Trip to Hanley / Newcastle 16-01-2026

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
67176	Fenton, adj Travers Court	Hanley, adj stop J1	23	First Potteries
67176	Hanley BS	Fenton, Smithpool Road	23	First Potteries
67179	Fenton, adj Travers Court	Newcastle BS	11	First Potteries
35685	Newcastle BS	Newcastle, O/s The Cherry Tree PH	25	First Potteries

Today Matthew was returning to Blurton, going to Grandma's and going out for tea, but first he was going out on the bus. Matthew wokw up at 08:00 and had his medication. For breakfast Matthew had crumpets and orange juice. After spending some time in his room watching buses out of the window, he set off out to the bus stop. He went downstairs onto Temple Street and cut through onto City Road. On the way to the bus stop we saw Afford rent-a-car NU72 XKK parked up at their garage.

Afford rent-a-car NU72 XKK in Fenton

We continued to the bus stop and as we waited we saw First Potteries 35941 on a #40 to Newstead.

First Potteries 35941 in Fenton

Also seen was First Potteries 67154 on a #11X to Newcastle.

First Potteries 67154 in Fenton

A short time later we saw a bus turn around the corner. As it got closer we saw it was First Potteries 67176 on a #23 to Hanley. 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 and turned right 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 where we got up and got off the bus. Matthew got another picture of First Potteries 67176 before it continued into the bus station.

First Potteries 67176 in Hanley

Once off the bus we walked down John Street and we turned right onto Betesda Street. We visited the museum and when we had finished we walked along Bethesda Street and we crossed over the ring road. We continued towards Shelton onto Cleveland Road and we went into the park. Matthew spent some times in the park and afterwards go a taxi. We set off along College Road and we turned left onto Snow Hill. We turned right onto Havelock Place and right onto Clark Street We went passed the site of Cabality and we turned right onto Rectory Road and left onto Argyle Street. We turned right onto Sun Street past the former pub. We turned left onto Mount Pleasant and right onto Clough Street. We turned right onto the ring road and we we ran anti clockwise to Lichfield Street. We stopped in the car park and we got out of the taxi and we went into the chip shop. Matthew had sausage chips and gravy washed down with a can of Coke. When we had finished eaiting we headed to the bus station. We crossed over the ring road and onto Lichfield Street. We headed into the bus station and Matthew went to the toilet. We waited for a bus back towards Fenton. Whilst we waited we saw D&G Bus 762 on a #9A to Tunstall.

D&G Bus 762 in Hanley bus station

Also seen was First Potteries 63346 on a #38 Kidsgrove circular service.

First Potteries 63346 in Hanley bus station

A short time later we saw the bus pull on stand. As it got closer we saw it was First Potteries 67176 on a #23 to Newstead.

First Potteries 67176 in Hanley bus station

We got on the bus and we booked to Fenton before sitting down towards the back of the bus. We set off onto John Street and we turned left onto Bethesda Street. We crossed over the ring road and we ran down onto Regent Road and forwards onto Cleveland Road. We ran down though Shelton along College Road and we ran down to the railway station. We turned left onto Station Road and we ran part the railway station before going right onto Glebe Street. After a brief stop we continued forwards onto Glebe Street and we followed the road around onto Church Street. We crossed 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. Once off the bus we crossed over the road and cut through ont Temple Street. We went back into the residential unit and we went upstairs. Matthew chilled out in his room until it was time for me to pick him up. around 14:30 Matthew came downstairs to the car. We said goodbye to mum and we set off on foot to the bus stop. We cut through onto City Road and on the way we saw Safeguard CP18 FLN parking up.

Safeguard CP18 FLN in Fenton

Whilst we waited for a bus to Newcastle we saw a bus turn the corner. We saw First Potteries 67158 on a #23 to Hanley.

First Potteries 67158 in Fenton

Right behind this was our bus. As it got closer we saw it was First Potteries 67179 on a #11 to Newcastle.

First Potteries 67179 in Fenton

We got on the bus and we booked to Newcastle before sitting down towards the back of the bus. The bus set off down City Road and 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 and straight into Stoke town centre along Church Street. After a brief stop in Stoke we continued along church Street and forwards onto Hartshill Road. We ran up the hill and into Hartshill and past the former pub, the site of a new shop. 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 off the bus we walkd down to the bottom of the bus station to see what we could see. We saw Arriva Midlands 3694 on a #64 to Shrewsbury.

Arriva Midlands 3694 in Newcastle bus station

Almost imediately we saw a bus we could catch. It pulled on stand and we saw it was First Potteries 35685 on a #25 to Hanley.

First Potteries 35685 in Newcastle bus station

We got on the bus and we booked to the hospital before we went upstairs and sitting down. We set off out of the bus station onto Barracks Road. We ran Southwards onto the A34 and we got up and got off the bus by the Cherry Tree. We got off the bus and Matthew took a picture of First Potteries 35685 as it continued towards Hanley.

First Potteries 35685 in Newcastle

Once off the bus we headed up the hill towards Grandma's. At Grandma's Matthew had toast and a can of Irn Bru and used her computer. around 18:00 we set off from Grandma's and headed to the pub. and we ran down Occupation Street. We turned left onto the A34. We continued southwards into Trent Vale past the Greggs. We continued through 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 sightings whilst we ate include D&G Bus 29 running out of service towards the depot and D&G Bus 6007 on a #22 to Newcastle. Once we had finished eating we saw First Potteries 63347 on a #101 to Hanley. We set off and we carried on along the A34 and we went through Hanford and into Trentham. We turned left onto the A5035. We crossed over the railway line and into Blurton. We got back around 19:15. Matthew chilled out on his computer and we sorted a few things out. Matthew also had a Crunchie and a bottle of Cherry Coke. We wrote the Blog and sent a couple of e-mails. We chilled out on the sofa until bedtime around 00:00... Mark