Day 22 A nice round trip the No 43 and No 44

Please accept my apologies for my lack of progress. This has occurred owing to the necessity of a family member being in Orpington every evening to help my mother, so opportunities have been rather limited since her fall on New Year's Eve.
However, today I managed to catch the 1141 to Norwood Junction and there change to the 1201 to London Bridge: the starting point for the No 43 to Friern Barnet.

My mount from the Shard to Friern Barnet

The bus I boarded was VW1468 a Volvo with Wrightbus bodywork of Metroline which left the bus stop next to the Shard at 1228. Before we had reached the rail overbridge at Borough Market the customers aboard were warned that 'this bus is on diversion.' Indeed, on arrival at Monument it was obvious we could not proceed to Bank along King William Street and were sent via Gracechurch Street turning left along London Wall to regain the normal route just south of Moorgate station. The extensive road closures made for slow going and it took half an hour to reach the Old Street roundabout. The pace then quickened to the Angel but the roadworks at Highbury Corner slowed progress once more. Beyond here the traffic was less problematic and we climbed steadily along the Holloway Road to Archway and on to Highgate and eventually Muswell Hill.

The glorious view over London briefly snatched between houses at Muswell Hill 

There is then a slow descent towards the North Circular road before climbing once again towards Barnet. The bus arrived here at 1412, almost an hour and three quarters since departure without a change of driver and here it has its own turning circle with a portaloo for the bus drivers.

VW1468 at Friern Barnet
turnaround

VW1468 viewed from the copse by the portaloo

From here I walked to New Southgate station and caught a Great Northern class 313 train towards Moorgate at 1430. I alighted at Finsbury Park and took the Victoria Line to Victoria arriving at 1457.

WVL 247 arrived before I was ready so 'snapped on the hoof.'

Bus stop at which the No 44 starts

The No 44 starts from beside Victoria station in Buckingham Palace Road and I boarded a London General Volvo Wrightbus Gemini  number WVL247 at 1502. We passed a good many coaches as we headed towards Chelsea Bridge Road and the Lister hospital where our twins were 'created'. The bus crossed the river at Chelsea Bridge and turned right along Battersea High Street heading to the Latchmere (PH) and then Wandsworth town centre. There was quite a hold up at the point just beyond the Battersea Heliport with emergency vehicles going hither and thither but otherwise it was a fairly painless trip onward from Wandsworth along Garratt Lane to Tooting where we arrived at 1618 at Tooting railway station.

Approaching the final bus stop at Tooting railway station with a No 270 at the stop.

WVL247 pulling away after depositing its passengers

To get home from here I chose the No 264 to Mitcham and then the No 127 to Mitcham Junction station and subsequently a tram to Wandle Park.