In an endeavour to reduce my expenditure, I first caught a tram to Beckenham Road and then a train from Clock House to Ladywell at 1129. From Ladywell where I arrived at 1151, I walked around the corner and into Lewisham High Street. I quite quickly caught a No 180 at 1209 which was expected to take me to Belvedere industrial estates. This route is operated by London General with Wright Gemini 3 double deckers; WVL313 being my mount on this occasion.
 |
| London General WVL313 at first bus stop in Lewisham High Street |
 |
| Passing police station in Lewisham High Street |
The bus heads up to Lewisham railway station and once under the railway bridge up Blackheath Hill in the direction of Greenwich. The last time I used this bus was for the Flood Forecasting Centre's visit to the Thames Barrier about ten years ago. There was a building site on the right as we passed the DLR station at Elverson Road which looked like the site of the original LCDR railway station for Blackheath Hill closed in 1917.
 |
| Blackheath Hill near Sparta Road where Blackheath Hill station used to exist |
 |
| Approaching Greenwich, lovely junk shop |
 |
| Bus passing one of the entrances to Greenwich Market |
The bus heads through Greenwich at 1230 and follows the route I recently took on the No 177 along the A206 through Charlton, Woolwich and Plumstead.
At the stop at Vanburgh Hill bus drivers were exchanged betwixt 1238 and 1241. For once, as we passed the roundabout under the Blackwall Tunnel Approach Road there was a train moving along the Angerstein Wharf branch.
 |
| Freight train crossing the A206 from Angerstein Wharf |
From Lewisham to the Thames Barrier there was a collection of kids with parents on a day out which were making a tremendous noise all the way until we reached the Thames Barrier. Woolwich was reached at 1258, and at the next bus stop it was announced that the bus would only go as far as Thamesmead East.
 |
| Nativity scene above entrance to church that was previously a cinema |
By the time we had arrived at Plumstead bus garage it appeared there was another No 180 in the distance behind us and after travelling the length of Plumstead High Street it was right behind us so at the Purrett Street bus stop I jumped off.
 |
| Where I had to change in case bus behind overtook the bus I was on |
 |
WVL328 approaching to continue
my journey towards Belvedere |
I then boarded WVL328 which took the right turn called McLeod Road, where the No 177 went straight on and this road took the bus to Abbey Wood station after taking a left at the roundabout at the bottom of Knee Hill. Beyond this, at the roundabout where the No 177 comes in from the west, the No 180 heads due east through Thamesmead South and on towards Belvedere industrial site. The bus stopped at a number of stops as it wended its way through the estate. Eventually at 1326 I arrived at Crabtree Manorway North.
 |
| Threading our way through the industrial estate |
 |
| Arrival at Crabtree Manorway North |
 |
| LIDL warehouse with WVL328 heading off to the bus garage |
 |
| Container ship Undine based in Valetta, on the Thames |
 |
| View across the Thames at Belvedere |
I walked to the riverbank where the tide was high but it was a bitterly cold wind which suggested I shouldn't linger, so I made my way back to the bus stop. The next No 180 which departed at 1400 delivered me back at Abbey Wood railway station at 1410.
 |
| Typical brutalist architecture in Thamesmead |
 |
| The Abbey Wood Crossrail platforms yet to be used |
 |
| Destination boards at Abbey Wood showing Heathrow Terminal 4 and Paddington! |
 |
| Lewisham station stop C |
The 1424 train towards Charing Cross arrived at Lewisham station at 1447 where I was then able to walk to bus stop C to catch the No 181.
It was another chilly wait for this next bus which arrived at 1459 in the person of Stagecoach 36691.
 |
| Stagecoach No 36691 on No 181 service |
The bus is booked to take 55 minutes but it took 8 minutes to reach the far side of Lewisham shopping centre. Once beyond the railway bridge and fire station the bus turned left into Longbridge Way and then right into Courthill Road which becomes Hither Green Lane. This road is principally flanked by mid to late Victorian terraces with the Lewisham Library Resource Centre before turning right into Torridon Road.
 |
| Catford Town Hall |
 |
| No 284 on opposite side of road at Catford Town Hall |
As the bus reached Sandhurst Road there was a No 124 approaching from the opposite direction and together the buses then proceeded to the A21. Instead of turning left towards Downham and Grove Park that the No 136 does, this bus turns right and then left past the town hall and both Catford railway stations at 1526.
Beyond Catford stations the No 181 takes Catford Hill which becomes Perry Hill where again there were a proliferation of Victorian properties.
 |
| Typical ornate Victorian property at Perry Hill |
Descending Perry Hill the bus arrived at the Sydenham shopping park where the bus exchanged drivers from 1534 to 1539.
 |
| Sydenham shopping park |
The bus turns left out of the shopping centre and left again under the Mid Kent railway line and down Southend Lane. Here the homes are of the 1920s and the bus crosses the Catford Loop line to the north of Beckenham Hill station. Finally we returned to the A21 and swung right and head down towards Bromley before turning left up Downham Lane. The bus finally arrived at Grove Park bus station at 1602, held up a little by a plain clothes police car which was blocking the road just before Grove Park railway station.
 |
| Almost dark on arrival at Grove Park bus station |
 |
| Bus station at Grove Park |
From here I was able to catch a No 126 at 1605 and once at Bromley North boarded a No 119 which took me to Five Ways, from where I could walk home.
No comments:
Post a Comment