Day forty three the No 73 and No 74

So far this month it has been difficult to fit in any bussing owing to the frequent need to be invigilating GCSE and GCE A level exams. Hence the large gap since doing the No 72.
The No 73 used to start from Victoria but now starts at Holles Street near Oxford Circus. This is the same location where I ended the No 25 and began the No 55 and I arrived at 1550 having caught the train at 1450 to Victoria and the the Victoria line to Oxford Circus.

The No 73 laying-over in Holles Street

No 25s having arrived from the very distant,
at least in time terms, starting point of Ilford

The No 73 a late 'Borismaster' LT818 of Arriva's Stamford hill garage turned left out of Holles street and continued to turn left until it reached Oxford Street. This was the opposite way round to the No 55 which went right around Cavendish Square and down to Oxford Circus from the northern section of  Regent Street.

Reflection of bus number in window as we wait to turn left into Oxford Street

 I had concerns that it would be a slow journey particularly given the works in Tottenham Court Road but in fact progress was quit speedy. We reached the Euston Underpass at 1607, passed Kings Cross at 1620 and then headed to Islington, Essex Road and on to Newington Green.

Once we had passed Essex Road station we passed the unique green 'Borismaster' LT2

We reached Albion Road in Stoke Newington at 1645 and having threaded our way across the Great Cambridge Road terminated at Stoke Newington Common at 1655.

Stoke Newington Common with No 73s in distance and
 SE115 of  London General near left

I was in two minds as to how to get to Baker Street to start the No 74 and in any case I had to put more money on my Oyster card, so walked back to the A10 and passed a shop where I could do the necessary. I then boarded a No 76 to take me to Seven Sisters. Here I caught a Victoria line train to Kings Cross where I changed onto a Metropolitan line train bound for Uxbridge.

I emerged on the western side of Baker Street station near the lost property office and located bus stop A.

 London General's Enduro Hybrid EH84 arrived at 1752 to provide my mount for the journey to Putney High Street.

London General EH84 at Baker Street stop A

The bus reached Selfridges at 1800 and was driven at quite a lick whenever  the opportunity arose resulting in quite a few close shaves with taxis, cyclists and general motorists over the following hour. By 1815 the bus was at the V & A. Subsequently having gone past South Kensington Tube station we returned north up Queens Gate to turn left into the Cromwell Road. The No 74 seems to be the only bus that uses the Cromwell Road judging by the bus stop signs, but turns away south down Earls Court Road to Earls Court station  at 1825. The bus turns onto the Old Brompton Road and then Lillie Road before turning south into Fulham Palace Road which leads to Putney Bridge. A dutch lorry parked on a yellow line and a broken down car on the bridge lead to some delay at this point but all in all given the time of day an arrival at 1858 at journeys end was impressive.

Crossing Putney Bridge

Approaching journeys end with a Baker Street bound No 74 passing the other way

To get home from here I walked to East Putney station and caught the District line to Wimbledon and then boarded an Elmers End tram to Waddon Marsh and walked home from here visiting Sainsbury's Purley Way en route.