Day 203 Again one local bus but this time the second was not too far away either. The No 314 and No 315.

 After a foray into Croydon to visit banks, and shops for Christmas presents, I caught a tram from East Croydon to New Addington. 

8/8 Stratus at 200FT in central Croydon

A cold and murky East Croydon tram stop

My 314 resting

Stagecoach Dart 36549 at layover point

Looking towards New Addington tram terminus with cloud 'on the deck.'

The journey should take 75 minutes

My bus starting to leave with a No 464 beside it.

At the stop adjacent to the tram stop I caught Stagecoach's 36549 in the direction of Eltham station. The timetable stated it should take about 75 minutes but this was a pre-Christmas Saturday so I was expecting traffic to have some impact on my progression. As we boarded the driver told each passenger he would not be using Gascoyne Road. Therefore instead of turning left down Salcot Road he did a loop around the tram terminus and heading down the hill to the roundabout where Lidl has replaced the Cunningham and used King Henry's Drive to reach the normal route at Goldcrest Way.

Now back on normal route with low stratus giving fog at this location

Here the bus was accompanied by the No 64 whereas in Salcot Road and Gascoyne Road it would have been alone and we headed along this road at 1203 reaching the main road back down to the Addington tram and bus interchange where we arrived at 1210. From here the bus runs along Kent Gate Way on which there is one bus stop at Addington Pumping Station, which we sailed past at a rate of knots. This took us into the London Borough of Bromley and we continued straight on at the Coney Hall roundabout to Hayes (Kent). After the shopping area at Hayes the bus climbed past Hayes Hill Road to turn right at Pickhurst Mead and again right into Mountfield Road, finally as the sole user of the road. At Bourne Vale the bus turned left and ran along the bottom of this valley until the end at Meadway, here we rejoined the routes of the 119 and 146 from Hayes. There was a queue of traffic heading past Ravensbourne school but we were able to sneak left along Hayes Lane to avoid this. However, the traffic in Westmoreland Road was definitely more of a hindrance as were other roads around Bromley and it took from 1230 to 1245 to get past Tweedy Road at Bromley North from St Marks at Westmoreland Road. For much of the last half an hour the bus was so full the bus had steamed up to the extent I could not take any photographs. As we turned left at Plaistow Lane the bus became the sole user of the road again and the bus ran towards Sundridge Park station with the windows clearing.

Plaistow Lane with Cutty Sharp barbers

Passing Elmstead Woods Station

I could not however, take a photograph of St Joseph's Catholic Primary school; which is located near where Debbie's place of schooling was. The church sold off that school land for housing so it is no longer there. Also for that matter we were too close or travelling too fast take take a photo of the church itself. Just past the church the bus turned left to take Orchard Road which later became Sundridge Avenue which eventually led to the roundabout at bottom of Logs Hill. Since Sundridge Park we were the only bus route to cover these roads and this remained the case as we turned left and passed under the railway at Elmstead Woods station at 1302. Soon we were into the London Borough of Greenwich which we entered at 1308 and took William Barefoot Drive. The road ends at Green Lane where the bus went left to Five Ways and then bore slightly right along Southwood Road so as to access New Eltham station. From Green Lane onwards the bus relinquished its single route status. At New Eltham station we took Footscray Road to Southend Crescent and then along Eltham High Street to terminate at Eltham station at 1330. Thus the journey took 90 minutes which is not too bad given the time of year.

Note sign above car in New Eltham

Arrival at Eltham station interchange

The bus setting of to rest, but I found it
wasn't very long before it was off back to
 New Addington

From Eltham station I took the 1347 train to London Bridge which meant I arrived there at 1415. From here I took the Northern line to Balham but at Clapham Common the driver informed us that someone somewhere had pulled the communication cord and it had to be investigated before we could continue. I emerged from the Underground at Balham at 1445 just as a No 315 passed by on its way to West Norwood. I thus had to wait 15 minutes for the next one although there was no information about bus frequency or time at the bus stop. There were numerous other posters but nothing about the bus. It was indicated by the plate above me but also missing was the letter to tell me it was bus stop A. 

Bus stop only serves the No 315

Abellio 8123 arriving

Abellio No 8123 arrived at 1450 and the driver got out and we had quite a long chat about what I was doing and why. She invited me and two other passengers to board whilst she had a vape to get out of the cold and at 1500 on the dot we were off. 

Awaiting departure

Passing Tooting Common

Initially the No 315 bus heads west but turns right to go north along the A24 and then soon swings SE alone, along Bedford Hill. This takes the bus to Tooting Common and eventually to Garrad's Road which then intercepts Tooting Bec Gardens. The bus turns left here and makes for St Leonard's Church Streatham where we arrived at 1508.

Christmas is getting closer near St Leonard's church

Starting a Hail and Ride section

At Streatham High Road the bus heads just left of straight on and took Glenelden Road, and here it entered the first of a number of Hail and Ride sections on this route. There were some barriers on this route where it was a £130 penalty for anything but a bus to go through. The bus went left along Valley Road to then turned right into Leigham 

Court Road, here joining the No 417 for a short spell. However it was soon taking a left and starting another Hail and Ride section from Canterbury Grove now the road signs said SE27 when all before had been SW16 after leaving Balham. We drifted around Royal Circus and then dropped down York Hill to reach West Norwood High Street where we joined other routes again as we turned right. at 1522. We passed the cemetery and then the railway station before turning right at Norwood garage. After the garage the bus turned left but almost immediately heading right and right again to terminate in Cheviot Road opposite Rothschild Street at 1525. The arrival time was exactly the duration the driver had told me since there has been no timetable at the bus stop in Balham , thus I wouldn't otherwise have known!

Journey's end at Cheviot Road

I caught a number 468 from Norwood garage to West Croydon and then a No 410 home arriving at 1630.