Day fifty five 29th Aug 2018 to Feltham for the No 90 and then the No 91 to Crouch End

Today I hoped to do three buses, if possible, starting with the No 90. To catch this bus I needed to travel to Feltham which meant a train to Clapham Junction and then another to Feltham. The 0958 fast train to Feltham was delayed so I caught the 1002 to Weybridge which stopped at all stops via the Hounslow loop  and meant I didn't arrive until 1048 an hour and a half since leaving my local station. I had been warned that there were roadworks and these were quite obvious viewed from the railway station. However what wasn't so obvious was where the the No 90 now began its route since it used to come over the bridge and into the station but was still starting from the Leisure West but only calling at bus stop Z. This was a bit of a walk from the station and when I reached this bus stop I found it was closed.

The closed bus stop Z

After a wet start to the day it was drying up with a No 90 approaching
from the direction of Hatton Cross at The Airman pub. As often the case
I had to board quickly so no picture of my boarding to display.

I continued past the Leisure area and the large aeroplane propeller, which recognises the area's history for aircraft maintenance and found a No 90 on layover in the distance. This was Metroline's VW1194, a Volvo with Wrightbus Gemini bodywork and I departed aboard this bus at 1121.
I had occasionally made use of this bus to get to work at Heathrow, when I travelled on SW trains to Feltham, as one could alight at Hatton Cross or Hanworth and travel free from those stops into the Heathrow central area.

Travelling around the Eastern and then Northern Perimeter Road  I passed the BA engineering area with Boeing 747, 777 and 787.  Beyond is a Qatar airways A380 and one of the new Boeing 737s of Air Canada opeating the Halifax flight. On the far left are two Boeing 787-900s, one of Virgin and one of Vietnam Airways

The main issue on the journey was the roadworks through Hayes which delayed progress a fair bit, but otherwise we made good time and entered Northolt at 1208 and reached the green past Northolt Underground station at 1220.

Journeys end at Northolt Station, albeit the park somewhat beyond it

From here I had to get to Trafalgar Square to begin the No 91 route so took the Central line eastbound to Oxford Circus at 1228 changing then to the Bakerloo line to Trafalgar Square.

The bus resting prior to starting its run to Crouch End

The No 91 was a 'Borismaster' of Metroline LT748 and left from Stop F at 1311. The bus then passed down the Strand to the Aldwych turning north here up Kingsway and on into Southampton Row to reach Euston bus station. By the time we had moved on past King's Cross we didn't reach the stop by the canal museum, where I boarded the No 59 many months ago, until over half an hour later at 1346.
Progress thereafter though was quite reasonable and passing through Holloway we reached the terminus at Rosebury Gardens Crouch End at 1417.

The northern limit of bus route No 91

I was still hopeful at this stage of doing the No 92 but to reach this bus required me to walk to Hornsey Town hall where I boarded a No W7; I wonder how many years it will be before I officially do this route? This bus took me to Crouch Hill station; the No 91 had passed by the closed Crouch End station just before it entered the descent into the High Street.

Class 172 diesel arriving at Crouch Hill station under the catenary

At the first station mentioned I was just in time to catch the 1430 to Gospel Oak. I wondered if this would be the last time I would catch a two car DMU on this line as the electric overhead wires were all ready up. To prove the point an electric Class 90 train pulled a freight through from Upper Holloway, whilst I waited for the 1450 to Clapham Junction.

The terminal platform at Gospel Oak, introduced when the Thameslink service frequency, precluded the original service, which was from Kentish Town to Barking being maintained.

 To access the No 92 it would have been necessary to change again at Willesden Junction and at the rate we were getting there I could see I would get caught up in the rush-hour if I endeavoured to reach the bus. Thus I carried on to catch the 1532 from Clapham Junction to Horsham as I needed to get to the garage to pick up Susan's car after its MOT before the garage closed for the night.