Trip to Cheadle 26-08-2011

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
N748 OYR	Longto Transport Interchange	Cheadle Town Centre, adj Charles Street	7A	Wardle Transport
65034	Cheadle Town Centre, adj Charles Street	Werrington PO(opp)	32	First Potteries

Today we decided to go to Cheadle again after I returned from work. We got to Longton around 16:00 and we had around 20 minutes to wait for the Cheadle bus. Whilst we were waiting Matthew took a couple of picture including on of 40179.


40179 in Longton transport Interchange (Matt)

After a short wait i could seen what looked like a Nothern Counties bodied Dart on the Strand so we started walking towards the correct stand. When it appeared I was indeed as described, N748 OYR still not carrying Wardle Transport fleet numbers.


Wardle Transport N748 OYR (still no fleet number) in Longton Transport Interchange (Matt)

We got on the bus and then waited until time before departing along Uttoxeter Road. The journey was uneventful, although the driver was surprised to pick someone in in Cresswell for the first time ever. We got off in cheadle at the same stop as week. Matthew got a shot as it departed.


That bus leaving Cheadle (Matt)

As we waited for a 32/32A, Matthew saw one of his old favourites. It was Clowes coaches M127 YCM which is a regular on the 234/236 service one which Matthew has ridden on many times!


Clowes Coaches M127 YCM heading towards Tean (Matt)

A short while later required 65034 appeared on a #32 Hanley. We got of at Werrington and waited for mum.


65034 in Werrington (Matt)

Whilst wait we saw Alton Towers Transport Volvo B10 M574 YEW on a #15 service.


M574 YEW in Werrington on the ATT #15 service (Matt)

When mum turned up we went to a local chip shop and picked up some chips for Matthew. We then went home via Uncle Daves house...Mark

Trip to Blackbrook Zoo 27-03-2011

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
FJ10 BJX	John St, Hanley	Blackbrook Zoo	Charter	Aiming High
FJ10 BJX	Blackbrook Zoo	John St, Hanley	Charter	Aiming High

As often is the case Matthew picked a trip out with Aiming High as the trips are favorite activity. As the clocks had gone forward the night before, getting up to take matthew out today was the equivalent of getting up at 07:00 on a Sunday morning! Not being sure eactly how prompt the 10:00 start would be, we took Matthew out a bit early. This would also give Matthew a chance to take more bus pictures whilst he was waiting. We arrived on the empty John Street car park around 09:20, passing a couple of plain white Wright bodied single decker on the way to Hanley. as they were near the Railway station I assumed they were rail replacement buses. Tomorrow they start work on the new bus station.


City centre bus station coming Autumn 2012 (Matt)

We had a good 30 minutes around the entrance to the current bus station and it was surprisingly busy for that time of day on a Sunday, Matthew took 20-30 pictures including the 2 Wright bodied buses seen earlier which turned out to be Alton Towers staff buses along with another Alexander Strider bodied M425 UNW.


ATT Volvo B10B M425 UNW approaches Hanley bus station (Matt)

There were also buses from Scraggs, D&G and First

61237 was on a service 6B into Hanley.


61237 approaching Hanley bus station (Matt)

Just before 10:00 we walked round to John Street were the bus was already waiting as it had come in from the other end.


Aiming High FJ10 BJX outside the Victoria Hall in Hanley (Matt)

After Matthew had boarded they asked him were his camera was. We'd taken it off him as we always do on these trips. Last time Matthew had accessed a trip via his respite he had accidentally taken the camera with him. This time Matthew was allowed to take his camera as official trip photographer!


Pink Flamingoes at Blackbrook Zoo (Matt)


Penguin swimming at Blackbrook Zoo (Matt)


The Meerkat on the left has darker eye's...Matthew comparing Meerkats at Blackbrook Zoo (Matt)

When we collected him at 15:00 staff reported that he had been good as gold Coach MIB 246 was also there :-) (Mark)