Trip to the Black Lion 15-02-2012

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
MIB 797	Heron Cross	Longton Hall Road	40	Copelands Tours
66838	Longton Hall Road	Trent Vale, adj Woodlands Rd	22	First Potteries
40377	Trent Vale, opp Black Lion	Hanford opp Man in Space	21	First Potteries
40146	Hanford opp Man in Space	Blurton Road, Blurtn	22	First Potteries
40171	Blurton Road, Blurton	Heron Cross	23	First Potteries

Today was Matthew's first trip out on a bus whilst staying at his new respite place. I organised a PA to go to meet Matthew and a member of staff from the place, and created a 4 page document on what buses to catch and where to catch them. The first bus that I organised for Matthew to catch was a Copelands Tours Dennis Dart on the #40 service. This can be one of two Ex PMT step entrance buses with MIB 783 being the most common and MIB 797 putting in a few less appearances. He has been on both of these buses before but not for a year or two so I thought it would be nice for him to travel on one of these buses again whilst he still can. Whilst waiting he saw First PMT 40139. Today it was the turn of MIB 797 to work the service and Matthew got a picture of this before he boarded it.

Copeland Tours MIB 797 in Heron Cross

The next bus I planned for him to get was the #22A turn which unusually brings a long bus onto the run or even sometimes a double decker like 31519. The bus misses out going through the hospital so it can be any length of vehicle. Due to the work being carried out on the hospital sight nothing longer than regular dart can work a #22. More often a Scania, Whilst waiting for the bus Matthew saw Dennis Dart 40144 going towards Longton. today it was a Volvo. It was dud 66838 and Matthew got a picture of it before he boarded.

First PMT 66838 in Longton Hall Road

Matthew got off in Trent Vale and then went to The Black Lion for his dinner. He had his usual from the 2 courses for £6.50 menu which was washed down with a glass of Coke. On the return I had planned for Matthew to stagger his journey and to get in some different buses. I had planned for Matthew to get a AG Scania or Dart to Trentham, for a NE 40153 Dart or 40017 Solo to Blurton, for a AG Dart into Heron cross. After his dinner he walked across the road to wait for the #21 or #21A, whichever came first. It was a #21 which I had planned but it didn't produce a Scania which I had hoped for. Matthew has had the majority of AG's alloaction of Darts but very few of their Scana's. It was however a required bus, Dennis Dart 40377. Matthew got a picture before he boarded.

First PMT 40377 in London Road

After this short journey he got a picture as he got off, With the blind now set ready for the last bit of the loop and it's return journey North.

40377 opposite the Man in Space

At this point he had around a 20 minute wait. He saw UVG Dart 40745 heading North presumably on a #21A.

First PMT 40745 on a Hanley bound #21

He also saw the following #21 which I had not out down for him to catch as the timing was too close with only two minutes before the #22 was due. It was required Scania 60062.

First PMT 60062 on the follow #21 Trentham

A couple of minutes Later the #22 turn up, It was an ALX200 Dart which Matthew quite likes and it was also required. Matthew got a picture of 40146 before he boarded.

First PMT 40146 on the #22 Longton

Matthew now only needs 1 bus to complete the whole allocation of, As he got off in Longton Hall Road, he got another picture of this bus. He also saw Dennis Dart 40143 Heading towards Newcastle on a #22 First PMT ALX200 Dennis Dart.

40146 on Longton Hall Road

Having got of the Longton bus, they crossed over Blurton road to wait for the bus back to Heron Cross. It turned up a few minutes later and it was dud Marshall Dart 40171, which he a picture of before he boarded.

First PMT 40171 on Blurton Road

Back a t Heron Cross he walkedback to the new respite place. As he got back he saw Wardle Transport minibus 1626 and he got a picture of this bus too.

Wardle Transport 1626 in Heron Cross

He also saw Wardle Transport 2531. The respite place report that Matthew was superb whilst he was out and that he really enjoyed himself...Mark

Trip to Newcastle 02-08-2011

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
40003	ladybank Grove, Blurton	Stoke railway station	23	First Potteries
66838	Stoke railway station	Newcastle town centre, the Alma inn PH (adj)	25	First Potteries
40139	hartshill, Kingswell Road (adj)	Stoke-upon-Trent, Lytton Street (adj)	26	First Potteries
60074	Stoke-upon-Trent, Lytton Street (opp)	Church Street, Stoke	25	First Potteries
66839	Church Street, Stoke	Stoke railway station	25	First Potteries
2931	Stoke railway station	Stanley Matthews Way, Hem Heath	500	Wardle Transport

Matthew hadn't been out yet this month, and as he had been quite good today I decided to take him out for an hour or two. We were ready about 30 minutes earlier than usual, so I decided we could go to the railway station on the other 23 diagram, the one that is almost always 40003. we went to the Ladybank grove stop tonight and after a few minutes sure enough 40003 turned up!


40003 in Blurton on it's usual 23 turn (Matt)

As we were earlier. I thought we could potentially cover all 3 buses on the #25 service, as well as one of the buses on the #26. This would of course depend on if all the buses were running to time. We did 40003 to Stoke railway station, and as it was on time we were able to casually cross the road to wait for the Keele bound #25 service. After a couple of minutes 66838 appeared on the service. I had worried Star Travel Minibus out that we should pass the next #25 outside stoke and we could go to the Alma and catch a #26 back to stoke for this bus. Going up Harsthill bank we passed 60074 on the Hanley bound #25 which was required! we got off outside the Alma and Matthew photographed the bus as it sped off...


66838 heads towards Newcastle on a #25 to Keele (Matt)

We got off the bus and head to the next bus stop towards Stoke. In hindsight we should have gone the other way as it was about 1/4 mile! after a short while 40139 turned up on the service. Initially I thought it was a bus that Matthew required, but I remembered it was the second bus we had the first time we had been to Chester specifically to ride on buses. we did this bus to Lytton Street, where once again Matthew got a shot.


Ex Chester Dart 40139 heading towards Longton on a #26 (Matt)

The plan was now, if the #23 was on time we would do it to Stoke station and pick up 60074 there, otherwise, just stay put and have a short ride on 60074. 40155 was indeed a couple of minutes late on the #23 Hanley, and we stayed put to make sure we got 40155. 60074 eventually rounded the corner. we did it to stoke and Matthew got a shot.


Purple 'W' 60074 on a #25 to Keele (Matt)

we crossed the road and waited about a minute before the next Hanley bound #25, this one was 66839 which we have had recently. we did it to the station and Matthew got a picture.


66839 on a #25 outside stoke railway station (Matt)

We then had 10 minutes to wait, before the #50, we did this by photographing the coaches behind the North Stafford hotel, and then sitting on the steps next to the bus stop. Todays #500 was 2931 which was the same as last time we did it. at journey end we crossed the road and then photographed the bus as it wait time for the return journey.


Wardle Transport 2931 at journey end on the #500 (Matt)

Afterwards we walked back home in darkness...Mark

Trip to Tittesworth 14-04-2011

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
40139	Wolstanton	Hanley BS	17	First Potteries
41070	Hanley BS	Leek BS	18	First Potteries
MIB 246	Leek BS	Tittesworth Reservoir	Charter	Copelands Tours
MIB 246	Tittesworth Reservoir	Leek BS	Charter	Copelands Tours
41070	Leek BS	Hanley BS	18	First Potteries
40148	Hanley BS	Newcastle BS	34	First Potteries
40149	Newcastle BS	Wolstanton	99A	First Potteries

Today Matthew was taken out to Tittesworth reservoir. Not to sure about the details because he never tell me anything! He still wants me to write about these things though, which makes thing very difficult. Seen out and about were 40139 on a #17 Hanley - Newcastle via Wolstanton, and Ex Chesterbus Marshall bodied Dennis Dart on a #18 Hanley - Leek service. When he got to Tittesworth Matthew visited the cafe and took several photographs of the place. lots of other buses and coaches were seen. Copelands Tours MIB 246 was one of them.


Sheep near Tittesworth (Matt)

After spending a few hour here, Matthew returned to the respite unit. 40148 and 40149 were seen on Newcastle bus diagrams...Mark