Trip to Newcastle / Biddulph 03-04-2021

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
67155	Fenton, adj Royal Oak	Stoke, Adj stop Q	23	First Potteries
69172	Stoke, adj stop P	Newcastle BS	11	First Potteries
63116	Newcastle BS	Tunstall, adj stop B	99	First Potteries
44511	Tunstall, adj stop B	Newcastle BS	99	First Potteries
31782	Newcastle BS	Hanley BS	4	First Potteries
63178	Hanley BS	Biddulph BS	7A	First Potteries
27	Biddulph BS	Hanley BS	9	D&G Bus

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 silver minibus DK07 TYV.

DK07 TYV in Fenton

He spent time in the living room and we saw Temple Street church minibus RX18 GZW.

Temple Street church RX18 GZW in Fenton

Whilst in his room we saw D&G Bus 115 on a #1 to Meir.

D&G 115 in Fenton

Later on 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 Stoke. After a short wait we saw First Potteries 67155 on a #23 to Hanley. We got on the bus and we Knot Day ticket under the scanner before we sat down towards the back of the bus. We set off along Christchurch Street. We turned left onto City Road. down under the railway line and into Stoke. We got up and got off the bus. Once off the bus we walked along Church Street and we visited the Stoke Cafe. Matthew went to the toilet and I ordered the food. Matthew had a breakfast washed down with a can of Coke. When we had finished we set off onto Church Street and we walked up to the Newcastle bus stop. A few minutes later we saw a D&G bus approaching. As it got closer we saw it was First Potteries 69172 on a #11 to Newcastle. 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 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 where we got up and got off the bus. Once off the bus we headed down towards the bottom end of the bus station and we saw Arriva Midlands 3699 on a #164 to Market Drayton. As we contemplated doing a bus to Tunstall. A short time later we saw First Potteries 63116 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. 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. We went to Tunstall Cafe and Matthew used the toilet. Afterwards he had a can of Coke. When we had finished we crossed the road and we waited for a bus back to Newcastle. Whilst we waited we saw First Potteries 31782 on a #3A to Talke. A short time later we saw the bus approaching. As expected it was First Potteries 44511 on a #99 to Newcastle. 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 we ran down onto Brownhills Road. We went past the school were there was an unidentified red single decker parked up. We continued down to Trubshaw Cross and as we approached the roundabout. We tiniued down int Longport and over the A500 and up Porthill Bank. We turned left at the roundabout and we ran through Wolstanton and May Bank into Newcastle. We crossed the Jubilee roundabout and we ran down Barracks Road and into New castle bus station. We got off the bus and we headed down to the bottom of the bus station. We considered doing required First Potteries 63116 on a #25, but we decided against it. We went down to the bottom of the bus station whilst we decided what to do next. We then saw First Potteries 32053 on a #99 to Chell Heath. A few minutes later we saw a double decker approaching... It was dud First Potteries 31782 on a #4 to Hanley. We decided to do this bus as it was going to Hanley. We got on the bus and we flashed the Knot Day ticket to the driver before to the driver before we went upstairs. The top deck was empty at the back, so Matthew took a picture inside First Potteries 31782.

Inside First Potteries 31782

The bus set off out of the bus station onto Barracks Road. We crossed the roundabout onto the A53 and we ran up and over into Etruria. We crossed the A500 and and we headed up to Festival Park. We left the A53 onto Forge Lane. We came back towards the A53 along Festival Way. We crossed under the A53 and we ran up Etruria Road and into Hanley. We continued onto trinity Street before turning right into Stafford Street. Past the town hall and Radio Stoke. We entered the bus station off Bagnall Street. Once off the bus Matthew went to the toilet. Once Matthew had been to the facilities we headed towards John Street car park to take a few bus pictures. On the way up there we saw First Potteries 63174 on a #3 to Crewe. We went up the stairs and unusually the car park was busy. We saw First Potteries 63177 on a #7A to Biddulph. A short time later we headed back to the bus station and we visited the Spar shop. Matthew had a can of Coke and a bottle of Irn Bru as well as a couple of chocolate bars. We headed down to the stand to wait for the next #7A to Biddulph. Whilst we waited Matthew ate a Flake. 20 minutes later the bus appeared. It was First Potteries 63178 on a #7A to Biddulph. We got on the bus and we flashed the Knot ticket to the 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. 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 benches to eat the fries. It was at this point we realised there was an hour long gap in the #7A service. About 30 minutes int the wait we saw D&G Bus 37 on a #94 to Newcastle. Matthew didn't want to do this bus. A minute or so later we saw D&G Bus 27 arrive to work the next #9 to Hanley. We got on the bus and we placed our Knot Day ticket under the scanner before we sat down towards the back of the bus. The bus set off out of 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 and we ran down through Brindley Ford into Fegg Hayes. We turned left onto Oxford Road and we ran forwards into Chell Heath. We passed Matthew's old school site which is going to be a new sheltered housing site. We ran through Bradeley to the traffic lights. We turned right and we ran up the hill through Smallthorne. At the top of the hill we turned left onto the A5272 and into Hanley. We ran into town along Town Road and we crossed over the ring road. We turned right onto Quadrant Road and we went under the Intu Potteries shopping centre. We ran forwards onto Stafford Street and we passed the town hall. We ran along Bagnall Street and into the bus station. Once off the bus Matthew visited the toilet. After using the facilities we headed out of the bus station and we crossed over Lichfield Street onto Birch Terrac. We set off onto Lichfield Street and over the ring road. We ran down to Joiners Square and we went over the roundabout 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 chicken burger from kfc. He also had some fries and a cup of Coke. 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.