Day 46 Quite a journey to reach the No 79

The No 79 runs from Alperton to Edgware, so from Croydon it's quite a trek to either location. I chose to take the tram from Wandle Park to Wimbledon, then the District line to Earl's Court and subsequently I took the Piccadilly line westbound. So far much as when I went to Heathrow, although this time it was an Uxbridge bound Piccadilly line train that deposited me at Alperton at 1410, having left home around 1245.

Alperton Underground station on a gloriously hot summer's day

The No 79 taken from outside Alperton bus garage as it sweeps by

Whilst having a look at Alperton bus garage a No 79 came by with a destination of Alperton Sainsbury's. I had expected the bus to start from the bus garage so I watched which way the bus turned at the traffic lights and followed in pursuit.

The terminus beside Sainsbury's at Alperton

Now stating its destination on the front waiting to head a little up the road to the roundabout to pick me up

It wasn't actually very far down the road towards the Hangar Lane Gyratory that I found Sainsbury's on the right. Here I waited for the Metroline Volvo with Wright bodywork VW1201 of Perivale garage to take me through Wembley to Edgware at 1426.

TE890 also of Metroline heading as we were to Edgware but via Colindale and Burnt Oak

Whilst travelling between Wembley and Preston Road we travelled the same route as the No 204 the bus my wife caught daily whilst working at the Village School. It was only as we approached the Kingsbury Circle that the bus seemed to be the only bus which utilised that road which was Garth Road. This didn't last long though, as we were quickly joined by 4 buses in the 600 school series and around this area those I saw were operated by Sullivan Buses. In addition to that companies buses, when we reached Queensbury there was a Universitybus double decker which provides the service to St Albans. After Queensbury Circle we returned to the A4140 before turning right past Canons Park Jubilee line station and then finally we reached Edgware at 1523.

The final stop at Edgware station

To get home I took the Northern Line south from Edgware. Once at Camden Town station it was announced that someone was unwell in the first carriage and was there a doctor on the train. At this point I jumped ship to platform 4 and caught a Charing Cross line train to Kennington. At Kennington I then caught the next train to Balham and changed there for a Southern train home. I had expected to go to Purley to meet the wife but had a call to go to Robin Hood school to pick up our son who was feeling poorly. He duly threw up down the side of the car just before Carshalton Ponds.

Day forty five the completion of the No 77 and then to Nunhead for the No 78

I accompanied my wife to CILIP HQ, or what was the Library Association headquarters as it was known when she took exams there, for a meeting and then jumped on a Northern line train to Waterloo station. From there I took the 1133 to Teddington and arrived at Clapham Junction at 1143. I then needed to make my way to 'Arding and Hobbs' to continue the journey on the No 77.

Waiting in the shade for my No 77 to arrive another new bus heads towards Waterloo

When it arrived it was again a very new Enviro Hybrid EH294 of London General. I left on this bus at 1153 and after turning into Battersea Rise it bore left along a road parallel with the LSWR mainline towards Wimbledon. This took us through some long roadworks operated by Thames Water, presumably the new tideway relief sewer tunnel. Once we had reached Garratt Lane we turned left and headed past Earlsfield station and then Streatham cemetary. This cemetary is surprisingly a long way from Streatham and is where my wife's grandfather and great grandfather are buried. From here it was on towards Tooting, crossing by the Broadway station and by Amen Corner to terminate at Tooting railway station.

EH294 leaves for the layover after depositing
me at the terminus of the route

I arrived at 1219 and investigating the next train found it was the 1243 to St Albans, although it was expected to be delayed by 5 minutes. Indeed, it did arrive at 1248, a quite new class 700 Thameslink unit 700049. I intended to take this train only two stops to Tulse Hill.

Waiting on the Island platform at Tulse Hill with my destination through the tunnel in the background

Here I arrived at 1256 and waited for a London Bridge bound train from platform 3 which was due at 1302. I then alighted at Peckham Rye and went quickly to platform 4 in the hope of catching the 1318 to Gravesend for the one stop to Nunhead. Unfortunately this train was cancelled so I resolved to go down to the road and catch a No 78 to journey's end and then retrace my steps to Peckham before passing through and on to Shoreditch. However, after waiting in the broiling sun for the bus for 15 minutes it dawned on me the next train to Nuhead would be due so I ran up the stairs and boarded the 1331 train to Sevenoaks for that one stop to Nunhead where I arrived less than two minutes later!
I then had to find where the No 78 started and that was not very obvious. I had my bus map which suggested it was to the Northwest of the station. I walked down Gibbon Road to Evelina Road and turned right as it looked the likely spot. I then walked into Lausanne Road for a bit but saw no bus stop so walked back and turned up Gautrey Road. Here I a saw a bus cross at the bottom of the road so a thought AHA! Once at the bottom I turned right but still could not discern a bus stop. I consulted a local and he sent me to Queen Street which was where the Nos 136, 171 and 36 and many others were to be found, but not the desired No 78. So I returned in the scorching heat towards Nunhead station and thought I would try St Mary's Road and here around the bend nicely sheltered by the trees was a pair of No 78s. However, just as I drew close one departed so I wasted 25-30 minutes trying to find the bus which was Arriva HA14 an Enduro E400 Hybrid double decker.

Nicely shaded under the trees
 I waited for HA14 to depart

Whilst waiting another No 78 joined behind

This bus departed at 1402 passing the end of Gautrey Road, as I had previously seen. Then it turned right into Lausanne Road and Evelina Road but in neither of these was there a bus stop, the first was reached by the bridge for the railway for Nunhead station! Evelina Road becomes Nunhead Green and then Nunhead Lane before it turns right into Peckham Rye. Then it heads back towards the railway station of the same name which was reached only 10 minutes after departure. From here the bus turned right along Hannover Park, around three sides of the bus station and then dived down Peckham Hill Road before branching right along Peckham Park Road to the Old Kent Road. It was not long before we forsook the Old Kent Road and turned right into Dunton Road which used to cross the throat of Bricklayers Arms depot. Here the only bus that used the road was supposed to be the No 78, although a No 1 turned down it from its junction with Southwark Park Road.

In Dunton Road about to pass a No 1 which seems to be off its route

 Once we had turned left it wasn't long before we arrived at Tower Bridge Road. It was then quite slow going to reach the bridge starting here at 1440.

Waiting under the tracks which lead into
London Bridge station in the queue of traffic

Slowly getting closer to Tower Bridge
in much better light and weather compared to when
I crossed the bridge the previous time on
 the only other bus that does so, the No 42

Once across the bridge we headed for Mansell Street where the bus driver was changed. This was achieved by 1455 and then it was across Aldgate around St Botolph Street towards Bishopsgate and up to Shoreditch High Street. After briefly taking Great Eastern Street we doubled around having turned left to cross the same street and terminate at Curtain Street at 1504.

Journey's End Curtain Road in Shoreditch

Four original Jubilee line coaches
on the original NLR bridges into
Broad Street station

From here it was an easy walk to Shoreditch High Street London Overground station where I caught a train heading for Crystal Palace. I alighted at New Cross Gate, as there was a southern train indicated headed for Coulsdon Town, but in the event the next London Overground was for West Croydon and this enabled me to get the late running 1618 from there onwards at 1622.

Day 44 A convenient trio of Nos 75, 76 and 77

The No 75 starts from stop KA outside the Fairfield Halls in Croydon and I was here at midday to catch Stagecoach 12268 to Lewisham Station.

A collection of No 75s in Wellesley Road, Enviro E400s
 of Stagecoach London

 I can't recall having any reason to use this bus before but the duration of the ride at a quiet time of day provided ample reason not to do so. By 1232 we had only just left the London Borough of Croydon and entered Penge. It took a further forty minutes to reach journey's end and I finally alighted at 1314 to catch the Docklands Light Railway.

Approaching Lewisham station

Heading north along Lewisham High Street

The DLR took me to Canary Wharf where I crossed to platform 4 to take a  train to Stratford at 1336. This train arrived at Stratford Interchange at 1350 which was nicely in time for the 1400 train to Bishops Stortford. I disembarked at Tottenham Hale and crossed to the bus station to catch the No 76.

Tottenham Hale bus station with London General LT881 at back
waiting to form my No 76 to Waterloo

I have already been here before to catch the No 41 run by Arriva, but the No 76 to Waterloo is run by London General and it was their 'Borismaster' LT881 that I climbed aboard at 1423. The bus heads to Seven Sisters and then down to Stoke Newington where I had been very recently indeed on the No 73. From here the bus goes down Rectory Road and on into Dalston. However, south of Dalston we turned right into Engadine Road rather than continue towards Shoreditch. This enabled the bus to join the southbound route of the No 21 down what was called the New North Road at one point. Here we passed a building with a strange name for the location: Seaview Cottage. We then turned into Canalside and here passed a No 812 bus coming the other way. This is only the second time I've ever seen one of these buses which is an unusual route being operated on behalf of Hackney Council at 0930-1600 only.
The bus then ran past Old Street, Moorgate and on to Bank where it turned right into Cheapside owing to road works and then left into New Change to regain its route past St Paul's Cathedral.

Queuing to Cross Blackfriars Bridge road at Ludgate Circus

The bus then ran along Fleet Street to the
Aldwych.

Big Ben shrouded in scaffolding

After crossing Waterloo Bridge it went around the IMAX and followed York Road to County Hall and then at the roundabout headed left under the railway ridge to terminate at the western end of Lower Marsh at 1536.

LT881 leaving to lay-over before
returning to Tottenham Hale

The No 77 starts from Waterloo and therefore this was an ideal combination, well almost, as I had to walk down Lower Marsh to Waterloo Road. Then I turned left to the bus station and then crossed over York Road to the start point in the road leading towards the Festival Hall.

The nearly 14 year old PVL412 seemed to be in difficulty.

 

Brand new Enviro Hybrid EH288, my mount to Clapham Junction

 There was a Plaxton bodied Volvo waiting as I arrived but it was the brand new Enviro hybrid EH288 that I boarded at 1605. This bus headed west to Vauxhall and onto Wandsworth Road past the repaired Battersea Arts Centre and turned left at what was Arding and Hobbs.

Vauxhall Bus station

Lavender Hill Police station

I alighted here at 1645 as traffic was increasingly slowing the bus and I thought it was a convenient point to catch a train home from Clapham Junction. However, as I reached the platform the next train to Sutton was cancelled and the one after should have been twenty minutes later so I went to platform 13 to catch a train to East Croydon. I tried to board a tram but as my oyster card was £2 in deficit, despite the journey being free because I had utilised three buses already, I had to walk home. I will have to return to Clapham Junction and do the remainder of the route to Tooting on my next day of travelling!

Day forty three the No 73 and No 74

So far this month it has been difficult to fit in any bussing owing to the frequent need to be invigilating GCSE and GCE A level exams. Hence the large gap since doing the No 72.
The No 73 used to start from Victoria but now starts at Holles Street near Oxford Circus. This is the same location where I ended the No 25 and began the No 55 and I arrived at 1550 having caught the train at 1450 to Victoria and the the Victoria line to Oxford Circus.

The No 73 laying-over in Holles Street

No 25s having arrived from the very distant,
at least in time terms, starting point of Ilford

The No 73 a late 'Borismaster' LT818 of Arriva's Stamford hill garage turned left out of Holles street and continued to turn left until it reached Oxford Street. This was the opposite way round to the No 55 which went right around Cavendish Square and down to Oxford Circus from the northern section of  Regent Street.

Reflection of bus number in window as we wait to turn left into Oxford Street

 I had concerns that it would be a slow journey particularly given the works in Tottenham Court Road but in fact progress was quit speedy. We reached the Euston Underpass at 1607, passed Kings Cross at 1620 and then headed to Islington, Essex Road and on to Newington Green.

Once we had passed Essex Road station we passed the unique green 'Borismaster' LT2

We reached Albion Road in Stoke Newington at 1645 and having threaded our way across the Great Cambridge Road terminated at Stoke Newington Common at 1655.

Stoke Newington Common with No 73s in distance and
 SE115 of  London General near left

I was in two minds as to how to get to Baker Street to start the No 74 and in any case I had to put more money on my Oyster card, so walked back to the A10 and passed a shop where I could do the necessary. I then boarded a No 76 to take me to Seven Sisters. Here I caught a Victoria line train to Kings Cross where I changed onto a Metropolitan line train bound for Uxbridge.

I emerged on the western side of Baker Street station near the lost property office and located bus stop A.

 London General's Enduro Hybrid EH84 arrived at 1752 to provide my mount for the journey to Putney High Street.

London General EH84 at Baker Street stop A

The bus reached Selfridges at 1800 and was driven at quite a lick whenever  the opportunity arose resulting in quite a few close shaves with taxis, cyclists and general motorists over the following hour. By 1815 the bus was at the V & A. Subsequently having gone past South Kensington Tube station we returned north up Queens Gate to turn left into the Cromwell Road. The No 74 seems to be the only bus that uses the Cromwell Road judging by the bus stop signs, but turns away south down Earls Court Road to Earls Court station  at 1825. The bus turns onto the Old Brompton Road and then Lillie Road before turning south into Fulham Palace Road which leads to Putney Bridge. A dutch lorry parked on a yellow line and a broken down car on the bridge lead to some delay at this point but all in all given the time of day an arrival at 1858 at journeys end was impressive.

Crossing Putney Bridge

Approaching journeys end with a Baker Street bound No 74 passing the other way

To get home from here I walked to East Putney station and caught the District line to Wimbledon and then boarded an Elmers End tram to Waddon Marsh and walked home from here visiting Sainsbury's Purley Way en route.

Day 42 a trip to finally do the No 72

After invigilating Spanish GCSE in the morning I took the opportunity to finally do the No 72. Initially the trains didn't want me to do it. I arrived at 1405 just as the train arrived and as I needed to update my Oystercard I had to let it go and catch the 1420, which at least was exactly on time. I had to then change onto the London Overground which again I just missed as I crossed the bridge to platform one. Finally I boarded the 1501 to Shepherds Bush and changed onto the Central line to reach East Acton. Thus I followed the same route as when I went to do the No 7 and arrived at 1531.

Approaching Brunel Road once again on foot along Old Oak Lane

DPS30709 of London United awaiting departure at Brunel Road

The No 72 is operated by London United and in this case was a Dart no DPS30709 which left Brunel Road at 1538. The 1538 followed the route of the No 7 past Wormwood Scrubs and Hammersmith Hospital before turning right into Wood Lane. The bus ran past Television Centre to White City and on to Shepherds Bush green whereupon we headed onto Hammersmith bus station which we left at 1605.

However, there was then a considerable hold up which for ten minutes was not obvious until we got to the western side of the central Hammersmith bus and underground area. Here a lorry and a van had come together and were blocking two lanes and thus it took until 1615 before we could escape from the Hammersmith gyratory.

The bus then ran down to Hammersmith Bridge which has a very rough surface and the tide was very low. From here we transited Barnes and on past Roehampton University and Queen Mary's Hospital to finally turn right and left into Bessborough Road which was reached at 1644.

We've arrived

DPS30709 immediately after arrival

Almost immediately a No 265 bus arrived and I boarded this and after a circuit of some roads we went back down to the road we had come from on the No 72. Then the bus did an about turn before heading up to the A3 and then took this down to Shannon Corner.

From here I caught a No 152 to Merton Park and finally the tram to Wandle Park.

Beckenham Junction tram arriving at Merton Park Tram stop