Trip to Werrington 06-08-2009

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
42	Bucknall, New Finney Gardens (adj)‎	Werrington PO (opp)	31	Scraggs

It was a Friday afternoon in the school holidays so we decide to take Matthew out for a meal. We decided to go to the New Finney Gardens as it had a beer garden, and was on a busy bus route. I remember the meals being 2 for one and with there being 3 of us it didn't work out as well as we hoped. Whilst we ate Matthew took photographs of many of the passing buses and when we find them we'll post them here... After the meal we walked to the nearest bus stop and waited for the Scraggs #31 service to Werrington. When the bus turned up it was Scraggs 42.


Scraggs 42 on a different occasion... (Mark)

We did the bus up ash bank, around the estate and we got off outside the post office in Werrington, where mum met us to take us home... Mark

Trip to Uttoxeter 30-07-2009

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
2029	Uttoxeter BS	Sudbury, Portway Head	1	Arriva Midlands
2324	Sudbury, Portway Head	Uttoxeter BS	1A	Arriva Midlands
2049	Uttoxeter BS	The Heath, New Road (adj)	4	Arriva Midlands
2324	The Heath, New Road (adj)	Uttoxeter BS	4	Arriva Midlands
2043	Uttoxeter BS	Sudbury, Portway Head	1	Arriva Midlands
2390	Sudbury, Portway Head	Uttoxeter BS	1A	Arriva Midlands
65026	Uttoxeter BS	Werrington PO	32A	First Potteries

Originally, I'd taken the 29th of july off work, in order to take Matthew to Uttoxetter to travel on the 184 from Uttoxetter to Weston Coyney. Unfortunately it absolutely chucked it down all. At this point in time on Thursday I only worked until 12:30 so it was decided to take Matthew out on the 30th instead. Research consisted of downloading the Uttoxetter town map from the Staffordshire gov website and printing out a few timetables. Back home for around 12:45, we must have spent some time getting ready because we arrive in Uttoxetter around 14:00. One of the first buses we saw was Arriva Midlands 2049 on the #4 Outer Circle service...



2049 in Uttoxetter bus station on the #4 Outer Circle service (Matt)


Inside 2029 as we boarded on the Burton bus (Matt)


2029 departs Portway Head towards Burton (Matt)

In on coach Sudbury Burton 1A


2324 in Uttoxeter bus station (matt)

We then saw Arriva 2045 arrive to work a. Having looked at the timetable and seem a 30 minutes frequency, I asked the driver out long it took to travel out and back on this bus to which he replied "half an hour". So to keep Matthew occupied whilst waiting for the 409, we decided to do this bus to and Back.


2049 in Uttoxeter bus station again on the #4 Outer Circle service (Matt)



2049 disapears into the distance from the Tesco Express



2043 in Uttoxeter bus station (matt)

He also photographed a few other buses the best of which was sitting in the late afternoon sunshine. rolled up and we promptly boarded this bus for a brisk run up to Leek. At we had around 30 Minutes to kill, Matthew sat good as gold and ate sausage sandwiches!


2390 approches the Portway Head stop en route to Uttoxeter (Matt)

So Matthew had a short ride on 65026 back to Werrington. After this there was just time for him to buy £22.50's worth of photographs before returning to the car...

Trip to Crewe & Nantwich 27-07-2009

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
7647	Crewe BS	Nantwich BS	84A	Arriva NW&W
117	Nantwich BS	Crewe BS	45	D&G
7	Crewe BS	Parker Road	21	D&G
60063	Parker Road	Crewe BS	20	First Potteries
154	Crewe BS	Keele Village	85A	D&G

Matthew was in the middle of his, and we saw this as the perfect opportunity to take him to ride on the we drove to Crewe and parked in the Delamere street car park opposite the bus station. Mum went to do a bitt of shopping and we had arround 30 minutes in the bus station, in which Matthew took a few bus pictures.


7647 in Crewe bus station (Matt)


Inside 7647 (Matt)


D&G 117 in Nantwich bus station (Matt)


859 in Crewe bus station (Matt)


D&G 7 in Crewe bus station (Matt)


D&G 154 in Keele Village (Matt)

Details to follow...

Trip to Kidsgrove 22-05-2009

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
W591 YBN	Blurton	Chell Heath	Charter	Z carz
MIB 978	Chell Heath	Hanley	Charter	Copeland's Tours
MIB 978	Hanley	Chell Heath	Charter	Copeland's Tours
W591 YBN	Chell Heath	Blurton	Charter	Z carz
60183	Smallthorne, Robinson Avenue (opp)	Kidsgrove Town Centre, Queen Street (adj)	6	First Potteries

Matthew had his usual school transport LDV minibus W591 YBN, Whilst at school, he went to Hanley and back on Copeland's Tours Coach MIB 978. He then returned home on W591 YBN.

Back in this part of 2009, we spent a few Fridays after school driving to Smallthorne, where we could choose from a few different services for Matthew to catch. We caught either the 6,21A,29 or even a Bakers 9. On this occasion we set of as per usual after the bus dropped Matthew home from school. just before we arrived at the usual stop, we past a D&G bus on the A53.



D&G Optare Solo 71 on a #19 to hanley (matt)

When we arrived at the stop Matthew took several photos before he choose to ride on a bus...


Bakerbus 198 on a #9 to Biddulph (Matt)


First PMT 40165 on a #21A Ball Green (Matt)


First PMT 40014 (now allocated to Chester) on a 6A Biddulph (Matt)

Eventually, Matthew decided to catch the much travelled 60183 (formerly of Manchester and now allocated to Rock Ferry), with it's distinctive black 'W'.


60183 0n arrival in Kidsgrove town centre (Matt)

Shortly after this 60183 was transfered away... (Mark)

Trip to Ball Green 01-05-2009

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
W591 YBN	Blurton	Chell Heath	Charter	Z carz
MIB 236	Chell Heath	Chester Zoo	Charter	Copeland's Tours
MIB 236	Chester Zoo	Chell Heath	Charter	Copeland's Tours
W591 YBN	Chell Heath	Blurton	Charter	Z carz
40116	Smallthorne, Robinson Avenue (opp)	Ball Green, Wilding Road shops (adj)	21A	First Potteries

Matthew had is usual bus to School. Matthew went to Chester Zoo and back on Copeland's Tours MIB 236. He returned home on his usual bus.

Another Smallthorne trip after school. Back in 2009, the final 3 step entranced Darts in the First PMT fleet had been soldiering on for over a year. Matthew had noticed their demise before I had, and at one stage he would only travel on a step entranced Dart. About a year after this phase had ended, Matthew had clocked up quite a few miles on Darts 40115/6/26. The current phase of bus travel was to travel to Smallthorne and take the First interesting bus North to wherever.

We set off around 4:30 and when we reached Heron Cross we passed an ex PMT Dart which Matthew photographed out of the car window.


Ex First PMT Dennis Dart MIB 783 on a Copelands #40 Longton - Fenton Circular in Heron Cross (Matt)

20 or so minutes later we arrived at the stop in Smallthorne. Straight out of the car 40116 appeared and I knew he would want to catch this! A quick phone call was made to tell mum where to pick us up, and off we went...


40116 in Smallthorne (Matt)

One of the last few buses still with the grey and red moquette, Matthew as always took a few pictures inside.


The view forward inside 40116 (Matt)

15 minutes later we arrived at the Ball Green stop and Matthew took another photo of 40116. It is the one and only time we've been to Ball Green on the bus, and why else would anyone go there?


40116 on arrival at Ball Green (Matt)

Not the last time Matthew rode on 40116, but certainly the the one and only time he's done a step entranced Dart to Ball Green. On the way home we passed another step dart, 40126 in Blurton.


40126 in Blurton (Matt)

So, 2 of the 3 PMT Darts seen out today, plus another 1 on a Copelands service. (Mark)

Trip to Fenton 13-02-2009

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
W591 YBN	Blurton	Chell Heath	Charter	Z carz
W591 YBN	Chell Heath	Blurton	Charter	Z carz
MIB 783	Longton Hall Road	Christchurch Street, Fenton	40	Copeland's Tours
40170	Christchurch Street, Fenton	Ladybank Grove, Blurton	23	First Potteries

Matthew did his usual transport of W591 YBN to School and back.

Another Friday after School run out, we gave Matthew a choice of a couple of buses to do and he chose to do the 40 which worked out well because we could do a bus back home too. We drove down to Longton Hall Lane to ensure that he actual got to the bus and then waited for the service to appear. Out of the grey murky horizon appeared MIB 783.


Copelands Tour's MIB 783 on Longton Hall Road (Matt)

We did the bus down through Heron Cross and Mount Pleasant and then alighted in Fenton opposite the town hall in Christchurch Street. We didn't have to wait long before 40170 appeared on a #23 service.


40170 in Christchurch Street (Matt)

We got on the bus and did it to Blurton. When we got to Blurton Matthew got another picture.


40170 in Blurton (Matt)

We then had the long walk home. Matthew had scored both buses on this occasion...Mark

Trip to Middleport 22-01-2009

Bus	From	To	Service	Operator
W591 YBN	Blurton	Chell Heath	Charter	Z carz
W591 YBN	Chell Heath	Blurton	Charter	Z carz
11	Middleport‎	Upper Huntbatch, Hanley	39	Wardle Transport

Matthew had his usual transport to school and back in the form of W591 YBN.

Back then we would give Matthew a couple of choice of buses which we do on a Friday afternoon. Tonight Matthew chose to do the #39. We set off up the A500 and drove up from Longport towards Middleport. It took a bit to find the bus, as it was parked up in what seemed like the middle of nowhere in an industrial estate! When we found it, mum dropped us off and we crossed the road after getting a picture. It was Wardle Transport 11 and it was just going dark.


Wardle Transport 11 in Middleport about to work the #39 to Hanley (Matt)

We got on the bus and and it seemed to take a strange route. it spiraled out of Middleport and then went into Burslem. we went behind the old Somerfield and then headed across Sandbach Road and towards Sneyd Green at th top of Sneyd Green it turned in towards Birches head and did a loop until it headed into Hanley. I called mum and arranged to meet in Upper Huntbach Street. On a previous Friday when we had taken Matthew into Hanley he had gotten really upset when we tried to leave. As we got off the bus Matthew photographed it empty.


Inside Wardle Transport 11 (Matt)

We then headed home and Matthew updated his Fotopic...Mark.