Day one hundred and seventeen a trip to Greenwich for the No 188

I left Orpington on the 1422 to London Bridge and then caught the Jubilee line eastbound to arrive at North Greenwich interchange just before 3 PM.

London General's WHV186 awaiting departure
 at North Greenwich Interchange 

The bus now approaching

London General provides the service on route No 188 to Russell Square from North Greenwich and this time the bus was WHV186 which departed at 1501. Unlike other buses I have boarded here this bus takes a much quicker route to Greenwich rather than going around all the new housing estates and eating emporia. The route taken was along Edmund Halley Way and then left and under the A102M into Blackwall Lane. The bus runs to Greenwich and on to Deptford along the A200 most recently used when my wife and I watched the London Marathon competitors from here last April. At this point I heard some loud noise which I couldn't identify until I spied two Army Apache helicopters running up river at low level. Very quickly afterwards two Chinook helicopters were seen heading the other way.

Surrey Quays, the old dock gates.

From here the bus does some twisting and turning around the Surrey Docks, we reached Surrey Docks station at 1526 and moved into Canada Water bus station at 1533. This location was the scene of the start of the odyssey 28 months ago when I boarded the No 1 here. The bus then headed for the roundabout where the Rotherhithe Tunnel branches away and here there were a multitude of roadworks. There was similar multiplicity of roadworks from here through Bermondsey where a new cycle lane is being provided along Jamaica Road. At Shad Thames the bus turned left down Tanner Street to run parallel with the railway into London Bridge as far as Tower Bridge Road.

Six storey accommodation blocks on Jamaica Road

The Shard as viewed from Druid Street

At this point the bus turned left and away from the city to the Bricklayers Arms junction where the bus took the route to Elephant and Castle where we arrived at 1558. A little further on as we approached the Waterloo stations the bus stopped at the Old Vic and changed drivers, 1604-1607. Thereafter we ran over Waterloo Bridge, up Kingsway and into Southampton Row where the bus turned left and terminated in Russell Square at 1624.

Heading up Southampton Row with Russell Square beyond the No 68 bus ahead

The next bus starts from Marble Arch, so my initial thought was to walk there, but by the time I had reached Bond Street it was getting increasingly dark and therefore decided to walk to Victoria and took the train home where I arrived at 1830.

After arrival at Russell Square

Day 116 to Northwest London to achieve the No 186 which melded nicely with No 187.

I started earlier than recently catching the 1000 towards Victoria. However, I needed to get to Northwick Park Hospital so in order to avoid Zone one I alighted at Balham and waited for the next train, the 1029 to Milton Keynes. This train was two minutes late but was right time by arrival at Shepherds Bush and crept past Wembley marshalling yards to reach Wembley Central at 1110.

Two of three mark three Caledonian sleeper carriages now redundant because the mark five carriages are finally in service with a Class 50 at each end.
Wembley Central station

Class 50 Defiance with Class 50 50014 at southern end

I crossed from the slow platforms to the tube/overground platform to board a train to Kenton, where I arrived at 1129. There were signs on the roads outside the station showing the way to walk to Northwick Park underground station and once I was under this I followed the footpath to the hospital.

Entrance to Northwick Park Hospital from Northwick Park underground station

As I approached a No 186  left from the layover point so I ran to where the bus stop was located last January to see the bus drive straight past. So having missed the 1139 I retraced my steps to the layover point where I found the first bus stop was now situated.

Metroline's VW1281 ready to take me to Brent Cross

At 1149 I departed from Northwick Park Hospital on Metroline's VW1281. The bus ran back past the old bus stopping point and took the left exit at the roundabout just north of the hospital. This lead to the bus running into Harrow on the Hill bus station from the direction of Harrow on the Hill. After a circuit we returned and headed for Harrow and Wealdstone station. Here the bus driver was exchanged, although this only took between 1204 and 1205 unlike the protracted occasions that have occurred on some times. The bus soon turned right along Lockett Road, the first time the route was the sole user of a road but once we had traversed this road at the roundabout another route joined us into Belmont as we breasted the bridge that used to be over the railway to Stanmore. Weston Avenue was taken at Belmont Circus which was again a sole user road until we reached Honey Pot Lane. From here the bus headed onward under Canons Park Jubilee line station and on into Edgware. There seemed to be a problem on the No 79 ahead of us at Edgware station which held us up about 4 minutes.  At 1232 the bus was in Edgwarebury Lane and turned right down the A41 to Mill Hill Circus.

From Mill Hill Circus we took Mill Hill Broadway where a van for Cancer
research, one of the two charities the odyssey is being carried out on behalf of.

Mill Hill telephone exchange-one of few still being used
for such purposes

From here the bus took Mill Hill Broadway where the bus joined the route of the No 114 for a time before switching to follow the No 204 through Colindale. The bus turned left along Aerodrome Road to rejoin the A41 to run into Hendon from there and on to Brent Cross.

Arrival at Brent Cross was at 1309 which was an 80 minute journey whereas the bus stop at Northwick Park stated it would take 84 minutes.

Arrival at Brent Cross

I then hopped back from Brent Cross to the anti-penultimate bus stop in order to board a No 113 along the A41 to Finchley Road where I hoped to board a No 187.

Brent Cross flyover from bus at bus stop to take me to Finchley Road

The bus starts down a side road beside the O2 Centre which lies alongside the Midland mainline.

Finchley Road looking north

Looking down hill from Finchley Road to O2 centre bus stops.
Third one from front was to be my mount.

An HST on the Midland Main Line, one of the diminishing number still in service

This was another Metroline bus but this time a single decker DE1654 which left at 1341. This bus does a circuit of the roundabout at the end of this road and heads back to the Finchley Road.  From the Finchley Road the bus headed south to the Swiss Cottage and further down the Finchley Road to St John's Wood tube station. At this station the bus turned abruptly right down Circus Road and then into Hall Road Maida Vale. We headed left down Maida Vale for a while before turning right down Clifton Road. The bus now follows the No 6 route along Shirland Road passing Kilburn Park Road where there was a No 31 and on to Queen's Park where we met the No 36 route half an hour after departure. Kilburn Lane took us to Kensal Rise and then the bus headed left along Liddell Gardens which became Doyle Gardens, at all times this was the sole bus route on the road. The bus made its way to Harlesden via All Souls Avenue and Wrottesley Road.

Probably a service no longer supplied at Park Parade Harlesden where this was taken

After travelling along Park Parade the bus came to rest at Willesden County Court where the bus exchanged drivers, this time taking two minutes. The bus ran down to Harlesden station and then turned left at the Grand Junction public house down North Acton Road to then take Standard Road through a plethora of industrial units. Once we had taken Park Royal Road to the right we were then within sight of the Central Middlesex Hospital which was reached at 1444, 63 minutes after departure as expected.

Arrival at the Central Middlesex Hospital Park Royal

To return home I caught a No 260 back to Harlesden station where I was able to catch a Bakerloo line train to Willesden Junction.

Waiting at Willesden Junction (High Level) 66221 passed taking a load
of Ford vans from the North London Line onto the LNWR

Here I caught a London Overground train to Clapham Junction and there a Southern train to East Croydon and finally the tram home.

Day one hundred and fifteen back to North London for the No 184 and then back to South London on the No 185.

The day began with catching the 1105 train to London Bridge and as we were waiting an announcement was made that signal problems at Brockley might make for delays after Norwood Junction. The train was two minutes late to begin with but there was no significant delay noticeable before we reached London Bridge at 1130. From here I boarded a Northern line train to King's Cross and St Pancras after only a very short wait where I changed to a Piccadilly line train to Turnpike Lane which was in the platform when I arrived. Thus it was at 1205 that I reached my destination station and 1211 was when I boarded Arriva's ENL33.

Turnpike Lane bus station

Arriva's ENL33 which operated my route No 184

Wood Green Blue House Yard

The bus travelling through Wood Green Shopping City took ten minutes to reach Wood Green garage where the bus turned left and stopped to exchange drivers at this point.





















This exchange was much quicker than many I have experienced and I was underway by 1224 heading to Alexandra Palace. As we moved we passed Blue House Yard where there is a bus cafe. This is Ex Nottingham city 490 which became an Arriva bus in Staffordshire prior to its arrival behind Wood Green bus depot.

There was a short hold up where work was being done on the bridge over the New River just before we reached Alexandra Park railway station. The bus crossed the LNER mainline and entered a Hail and Ride section from Palace Gates Road to Alexandra Park Road. This section ended as the bus turned right into Albert Road which runs into Durnsford Road and re-crossed back across the LNER mainline as it enters a tunnel. This road took me back to the route of the Piccadilly line at Bounds Green station and then the bus took Brownlow Road where we entered the London Borough of Enfield. The bus then turned left along the North Circular Road at 1237 before heading right towards Arnos Grove passing Bowes Road library as we did so. At Betstyle Cross the bus turned through 270 degrees to run down the slope that is Betstyle Road towards a brook.
After crossing under the Piccadilly line the bus turned left and went back under the bridge along Hampden Way which took us into the London Borough of Barnet. After reaching Hampden Square shops the bus turned left towards Ossige library before subsequently heading right along Church Hill Road. This took the bus to East Barnet where the bus was asked to wait for two minutes to even out the flow at 1254.

Confirmation of entering New Barnet

We then left at 1256 and headed for New Barnet. However, instead of carrying on towards Barnet as the No 84 does the bus turned right down Plantagenet Road which become Potter's Road. This area is apparently known as Barnet Vale according to the sign on the church we passed. Many roads around here had references to the 1400s, with a sign I passed suggested the walking route to Bosworth Road, for example. The bus climbed up Meadway to High Barnet station which was reached at 1305. The bus turned right along Barnet High Street and then left past the Barnet Church and Barnet College. From just after here the bus turned left and headed downhill on Manor Road. The bus turned right at the bottom of the slope along Leeside which after two stops led to us turning right into Chesterfield Road. The bus terminated at the second stop along this road adjacent to a now disused church at 1312.

Interesting plaque in Chesterfield Road

Journeys end

Terminal bus stand for the No 184

My mount from across the street before boarding bus back to
High Barnet station

In order to get to my next bus I quickly crossed the road and caught another Arriva ENL operated No 184 to retrace my steps to High Barnet station at 1314. I then caught the Northern line to Euston and there the Victoria line to Victoria.




The No 185 starts on the opposite side of the Apollo Victoria theatre from Victoria railway station and as I was approaching a bus it departed. However, the driver saw me and kindly stopped for me. The bus was Go Ahead London's EH220 which I was able to board at 1416.

No time to snap bus before boarding so this will have to do!

Strange bow in building viewed from Vauxhall bus station

The route took me straight down Vauxhall Bridge Road and across the bridge to circulate around the Vauxhall bus station. The bus went briefly down Kennington Lane before turning down Durham Street past Water Aid's headquarters before taking Harleyford Road to the Oval.

I had the telephoto lens on camera so this was all I
 could get of the school as we passed

Opposite to the Oval cricket ground Archbishop Tenison school is located where a sign stated it was endowed in 1685. The bus then passed the Oval tube station and ran along Camberwell New Road. As the bus passed along this road the signs flagged up that Peckham High Street was shut owing to an accident. We despite this were not expected to go that way and hoped that it wouldn't have knock on effects to my journey. Indeed at Camberwell Green the bus turned right into Denmark Hill which followed the routes of the No 40 and No 176 from here on to Dulwich via Dog Kennel Hill and Lordship Lane. Just around the corner from Denmark Hill station, however, the bus driver was told to wait at 1444 for three minutes.

Passing Dog Kennel Hill school

One of the bus stops along the way was called Crystal Palace Road but this road was located on the northeast side of Lordship Lane with no view of Crystal Palace, so an intriguing use of the name.

Announcement for accident at Peckham High Street, but this time on the South Circular Road

By 1500 the bus was nearing the South Circular Road and this time my mount persisted with the South Circular all the way through Forest Hill to Catford. Again the bus was asked to wait for a few minutes at Fermor Road on the way to Catford. At Catford at 1522 the bus took the A21 northwards to run into Lewisham town centre and then terminate at Lewisham railway station at 1537.

Go Ahead London EH220 making its way to the bus
stand on the other side of the railway line

This arrival time was perfect as there was a train to Hayes at 1543 which afforded me the opportunity to purchase a latte at the Costa on the station. I alighted at 1558 at Elmers End and then at 1608 was aboard a tram heading for Wandle Park from where I walked home to arrive by 1645 when I was expecting the 'Fish man'.

Day 114 Two buses in NW London the No 182 and 183.

My plan was to catch the 1120 to Clapham Junction but on arrival at the station at 1112 I found the next train was the 1130 with no mention of the desired train. This meant I had to go to Victoria as its time of arrival at Clapham Junction would be exactly the time the London Overground Line train would have left for West Hampstead. Thus I was to incur the extra cost of venturing into Zone one that I hoped to avoid. At Victoria I took the Victoria line to Euston and then the Northern line to Camden Town, where I crossed through the tunnel to board an Edgware train to Brent Cross station and I arrived here at 1245. I have now done this journey a number of times so knew how to cross the North Circular and get to the shopping centre bus station where the No 182 starts from.

Bus stop where I have previously caught the No 142 to Watford

Metroline's VWH2194

Leaving Brent Cross Shopping Centre

At 1255 I climbed about Metroline's VWH2194 from Harrow Weald garage  and set off for Staples Corner. Here the bus briefly followed the North Circular Road before swinging south along Coles Green Road. Where this road intercepted Crest Road the bus turned right and continued to follow the route of the No 245 as this road lead into Tanfield Avenue. At Dudden Hill Lane the bus went into the Neasden underpass and into Neasden Lane North where there was a short hold up. The bus then continued to utilise this road as it climbed Blackbird Hill. At the roundabout at the top of this the bus bared to the left and we headed for Wembley. We passed Wembley Park station at 1318 and then moved on to Wembley Stadium station at 1325.

Above the entrance to Wembley Park station a Metropolitan Railway plaque dated
with the year it opened for the Empire exhibition.

Passing along Wembley High Street the road towards Kingsbury was blocked by roadworks

Beyond these stations the bus turned right to take the road past Wembley Central station and then on towards Sudbury, with Wembley fire and police stations on the left and Barham Park to the right. At Sudbury the bus turned right where the No 92 had gone straight on many moons ago. At 1343  the bus entered the London Borough of Harrow near Northwick Park Hospital and ten minutes later we arrived at Harrow bus station. After this the route takes Headstone Lane briefly and then Greenhill Way which took us back to Station Road where we turned left to head for Harrow and Wealdstone station.
Beyond this the bus slowly climbs towards Harrow Weald bus garage and then onwards to the roundabout with Uxbridge Road.

Approaching Harrow Weald bus garage

Taking Uxbridge Road westwards we continued until we reach Bannister playing fields where the bus took a roundabout and headed back to terminate facing eastwards where I disembarked at 1411.

Journeys End

Journeys End

The TFL journey planner before I left home suggested the only sensible way to get to Pinner, where I needed to catch my next bus in the sequence, was to return to Harrow on the Hill Underground station and take a train north. I resolved to walk as that convoluted journey would take 37 minutes and it was only 1 1/2 miles distant. As I crossed the roundabout on foot a bus numbered H12 came by with Pinner as its destination. I missed this bus and saw on the bus stop that it ran every ten minutes or so. Even so I would have had to pay for it so walked to the Harrow Arts Centre where I briefly visited the Morrisons for a comfort break.

Crossing the LNWR mainline I tried to catch the Wembley Arch  as if  it crossed the railway track, but sky almost too bright.

Beyond the LNWR mainline I entered Hatch End where another No H12 passed by but I continued along Uxbridge Road until it was indicated that I should turn left for Pinner. At this point I arrived at a bus stop for the No H11, H12 and H13  and since an H11 arrived I jumped about for the three minute journey to Pinner station.

RATP 45208 at Pinner

Old and new on the No 183

Across the road from where I alighted at 1453 there were two RATP buses which purported to be for the No 183 route. One, a newer Volvo B5LH Wrightbus SRM class VHR and the other an almost ten years older Scania N230UD Omnicity .

RATP 45208 arriving after layover on opposite side of the road

It was the 2016 built bus that provided my mount at 1458, RATP 45208. This bus set off along Pinner Road. First it travelled under the Metropolitan line and later back over it, running through North Harrow and on to reach Harrow bus station beside Harrow on the Hill railway and tube station at 1514. The bus initially heads towards Harrow and Wealdstone station but then turns away to the right to reach the roundabout above the Metropolitan line where the bus took the left road to Kenton. We stopped at 1523 at Kenton station just after a freight train ran through heading north. The bus remained on this road and at times was the only bus service on this road as it approached Kingsbury Circle.

One of the RATP Scania Omnicity buses outside Kingsbury station

Roe Green Park was passed at 1536 and after we passed by the Kingsbury Mandir there was quite a panoramic view across London to the south.

Looking down over London with the North Downs beyond

The bus subsequently took the A5 Edgware Road briefly south before squeezing up a very narrow road with parked cars both sides to reach Hendon Station.

One of the Class 222 on the Midland main line at Hendon

Beyond the station the bus goes straight on the reach Middlesex University where the bus was asked to wait for three minutes at 1548. At The Quadrant the bus took the right towards Golders Green and then having crossed the North Circular Road we passed large numbers of evidently Jewish residents attending synagogue.

Northern Line tube train crossing the road and into
Golders Green tube station

Golders Green High Street

The bus reached Golders Green bus station at 1602 and then I had to make a choice how to get home.

RATP 45208 at Golders Green bus station 

In order to minimise cost I thought I would catch a No 139 or 328 to West Hampstead London Overground station. Here I caught the first train and waited at Willesden Junction station for a train to Clapham Junction.

Sunset as viewed from the higher platforms at Willesden Junction station at 1640

After purchasing a medium latte and a ham and cheese croissant here, I boarded the train  to Clapham and then caught an Epsom train to Mitcham Junction, subsequently a tram to Wandle Park and finally a No 407 bus home. It still cost me the maximum journey fare, so I might as well have come home the quick way through Zone One. DRAT!!