Day 186 Two buses which work well in the middle but difficult to get to either end. The No 286 and No 287.

 The travel to St Mary's Hospital Sidcup required quite a convoluted trip. It was going to start with a bus to Wandle Park but it pulled away just as I was getting to it, so I walked and caught a tram to Beckenham at 1100. This meant I arrived at Beckenham Junction with twelve minutes to wait for an Orpington train to Bickley. Luck changed as I reached the lights at the end of Southborough Road as I could see a No 269 waiting so was able to run across to get to the bus stop in time. I did get hooted at because I omitted to notice cars could turn right! Still I made it alive and was aboard at 1202 and this meant I reached the hospital at 1209.

A No 286 at St Mary's Hospital Sidcup

A No 160 to our left with a No 321 ahead

At 1214 I was aboard MHV23 headed north towards Sidcup High Street which we crossed straight over and headed down Station Hill. Once under the railway the bus headed left following the path of the No 51 as far as Willersley Avenue. At this roundabout the No 286 ploughs on alone along Halfway Street towards the junction with Avery Hill Road where we had already been joined by the No B13 at Days Lane. 

Sign for entering the Borough of Greenwich

We entered the London Borough of Greenwich from Bexley at 1224 and headed left along Bexley Road into Eltham High Street which was reached at 1230.

Entering Eltham High Street

Borough of Woolwich sign above Eltham library

Normal bus type on the No 286

At the Church the bus turned right down Well Hall Road and then at the roundabout headed left along Rochester Way and the bus continued to follow this road as it paralleled the A2 to the Sun in the Sands roundabout.

Houses being built either side of Rochester Way

Previously both sides of the road here were grassy
banks when I did the No132

At this roundabout the bus headed towards Blackheath but just as we reached the heath the bus turned sharp right into Stratheden Road to then descend Westcombe Hill to the Woolwich Road. Here the bus headed west past the National Maritime Museum and we then circled to the one way system to terminate with the buses rear to the Cutty Sark at 1311.

Approaching the Sun and the Sands Roundabout

Journey's End at the Cutty Sark

The ship of that name behind the bus

The next bus starts at Barking station so to reach there I took the DLR from Cutty Sark to Canary Wharf . There I had to change to a Stratford train which was waiting in the middle platform which left only two minutes after I Had arrived at 1330. This DLR train took me to Bow Church station where I could walk westwards to Bow Road District line station and get an Underground train to Barking arriving at 1400.

Journey should take around 50 minutes

Stagecoach 19790 arriving without route number

The No 287 starts its journey to Rainham opposite the station and at 1414 Stagecoach 19790 was approaching the stop with destination displayed but not the route number. It did say No 287 inside and we headed around the bypass system around the east and south of the shopping area to reach the Abbey remains and theatre.

As with Greenwich, Barking and Dagenham are
advertising building affordable housing

The A13 5 lanes of traffic, it was difficult for the
bus to rejoin traffic when it stopped 

 At Ripple Road the bus turned right and went east towards Dagenham over the Mayes Brook and past the Ripplegate cemetary onto the A13. 

Entrance to Ford's supposedly to the right

The bus continued on Ripple Road as the A13 diverts south and at the roundabout took New Road the A1306 past the site of the Ford motor works passing what was said to be the Ford Motor Works entrance at 1441. At Dovers Corner the bus headed right and we drove into Tesco's and then took Upminster Road afterwards to re-cross New Road and into the Abbey Woods Estate. The bus turned left into Lake Avenue then left into Thorn Avenue and finally right into Briscoe Road which mutates into Abbey Wood Lane as you turn a corner and the bus terminated here at 1501. I realised on arrival I had been here before on the No 165 but thought rather than go back on either bus why didn't I cross Hornchurch Country Park and catch an Underground train home from Hornchurch as I could see it would take far too long to get to Queensbury for the No 288. 

The terminal point by Abbey Woods

I set off the with sun behind me heading north through Abbey Wood and emerging on the other side came across open areas where there were plenty of butterflies.

Gatekeeper

Comma sunning itself

Gatekeeper underside

Red Admiral

Pathway into Abbey Woods

However, I found an area of tarmac behind some trees presumably a part of the wartime RAF Hornchurch and thinking I must be close to Hornchurch I continued on until I came to a road. I thought it was South End Hornchurch and turned right but it was actually Berwick Pond Road and it was taking me in the opposite direction towards Purfleet. After a call to our daughter we agreed it was best to take Warwick  Lane then Gerpins Lane, Avery Road and Harold Hall Lane as this would take me to Upminster.

Stampe Biplane doing aerobatics as I walked alone Gerpins Lane

Swallows getting ready to head south?

Yes there is a direction sign in there somewhere,
good job I could read the one on the opposite side of the road

Finally approaching civilisation after 1 1/2 hours walking-Corbetts Tey

Viewed from Upminster this time a CAP 10 doing aerobatics.
Both aircraft based at Upminster Damyn's Hall airfield

  This walk took me 4 and a half miles and it was two hours after alighting from the bus that I was sitting in Costa having some food and a latte before catching the Underground to Whitechapel from Upminster at 1738. From here I took the Overground to Sydenham and eventually got home just before 2000.