Trip to Longton / Trent Vale 22-07-2022

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
119	Fenton, Smithpool Road	Longton Interchange	1A	D&G Bus
69172	Longton Interchange	Blurton, Opp Ladybank Grove	22	First Potteries

Today Matthew was coming to Blurton for the weekend. He was also going out to the pub. It would appear that we are about to have more First E200 MMC's from Olive Grove. Grandma was on holiday today so thing were a little different. Matthew got up around 08:00 and had toast and orange juice for breakfast. In the morning Matthew went downstairs and headed to the funfair. We set off onto Temple Street and we turned left onto Smithpool Road. We crossed over the railway line and we went past the pool before turning left into the park. Once in the park we headed over to the funfair. Matthew had a look around to see what rides were there. When we had finished we walked back onto Smithpool Road and we crossed over the railway line and we turned left into the back alley. We went forwards onto Crawford Street and forwards onto Clifton Street. We turned left onto Christchurch Street and left onto Temple Street and back to the residential unit. We went upstairs and Matthew chilled out in his room. For dinner matthew had a sausage chip and gravy washed down with a can of Irn Bru. I came to pick Matthew up just after 15:00 and after he came downstairs we cut through onto City Road and we crossed over. We saw Afford Rent-a-car YK20 AXX parked up in a side street.

Afford rent-a-car YK20 AXX in Fenton

We walked down to the stop outside the shops and we waited for a bus towards Longton. A short time later we saw a bus coming up the hill. We saw D&G Bus 119 on a #1A to Meir.

D&G Bus 119 in Fenton

We got on the bus and we booked Longton before sitting down towards the back of the bus. We carried on along City Road. We ran past the site of the new Burger King and we went forwards onto King Street. We ran through Foley and we under the railway line into Longton Transport Interchange and we got up and got off the bus. As it got closer we saw that it was First Potteries 69172 on a #22 to Newcastle.

First Potteries 69172 in Longton Interchange

We got on the bus and we booked to Blurton before sitting down towards the back of the bus. The bus set off out of the Interchange onto Baths Road past Tesco. We cross over the A50 onto Foley Road and at the end we turned right onto Longton Hall Road. We ran down the hill into Blurton and we turned left onto Blurton Road. We ran up the hill and at the roundabout we turned right onto Church Road. We turned right onto Beaconsfield Drive and ran to the far end where we got up and got off the bus. Once off the bus we spotted First Potteries 63178 on a #22 to Longton.

First Potteries 63178 in Blurton

We crossed over the road and Matthew took another picture of First Potteries 69172 as it continued towards Newcastle.

First Potteries 69172 in Blurton

We walked back to the house and Matthew used his computer. For a snack Matthew had some toast washed down with a can of Dr Pepper. Around 17:45 we set off to pick up uncle Dave and got to the pub. We set off thr Blurton onto Beaconsfield Drive and we saw white minibus CV11 BBK parked up. We turned left onto Church Road and at the roundabout we veered left onto Blurton Road. We ran through Blurton and into Heron Cross and over the A50. At Heron Cross lights we turned left onto Grove Road. We ran forwards onto Wheildon Road and we picked up uncle Dave. Once we had picked up uncle Dave, we set off back down towards Stoke and onto the A500. We turned left onto Church Street and and we went around the one-way system. We turned left onto London Road and we headed into the West End, and we ran past the former Oak Tree pub which has now been demolished. We ran to the end of London Road and we sat at the light waiting to turn right onto the A34. We continued up to the pub and we parked up. We walked into the pub and Matthew had a brunch with oatcakes followed by toffee sponge pudding with ice cream. Whilst we ate highlights of the passing buses included First Potteries 37146 on a #101 to Stafford, grey minibus BU51 VUU and Leons Coaches 232 heading Southwards. Once we had finished eating we set off on the A34 and we went under the A500 into Hanford. We stopped at the petrol station and put a very small amount of diesel in the car. It didn't even register as there was any extra fuel in! We re-joined the A34 and we ran into Trentham. We turned left onto the A5035 and we crossed over the canal and the railway line and into Blurton. We chilled out on the computer for a short while before taking uncle Dave home. We got in the car and we set off through Burton and we ran along Beaconsfield Drive where we saw grey minibus CV11 BBK parked up. We turned left onto Church Street and left onto Blurton Road. We turned right onto the Eastbound A50 and we ran up to Tesco to put in some more diesel. We rejoined the A50 and we came off at Heron Cross. We ran into Heron Cross lights. We turned left onto Grove Road and we ran forwards onto Wheildon Road. We dropped off uncle Dave and we ran back up Wheildon Road and forwards onto Grove Road. We turned right onto Blurton Road and we crossed over the A50. We ran through Blurton and at the roundabout we veered right onto Church Street. We turned right onto the Beaconsfield Drive and we turned left onto Finstock Avenue. We saw blue minibus HG15 ELC parked up on Consett Road and we returned to Blurton. Later on we did some more of the Blog and we chilled out on the sofa until bedtime around 00:00... Mark