Day 207 to Catford for a trip to Biggin Hill on the No 320.

 I walked to Wandle Park tram stop so as to take a tram to Elmers End and arriving at 1233 there was a tram in 5 minutes. This conveyed me to Elmers End where I arrived at 1302 with 8 minutes to wait for the 1310 train towards Charing Cross. The train arrived at Catford Bridge at 1319 and from the station I walked around to Thomas Lane bus stop where I arrived at 1325.

All three buses that start from here were waiting upon my arrival

The journey is stated to take 63 minutes and it took exactly that.

The next No 320 bus, Go Ahead London's EH84 arrived at 1328 and we were then taken left towards Catford High Street before making  a circuit of the one way system at Rushey Green in order to head south down the A21 towards Bromley.

London General's EH84 arriving

Catford High Street

2023 buses newly delivered at Catford garage.

At 1337 we were passing Catford garage which is a Stagecoach owned facility even though some London General routes start and terminate there for historical reasons. Continuing onward south we passed Catford police station, once a major centre for Metropolitan traffic police but now up for sale. Once past Downham Lane the bus was only accompanied by route No 208 as it climbed Bromley Hill and entered the London Borough of Bromley at 1345. We reached the Market Square at 1351 and stopped at the Bromley Town Hall stop at 1354 to exchange drivers. This exchange only took two minutes and we were turning right down Kentish Way past the stop called Bromley Civic Centre before turning right into Elmfield Road so as to head down the southern part of Bromley High Street.

Bromley Market Square stop

Building en-scribed established over a hundred
 years on the front facing high street it says 1884

Southern end of Bromley High Street

        On the left at the junction was a building with Bromley Civic Centre en-scribed upon it which is rather perplexing given the bus stop of that name is nowhere near it. We left the Bromley South station bus stop at 1401 and returned to the A21 following this road as far as Oakley Road as the area passed through became rural on one side but with new build housing on the left. We turned up Oakley Road for the only time as the sole bus route on the road as far as the Keston Mark. Here we joined the R2 route and once past Keston Ponds rejoined with the No 146 and No 246. The ponds are the spring which feed the river Ravensbourne which I had been following since leaving Catford Bridge.

Rural side of A21 at Bromley Common

Looking along runway 11 at Biggin Hill

Cessna business jet of Atlas air service

The bus was now on the A233 and we followed this past Keston church at 1416 and then across Leaves Green to reach Biggin Hill airfield. Here the bus driver announced he would have to wait as we running ahead of time. We spent three minutes here and left at 1325. Once past St Mark's church and the library the bus turned right and went down Stock Hill to the bottom of the valley. Up until this point it was all very familiar territory to me but I had no idea where the bus terminated. It turned left onto Norheads Lane and then very soon left into Kings Road and terminated at the COOP at 1431. The bus stand here is quite limited so I could understand why he couldn't afford to arrive early.

Journey's End

Confirmation I made it

Terminal and start point

I then walked left and left again into Sunningdale Avenue and then followed this road as it went across the roundabout at the bottom of Stock Hill. As the road climbed up the valley side it became unmade after a while and only became re-metalled just before we reached the top at the junction with the A233. I crossed this and went into the Look-Out cafe to a Moccha and cheese and bacon panino. Rather than catch the No 464 home, I took a No 246 to Coney Hall and then a No 119 to Sandilands so as to return to Wandle Park on a tram, arriving home at 1650

Day 206 the second part of the No 319 from Clapham Junction to Streatham Hill

 I caught to 1030 train tp Clapham Junction where I arrived at 1100: 30 Seconds! I walked through the underpass and out into Grove Road where I turned right to return to the spot where I alighted a week or ago.

Bus stop at Clapham Junction

Arriva's EA1 arriving from the direction of Battersea

At 1107 EA1 the first of 22 electric double decker buses that Arriva have registered in 2021. The bus went in a straight line from here under the railway line and straight across at the Arding and Hobbs junction into St John's Road. There were many other buses until we reached Northcote Road which were sharing the road but from here until Broomwood Road only the G1 was also mentioned on the bus stops. Having turned right at Broomwood Road and then left along Bolingbroke Grove we were running alongside Wandsworth Common.  At the end of this road we turned right into Nightingale Lane where we rejoined the G1 route and together we crossed the LB&SCR at Wandsworth Common railway station. At the end of the parade of shops we turned left into Trinity Road and here joined with the No 219 to run to Tooting Bec Underground Station where we arrived at 1123.

Running beside Wandsworth Common

Plaque on building in Trinity Road acknowledging the home of David Lloyd George 1900-1904 

The No 319 goes straight on here whereas the No 219 turns left taking the A24 towards Tooting Broadway. We were then  following the No 249 route along Tooting Bec Road and passed the athletics stadium and then the outdoor swimming pool at 1128.

The Wheatsheaf at Tooting Bec built 1892

Tooting athletics stadium

At the far end of this road we ran alongside Streatham St Lawrence church after we had re-entered Lambeth borough and its ubiquitous 20 mph speed limits and turned left to run along the Streatham High Road. The bus continued north up the A23 past Streatham Hill railway station coming to rest at 1139 just by the Brixton bus garage.

EA1 at the final stop called Telford Avenue

I then walked back to Streatham Hill station where the next train to Crystal Palace was at 1209 but was going to London Bridge there being no West Croydon trains. I alighted at platform 6 at Crystal Palace and went outside in the hope of finding a replacement bus service. There was mention of one in three minutes but no indication of where it would stop. A lady saw me looking quizzical and told me where I could catch it which I duly did to West Croydon at 1225 and arrived 17 minutes later, having stopped at Anerley, Norwood Junction and Selhurst along the way. This is exactly the route of the No 157 so one wonders why Southern bother to purchase a replacement bus from London General, especially as London General now operate the No 157! I arrived home at 1310 having caught a No 410 after a five minute wait.

Day 205 An attempt to do three buses that would have worked but for the missing of two trains. The No 317, No 318 and half of the No 319.

 So to reach the No 317 meant a return to the far Northeast of London which required the catching of the 1030 train to Balham, from here the Northern Line four stops to Stockwell and followed by the Victoria line to Finsbury Park. Emerging from the Underground onto platform 8 the 1122 was still indicated but a gentleman on the platform said 'no you've just missed it' when asked. Since the next train to Enfield Chase was almost half an hour away I returned down to the Underground and caught the Piccadilly line to Oakwood. Here I was able to catch a No 121 bus to Enfield Chase arriving there two minutes after the next train would have been leaving Finsbury Park. 

Metroline's OME2678 resting at Little Park Gardens

Buses every 20 minutes with journey 30 minutes
duration

I walked down to the starting point of the No 317 to Waltham Cross and Metroline's OME2678 arrived at 1208 to take me on the half hour journey to Waltham Cross. This bus quickly conveyed me down the High Street to Enfield Town station and by 1215 I was at Cineworld near the Great Cambridge Road. A much quicker journey than when last time I attempted it to go this way to do the No 310. 

Moving past Enfield market place

Metroline's OME2674 coming the opposite way

After crossing the Great Cambridge Road the bus turned left into the Enfield Retail Park. After this it joined the Great Cambridge Road and headed north at quite a rate of knots. By 1223 we were crossing Carterhatch Lane where I have come earlier in the month to visit the Forty Hall Christmas event.

Great Cambridge Road dual carriageway

After the stop for Turkey Street station, where I was marooned by the No 317 last time I came this way, the bus went right down Bullsmoor Lane to enter Waltham Cross by turning left at 1232 and coming to halt at the bus station at 1234.

Crossing the border into Broxbourne at M25 tunnel

Waltham Cross bus station with Arriva Herts bus in front

I then nipped into the shopping centre for a comfort break and a pasty, bread pudding and coffee and at 1300 was aboard a No 279 to get me to Turkey Street station. Waltham Cross is in the Hertfordshire borough of Broxbourne so my oyster freedom pass doesn't allow me to catch a train until I am back safely in Zone 6. Annoyingly as I was approaching this station I saw a southbound service leave. I had missed it by three minutes this time and would have twenty seven minutes to wait for the next train to convey me three stops to Silver Street. I would have been better served remaining on the No 279 bus to Edmonton Green.

At 1337 the train duly arrived and I got off at Silver Street to find a sign telling me the North Middlesex Hospital was 5 minutes walk. However, I had never been to this hospital before and I walked into the maternity unit which appeared to be isolated from the rest of the hospital. I asked at reception and a chap called Ben said 'I'm going that way follow me.' He was as good as his word and I emerged after going upstairs and over a bridge into the main hospital where outside Arriva's ENR4 was waiting as the next No 318.

Boarding ENR4 of Arriva at North Middlesex Hospital

There were two stops outside, the one for this bus and that for the No 491 which I could have caught at Waltham Cross bus station but assumed this would have been much slower. The bus left at 1402 and immediately entered a Hail and Ride section down Bull Lane.which became Queen Street which meets White Hart Lane at a 'T' junction. The W3 bus joined the No 318 along White Hart Lane for the run to the Great Cambridge Road where that bus goes straight on but the No 318 goes left joining with the Nos 144, 217 and 231. Very soon we reached The Roundway where the other buses went right but the the No 318 forges on alone to Bruce Castle, where the bus went left along Lordship Lane N17 again now alone.

The Roundway with the No 318 the only service

Court named after Suffragette by Pembury Road Bruce Grove

After going under the railway line the bus crossed the Tottenham High Road and was then in the company of the No 341 and No 476 along Lansdowne Road. There was a sharp right turn into Shelbourne Road which was followed until the end where we turned right into Roseberry Road, left into Havelock Road and finally right into Dowsett Road. 

Sign warning of parking restrictions
for Tottenham's home games at Dowsett Road 

At the end of Dowsett Road it took a long time to get into the Tottenham High Road owing to the quantity of traffic but eventually we were able to turn left and pass Bruce Grove railway station at 1435. 

The Palace on Tottenham High Road

The bus then headed south along Tottenham High Road until we reached the town hall where the bus driver was changed. However, once the new bus driver had got on he announced that the bus wasn't going on and we had to get in the one behind us, which then promptly overtook us and he amended the announcement. This was an earlier Arriva EN18 which departed at 1445 towards Stamford Hill. After passing the railway station at South Tottenham and starting to climb towards Stamford Hill the bus took a left and entered another Hail and Ride section. This was another lone user section from Wargrave Avenue to Grovelands Road and then back along Craven Park Road and Ravensdale Road returning back to Stamford hill ar 1501. However, after only a very small duration in Stamford Hill the bus went left along Egerton Road to terminate at Rookwood Road by what was Stamford Hill bus garage at 1504.

Journey's End by Stamford Hill bus garage, destination already changed for return

EN18 heading off back to North Middlesex Hospital

Disembarking from EN18  at Stamford Hill
Broadway

I stayed on the bus as it went to Clapton Common Road and on to Stamford Hill Broadway where I alighted and walked north to Seven Sisters Victoria line station where I boarded a southbound Victoria line train at 1518. This train took me to Victoria and there I changed to the District line and took an Ealing Broadway train the one stop to Sloane Square.

Normal starting point for the No 319 on Sloane Square

First stop one can board in the King's Road

Chasing Arriva's EA22 down the King's Road

Emerging from the Underground station I found that the first stop for the bus, bus stop H was closed owing to roadworks so I saw Arriva EA22 sail by and head down the King's Road. Following the bus I was able to overtake it because of all the Christmas shoppers blocking the crossings for long periods and at 1553 was able to board this No 319 destined for Streatham Hill.

Darkness outside was causing bad reflections
 on bus window

Most lights were yellow like this but there was a
white crown suspended over the
 middle of the road

There were lots of decorations across the King's Road and we made quite slow progress through Chelsea to turn left into Beaufort Street towards Battersea Bridge, which was crossed at 1613. The bus then followed the route of the No 49 to the Latchmere, Battersea High Street and then left at Falcon Road to reach Clapham Junction at 1627. It was by this time so dark no useful photographs could be taken and so I got off and caught the 1639 train home.

Final shot of the day after getting off the bus at Clapham Junction station

Day 204 To the newly opened railway station of Brent Cross West via the No 316 from White City bus station.

 After disseminating twelve cheques either in the post or at paying in machines in the banks in Croydon I caught the 1219 from East Croydon to Clapham Junction having just missed by seconds the direct train to Shepherds Bush at 1210. However at Clapham Junction I arrived with only six minutes to wait for the 1234 Stratford train which got me to Shepherds Bush for 1247, which was ahead of the stopping train from East Croydon. I then walked through Westfield to the White City bus station on the opposite side of the shopping centre.

White City bus station stop WJ

Bus service should take 45 minutes approximately

Notification of extension to the new station

Mertoline's DEL2260 arriving

I arrived at the bus stop at 1302 to find the service was expected to be 7-10 minute interval and duly at 1310 the bus, Metroline's DEL2260 arrived. However, when we reached the Shepherds Bush interchange an irate passenger complained she had waited twenty minutes for the bus. The bus was full and standing by 1315 when we left the interchange and headed initially east along the A40. Very soon the bus veered left into Royal Crescent and left again into St Anns Villas which becomes St Anns Road. At this stage we were following the route of the No 295 but after turning right after Latimer Road station the bus took St Marks Road left now accompanied by the No 7.

Pall Mall Deposit at junction of St Marks and Barlby Roads

A tin tabernacle now home to the Willesden and St Mary Lebone sea cadet corps

By the time we had reached Barlby Road at the end of St Marks Road there were some seats available and turning right here we joined the route of the No 70. This took us to Ladbroke Grove where as always there was slow traffic. The bus turned left and left again into Ladbroke Grove Sainsbury's at 1337 but no one boarded or got off here. From here we took Kilburn Lane now travelling with the No 28 and No 52 routes. Kilburn Lane turns right from Chamberlayne Road and we here joined the No 187 and No 6 routes to go past Queens Park station and onwards to reach Kilburn Park Road. Here we went left and rejoined with No 31 which also starts at White City bus station. We took Rudolph Road which enabled the route to access Kilburn Park Underground station and then Kilburn High Road.

Sign above restaurant suggests original entrance to Kilburn High Road station and the AND refers
to the original station name of Kilburn and Maida Vale when it opened in 1852. 

Taking Kilburn High Road the bus then followed in a straight path past Brondesbury station up Shoot up Hill and on to Cricklewood where we reached the bus garage at 1412. It is then a short journey on past Dollis Hill Lane to a point where the bus turned right and finally is on a road that no other bus serves. However, this is just the access road te the new Brent Cross West station where I arrived at 1415. This extension from Cricklewood garage has only been served since the 10th of December, the same date as the opening of the railway station. This meant the journey took twenty minutes longer than booked at the White City bus stop and could be the reason for the service being unreliable as attested by the passenger at Shepherds Bush.

The new station entrance after arrival

Station canopy with roof of Thameslink train

A class 700 Thameslink train arriving at Brent
Cross West to convey me to Blackfriars

To get home I caught the 1417 Rainham Thameslink train from Brent Cross West station and alighted at Blackfriars to the catch a Three Bridges train three minutes behind the Rainham one as far as Norwood Junction. The 1509 train to Epsom then conveyed me home.