Day 170 The No 259 and No 260, two routes that covered similar ground to those I have visited on previous occasions.

The trip began with the 1030 train to Victoria where I chose the Victoria line to take me to Seven Sisters and I arrived at 1135. Here I changed to the London Overground and caught the 1148 to Enfield Town as far as Edmonton Green. I had been here a number of times before and indeed next to the resting No 259 was a No 149 both operated by Arriva and both 'Borismasters'.

My bus awaiting departure time
along with a couple of others

The route should take
just over an hour

LT578  ready to travel to King's
Cross

The bus, Arriva LT578, departed South at 1214 and after crossing the North Circular and the Silver Stream we entered Upper Edmonton where we stopped beside the Living Room Library and the White Horse pub operated by Craft Union.

The White Horse Upper Edmonton

The Living Room Library

From here we passed the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and then reached Bruce Grove where traffic was rather heavy for a while. However, within four minutes we were opposite the Bernie Grant Arts Centre where drivers were exchanged. At 1243 we were on our way to Seven Sisters Underground station where the bus turned right along Seven Sisters Road. Climbing after passing under the 'Goblin Line' we reached Amhurst Park where I had very recently passed along on both the No 253 and No 254.

The Bricklayers Arms tickled me given all the different brick colours

A No 253 ahead of us and a No 254
 in the distance coming the other way

The route then duplicates those two routes to Manor Park Underground station and through Finsbury Park to the Nags Head Holloway. The bus route finally breaks away on its own just prior to the last stop of the No 254 down the Caledonian Road. We then followed this road all the way to the King's Cross area, passing Pentonville prison on the way on our left. 

Mallett, Porter and Dowd were a mining machinery company and this was their warehouse which Islington council has allowed to be re-developed as student accommodation and a Costa at 465 Caledonian Road

After the humpback bridge over the Regent's canal the bus reached Pentonville Road and turned left past the old King's Cross Thameslink station before turning right into King's Cross Road and terminating at 1321. 

LT578 after disembarkation

Arrival in King's Cross Road

Hull trains class 802 at platform 2 at King's Cross station

From here I walked to King's Cross Underground station and caught the Northern line to Golders Green. I arrived outside the station at 1356 and could see a couple of No 260 buses waiting but no evidence of any drivers. At 1404 a driver arrived for Metroline's VWH2423 and we were on our way at 1406. The bus like many others took the Finchley Road south at first but then turned right down Childs Hill with a view towards Wembley.

My mount to White City

Leaving Golders Green bus station

The view down Childs Hill towards Wembley

Nearing Cricklewood station

At 1220 we crossed Cricklewood Broadway and went straight over into Chicele Road which became Walm Lane prior to reaching Willesden Green Underground Station. There then followed a tortuously slow crawl owing to roadworks outside Willesden bus garage High Road entrance.

Queue along Willesden High Road

The cause of the queue

Not helped by the trainee bus driver stalling his bus

The bus turned left and then right at the mini roundabout with the bus garage to our left and subsequently encountered another set of roadworks outside Willesden Magistrates Court. Thus it took 25 minutes to travel from the Underground station to Church Road, a distance of about 2 1/2 miles.

Second set of road works outside the court

 It was then a convoluted route to access Harlesden station on Acton Lane at 1508 almost reaching Willesden Junction in the process. Here we finally separated from the route of the No 266 which we had been following since Cricklewood. Acton Lane took us to the Central Middlesex Hospital, and then after doing the circuit of the forecourt we crossed Acton Lane into Park Royal Road. North Acton Underground station was passed after we had crossed the bridge over the Central line and rusting remains of the GWR mainline to Birmingham, now severed by HS2 works. From here we dropped onto the A40 Western Avenue until Savoy Circus, following a No 95 in the process and at 1526 we turned right down Old Oak Road. Old Oak Road led us to the Uxbridge Road and this was followed East to Shepherds Bush where we turned north at Westfield to terminate at the White City bus station at 1546. This is a full 100 minutes since departure whereas the bus timetable had suggested the journey should only take 75 minutes.

Shepherds Bush Market

Arrival at White City

VWH2423 departing at White City bus station

From here I returned aboard a different No 260 to Shepherds Bush station and caught a London Overground train to Clapham Junction and from thence I travelled home arriving at 1715.

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