Wednesday 21 November 2018

Day sixty seven north on the 108 and back south on the 109

I left home at 1105 to catch a train to Forest Hill where I arrived at 1247. From the station I walked east along the A205 South Circular under the railway tracks to bus stop L where the No 122 was to convey me to Lewisham. The No 108 now starts from the centre of Lewisham and runs through Blackheath to the Millenium Greenwich area before passing through the Blackwall Tunnel and on to Stratford. This is the only bus service which utilises the tunnel.
Lewisham central Bus stop

Lewisham market behind bus stop











I had to wait rather longer than the 8-10 minutes expected wait time, according to the timetable, although a 108 had left whilst I was trying to exit the 122. So at 1240, almost an hour after reaching Forest Hill I was underway on MEC1, a Mercedes Benz Citaro. This was the first of a series of 50 buses that London General bought for the Red Arrow routes which have now been superseded by BYD Enduro electric buses. However, within minutes of starting we were overtaken by MEC12, also on the same route so somewhere bunching had occurred and perhaps the bus I was on was 8-10 minutes late starting from Lewisham.
London General MEC 1 approaching with market stalls to its right

After circulating the maze of roads on the Greenwich Peninsula and leaving North Greenwich tube station we paused after passing under the Blackwall Tunnel approach road (A102M) to exchange drivers at 1309. We were back underway by 1311 and joined the throng entering the Blackwall Tunnel.
The queue for the Blackwall Tunnel

Getting closer to the Blackwall Tunnel

The transit was slow but steady and by 1318 we were out of the tunnel and running into Poplar. The bus then moved up to the A11 and turned right past Bow Church and over the A12 towards Stratford. However, as we approached Stratford City the bus driver announced we would be terminating there at 1342.












Passing Mittal's Orbit sculpture

MEC1 leaving me at Stratford City bus station

This was the penultimate bus stop and therefore to complete the route I had to wait for the next No 108. By now it was cloudy with a bitingly cold SE wind and the wait lasted until 1357 a full fifteen minutes before I could go the one stop, this time on MEC6 to arrive finally at 1402.
MEC6 has brought me to Stratford International since I couldn't cheat by walking!
Stratford International DLR station

Class 66 66735 with Bogie Aggregate Hoppers

Stratford International DLR station is somewhere I had had no reason to visit before and what seemed strange when we were underway and burrowing underneath Westcroft was the length of platform to left and right with a fluorescent tube glowing every 4 feet or so. It seems so wasteful of energy.

I changed at the West Ham interchange to the Jubilee line to take me to Canada Water. From here I took, at 1433, a Clapham Junction bound London Overground train for the first time, which meant that after Surrey Quays I travelled on a piece of line that for years was just a grass track under the viaduct as one approached London Bridge.
My destination to catch the No 109 was Brixton and until 1976 on the South London line there was a station at East Brixton which would have been useful, but I had to get off at the stop before which was much further way at Denmark Hill. From the station I walked to Kings College Hospital and on to Coldharbour Lane where I knew there were three buses I could catch to Brixton. However, presumably because of the earlier climate change protesters when a bus did finally come, it was too full to let anyone board. So looking at the timetable, where it stated the bus only took 7 minutes to Brixton I therefore resolved to walk. Once I reached Loughborough Junction station though, the three buses were joined by another, the P4, and this was not likely to be affected by the protesters blocking bridges in Central London. One of these buses was due and I was able to catch this to Brixton police station where I arrived at 1530.
I was at the bus stop with 3 minutes to spare so walked a little further north to take picture below.

Layover point for No 109 bus in Brixton before it returns to Croydon

The bus stop where the No 109 starts is only just across the road from the police station and so by 1535 I was aboard in my usual spot Abellio 2513. This bus travels straight down the A23, a route I had frequently used during train strikes when I worked at London Weather Centre, either on this bus, the No 250 or at times had cycled.
There was thus little to report save for the bus taking until 1605 to reach the Tate Free Library at Streatham High Road and it was 1647 before I was at Park Street in central Croydon. From here I decided to walk home given the density of traffic usually on the local roads at this time arriving at 1725.
Abellio 2513 now in darkness in Park Street Croydon at 1647

Wednesday 14 November 2018

Day 66 from Whitechapel to Edgware via Finsbury Park and New Barnet The Nos 106 and 107

I left on the 1150 to West Croydon and changed onto the London Overground to Whitechapel where I arrived 1244.
DW517 at Cavell Street Whitechapel
DW517 awaiting
departure


The No 106 starts from Cavell Street on the opposite site of the Royal London Hospital, and so after a short walk I found the Arriva London DW517.






Raven Row Whitechapel
 This bus started at 1250 and immediately turned right down a cobbled street (Raven Row) before swinging left onto the A107 Cambridge Heath Road to Bethnal Green and on to Hackney.

Almost new CT plus 1287 with 68 plate







Just after the canal was crossed the bus stopped to change drivers; this being adjacent to Ash Grove bus depot in Mare Street near junction with Victoria Park Road. This stop was very short indeed, and the bus was soon off to Hackney and then turned right at Hackney Downs station towards Clapton Pond.
Clapton Pond this time in Autumn colours having last been here when doing the No 38, 55 and 56

A little further beyond the roundabout we passed the original Tram depot which has businesses with appropriate names such as the Tram Store. After passing Clapton station the bus turned left and headed towards the library towards Stoke Newington common where I had previously dis-embarked from a No 73.
Stoke Newington fire station now a nursery

Finsbury Park railway and tube station
We ran up the A10 until Stoke Newington station before turning left down Manor Road and onto Lordship Park and on to where we met Blackstock Road where it ran to Finsbury Park railway station where it reached at 1348.

Thameslink train to Cambridge North






At Finsbury Park railway station I made my way to Platform 8 to catch the 1403 towards Welwyn Garden City which may be the last time I travel on a class 313 as they are expected to be replaced soon by class 710.
Class 313 approaching Finsbury Park from Moorgate

1403 to Welwyn Garden City Platform 8 at Finsbury Park

Class 313 at New Barnet heading for Moorgate

Class 313 leaving for Moorgate at New Barnet






















At New Barnet I alighted at 1418 and found myself back at the same bus stop where we had previously caught the No 84.
Waiting for the No 107 at 1422 at New Barnet with a No 84
DEL848 in front of TE981, both buses of Metroline

Before departure the No 84 displays a red poppy on the opposite
end of the destination box on DEL848
 The No 107 was a Metroline double decker TE981 which departed at 1428. Initially progress was quite slow up the hill towards High Barnet owing to one lane of the road being closed for roadworks. Unlike the No 84 we bared left at Barnet Church
The flint made church and church hall at Barnet

and headed for Barnet Gate where speed was considerably quicker. The bus crossed the Stirling Corner roundabout and was then outside Greater London and in Hertfordshire in the borough of Hertsmere.


Another No 107 heading to New Barnet. Note the yellow and green bus stop no longer TFL but Hertfordshire
The bus then turned right into a housing estate which eventually became an industrial estate before reaching Borehamwood town. We went briefly into the Tesco car park next to Elstree Studios before heading on to Elstree station.

The side of Elstree Studios

From Elstree and Borehamwood railway station the bus reached Elstree village and then crossed the M1 and up Brockley Hill to the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, reached at 1520.

The Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital

Destination achieved Edgware station

My mum was having a blood transfusion here at 1330 but should have been on her way back to Orpington by then. The bus then went downhill to reach a roundabout with Stanmore to the right. The bus here turned left running just north of Edgware before turning right through the built up area to Edgware station.

 From here I took the Northern line to Balham and from there the 1800 Southern train to Sutton at 1807.