Trip to Hanley / Biddulph 22-09-2012

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
40373	Ladybank Grove , Blurton	Hanley BS	23A	First Potteries
234	Hanley BS	Smallethorne, Ashman Street	9	Bakerbus
248	Smallethorne, Ashman Street	Biddulph, High Street	9	Bakerbus
185	Biddulph, High Street	Longport, Longport Road	94A	Bakerbus

Today we decided to stay local. Matthew isn't due to go to the Meadows for a few weeks. We had no plan as such, we just decided that we would go to Hanley and then see what was out. Weather forecast for today was for sunshine and then sunny intervals. It had been raining for most of the week and it was forecast for rain from Sunday and so we were quite lucky. Matthew got up around 09:30 and had some toast for his breakfast. We set off around 12:00 and walked all the way to the Ladybank Grove bus stop. Whilst there we saw 40151 heading towards Longton on a #22 service and 40163 heading toward Longton the opposite way on a #23A service.

First Potteries 40163 in Blurton

We didn't have to wait for long before a hanley bus rounded the corner. It was dud First Potteries 40373. This is a bus that we had been on last year.

First Potteries 40373 in Blurton

We got on the bus and brought a Smart Day ticket. We sat on the near side of the bus on the hump, which is the best place to see out of the front window. The journey to Hanley was quite pleasant. In Stoke we passed 2 of the new to the Potteries double deckers. They were First Potteries 32627 and 32635. As we reached the edge of Hanley we saw Bakerbus Volvo B6 227 heading North, presumably on a #9 service. When we got to Hanley Matthew waited for the bus to empty and then got a picture of the inside of our bus.

Inside First Potteries 40373

Matthew and uncle Dave went onto the balcony, and I went to get some chips for diner. New to the Potteries fleet Dart 41499 was seen on a #7 Kidsgrove service. After that in came one of the double deckers.

First Potteries 32635 in Hanley bus station

Also seen for the first time was one of the Bakerbus Streetlites 254 on X75 service. East Lancs bodied Dart 40779 came into the bus station and then parked up. It was displaying #5 Abbey Hulton. We saw Arriva Midland 2706 on a #164 service. I think Matthew was quite keen to ride on this bus because he turned down a few other buses hoping that this would work. One such bus was step entranced Wardle Transport 4692 on a Derby bound X50 which we could have done to Blythe Bridge.

Wardle Transport 4692 on the X50 (Mark)

We saw an interesting Bakerbus 194 on the #9 which seemed to have seats similar to the GM Volvo's and Darts. We also saw Wardle Transport 2260 on a #41 service in the new livery.

Wardle Transport 2260 in Hanley bus station

We had spent an hour in the bus station, and Matthew now wanted to go to the toilet. The green tardis toilet at the end of the bus station was broken and the nearest one was at least 600 yds away through busy streets, so we decided to catch a bus to somewhere else with a toilet. I thought there was still a toilet in Smallthorne so we decided to do the next #9, which just happened to be required Bakerbus Primo 234. We got on the bus and sat near the back. It was the first time we had been on a Primo, despite there being quite a few locally in 2 different fleets. This bus was branded for working the X38 service from Congleton to Sandbach and Crewe. As we left hanley bus station we passed the row of bus parked up between duties. Wardle Transport 1421 & 1460 were 2 of the buses that were here. This bus was only going to Fegg Hayes so we decided to try and do the Smallthorne toilet. We got off and Matthew got a picture of this bus which is unusual in Stoke-on-Trent.

Bakerbus 234 in Smallthorne

We walked up Ford Green Road to the junction of Community Drive only to find a space were the tardis toilet once stood. Drat! So we went back to the bus stop to wait for the next Bidduplh service were we knew there was definitely a working toilet! Whislt we waited we saw a few buses come past. On such bus was Wardle Transport 2301 on a #62A service.

Wardle Transport 2301 in Smallthorne

Going the other way on the same service was Wardle Transport 2408.

Wardle Transport 2408 in Smallthorne

Just after that came a Hybrid double decker 247 going towards Hanley. We the saw another hybrid going towards Biddulph.It was dud Bakerbus 248 which we have been on twice before!

Bakerbus 248 in Smallthorne

We got on and went upstairs. As it was empty Matthew got his picture as we got on.

Inside Bakerbus 248

We then sat down to relax for the journey up. As we turned the corner into Chell Heath Road, we passed bakerbus 250 on a Hanley bound service. By the time we got to Biddulph it was just before 15:00. We went to the toilet and then sat in the bus waiting room. The next bus due was a #7A to Hanley which should have been at 15:13. it still hadn't turned up by around 15:25. When bakerbus 247 turned up just before 15:30 we asked Matthew if he wanted to do this but he said no. He decided now he wanted to go to the cafe in sainnsbury's, which we could have done 30 minutes earlier! We went upstairs to the cafe and he had a chocolate cake and a draught Pepsi. he also bought a millionaire's shortbread and a bottle of Lucozade for later. He then wanted to go shopping, so we went and got some cans of Coke and some cornflake cakes. After our unscheduled stop it was nearly 16:00. there was a 16:05 94A, which I thought we could do to Longport where we could meet mum. This turned out to be unrequired Bakerbus 185 which we had been on almost a year ago to the day!

Bakerbus 185 in Biddulph bus station

The bus was empty and so he got his picture straight away.

Inside Bakerbus 185

I texted mum to meet us at Longport for 16:30, and we sat back and enjoyed the journey. the bus was virtually empty most of the way with only a few people getting on during the entire 30 minute journey. As we went down through Pits Hill we saw Stanways minibus KX51 LWR. We got off and I didn't notice mum was parked up in the adjacent street. She honked the horn and I turned around...eventually. We stooped to pick up LPG at the BP garage in Longport. We got in the car and then headed off towards Longton to go past the Z Carz garage. Most off the coaches were parked up with Matthew getting a picture of V690 EBC.

Z Carz V690 EBC in Longton

We then headed home, and we saw First Potteries 40166 on a #23 service. We got in at approximately 17:00. After sausage mash and carrots for tea we settled for an evening of telly before bedtime...Mark

Trip to Newcastle 24-05-2012

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
1450	Heron Cross	Bucknall Newhouse Road	Charter	Wardle Transport
40751	Bucknall Newhouse Road	Hanley BS	5	First Potteries
30029	Hanley BS	Newcastle BS	34A	First Potteries
40143	Newcastle BS	Biddulph High Street	99	First Potteries
40143	Biddulph BS	Newcastle BS	99	First Potteries
2260	Newcastle BS	Bradwell Hospital	35	Wardle Transport
2301	Bradwell Hospital	Newcastle BS	35	Wardle Transport
40148	Newcastle BS	Blurton Ladybank Grove	22	First Potteries

Today Matthew was in respite, and was going to college at least at the start of the day. Matthew got up around 07:00 and would have been redy for his transport to college at 08:00. It was his usual bus Wardle Transport 1450.

Wardle transport 1450 in Heron Cross

He would have arrived at college around 09:00. Today after 09:00 he went out for a bit of a trip around the Newcastle area. The first bus he had was First Potteries 40751 on the #5 to Hanley. They travelled through Bucknall and up Limekiln Bank. They got to Hanley around 10:00. After around an hour in Hanley, they spotted First Potteries 30029 on a #34 service. This was done through Festival park and up through Basford along the A53. This was done to Newcastle bus station where he got off. For dinner Matthew went to Morrisons in Newcastle. Matthew had a breakfast and the a lemon meringue for afters. Whilst in Morrisons they visited the toilets. Around 13:00 they saw 40143 was seen on a #99 to Biddulph. They travelled out through Wolstatnton to Porthill. They they went down through Longport and up to Tunstall. From Tunstall they traveled along the A527 to Biddulph. Matthew wanted to do this so he did this all the way to Biddulph and back the opposite way they came. In Newcastle Matthew saw 2260 on a #35 service. They did this to Bradwell. The return #35 was 2301 which he did back to Newcastle. as it was getting late, Matthew did a #22 homeward, which was First Potteries 40148. This was done South along the A34 to the hospital. They then went along Hilton Road and reapeared on the A34. After passing under the A500 they went through Hanford and Trentham. They Joined the A5035 which they did to Blurton. After he got back home we went out to MacDonalds for tea...Mark.

Trip to Ellesmere Port / Chester 15-10-2011

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
2438	Ellesmere Port BS	Chester BS	401	Arriva NW&W
2361	Chester BS	Garden City, Sealand School (SW-bound)	10	Arriva NW&W
2356	Garden City, Sealand School (SW-bound)	Wepre, Wepre War Memorial (NW-bound)	10	Arriva NW&W
2301	Wepre, Wepre War Memorial (SE-bound)	Chester BS	10	Arriva NW&W

Today we had decided to go to Chester. Preparation was to pick up the handful of timetable and put them in the bag! It was a really nice day for October and very warm. we set off a little before 12:00 and picked up uncle Dave on the way. Traffic was virtually non existent and we arrived in Ellesmere Port a fraction after 13:00. We had dinner in the market food court and then had a quick toilet stop. By the time we got to the bus station there was only about 5 minutes to wait for the 13:57 to Chester so Matthew didn't get many pictures here. After a short wait required 2438 appeared on the #401 to Chester.


Arriva NW&W 2438 on a #401 Liverpool - Chester service seen approaching Ellesmere Port bus station (Matt)

Matthew got his picture and we had a brisk walk to stop to get on. The journey was quite pleasant in the sun and we passed ALX300 DAF 2411 on an opposite working. As we approached Chester we saw school bus 60035 parked up at the front of the First depot. As we got off Matthew got his customary empty bus shot.


Inside 2438 (Matt)

We then had around 20 minutes or so in Chester. Matthew got a few more picture and I went to fetch Lotto tickets (turned out not to be winners again :-( ). Given the choice of 2361 on the #10 and 2349 on the X11, Matthew chose to do 2361. Either would have been a winner as they were both required. The bus wasn't as full as it has been the last few times we've caught this service and this made for a pleasant journey. I didn't notice, but instead of just drawing forward and taking the tight turn to leave the bus station, we reversed out, and then went round the back of the X11 stop so the turn wasn't so tight. Perhaps there was a problem with the steering on this bus. When we were traveling through the Garden City area. We noticed there was a bus in front stopped with it's hazard lights on. We thought that maybe it had broken down. We then stopped behind it and the driver asked us all to 'please get on the bus in front'. There must have been a fault on our bus. as we transferred, Matthew got a picture of 2361.


Arriva NW&W 2361 in Garden City as we swapped between buses (Matt)

We boarded the new bus, 2356 which was also required! Traveling through the Queensferry area we passed 7550 on an opposite working. We alighted by the Wepre war memorial and Matthew got a picture of 2356.


Arriva NW&W 2356 by the Wepre war memorial (Matt)

We crossed the road and waited for a return service. at 15:19 the electronic display said the next bus was 15:35 for a #12, but there was a #10 due at 15:24. A few minute later Ex Wrexham 2301 appeared and this was also required!


Arriva NW&W 2301 opposite the Wepre war memorial (Matt)

The journey back was noisy as there were a lot of teenagers on the bus. A few minutes later we arrived back in Chester bus station and Matthew got a picture of the 'Smartie' interior of 2301.


Inside 2301 (Matt)

We then had around 30 minutes in the bus station taking picture. Surprisingly, we did not see a single double decker bus in Chester apart from the sightseeing tours open toppers. Have 30069 and 30077 been withdrawn? First did seem to be a full complement of the Marshall Darts out, and also plenty of Solo's. What did take us by surprise was the addition to the fleet of ex Tameside Solo 40311 which we happened to get a photograph of by chance...


New to Chester 40311 (Matt)

Mum then drove into the Market car park for free parking (after 15:00). when she appeared she went to get sausage rolls from Greggs near the market and we took a few more pictures. When mum returned we set off back to the car, making sure we got the shot of our first sighting of a D&G bus in Chester on the relatively new #81 Winsford - Chester service.


First sighting of a D&G bus in Chester... D&G 40 on the #81 Winsford (Matt)

Returning home we tried to pick up Radio Stoke to listen to the match. The car had been int the garage for some work and all the presets had been lost. As the signal is always weak at Chester we were unable to get radio Stoke until we were on the outskirts of Warrington. We tuned in to find stoke 1-0 up and that was soon to be 2-0. Not a bad result against Fulham. We returned home via Longport to pick up LPG and Petrol. As we went south on the A500 we passed quite a few coaches heading North from Stoke's ground. At the A500/A519 junction we were trailing a Kings ferry coach which was probably the Fulham team coach. We reached home around 17:30 from another successful days bus photographing and bashing trip...Mark