Day forty one a short trip to do the No 71

After a trip to our coiffeuse in Worcester Park it seemed sensible to make the short trip to Kingston to run down the No 71 to Chessington World of Adventures. I had hoped to continue to do the the No 72 but despite the nearness of the journey, time was not on my side. I caught the X26 to Kingston railway station from Worcester Park railway station and boarded the No 71 at Cromwell Road bus station towards Chessington at 1538.

Cromwell Road bus station starting point of the No 71

London United SP40018
arriving to form my mount

The bus heads towards Surbiton and on towards Hook to reach Chessington North where it turns east to Moor Road then south through Copley Gilders to Chessington South.

A view of an Abellio Surrey Dart from atop SP40018

Following a London United Dart with old number DE59 painted on roof in front of the anomaly that is Surrey County Council headquarters in the LONDON Borough of Kingston!

The bus comes to its destination at Chessington World of Adventures after turning left back onto the A243 after Chessington College. We arrived at 1635 which was rather longer than the timing for non peak hours of 35 minutes. This was occasioned mostly because of the long queue to reach the Hook interchange with the A3.

Bus turn around point outside Chessington World of Adventures

I returned home initially by catching the next No 71 to Moor Road. I then walked along a footpath through a new housing estate and then through an avenue of trees to reach fields that were Tolworth Court Farm. This enabled me to reach the A240 and I walked up this to Tolworth station. Here I caught the 1713 towards Waterloo and alighted at Wimbledon and then took the tram home to Wandle Park.

Day 40 A trip on the No 70 after visiting the Royal Society and Ocean Liner exhibition at the V & A.

My wife as visits organiser of the Retired Members Group of professional library association CILIP meant we had a visit to see the library of the Royal Society this morning. This fascinating tour was followed by a walk to Victoria which took us across the Mall just as the Princess Royal drove by to attend the garden party in honour of Prince Charles's 70th birthday. We then took the District line to South Kensington to visit the V & A to see their exhibition of luxury ocean liners. Fortuitously South Kensington is the eastern limit of the route No 70 and so we chose to board London United DLE30051 at 1547.

The road outside the V & A Museum
showing No 70 on diversion signs

Bus Stop S at South Kensington

London United DLE30052-we missed this one!

DLE30051 arriving at bus stop S

The route heads up Queens Gate to Hyde Park  turns west past the Albert Hall to Kensington High Street before turning north and then east on the north side of the same park to run along Queensway. However at 1612 we reached a diversion along Queensway and the right turn that it required was very tight. The bus had to reverse and go forward a number of times before it could proceed west down Moscow Road. We continued to Pembridge Square and then turned north into Chepstow Place. As we reached the normal route again it was obvious from all the plant in the road why the diversion had been necessary. The bus does a loop into the Ladbroke Grove Sainsbury's bus station as I did on my journeys on the No 23 and the No 52 but then went back the way it had come for a short while before heading west down Bayleys Road.

Reflection of photographer in glass behind driver (I am wearing a light blue T-shirt)

The bus then headed towards East Acton passing the Hammersmith Hospital and Wormwood Scrubs prison in the process. After passing East Acton station the bus went under the railway bridge at Acton Central, up the High Street past Acton old town hall before turning south and running past Acton Town tube station to reach the Chiswick business park at 1710.

Arrival at Chiswick Business park

We thought about catching the No 70 back to
Acton Town but the bus seemed reluctant
 to depart so we walked to Chiswick Park instead.

We then walked to Chiswick Park underground station to catch a District line train to Victoria. However, whilst on the train the driver announced we were likely to be held up by a points failure at Aldgate. On arrival at Hammersmith we thus dived across the platform onto a Piccadilly line train which we took to Earl's Court. At Earl's Court we took my usual route home from Heathrow, taking the district line one stop and then changing to London Overground or Southern to Clapham Junction. However, since the first train to come was a southern train to East Croydon, we took that all the way to meet a friend in the Spread Eagle pub for dinner.

Day thirty nine a trip on the No 69 from Canning Town to Walthamstow

This trip was an opportunity occasioned owing to my wife acting in a play at the Bernie Grant Arts Centre. This required taking costumes and scenery to the venue. In my hands was a polystyrene 'breeze block wall' which I manipulated from home on the train to Victoria and then on the Victoria line to Seven Sisters.  So having arrived and deposited the wall I took the No 76 to Tottenham Hale railway station. From here I was able to take the train to Stratford which was the first time I had actually stopped at Lea Bridge station- it having been closed for the majority of my time on earth. The Jubilee line then took me to Canning Town where I had arranged to meet my friend Tim, who I have known since 1978, who I worked with at Met Office Bracknell. Thus at 1608 we both boarded the No 69 bus and assumed the upstairs front right seats. The service was provided by Tower Transit No 36162 a Volvo B9TL Wrightbus Eclipse Gemini 2.

Tower Transit 36162 at Canning Town bus station

We headed initially NE towards Barking but very soon turned left into Hermit Road which eventually lead to Plaistow High Street near the Underground station. We passed over the District and C2C railway at this point and headed NW to Stratford interchange.

Glorious weather at Stratford interchange

Beyond this we briefly headed along the old A11 to Maryland station, reached about half an hour after departure, but then turned left quite soon to follow the route of the No 58 I had followed earlier, down Crownfield road to turn right at the end of this and headed to Leyton.

Edith Road stop on Crownfield road where the No 58 and No 69 run parallel

Once again I arrived at the Bakers Arms which were encountered on the Nos 56, 55, 48 and the 20 and we then ran into Walthamstow along Hoe Street reaching Walthamstow Central Bus station at 1710. After this we visited The Goose to sample a beverage from a Leigh on Sea brewery before catching the Victoria line to Seven Sisters in order to watch the mental health festival event Charmaine was taking part in. After the show we returned the way we came. Once again I was laden with a 'breeze block wall!'

The bus leaving to lay over after dropping us at the
Walthamstow Central bus station
whereupon we repaired to The Goose. 

The first shot of me on
 a bus!
Photo taken by
 Tim to prove I do ride
on buses! 

Day 38, back to Romford to start the No 66 followed by No 67 and home via the No 68.

A much better day weather wise, good Labour voting weather, for my trip today which utilised 7 buses, 4 tube lines and 3 trains. After voting I walked to the station and caught the 1053 to West Croydon whereupon I used the next London Overground train to Canning Town. Here, as many times before, I changed to the Jubilee line to Stratford where I arrived at 1149. This gave me time to catch the 1158 London Overground mainline train towards Shenfield which I took as far as Romford.

The rural air of the Eastern Avenue from the front seat of DW241

The No 66 bus route commences outside Romford station so after arriving at 1220 I only had to wait until 1231 and we were on our way heading north past the North Street bus garage of Stagecoach to reach the A12 Eastern avenue. The bus was Arriva DW241 a Wrightbus Gemini 2 DL based at Grays.

Approaching the Gants hill roundabout on the A12

For much of the time we were moving quite briskly along the Eastern Avenue and for the first few miles there were only fields on both sides. As we approached Newbury Park suburbia started in earnest though, and houses then lined both sides of this dual carriageway until we reached the Redbridge roundabout at the North Circular. After passing this we finally left the A12 and drove into Wanstead which was a surprisingly rural looking town.



We subsequently turned SW and ran into Leytonstone over the A12 at the Green Man roundabout. After a hold up for an ambulance we turned right and then ran down to Leytonstone underground station where we arrived at 1318.

The final part of the route
Leytonstone underground station

DW241 at Leytonstone resting before
 returning to Romford

I caught a Central line train from here to Mile End and then crossed the platform to take a District line train, strangely also with the same ultimate destination of Ealing Broadway. I alighted from this train at Whitechapel and walked to the Royal London Hospital where I took advantage of the toilet and Costa in that order. From here I walked to Aldgate bus station from where the No 67 emanates and here I arrived at 1401.

Walking alone the Whitechapel road towards Town

Buses awaiting departure at
Aldgate

The next No 67 out to Wood Green was waiting in the bus park and I boarded HV49 an Arriva Volvo B5LH Wrightbus Eclipse Gemini 2 at 1407. It took quite a while to actually get out of the bus station. This appeared to be because of a parked car which was in a red route parking bay for disabled users by Aldgate East station.

The Passmore Edwards library at Hoxton

Once beyond that hold up progress was not startling but steady. We passed through Shoreditch, Hoxton and Haggerston before continuing up the A10 through Dalston to Stoke Newington and Stamford hill. Once we had descended the other side of Stamford hill we turned left before we reached Seven Sisters, up Seven Sisters road. Eventually we reached Turnpike Link underground station and finally Wood Green at 1512.

Wood Green shopping city approaching Journey's end

Arriva HV49 departing to its holding point before returning to Aldgate

My next destination had to be Euston railway station to catch the No 68 to West Norwood and if time before choir practise it would be off to Canning Town to catch the No 69 to Walthamstow. To achieve this I took the Piccadilly line from Wood Green (my fourth tube line) and alighted at Caledonian Road. This was to avoid using a train into Zone one and as I exited onto the road a No 91 arrived which took me to Upper Woburn Place from where I walked to Euston.

Looking across the green towards Euston station
 from Upper Woburn place

London General LT671 waiting to leave from Euston
Railway station

A No 68 drew up at the bus stop as I arrived so after a quick photo of Borisbus LT671 of London General we were making on our way south at 1559. The roads were starting to get busy and it took 25 minutes to reach Waterloo station. It was then onto Elephant and Castle and down the Walworth Road to Camberwell and Kings College Hospital but it was just over an hour since departure that we reached Herne Hill. From here it follows much the route of the railway line to Tulse Hill and finally West Norwood, terminating at the Arriva bus garage at 1716. There were a number of original AEC Routemasters in the garage, one of which was the RM5. There was also a slightly older one in the yard RM275.

LT671 at West Norwood already having changed its destination blind

From here I caught an X68 express bus to West Croydon which took 45 minutes. I then jumped on a No 157 and changed to a No 407 in Waddon Road at the Pitlake Arms arriving home at 1815, there having been insufficient time to fit the No 69 in before choir practise.

Day thirty seven the No 65 to Ealing Broadway.

Bus stop G at Brook Street Kingston

The No 65 runs from Kingston to Ealing Broadway so to access the route I took the 410 at 1355 and then X26 at 1405 to Kingston where I arrived at 1455. It was bright and sunny for much of the trip but once at Kingston the Cumulonimbus was building and hence the photographs I took at the start point of the route in Brook street are rather on the dark side. The No 65 is a route run by London United and is mostly covered by Scania N230UD OmniCity double deckers and my mount was SP128.

Scania OminCity SP128 which would provide my No 65
to Ealing Broadway

Display within bus suggesting next stop Ealing Broadway

This bus departed at 1500 and the heavens were rent asunder. As a result there seemed little point occupying the front seat as usual as a side view afforded better opportunity to see out-with the bus. Indeed, as we passed through Petersham I was able to spy a family group of topiary elephants in one huge property's garden. Despite the sizes of the properties there were still plenty of adverts stating Liberal Democrats winning here with the local elections coming the next day.
After running through Richmond we passed Kew Gardens and cross the Thames at Kew bridge into historical Middlesex at Brentford. The bus then continues North across the A4 and under the M4 to reach Ealing where the bus takes quite a roundabout route to terminate facing southwards at Ealing Broadway station. We reached here at 1616.

SP128 at bus stop C outside Ealing Broadway station

In order to get home by minimising the cost, ( I had reached Ealing Broadway for a total cost of £1.50) I took the 207 bus to Shepherds Bush. From the railway station I took the London Overground to Clapham Junction arriving at 1725. The next train home was cancelled so I took the one before it to Hackbridge and walked home across Beddington Park reaching home at 1830.