Day 262 To Harlow to do bus that only runs Monday to Friday school or shopping hours the No 392.

I caught the 1115 Peterborough train at 1123 at East Croydon and alighted at Finsbury Park. From here I took the Victoria line two stops to Tottenham Hale and as I bought my ticket a Stansted Express train arrived which was next stop Harlow. This meant I arrived at Harlow Town station at 1223, only an hour after leaving East Croydon. The walk from Harlow Town station to the bus station in town was quite a difficult one though owing to all the roadworks but it still only took 22 minutes.

Nearly new double-decker from Central Connect

The No 392 laying over in the bus station

The No 392 is highlighted in orange-7 a day.

The bus station was not located where it said it was on the map but that area seemed to be off limits and on the gloriously sunny day it was a pleasure to wait under the trees for my No 392 bus at 1300.

The new bus station with 392 arriving

The bus is operated by Epping Forest Community Transport and arrived bang on time. Three of us boarded but only I paid and there seemed to be no mechanism for issuing a ticket. The bus turned left out of the bus station and then went left again passing the Harlow playhouse before then turning right heading SSW past Paycock Road  and into Water Lane.

Harlow Payhouse

Central Connect and Arriva buses at
 Ambercrombie Way

Passing SSW'ly at Abercrombie Way

This after passing an area called Sumners eventually took us to a roundabout with the B181 signposted Epping and the bus turned left in that direction. We turned right along Common Road and this brought us to a settlement called Bumbles Green. We next turned right at a roundabout in the direction of Broxbourne and this then took us through Nazeing. 

Passing a country pile near Broadley common  

Lots of black and white buildings
with some thatched roofs

Nazeing town centre

Beyond Nazeing we crossed over the River Lea and the Lea Navigation and then the railway line by Broxbourne station. Beyond this we crossed the New River and then at the T junction at the end turned right up Broxbourne High Street. Here one of the other two passengers left. The bus then followed the route I had taken many months ago on the No 310 to Hoddesdon and terminated at the clock Tower at 1327.

Driving along Broxbourne High Street

Arrival at Hoddesdon with original
London Country Bus Company coloured Arriva
bus

Hoddesdon Clock Tower

The bus No 392 on its way back from Hoddesdon to Harlow, with UNO bus coming the other way

I then walked back in the direction of Broxbourne railway station from Hoddesdon town centre. I then walked down Upper Marsh to reach the New River footpath and then I followed that to the railway station.

Walking along the New River footpath near Broxbourne

I then walked to the station and caught the 1423 train to Tottenham Hale station and returned the way I had come via Finsbury Park and the Thameslink Horsham service back to East Croydon.

Day 261 (March 15th) A trip to Stevenage to ride a No 391.

 The TFL route No 391 used to run from Richmond to Hammersmith and Fulham but was merged into the No 306 which I did after the No 391 ceased. I thus had to travel on the 1005 from Waddon to London Bridge and change for the 1046 Thameslink train to Cambridge which arrived at 1130. The No 391 bus runs only on a Saturday and is only a two hourly service on the even hours.

The view of the bus station from
Stevenage railway station

Bus frequency chart, there isn't a 1630 to Weston

Two Arriva and one
Stagecoach bus

Another bus company Vectare

A recent arrival from Arriva Northwest

My Centrebus No 391 arriving

Boarding Centrebus No 551

I thus had nearly an hour to wait in Stevenage bus station but eventually the bus arrived at bay J and we were on our way at 1230 on Centrebus No 551 based at Luton. We exited the bus station initially heading south to do a complete circuit of the roundabout so as to be able to reach the railway station on the opposite side of the dual carriageway. We had two additional passengers to me from departure and two others joined at the railway station. From here we went left under the railway into an industrial area where I later found the Arriva bus depot is located. Turning right at the next roundabout we headed North parallel with the A1M and LNER mainline for a while. However when the bus reached the next roundabout it turned right into Bridge Road and then left into Fairview Road which seemed to be 1970-80s housing estate. This took us to Fishers Green.

Fishers Green

We then left Stevenage as we passed into Todds Green and stopped at the delightfully named bus stop called Todds Green postbox. After this instead of going straight on into St Ippolyts the bus went hard right and then after crossing under the A1M took the old roman road now the B197 through Graveley village. Having passed through the village the bus continued onwards to reach Lannock Hill before taking the right turn signposted Weston and arrived at the terminal point just past the village pond and green at 1255. I checked with the bus driver what time she would pick up next time at Graveley (1510) and then headed off to look at the village and then walk over the Chilterns to Graveley.

Going under the A1M for Graveley

Entering Weston with double glazing distorting
photo

Journey's End

A walk totally alone in lovely countryside

Weston pond and green

I reached the Waggon and Horses at Graveley at 1430 bought a pint and the same driver passed me going to Weston at 1450.

I thus crossed the road and awaited her return at the due time of 1510. I was the only passenger and alighted at the industrial estate to have a look at the Arriva bus garage and then walked to the railway station to take the 1609 GNR train to Finsbury Park and then the next Thameslink train to East Croydon arriving home at 1730.

Interesting dead tree

View cresting the hill looking towards Stevenage

Badger set

Graveley airstrip

The way I had come

Bus driver waved to me as she passed me outside
the Waggon and Horses