Day 195 After six years I reach No 300 and follow with the No 301 across the water.

 After the previous week's experience I ensured I was at Waddon station in time for the 1030 in case the 1035 was cancelled again. This time the 1035 was running late so I caught the 1030 to West Croydon in case there was a London Overground train I could catch there. In the event, however, the train arrived at 1043, three minutes after the slow train would have set off for Canada Water. Thus I took the fast train to London Bridge and then the Jubilee line to Canning Town in order the catch the No 300. 

London General SE48 at Canning Town bus station

I arrived at Canning Town at 1124 and the next bus London General's SE 48 was resting prior to picking me up at 1132. The bus initially turned right along Barking Road but after a while went right again into New Barn street which took us to the Newham Way. We dived under this major road and emerged by Ashburton Wood then continued on to Custom House.

Ashburton Wood, a nice green surprise in Newham

At the T Junction by Custom House station we turned left running parallel with the Thames for a while before turning left again along Prince Regent Lane. We then approached Newham Way from the south but rather than crossing it bore right into Tollgate Road which we followed all the way to Beckton. At the roundabout by the Premier Inn we went right and did a circuit of the bus station before returning to the roundabout and this time going straight over and onward to pass under the A13 this time.

Premier Inn at Beckton

Vicarage Lane and the No 300 is finally on its own

As we turned right into Vicarage Lane the bus was finally the only route serving the road and this continued to be the case through some roads which were really narrow owing to the parked cars and the driver did well to negotiate them. Using Goosey Lane and Folkestone Road we returned to Barking Road but this time we headed west to reach Newham Town Hall. It was then a case of turning right and heading up the East Ham High Street until we passed the Underground station before turning left to terminate at Wordsworth Health Centre at 1224. The bus was supposed to take 52 minutes according to the timetable and that was exactly how long it took. On leaving the bus I complimented the driver on his driving ability and explained what I was doing.

Arrival at Wordsworth Health Centre

This was presumably a pub called the Overdraft
but is now an Indian restaurant

It wasn't far to walk back to the East Ham Underground station and I swiftly caught a District line train back to Whitechapel. Here I changed to the Elizabeth line and alighted at Woolwich arriving at 1305. I decided to take a lunch break as I could only realistically do two buses today and repaired to the Dial Arch for a pint and a bacon butty. Suitably fortified I walked the short distance to bus stop K for the No 301 to take me to Bexleyheath.

The bus stop just around corner from the Dial Arch

DW450 of Arriva behind line of different services

I didn't have to wait very long for DW450 of Arriva to arrive and at 1347 we were heading East for Plumstead. There is a one way system around the bus garage here and on the opposite side there were some substantial building works and the No 301 was alone as it followed 'The Ridgeway' path towards Thamesmead.

The No 301 could only turn left here.

Thamesmead Post Office

At the A2016 the bus could only turn left and doing so we reached a roundabout where the bus headed into Thamesmead Central accompanied by the No 244 and No 472. Taking the right of Bootham Road at the roundabout we followed the route of the No 244 in the direction of Abbey Wood. We reached Abbey Wood station at 1411.

The climb past Lesnes Abbey

After leaving the station instead of taking the road that said Bexleyheath 3 miles, Kneehill, the bus continued around the roundabout to stop facing north at Abbey Wood Community Group. After this it turned right parallel with the railway and entered the London Borough of Bexley before swinging right and climbing up New Road over the Woolwich Beds past Lesnes Abbey's remains.

London Borough of Greenwich boundary,
which the No 301 didn't re-enter

This was quite a slow pull and at the top we turned east towards Woolwich as far as a set of traffic lights where we went left at Brompton Road. This section and after a brief few bus stops in Long Lane resumed as a hail and ride section. At the end of the section the bus turned right in Woolwich Road at 1427 and ran into Bexleyheath where we terminated at the Market Place at 1433.

Outside DW450 at Woolwich Market Place

My journey home from here took 1 3/4 hours. First I took the No 132 to Eltham station where I arrived well after 3pm because of the hoards of school kids boarding at Blackfen. I then had to wait for the 1547 Victoria train to take me to Lewisham. At Lewisham I caught a train to Elmers End but had to wait until 1624 for that to arrive so was finally on a tram to Wandle Park at 1647. However, at East Croydon the driver said the tram was not going any further owing to congestion ahead. So I then had to walk the two miles home from there. 

Day 194 Two Sullivan Bus operated routes the No 298 and No 299, travelling to Potters Bar and back.

 After a trip to the medical practise I caught a London Bridge train from Wallington at 1202 which enabled me to catch the 1231 Peterborough bound Thameslink train as far as Finsbury Park. By 1300 I was on a Piccadilly line train to Arnos Grove where I emerged at 1315 to look for the bus stop the No 298 commences from.

The bus route runs every 20 minutes and takes 32
minutes.

I was here earlier for the No 251

Rather un-neccessary sign given the foliage

The bus stop suggested the next bus was at 1320 but that time came and went and it was supposed to be a twenty minute service so I assumed that bus had been cancelled and I needed to wait for the 1340.

Finally a No 298 arriving, Sullivan's E44

Driver having a brief layover at Arnos Grove.

Three different bus companies Metroline's No 251, London General's No 184 with Sullivan Bus E44

Indeed, at 1335 Sullivan's E44  arrived to layover in front of the Underground station. At 1340 it then crossed the road and we all boarded. We travelled briskly along Bowes Road to the roundabout and then hard right at the roundabout down Waterfall Road towards the Pymmes Brook and the Underground viaduct. From the next roundabout it became a hail and ride service up until Ye Olde Cherrytree roundabout where other bus services joined us as we turned left to Southgate Underground and bus interchange. We reached the interchange at 1350 so 10 minutes after starting but turning left along the High Street movement became extremely sluggish owing to roadworks at the ASDA roundabout.

Approaching Southgate transport interchange

The queue of traffic awaiting the lights at ASDA

Once past this roundabout the bus headed along Chase Side and eventually became the only bus on the road, but at the same time as we passed the Saracens Rugby ground it started raining steadily. At the Chickenshed theatre, opposite Middlesex University, we had taken 22 minutes of a service that should take 32 in total. The bus continued to follow the A111 to run past the Cockfosters Underground station, where we left the No 299 and No 384 behind. However, there are two UNO bus routes that start at Cockfosters station heading towards Potters Bar but these are not tfl sponsored routes. 

Cockfosters station car park

Countryside around Hadley Wood

The bus accelerated as it passed Trent Country Park and drove through Hadley Wood where we really reached the countryside. Just before we reached the M25 we passed into Hertfordshire (the County of Opportunity). Beyond the M25 the bus ran into Potters bar and didn't head right to the bus garage as I had before on the No 84 but crossed to ASDA and then worked around to Potters Bar railway station where we arrived at 1422, a 42 minute journey and this is largely explained by the roadworks and probably I did catch the 1320 bus.

E44 at Potters Bar station

It was raining really heavily when I got off the bus so repaired to Cafe Nero to have a latte whilst waiting for the rain to abate. Once it was only drizzling I decided to walk to the bus garage to see whether I could fill in any gaps in my Metroline buses seen. However, I didn't walk the direct way, I just followed the way I had driven when the wife was filming at Elstree. This meant I walked 1 1/2 miles instead of walking the 3/4 miles up the road called The Walk! The rain came on heavier as I was getting there so lingered in a bus shelter at the garage until I could see on the Met Office app that the rain should be easing.

Back many moons ago I caught the No 84 with Charmaine from New Barnet station to St Albans. The service is now not a tfl route and runs only in Hertfordshire and by Sullivan buses. This is their WVL2.

 I spent 1 hour and 40 minutes in Potters Bar before I was boarding the same E44 of Sullivan buses with same driver to take me to Cockfosters for the No 299.

The starting point of the No 299

Cockfosters station sign

The parade of Sullivan No 299s arriving

AE17 approaching to layover

I arrived at 1617 at Cockfosters but there was no sign of a No 299 until 1633 when three buses arrived AE17, AE18 and AE19 of Sullivans Buses. There was insufficient room for three buses to wait in the layover and AE17 came and sat in front of us. 

Evidence that we are on the periphery of London-a University Bus on route No 610 to Luton

AE19 arriving to convey me to Muswell Hill

However, it was AE19 that showed its face first as on AE17 the driver got out his prayer mat in the bus and was saying his Friday prayers. The No 299 also goes through Southgate so all these buses coming together is presumably because of the roadworks. At 1635 we were underway down to the Chickenshed theatre roundabout where this time the bus turned left on Bramley Road as far as Reservoir Road. Here the bus became hail and ride as it turned right into Reservoir Road down to The Fairway and then Avenue Road where the bus was the sole user of the road before turning into Chase Side to run into the roadworks at Southgate ASDA. 

The constant rain was causing the bus to steam up particularly given the large number of passengers and therefore photographs were nigh on impossible. Southgate interchange was reached at 1651 and exiting right we turned down High Street which became Cannon Hill and at Broomfield Park we took Powys Lane which meant the No 299 was again the sole service on the road. Once across the North Circular Road and into Brownlow Road the bus route was joined by a number of others as this road morphs from Brownlow Road into Durnsford Road, Albert Road  and Alexandra Park Road. At the end of this the bus turned left into Colney Hatch Lane and ran into Muswell Hill to terminate at 1717.

AE19 heading to the Muswell Hill roundabout to await return to Cockfosters.

From Muswell Hill owing to the rain I jumped on the No 43 to reach Highgate Underground station where I caught a Northern line train to London Bridge then a Thameslink bus to Croydon and a no 194/407 home, arriving around 1900.

Day 193 As I missed the No 297 earlier in the week I decided to do this bus on a Saturday afternoon.

 At 1450 I caught a No 407 to East Croydon so as to take a train to Clapham Junction and thence the London Overground to Willesden Junction. I arrived at Willesden Junction at 1601 and just missed a No 266 bus which was the one to take me to Willesden bus garage. I walked up to Harlesden clock tower in the hope there would be more than one bus I could catch and indeed there was: the No 260 as well. However, I found the buses were not stopping there at all and I had to 'hot foot' it around the corner to the Magistrate's Court. Here I caught the next No 266 heading for Brent Cross at 1612, this bus took me down to Harlesden station where the bus turned right up the road before the station which became Knatchbull Lane. Once we reached Craven Road the bus turned right utilising a road that would normally only be served by the No 18. At the junction at the top of the rise the bus turned left and rejoined its normal route to Willesden town centre.

Metroline's VW1184 approaching at Willesden bus garage to form my No 297

At 1641 I boarded VW1184 in Pound Lane outside the Willesden bus garage and the bus then took me back the way I had come until we passed the county court. At this point the bus turned right at the roundabout and was the sole user of the road until we reached the Neasden underpass. At this stop which we reached at 1651 there were 5 routes joining us and all of these ran under the North Circular and most on towards Kingsbury initially, before bearing off towards Wembley. It was very slow in this area but once we had turned towards Wembley the traffic became much lighter. The bus took the road to Wembley Park station but then headed off right up Empire Way where we were asked to linger as we catching up the bus in front at 1705-1707. This was supposed to be another road only utilised by the No 297 but we were sharing it with the No 204 for some reason today. The No 204 should join from the right at Wembley Hill Road along with the No 79 and we then run together to Wembley High Street.

Crossing over the lines at Neasden station

Queue of traffic along Neasden Lane

Here the bus headed west past Wembley Central station and then took the left towards Alperton. Here again the road became very busy as we approached the shops north of Alperton Station. It was 1725 as we passed the station, so crossing Wembley took 25 minutes. 

Siding just north of Wembley Stadium station for
short distance trains from Marylebone

We kept catching up with the bus in front
and eventually overtook it in Perivale

The No 297 should have been alone on the route as indicated by the bus stop

Beyond the station we took a route I had done a number of times to Alperton Sainsbury's. However, this time the bus continued onwards after exchanging drivers betwixt 1728 and 1729. Here it became sole bus on the route as it passed the Golden Tours headquarters with its Harry Potter double decker buses. We went left into Bilham Road and this took me through the suburbs of Perivale for the first time ever. At the end of this the bus turned left to pass first Perivale library and then the station on the Central line. 

Bus route alone in Perivale

Global warming perhaps? A banana plant
in Bilham Road

Beyond these we reached the A40 and here the bus turned right to cross over the A40 where it met one of the Ealing buses-the E5. The bus took Argyle Road through various parkland areas and eventually this led to us turning left at Cleveland Road which became Castlebar Road. We had gone beyond Ealing Broadway to the West and then returned SE towards the green at Ealing Broadway where the bus terminated on the east side at 1753 having gone around the north side of the green.

The Green to the north of Ealing Broadway

My VW1184 laying over for return to Willesden

Class 66s 66170 and 66131 and two
others in Acton Yard

I then caught an Elizabeth line train one stop to Acton Mainline the only one of the Acton stations I don't think I have ever used. Here I was able to catch a No 266 back to Willesden Junction where I caught the 1835 to Clapham Junction and onwards home via East Croydon.

Day 192 A return to Romford to travel on the No 296.

 The 1030 train to Victoria took Charmaine and me to Battersea Park in order that we could deliver some books to the Rose Community Centre (library) on the Savonna Estate. Once that was done and I had had a cup of coffee and a chat with Stella I set off to the Battersea Power station Underground station. From here I took a Northern line train to Tottenham Court Road whereupon I changed to the Elizabeth line to take me to Romford. I arrived at Romford at 1244 and waited for a No 296. There was no indication of one in the next 15 minutes on my arrival but after 1250 it was shown as being 8 minutes away. Out of the blue a Stagecoach Dart No 36577 arrived and it was so unexpected, the person who boarded before me asked the driver whether she was sure she was a No 296. There was a No 375 indicated which is a very infrequent bus to somewhere one wouldn't want to get stuck.

Outside Romford station with a 15 minute of so regularity of service taking 33 minutes

I loved the website address for applicants to Essex Police it ends /fitthebill . Arriva DW on the No 66

Stagecoach 36577 arriving unexpectedly

The timetable suggested the journey should take 33 minutes and at 1255 we were off heading north initially and then taking the eastern bypass round past the market and then at the roundabout up North Street to the A12. The bus then followed along the A12 behind a No 66 going to Wanstead until we reached the Mark Gate estate where the bus turned right then left to the Mark Gate Community Centre.

Advert for halloween event in Chelmsford by Mark Gate junction

 After passing this we turned left at the end of the road with standing maize dead ahead, we then halted at the next stop for two minutes whilst the driver had a drink. The rural nature of this part of the route was exemplified by the next stop being called Red House Farm. 

Field of maize beside the stop at Padnoll Road

The bus was the only service to travel this way until we reached Hainault Road and this then took us back to Eastern Avenue and we continued along the A12 past Newberry Park and onwards to Gants Hill.

Passing a shop called Fags and Mags in Ley Road near Gants Hill

We arrived at Gants Hill at 1324 and here turned left into Cranbrook Road which led us into Ilford past Valentine's Park. However this time we were asked to wait to regulate the flow so after 2 minutes we on our way again at 1326. We went past Ilford station and after rounding a bend turned into a special layby and terminated at 1336.

Ilford town centre bus termination point
Roden Road

Strange angle to park bus but there
 was another on a different road
 in front of it

From here I walked to Ilford railway station, where I arrived at 1345. The next Elizabeth line train was at 1351 but this was only going as far as Paddington and I needed to get to Hanwell or so I thought. I still caught the 1351 train and waited 2 minutes or so for the following train to take me to Hanwell at Paddington and arrived at 1438. It took 11 minutes to walk to Ealing Hospital but when I got there none of the bus stops indicated the No 297. Perplexed I switched on the mobile phone and found to my horror the bus started at Ealing Broadway which I had passed almost half an hour earlier. I quickly crossed the Uxbridge Road and caught the next No 207 to Ealing Broadway. By the time I arrived at Ealing Broadway it was 1520 and I decided that was then too late to catch the No 297 so that will have to wait for another day.