Day 296 a few local buses the No 433 and 434 with hopefully the No 435 to follow on the 12th March.

 Leaving home at 1030 I caught a No 407 and alighted at Centrale and boarded a New Addington bound tram at 1054. This conveyed me to the Addington interchange where I disembarked and waited for a No 433 to return me to Croydon.

My tram heading up the hill to New Addington

About six buses an hour

Three high numbered buses

 Transport UK 1536 arriving

I had arrived at 1115 and there was already a No 433 waiting and this bus an electric TransportUK No 1536 picked me up at 1120. We went to the Gravel Hill roundabout and then on to Featherbed Lane where we turned left and then right into Courtwood Lane which I had also done on the No 353. Indeed this route used to be known as the No 354 before the trams came and linked Croydon with Bromley. Soon we were alone though, heading up Bardolph Avenue and then Pixton Way, Linton Glade, Sorrel Bank and on entering Peacock Gardens we then used many roads all with bird names.

The bottom of Gravel Hill

Houses very like our own-so Wimpey 1970s
houses in Forestdale

Eventually we emerged onto Farley Lane and turning right set off for Selsdon Sainsburys where we went straight across swapping the No 409 for company with the No 64.

The No 433 on its own in Forestdale

Metrobus No 409 at Selsdon Sainsburys

 

We passed across the lights a 1134 and started to descend as we me Croham Valley Road and passed Ballards Way. Once past the site of Selsdon station we took the right turn into South Park Hill Road which meant we then reached Coombe Road so as to climb Park Hill Road. After continuing North to Upper Addiscombe Road we turn left past the Threepenny bit to East Croydon station arriving at 1146. It was then a short journey to Park Street where the bus terminated at 1151.

The park street terminus

East Croydon stationwit another No 433 going
the opposite way

I then walked to east Croydon station and caught the 1159 Tattenham Corner train to Woodmasterne. I arrived at 1223 and walked down to Chipstead Valley Road and there went left up Rickman Hill.

Arrival at Woodmansterne

Train leaving for Tattenham Corner

 

This was quite a climb and it took me ten minutes to reach Ridgemount Avenue where the No 434 departs from. As I arrived Metrobus/Go ahead 192 headed off the way I had just come. It was then a half an hour wait for the next bus.

Climbing Rickman Hill

The bus I missed

It was a good job I had plenty of reading matter wih me as Merobus 191 arrived a 1250 and finally I was aboard at 1303. 

The bus stop where I waited half an hour.

Metrobus 191

The bus turned left and descended the hill and at the bottomthe bus went right along Chipstead Valley Road until it met Coulsdon High Street. The bus here turned north towards Purley passing Metrobus 189 on the No 434 in the process.

Coulsdon Post Office

Coulsdon Town station which used to be called
 Smitham

Beyond the bypass the bus turned away from the Purley direction and headed up Smitham Downs Road which, as with the initial part of the journey was a hail and ride section. At the top we took Smitham Bottom Lane only briefly before diving right down Woodcote Valley Road which we took all the way to Foxley lane.

Enterring Hail and Ride section on Smitham
Downs Road

Approaching Purley Cross in Foxley Lane.  

At Foxley lane the bus was no longer alone, as it had been since leaving Coulsdon High Street, and with other buses went to Purley Cross and stopped opposite Tescos for a quick driver exchange. This lasted only from 1324 to 1326 and we were then off along the A22 in the direction of Eastbourne. Quite soon after going under main railway line we turned right into Foxley Hill Road and then right into higher drive as we crossed the Caterham railway line. 

Opposite Tescos Purley we exchanged drivers

The bus then climbed up the hill side past St Barnabas church at 1329. This was the way Mother Bernie had comeon the Surrey churches'Ride and Stride' in 2024 as we headed for Bletchingley via Caterham. We passed the final of the four buses on the route at this point No 190.  

Turning into Hayes Lane

Once at the top of the Downs at 1329 we took Wattenden Road so as to access Hayes Lane without the sharp bend that would otherwise be required. Hayes lane then led us down to the A22 once more and we turned right in the direction of Caterham here.

Kenley Water Treatment works alongside the A22

The bus then followed the A22 through Whyteleafe to the Wapses Lodge roundabout where we arrived at 1345. Going stright over towards Caterham we reached the clocktower and circled it and termianted at 1351. Exactly two hours after finishing at Park Street on the previous bus.

Changing the destination in Caterham after arrival

I then had a break for coffee and pasty at Coughlans. I then needed to get to Merstham to ride the No 435. There is a bus the No 411 but looking at the timetable I hadn't long missed it so as it is a two hourly service it seemed sensible to try and walk as it was only about four miles.

Woodland way

Looking back from War Coppice Road
 towards Caterham

I thus walked past Soper Hall and along Harestone Valley Road then along Weald Way past Caterham school . Next I took Woodland Way which became very steep before going right along War Copice Road.

The unmade road signposted as the
North Downs Way

WilleyPpark Farm which is used also as a
 recycling centre for damged aircraft

At Whitehill lane which again I had traversed with Mother Bernie on the 'Ride and Stride' I went straight over onto an unmade road which led me to Willey Park Farm. By this time the drizzle was becoming very annoying and I was quite damp. 

Descending the North Downs

Crossin the M25

At the farm there was a footpath heading south and I expected that would take me down the scarp slope of the Downs. This it did and I reached the Surrey Wildlife Trust Quarry hanger Reserve on Spring Bottom Lane. Going west along this road I reached Warwick Wold Road and I took this south across the M25. This road eventually, after many road works took me to Bletchingley Road where I turned right and went under the M23. This road led me into Merstham where I arrived at 1610 at a No 435 bus stop.

However, that meant I had to wait 45 minutes for the next No 435 and since this would require travel in the rush hour I decided to leave the bus until next time. Therefore I walked to Merstham station and to the Quality Street stop and caught the next No 405 bus home.

Day 295 A short trip homeward on the No 432 after revisiting the No 20 on 5th March 2026

 I first when up to Debden with Phil and Juliet from church to catch the No 20 and then having alighted at Walthamstow Central took the Victoria line the whole way to Brixton. Emerging from the station I walked right and found the correct bus stop labelled Brixton police station.

Schematic bus map

My bus following after this No 59

At 1420 I was aboard Arriva's hybrid HV136 on the No 432 to Anerley. At the junction by Lambeth Town hall the bus took Effra Road with 5 other bus routes. However, once across Brixton Water Lane there were only three as we started to climb Tulse Hill, which was covered in the opposite direction when aboard the No 417.

Climbing Tulse Hill

On South Circular about to head for West 
Norwood

We only briefly joined the South Circular before turning right and heading towards West Norwood. Here we encountered some very restricting roadworks which meant we didn't reach West Norwood library until 1446 when we had left the South Circular 11 minutes earlier.

Climbing alone along Norwood
High Street to reach Elder Road

Once past the library the traffic was much lighter and on reaching the Ernest Avenue stop the bus was alone as  all other routes go right to run past Norwood garage. Climbing Elder Road we passed Norwood Park and after this turned left to climb Central Hill with the No 417 for company.

A Norwood Park at top of Elder Road

On Central Hill approaching Westow Hill 

Later on this road the No 450 joined us and then other routes as we passed onto WestowHill to reach Crystal Palace Parade. Here we went straight over the roundabout and down Anerley Hill at 1458. Once over the London Bridge to Norwood Junction railway the bus turned left into Anerley Station Road and terminated at 1503.

At the Anerley terminus

To get home I then took a London Overground train to West Croydon and then a Southern train home.

Day 294 Another trip to Sevenoaks to do a bus that has been renumbered. Now the No 3 but previously the No 431.

 There are only three buses a day on this route now but consulting my 1974 timetable there were 20 buses on the no 431 with one on the 431A. When I was a kid there were buses like the 431C and 431D to Fort Halstead as well. So to do the full route I needed to drive to Orpington and catch a train to Sevenoaks. The best fit looked likely to be the 1209 Hastings train which delivered me to Sevenoaks at 1218. 

Orpington station with platforms 6,7 and 8
 all occupied but wih different types of stock

The bus stop in Pembroke Road which still
expects a No 431 to call!!

After a short stop for lunch at Costa I walked up Tubs Hill. The bus stop at the station does not allude to any 400 series buses but the next one up the hill does, as does still the one I snapped last time in Pembroke Road. 

Two GoCoach buses in the bus station the nearest
was my mount 

GoCoach operate double-deckers,too.

A rear view of my future No 3

GoCoach operate demand led buses too

I then made my way to the bus station and waited for the 1325 departure of my chosen bus, the now No 3 operated by GoCoach.  YJ18DLX reversed from its parking spot at 1320 and I was aboard for the 1325 departure to Orpington via Halstead and Knockholt.

This was the site of the Sevenoaks cattle market

Five 400 series buses shown including 431

We headed straight back the way I had walked and was back at the railway station at 1328. The bus took the old A21 to Riverhead, brifel deviating ino a parking bay near Tesco where some passengers got on. We returned to he old road and transitted Dunton Green, passing over remains of the Westerham branch railway and by the site of the old Dunton Green Country area LT garage.

Matching gonk on pillar box in Dunton Green 

Crossing over the M26 and next the M25 we would normally have gone up Star Hill but this is closed for roadworks so we were diverted up Polhill instead. 

Passing Polhill Arms, last time when doing
 the No 421 I walked past this establishment

Entrance to Polhill garden centre

The bus passed what had been the Polhill Arns and turned into Polhill garden centre where five passengers boarded at 1341. After leaving the garden centre the bus would have normally gone up Shoreham Lane to Halstead but I later learned this has been deemed unsafe owing to parked cars making the road too narrow. Thus we continued along the old A21 through Badgers Mount then left up Watercroft Road which becomes Station Road before reaching Halstead.

Halstead bus stop

Three Horseshoes Knockholt

In Halstead the bus headed right for Knockholt and did a circuit at the Three Horseshoes pub and returned the way it had come not only to Halstead but also back down to the old A21. Here we turned left passing Knockholt station at 1358 and finally joining the current A21 to get to Pratts Bottom. Here the final passenger to join the bus boarded.

The bus left the A21 at the Rose and Crown Green Street Green and took 

Queens Head Green Street Green

Sevenoaks Way to the Orpington war memorial.

Orpington war memorial

We went left here up Station Road following this road, the A232 all the way to Locks Bottom where we terminated at Pallant Way at 1415.

Lay over point occupied by a No 336 so bus has to stop where it can

I then caught a No 61 to Orpington railway station and walked to where I had left my car.