Day 133 After tidying mum's house for a visitor I was able to do the No 208

A lovely Saturday afternoon in late February saw me walking across The Priory Gardens in Orpington in order to catch the No 208 to Lewisham station. When I was young this bus was known as the No 94 and ran from Brockley Rise to St Andrews Drive Orpington via Grove Park but in 1982 the route was replaced with the No 208 south of Bromley but was numbered the No 261 north of Bromley. The No 208 north of Bromley replaced the No 47 route south of Catford garage which had previously run through Bromley and onto The George at Farnborough Kent.

A view of the previous No 208 from the Priory Gardens

Site of No 94 turnaround in the 1960s/70s

St Andrews Road, Carlton Parade

The bus stop I expected to board from

London General's EH314

I waited at the bus stop in Perry Hall Road which indicated it was the stop for Petts Wood, I arrived at 1340. A No 208 arrived at 1345, but when EH314 which had been laying over started its engine it didn't open the front door but drove off in the directions of the ponds. I set off in pursuit and when I asked the driver he said this was the first pick up point and not where I was waiting. I was thus underway at 1348 heading along Orpington High Street.

Walnuts shopping centre perhaps soon to be flattened

Once we left the last stop in the High Street by the McDonalds that replaced the Commodore cinema the bus did not stop at any bus stop until we reached Crofton Lane near Place Farm Avenue. Just past here I once played football for Tubbenden Junior school against Crofton Juniors but the site of that school is now a green park area and housing estate, a new school having been built on the other side of the primary school. 

A No 208 coming the opposite way with
original site of Crofton Junior School to the right of it

Morrisons Petts Wood the site of the Embassy cinema of my childhood

There were roadworks as we entered Queensway but this didn't hold the bus up for very long and by 1407 we were in Southborough Lane and continued to move swiftly until we reached Masons Hill. 

In Southborough Lane the bus passed the building that housed Frank and Kay Mercer's dancing school where I met my wife to be 42 years ago. 

Frank and Kay Mercer's dancing school now Studio 74 Southborough

It was then a creep to reach the traffic lights prior to Bromley South station which were letting very few vehicles through at any one time. It was thus 1425, 47 minutes after departure that we stopped at Bromley South station. Widmore road was now open again so the route followed was via the Market Square and down Bromley Hill past the Bromley Court hotel where Charmaine and I had our wedding night.

Bromley Hill at Bromley Court Hotel stop

From here the bus followed the A21 through Downham, Catford garage and on  to Lewisham Station. The bus garage which does not provide buses for the route now, was passed at 1455 and London General's EH314 reached Lewisham station at 1513.

Approaching bridge at Lewisham railway station

Journey's End with a No 484 with a new
electric single decker of London General

I had hoped to get a train to Elmers End here but as with my trip on the No 205 I arrived at exactly the time the Hayes train leaves and thus I decided to go up to London Bridge and then down by Thameslink to East Croydon and home via the No 455 bus.

Day 132 This day I was going to ride the No 207 route and perhaps the No 208.

 On arrival at the station for the 1130 I found normal service had resumed and this train would go all the way to Victoria and the next train was a London Bridge train which we hadn't had for months; they were being diverted by Crystal Palace to Balham.

Finally trains to London Victoria and London Bridge again.

Therefore I was able to alight from this train  at Clapham Junction at just before 1201 and I sauntered over the footbridge thinking I had missed to 1201 to Stratford. However, this train was now running at 1204 so I was able to get to Shepherds Bush by 1220. There was a bus waiting to take me to White City but it seemed to be in difficulty and because it was blocking the bus stop other buses just kept passing me by. However, there are so many that I was still deposited at White City bus station for 1226 and I boarded Abellio's 2562 at 1227.

White City bus station

Abellio No 2562

This bus then took me back to Shepherds Bush bus station and then turned right to do two sides of Shepherds Bush Green before taking the Uxbridge Road. Traffic was quite slow for much of the first couple of miles but by the time we had reached Bromyard Avenue travel was much freer and we reached Acton Old Town Hall at 1251. Indeed I was back at Ealing Common station exactly a week less two hours since I was there previously wondering whether to do the No 207. Given how slow it would have been then it was probably the correct decision.

Intrigued by the We Pray 4 U sign by the Barber on Uxbridge Road (needs enlarging to see)

Ealing Common Underground station

Ealing Broadway was passed at 1302 and we were moving slowly but steadily through West Ealing and into Hanwell but the bus halted for quite a protracted period just past Ealing Hospital at St Bernard's Gate where drivers had to exchanged. We left here at 1329 and we continued to run along Uxbridge Road on to Southall and once we had crossed the Grand Union Canal and the Yeading Brook we entered the Borough of Hillingdon and came to halt just before the roundabout over the A312 at 1342. 

Uxbridge Road this time in Southall

Journey's End at the Hayes Bypass

To get to the next bus, the No 208, I needed to get to Lewisham. There were only buses going back the way I had come, or over the roundabout and on to Uxbridge where I alighted so decided to cross the bypass on foot and keep going until I reached the next major road. Here I turned left and caught a No 140 to Hayes and Harlington Station where I arrived at 1403, just too late to catch the 1404 to London Paddington. The next train was at 1414 and whilst the former was a TFL rail Crossrail class 345 this train was a GWR class 387 which only stopped at Ealing Broadway and Paddington. The train got me back to central London at 1437 but I could see by the time I had taken a Bakerloo train to Charing Cross and then a southeastern train to Lewisham it would be at least 1545 and therefore I would be getting home well after dark. I chose to catch a No 36 to Victoria and then a Reigate train to East Croydon and a tram and a bus to get home just before 4 PM. Nine changes this time for one bus rather than the 12 I took last week.

Day 131 - back to North London again for the No 206.

Today I started a little earlier than the previous time, catching the 1130 train this time to Balham, where I changed for the Northern Line to Waterloo, and then crossed to the Bakerloo to get to Kilburn Park Underground Station, arriving at 1238. This was the same location where I had started the No 32 way back on the 14th November 2017. 

Metroline's DEL1979 approaching from layover
 point which is a triangle south of the station

I boarded the first one that came DEL1971 but could not find my travel pass so got off again and had to wait for the next one. After I had found which pocket the pass was in. I was obliged to wait another ten minutes and boarded Metroline's DEL1979 at 1249. The bus stop suggested the journey should take 63 minutes which would mean arriving in Wembley just prior to 1400. The bus turned left into Kilburn High Road but it wasn't long before the bus took a left into Brondesbury Road to the end where we turned right into Salusbury Road near Queens Park railway station. This road climbs up to where the road changes name at Brondesbury Park at the North London Line station of the same name. At the traffic lights the bus took the left-Sidmouth Road, and began a very contorted route to Harlesden going northwest along Chambers Lane, then south along Peter Avenue. Thereafter we travelled west along Donnington  Road and southwest along Harlesden Road past Roundwood Park where Gary Irwin's Fun Fair was taking place. The bus turned right into Park Place and then stopped at Willesden County Court to change drivers at 1316.

Roundwood Park by Harlesden Road with fun fair

Once underway again the bus turned right after going under a railway bridge along Winchelsea Road which becomes Knatchbull Road and then morphs into Brentfield Road. After crossing the North Circular the bus did a circuit and entered the Tesco Superstore car park. I had last been here when doing the No 92 on the 30th August 2018. This bus, after leaving the car park, turned west along Great Central Way which runs betwixt the two lines of the erstwhile Great Central routes out of London Marylebone and then did a circuit around the east side of  Wembley Stadium with extensive re-development work being done.

New flats which appear to be mostly
student accommodation on Engineers Way Wembley

Eventually emerging into Empire Way the bus ran past Wembley Park station at 1351 up to Forty Lane where initially we went right before taking the second left called The Paddocks where at the end of the road at a roundabout the bus terminated at 1355, 66 minutes after departure.  

View from Empire Way towards Wembley Arch with TV theatre in foreground

At The Paddocks

Arrival at 1355 in misty drizzle

In order to get to my next bus it was necessary to reach the Hayes Bypass which was surprisingly difficult to access from Wembley. I walked back down The Paddocks and waited at Asda opposite the Lycee where I could catch a No 83, 245 or 297 to Alperton Underground station. The first bus which came at 1409 was a No 245 and since this wouldn't take me via Wembley High Street, where I know from doing the No 204 last week there were roadworks, I thought this was a sensible route to chose. It did, however, take until 1433 to reach the Underground station at Alperton. Here I planned to get a southbound train to Ealing Common but had obviously just missed one and had to wait 7 minutes. This train deposited me at Ealing Common at 1450 and I could see a District Line train approaching and so I rushed across to the other platform. I boarded this train only to be told to get off, as the train was terminated. Later it was shunted into the depot. A member of staff was advising it shouldn't be more than a thirty minute wait for the next train for the one station trip to Ealing Broadway. Thus I was put in a quandary, do I abort the attempt there and then or try and get the bus all the way to Hayes to come back again. I had a look at the bus stop and it said it would take three quarters of an hour to reach the Hayes Bypass on the express bus, the No 607, and then I would be getting the No 207, which is a slow bus back. I decided this would take too long and leave me on trains in the rush hour, which I still try and avoid owing to the pandemic. Therefore I took a No 207 going East at 1510 to Shepherds Bush and on arrival fifty minutes later caught the London Overground to Clapham Junction. Southern Railway are still not providing trains from Victoria to our line which means I had to catch the train to Streatham Common and change there for a train home which was achieved at 1715. 

Day 130 two buses Nos 204 and 205 but with 12 changes of transportation using train, bus, tube, DLR and tram.

I left home rather later than I had hoped which meant the train I got to London was the 1201 Cambridge Thameslink train as far as St Pancras station. Alighting here there was a train following in three minutes destined for Luton which took me to Mill Hill Broadway. Here I arrived at 1255 but owing to a coach covering the bus stop to Edgware I walked up the High Street to the next bus stop, thereby missing two potential options to take me to Edgware. I had to wait for ten minutes before a No 221 arrived which took me to Edgware bus and Underground station.

Inside Edgware Bus Station

There are two bus garages here
at Edgware, one for RATP
 and one for Metroline

Metroline's TE1098 approaching to
take me to Sudbury Town 

Indicating we are in the far northern outskirts of London a
UNO operated bus from St Albans in their striking livery

I boarded Metroline's TE1098 which provided the No 204 to Sudbury Town at 1322. Initially the bus turns left and left again such that it was heading south down the A5. However, when the bus reached Burnt Oak it strangely headed east away for its eventual destination as far as Montrose Avenue. Once the bus had turned right down this road and then left into Lanacre Avenue it entered what was Hendon RAF airfield and this was very obvious from the road names. I read Kenley, Lyneham and Coningsby as I sped by but there were many other in what is now called the Grahame Park estate. Claude Grahame-White established the original airfield at Hendon hence the name. We exited the estate past Barnet and Southgate college and then headed west to Colindale Underground station which was reached twenty minutes after departure. There was a cycle path sign nearby that stated it was 2 miles to Edgware, so not the quick way to do the journey. The borough boundary betwixt Barnet and Brent runs just west of the A5 and we entered Brent after travelling a little way south along the Edgware Road. This was Hay Lane and after a climb we descended to Roe Park and stopped at the bus stop my wife used to use when boarding the No 204 after work at The Village School.

Heading EAST in Burnt Oak High Street

Heading WEST at Hay Lane Kingsbury

The bus rounded the park and ran into Kingsbury where there were a number of banners advertising the Brent library facilities. At the Kingsbury Roundabout the bus went straight over into Preston Hill which afforded the opportunity to reach Preston  Road Underground station. We walked here from Wembley stadium when the hoards of people meant getting a train at Wembley Park was impossible after the concerts of Cliff Richard and David Bowie  ended simultaneously in the late 1980s. From here the bus followed into Wembley and turning right into the High Road which becomes the Harrow Road we reached Sudbury Town Piccadilly line station at 1418.

Driving along Preston Road with Wembley Arch ahead

London School of Science and Technology
shares building with Wilko in Wembley

Arrival at Sudbury Town Underground Station

In order to catch the next bus I needed to get to Paddington so walked back to the Harrow Road and caught a No 18 to Wembley Central station. Here I boarded a southbound Bakerloo line train at 1430 and arrived at Paddington station at 1455. 

Inside Paddington Station

Stagecoach 12310 at
Cleveland Terrace

The No 205 starts from Cleveland Terrace which required walking along Praed Street and then up Eastbourne Terrace passing the new Elizabeth Line entrance as I did so.

The No 205 service is provided by Stagecoach and their No 12310 was boarded at 1510. The bus stop suggested it should be a ninety minute journey on average. The bus actually departed at 1512 and has to do a circuit of Westbourne Terrace and Bishop's Bridge Road so we could access Eastbourne Terrace and then back along Praed Street to reach again the Edgware Road. At the Edgware Road the bus carries straight over to Edgware Road Circle and Metropolitan Line Underground station and then onto the Marylebone Road which morphs into the Euston Road.

Planetarium on Marylebone Road

Queues caused by the Euston Underpass lane reduction

One lane was closed in the Euston Underpass which caused some delay but eventually we passed Euston station at 1545 following past St Pancras and King's Cross stations and on up Pentonville Road into Islington. At the Angel the bus went straight over into City Road and down to the Old Street Roundabout whereupon it headed left along what was claimed to be the City Ring Road. At 1600 we reached Shoreditch High Street station and then took Bishopsgate down to Liverpool Street station thereby meaning we had passed by all the mainline railway stations serving places north of London.

New developments at Old Street roundabout

Mural near Shoreditch High Street station

Nice view of Gherkin travelling down Bishopsgate
 although gloominess meant flash was used

 The bus next turned left and took Houndsditch down to Aldgate where because of one lane being 'coned off' at Aldgate quite a hold up was occasioned. From here we turned into Whitechapel and then it was a simple run direct to Bow Church, although with the multiplicity of traffic lights and density of traffic it took until 1638 to reach the terminal point. That said it hadn't taken 90 minutes-as the whole journey had actually taken only 86 minutes.

Regent's Canal near Mile End, light levels becoming too low for decent photography

Journey's End

Stagecoach 12310 heading off to Bow Church to layover

The terminus was not at the church unlike the No 8 but right opposite Bow Church DLR station so this was the obvious way to come home. Thus I took the next DLR train to Canary Wharf at 1645 where I crossed the platform and caught the train to Lewisham arriving at 1712. This was just insufficient time to catch the 1713 to Hayes so I had to wait half an hour for the next train to take me to Elmers End. Thus it was not until 1804 that I was able to board a tram for Wandle Park and then I walked home from there.

Day 129 After a two month break thanks to the Omicron Variant, the No 203 from Hounslow to Staines.

 Thanks to the effects of Covid-19 diminishing the staff available to drive trains on Southern Railway we currently have no trains to Clapham Junction let alone London Victoria. Thus despite getting the 1230 train which would normally travel to London, rather than terminating at Balham I had to change at Streatham Common to platform 4 for a service to take me to Clapham Junction where I arrived at 1300. This was just in time for the 1302 Weybridge train on platform 5 which took me to Isleworth where I alighted at 1327. I disembarked here rather than Hounslow as I was able to catch a bus just outside to the start of the route No 203. Indeed within a minute I was on a No 237 where I arrived at Hounslow at 1337. 

Platform 4 at Streatham Common a platform
 rarely used since it is on the fast lines

First bus stop Hounslow bus station

I boarded RATP 30304 at 1347 and then followed the route of Nos 81 and 120 westwards and turned right and into the western end of Hounslow High Street.

RATP 30304 arriving at 1347 with Hounslow bus station to the left

Recently built building by Hounslow High Street

We headed direct west from here past Hounslow West Underground station to Henly's Corner where we took the A30 until we reached Hatton Cross Underground station where the bus did a couple of loops at 1411.

British Airways Boeing 777s from Hatton Cross
bus station

The bus exited the way it had come and after crossing the A30 turned right down Hatton Road. Before reaching East Bedfont the bus swung right along Stanwell Road and re-crossed the A30 to run parallel with the airport perimeter road past the cargo area. The bus turned left down Clare Road and through Stanwell to reach Town Lane with Staines Reservoir immediately in front of us. The bus then turned left to Ashford Hospital before turning right onto the A30 towards Staines where the bus terminated at 1442.

Arrival at Staines Bus Station

New bus on the No 290 with
White Bus on No 446

Carlone bus on route No 442

Blue bus on route No 458 was Hallmark now Diamond Bus.
Quite a variety of different bus types and bus companies to chose from

At 1451 I boarded a No 117 heading to Feltham where I arrived in time to catch the 1535 train to Clapham Junction. From here I took a train to East Croydon, then a tram and finally a No 410 home arriving at 1740.