Day 270 A bus that used to run from Bromley North to Tonbridge but is now from Sevenoaks to Tunbridge wells, the No 402.

 I combined this trip with a visit to our dentist in Orpington, leaving my car a fair way away to avoid the yellow lines. After my check up I then walked down the hill to Orpington station to catch the 1218 to Sevenoaks. On arrival at Sevenoaks station I looked at the bus stop plan and saw the No 402 started from bus stop A. I found this across the road but after a while noticed there was a bus stop closed sign and walked past to find the operative bus stop, which was other side of some Thames water road works. However, the 1253 bus didn't come so I resolved to walk up Tubs Hills to the bus station. Whilst doing so I went left along Pembroke Road and passed a bus stop that had a number of routes on it that I no longer thought were in operation the Nos 404,421,431,432. I then turned right up the High Street and left into the bus station where I found the stop for the No 402.

The bus stop numbers here did not include the No 402

However, Sevenoaks railway station indicated
on the timetable

Liked the TW3 diverted pending KCC doing
tree pruning

Sign not at bus stop saying bus stop closed but on
road for the drivers not the public

This is where I waited in vain

Bus stop in Pembroke Road purporting to show routes 404,
 421, 431 and 432 stopping there

At bus station

I should be able to expect a No 402 here!

Most buses in Sevenoaks are operated by this company Go coach
This is their route 3 which is effectively a replacement for the old 431

Arriva 6205 arriving

Awaiting departure

Here I boarded Arriva South 6205 which had previously been operated by Arriva Midland in Leicester. I asked the driver about the railway station and he told me it was only served by the school buses the 402B, P and W so I was right to walk up to the bus station and the 1323 duly set off on time heading down the High Street along the original A21. 

Sevenoaks High Street

Signpost at top of Tubs Hill where it meets the
High Street. Distance to Farnborough given.

Other side of road sign

Stopping at Sevenoaks school

Entrance to Riverhill House

This took us down Riverhill past the entrance to Riverhill House and it Himalayan gardens to the roundabout where the Sevenoaks bypass joins the Tonbridge bypass. The bus remained on the original road and reached Hildenborough at 1335.

Stop in Hildenboorough

Entering Tonbridge

Beyond Hildenborough we reached the junction with the A26 and this took us right past Tonbridge school and through Tonbridge town centre pausing for a while opposite the castle at 1345.

By Tonbridge castle with bridge over Medway next 
to white picket fence

Remains of Tonbridge castle

Huge quantity of bus routes in Tonbridge High 
street but how frequent are they

Two Southeastern class 375s east of Tonbridge
station

Continuing up the High Street we reached Tonbridge railway station where we changed drivers at the stop south of the bridge at 1349-1353. Beyond here the road climbs steeply uphill as we leave the Vale of Holmesdale behind and climb up to the Forest Ridges. This gave us some spectacular views but every time I tried to take a photograph a tree got in the way. We then entered Southborough entering the Borough of Tunbridge Wells at 1355.

Tree preventing photo of panorama

Descending towards Southborough Cricket Green

Strangely as we approached Skinners school there was stops with the bus No 704 on them but the Greenline route that used to run from Windsor to Tunbridge Wells would not have stopped at these stops or frequency thereof.

Skinners school stop with bus route No 704 shown

Entering Tunbridge Wells

Fenwicks one of wife's favourite shops
 to visit

The spot where the Greenline coach station used
to be

We entered Tunbridge Wells at 1407 down Grovesnor Road and around the one way system past Fenwicks store. We turned left into the High Street passing the remains of the bus station where the Greenline used to terminate. After disgorging most of the passengers here the bus went right along Trinity Road where when I was a kid we would board the Nos 119 or 122 to Crowborough. At the crossroads at the end the bus headed left downhill and we came back from the west to reach Tunbridge Wells Central station to terminate at 1416.

Tunbridge Wells High Street, with Go Coach
and Metrobus bus ahead

Followed an Arriva bus along Trinity Road

Returning NE towards Tunbridge Wells
Central station

Journey's End

Looking through the southern tunnel at the station

My train arriving from Hastings

The next train back to Orpington was the 1439 and this got me back to my car by about 1520. I then went to Biggin Hill airfield for delayed lunch and attempted to drive home through New Addington. there had however been an accident where a car and bus had collided with the bus being pushing across the parallel tramway halting all tram services to New Addington. It made for huge queues backing up along Gravel Hill and I got home eventually at 1720.

£9.15 return rail ticket to Tunbridge Wells. Bus ticket £3

Turkish Learjet arriving

Dutch Challenger departing for Antwerp

Austrian Challenger departing

Austrian DA62 departing

Day 269 A TFL route this time the No 401 from Bexleyheath clocktower to Thamesmead

 After a morning's church sitting I caught a No 410 at 1220 and changed to a tram to Beckenham at Centrale with just a four minute wait. This delivered me to Beckenham Junction station with just two minutes to wait for an Orpington train to convey me to Bromley South. I arrived at 1311 and in Bromley I needed to get a new screw fitted on my wife's glasses and then I walked to Widmore Road to catch a No 269 to Bexleyheath town Centre which arrived at 1335. I arrived at the clock tower in Bexleyheath at 1421 exactly as a No 401 was leaving and the rolling display stated I had 15 minutes to wait for the next one.

Just missed the No 401 at 1421

Bus runs every 15 minutes and takes half an hour

London general's E122 arriving

The bus that arrived at 1436 London General's E122 which had very abraided front windows upstairs which meant it was difficult to take any clear photographs. We headed down Woolwich Road and turned left at the 'T' Junction into Long Lane thereafter taking the right into Bedonwell Road, all the time accompanied with bus No B12 or initially others, too. 

Typical between the war housing in Long Lane

We carried straight on at Little Heath Road into Nuxley Road where we entered Belvedere Village. Very briefly here the No 401 was on its own. Very soon though we reached the A206 and turning right we were joined by the No 99 and 469. The later accompanied us as we turned left into Picardy Road. This road soon led us down the hill to Belvedere railway station and here we turned right and stopped outside the ASDA. It wasn't long before we swung left into Picardy Manor Way which led us into the Belvedere industrial estate. 

Albert Road/Nuxley Road
only served By No 401

Descending Picardy Road

At the roundabout we briefly took Anderson Way before doing a circuit of a mini roundabout and returned whence we had cometh. Briefly taking eastern Way we set off along the length of Yarnton Way which would take us into Abbey Wood before taking the right Harrow Manor Way into Thamesmead proper.

Horse in middle of roundabout by Anderson Way

In Yarnton Way

We took Carlyle Road briefly and then went right into Crossway drivers above the Crossway canal a couple of times as we made our way to Thamesmead leisure centre where we terminated at 1515.

Journey's End

An SL3 ahead of my bus which is a direct route
from Bromley to Thamesmead which
takes 50 minutes whereas I took an hour and 40 minutes

To get back I caught a No 229 to Abbey Wood station and there an Elizabeth Line train to Whitechapel. There I changed for the 1602 West Croydon Overground train and finally the 1645 train to Epsom getting home just after 5 PM.

Day 268 The No 400 Caterham on the Hill to Stone Quarry East Grinstead via Crawley

 The means of getting to Caterham on the Hill required two buses, so having left home at 1035 I made my way to the Purley Way to catch either a No 289 or No 439. However, I had to wait at least twenty minutes for the bus so didn't leave on a No 439 until 1114. This meant I arrived in Purley at 1127 and passing Purley United Reformed Church gave Charmaine some labels for her bookcases there. Next I boarded a No 466 in Purley High Street to Westway at Caterham on the Hill which was reached at 1202. 

The 400 is an hourly bus service

The No 466 layover spot

No 400 a Metrobus double decker No 6964

No 400 Destination East Grinstead

The next No 400 bus was to leave at 1225 and it arrived to lay over at 1205. This was Metrobus 6964 and I boarded at 1222 and we left on time past Caterham on the Hill library. At the 'T' junction ahead we turned right along the High Street to Church Hill and down to Caterham itself.

Shop open Thursday to Saturday

Caterham old post office

From here the bus turned right going past St John's church and the Miller Centre climbing all the time until it reached the Caterham Bypass (the A22). We then headed south towards the M25 going under the motorway and taking the third exit, the B2235, which led to Godstone. 

Approaching the M25

Descending the hill towards Godstone

Road closures ahead

Returning back to Godstone from the south

Normally the bus would have continued straight south through the village but the fairly recent subsidence there meant we had at 1238 to go left, eastwards along the A25 and then south down the Godstone bypass (the A22). At the roundabout the bus turned through 300 degrees and thereby reached Godstone village from the south.

Approaching Blechingley

Crossing the M23 betwixt Blechingley and Nutfield

Pausing in Nutfield

Starting the descent from the Greensand Ridge to 
Redhill with Colley Hill Reigate behind

This then allowed the bus to take the A25 through Bletchingley at 1249 and Nutfield at 1253. After a short wait, as the bus was ahead of time, we set off towards Redhill with views of Colley Hill above Reigate. The bus station at Redhill was reached at 1259 and we then headed south down the A23 from which we turned left into the East Surrey Hospital  at 1309. Returning to the A23 we continued southwards through Salfords and on to Horley. We didn't go into Horley town but stayed on the bypass road where there was some roadworks. 

Entering East Surrey Hospital

Cows betwixt Salfords and Horley

Queue at roadworks on Horley bypass

Horley Cricket and Hockey club skittled tournament

The bus followed on to Gatwick airport and then through the recently built city place past the original beehive airport terminal at 1330. Turning left we halted at the stop beyond Tinsley Green depot and exchanged drivers at 1334. The bus went straight on for a while but turned right under the bridge and took Northgate Avenue which led into Crawley town centre at 1345.

About to head under A23 tunnel at Gatwick

Ryanair Boeing 737 turning to take off

Norwegian Boeing 737 following the Ryanair

Gatwick Road North bus stop

Broadway Crawley

Three Bridges station

Copthorne village sign

We next headed east towards Three Bridges and then on to Copthorne, although we took the bypass rather than travel through the village. Beyond Copthorne at the Dukes Head roundabout we continued along the A264 in the direction of Felbridge. At 1410 we reached the A22 once again and turned towards East Grinstead which was reached at 1420.

Turning right onto the A22 at Felbridge

East Grinstead town centre

East Grinstead High Street

After the town centre was left we took the narrow road College Lane which the bus had to give way many times as there were rock cuttings that the road had been forced through. At the end of this road at Blackshaw we turned right to go past the Queen Victoria hospital. Shortly after passing the hospital we took a right turn called Quarry Rise and the bus then terminated at 1428.

Crossing over the chasm that was the railway to Tunbridge Wells and is now the A22 bypass

Passing Queen Victoria Hospital

Journey's End

The bus going away to turn around

I asked the driver as I got off where I catch the bus back to Three Bridges and he showed me the stop opposite. On arrival I found the information provided really helpful as it was real-time display which enabled me to get some lunch as I was told the bus returned in twenty five minutes. The bus then returned me to Crawley and I got off near Russell Road at 1537 and walked along the cycleway and then walked through the woods to get to Tilgate Zoo where I arrived at 1610. 

Two of the five Ring Tailed Lemurs

Serval

Both Servals in shot

Baird's Pochards with three ducklings, critically
endangered

Eclectic Parrot

Soay sheep Rare British breed

One of five baby Bagot goats Rare British breed

Local bunny inhabitant

Our son's favourite animal at the zoo Alf the Tapir

Scottish wildcat

After visiting the Zoo and saying goodbye to Alf I caught a No 10 at Southgate Avenue to Gatwick Airport and then got a train and a tram home arriving home in one and half hours.