I started the journey on the 1200 to Victoria but soon an announcement was made that there was a signalling issues at Wandsworth Common. I therefore jumped ship ar the first opportunity-West Croydon. From here I caught a London Bridge bound train where I Changed for the Northern line to arrive at High Barnet at 1320. I walked up into the town and caught a No 263 to Barnet Hospital.
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| ES5 a recent Wrightbus Streetdeck Electroliner |
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| At Barnet Hospital bus station |
I expected to be boarding the new ES5 but in fact a wright bodied DAF DW535 overtook this and meant I didn't get a photo as I boarded the bus at 1335. Soon I was heading back the way I had come and very soon encountered a double decker bus from the University Bus bus company based in Hatfield and St Albans.
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| A university Bus double decker on the No 614 |
The bus continued back to High Barnet station from where there was quite a panoramic view over London before the bus took the left turn at the Everyman Cinema to head for New Barnet railway station. Once under the railway the bus continued on to East Barnet village where it was obvious it was the day before remembrance day.
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| Looking down the high street towards London |
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| East Barnet Village |
Beyond the war memorial the No 307 was ploughing its own furrow as it crept up Cat Hill we we met one of the newer buses running a service in the opposite direction.
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| A new Electroliner on a No 307 descending Cat Hill |
After a while we reached the roundabout by the Chicken Shed theatre which I had passed on both the No 298 and No 299 routes with the No 299 accompanying us for a while. Then we reached Oakwood Underground station and two other bus routes joined us for the run on towards Enfield.
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| Enterring Enfield Town |
Enfield town was reached at 1406 and beyond this the bus headed due east to Soulbury along Soulbury Road. At the crossroads at the Enfield Highway it said Brimsdown straight on but the bus turned left.
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| Enfield Highway Community Centre |
We passed St Johns Church and the Enfield Highway community centre and then turned right down Green Street to arrive at the Brimsdown station terminus at 1429.
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| My mount Arriva's DW535 |
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| DW535 with ES7 leaving at Brimsdown bus terminus |
I then needed to get to the Lea Bridge roundabout so walked to the station and caught the 1438 to Tottenham Hale. The TFL website suggested to go to Hackney Downs and then catch the No 56 bus but I thought I'd try going to Lea Bridge station and then get a bus the other way. I arrived at Tottenham Hale at exactly the time a Lea Bridge train was in the adjoining platform. Thus decision made I ran across and arrived at Lea Bridge station at 1449. Leaving the station there was almost static traffic as far as the eye could see in the direction of Clapton along the Lea Bridge Road. I thus walked one and a quarter miles to find the roundabout with two No 308s waiting in the middle of the roundabout.
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| The bus terminus on Lea Bridge Roundabout Clapton |
The first bus stop is back down the Lea Bridge Road so I returned and Stagecoach No 13122 arrived to pick me up with loads of school kids at 1514.
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| Stagecoach's 13122 arriving |
The bus turned away from the roadworks quickly down Chatsworth Road and into the Chatsworth estate and ran on its own through Lower Clapton until we reached the Homerton hospital at 1523.
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| Homerton Hospital |
From the hospital we took a left turn and left again along Homerton High Street which became Marsh Hill and then Homerton Road to lead towards the Eastway just north of the Olympic park. We turned right and parked next to the leaside bus garage and waited here presumably to exchange drivers but no announcement was made from 1535 to 1540.
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| Misty view through the windows across Olympic Park from the Leaside bus garage |
At this point the numbers in the bus were causing the windows to steam up and a very misty picture was achieved of the iconic Olympic structures. We ran alongside the Temple Mills yard for Eurostar trains and wended our way then around the Stratford International area and the city bus station. The bus then returned back the way it had come the bus swung east to encounter some more roadworks in Penny Brookes Street.
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| Another set of roadworks hindering our progress |
Eventually we were able to head right joining the No 158 and No 241 to run to Stratford East where we looped around to the Broadway and then took Romford Road. This road was only taken as far as Water Lane and the bus then headed north towards Maryland on its own and just over the railway line at the station the bus turned right to follow the railway line still on the bus's own to Forest Gate station at 1609
.
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| University of East London on Water Lane |
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Running parallel with Great Eastern line near
Forest Gate station |
After turning left we turned left again just beyond Wanstead park station into Dames Road and taking the right turn of Lake House Road we crossed Wanstead Flats. The bus then took Blake Hall Road any connection with Blake Hall betwixt Epping and Ongar I wondered and as we crossed over the A12 we turned right to Wanstead Underground station and left to terminate at Woodbine Place at 1626.
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| Arrival at Woodbine Place |
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| Stagecoach 13122 readying to return |
After purchasing a ham and cheese croissant I walked back to Wanstead Underground station and took a Central line train to Stratford. At Stratford it was then the Jubilee line to Canada Water so as to catch a London Overground train to West Croydon and so home. at 1755.
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