Day 58 the 2nd Sept 2018 a trip outwith the Greater London area on the No 96 to Bluewater

I had hoped to add the No 96 on to the end of my travels yesterday, but having reached Southall at 1530 it would probably have been after 1700 before I even reached Woolwich, let alone when I would have got to Bluewater. So after church I drove to Orpington and caught the No 51 at 1424 to Woolwich on Stagecoach 13077 which arrived at Woolwich at 1525. I then had to recharge my Oyster card and to find out where the No 96 starts its journey.

Bus stop T Thomas Street Woolwich

The view east from the bus stop

Boarding Stagecoach 13027

The bus actually starts in Thomas Street at bus stop T but as it was a Sunday the service is only every 15 minutes and therefore I had to wait 12 minutes as I had just missed a bus. Stagecoach 13027 was the bus that I boarded at 1553, but after only 7 minutes we halted at Plumstead garage to exchange drivers. The bus runs east beyond Plumstead up Plumstead High Street which was rather sparse for shops. The bus heads away from the river up Wickham Lane to take me to Welling and then past Crook Log Leisure Centre to Bexleyheath Clock Tower.

Approaching Bexleyheath Clock Tower again

Another of our friends, Debbie's flat in Crayford on top floor

I passed by our friend's flat, Debbie in Crayford at 1633 and then reached Dartford. Beyond Dartford apart from stopping at Darenth Valley Hospital the bus travelled fast to Bluewater where we arrived at 1649.

Descending into the chalk pit that is now Bluewater shopping centre

At Bluewater bus station

I very quickly boarded another No 96 to return back west at 1654 and alighted at Bexleyheath Clock Tower half an hour later to immediately board a No 229 to Sidcup. Here I waited for a No 51 which arrived at 1800 and took me to the Maxwell pub in Orpington for 1816.

The bus laying over for its next return to Woolwich