visited the toilet. Afterwards we continued up Market Street and we turned right on to Bridge Street. We stopped at B&M and we brought a bottle of Coke, some chocolate bars and a cup of pick and mix sweets. We walked along Bridge Street and left onto Market Street and back to the bus station. We sat in one of the bus stops and Matthew ate a couple of fun sized Milky Way bars. Whilst we were eating we saw D&G Bus 49 on a #94 to Newcastle. We got on the bus and we brought singles at £2.20 each before sitting down towards the back of the bus. We set off along Market Street and we turned right into High Street. We continued onto Lawton Street. We turned right onto the A527 and we ran out of town past Congleton railway station. We ran through Mossley and White More and into Biddulph. We set off along the by-pass before turning right into Wharf Road where we got up and got off the bus. Once off the bus we used the toilet and turned the corner onto the High Street. We walked down to the kebab shop and we ordered some food. We picked up a couple of portions of fries and a can of Vimto and we returned onto Wharf Road. We returned to the bus stop to eat the fries. After we had eaten we had around 10 minutes to wait for the next #7A to Hanley. A few minutes later we saw a bus approaching. As it got closer we saw it was First Potteries 63178 on a #7A to Hanley. We got on the bus and we flashed the First Network Day ticket to the driver for the final time today. we sat down. The bus set off onto the 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 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. The bus came in through Quadrant Road and forwards onto Stafford Street. We ran past the town hall and we ran along Bagnall Street and into the bus station. We got up and got off the bus and we spotted First Potteries 65031 on a #101 to Stafford. We visited the toilet and afterwards we left the bus station and we crossed Lichfield Street. We walked along Birch Terrace and we met up with mum and her friend. We got in the car and Matthew had a can of Coke. We set off along Birch Terrace and we turned left onto Lichfield Street. We crossed over the ring road and we ran down Lichfield Street and into joiners Square. We crossed over the onto Victoria Road. Victoria Road and we ran up the hill into Fenton. At the roundabout we turned sharp right onto City Road and left onto Smithpool Road. We turned left onto Temple Street and we went to his room and chilled out. We went upstairs and Matthew had a can of Irn Bru. For a late tea Matthew had a toast and cheese with chips. Later on Matthew had a bath and then had toast for supper. He then chilled out in his room until bedtime around 23:00... Mark.