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.