Day 239 Two very different routes the urban No 360 and rural No 361.

 I took the 1230 train to Clapham Junction and then crossed to the London Overground platform for the 1322 Stratford train two stops to West Brompton. The District line then conveyed me in two parts as I had to change at Earl's Court and arrived at South Kensington which was thronging with families. I found the crush was all around the station though, and once I was inside the passageway to the Science museum it was relatively quiet. I arrived at Prince Consort Road by the Royal Albert Hall at stop RZ at 1357 just after a bus had left. 

The No 360 route every 10-13 minutes taking 40.

Royal College of Music

SEe43 resting prior to arrival

Student Union of Imperial College first venue to see Queen

It was then at 1408 that I was aboard London General's SEe43 and earlier version of the last bus I had been on yesterday. This is only bus that serves this road and Exhibition Road only joining with other routes at South Kensington station and then only briefly. Having passed the station at 1414 the bus turned hard left along Pelham Street once again on its own and it remained thus until we reached Sloane Square at 1423. We crossed straight over Fulham Road to reach Sloane Square but no other bus routes were seen until this point. 

Passing the Science museum

Advert outside Natural History museum

Even South Kensington NatWest is closing

Crossing the Fulham Road

Summer at Sloane Square

The bus went initially down Lower Sloane Street but about half way along we were told the bus was going on diversion. It first went left down Pimlico Road and then took Ebury Bridge Road and thus over the throat of Victoria station. After doing the last manoeuvre the bus turned right down Sutherland Street which is normally only served by the C10.

At the bottom of this road we reached Lupus Street and rejoined the normal route of the No 360 which sees us pass Pimlico Station at 1435. Beyond this the bus turned right into Vauxhall Bridge Road and then crossed Vauxhall Bridge to enter the bus station at 1440. 

A No 360 about to cross Vauxhall Bridge whilst we head alongside the riverbank

After doing a circuit the bus headed east along the southern bank of the Thames before turning right down Black Prince Road as its sole service bus. After going under the main railway lines into Waterloo the bus reached Kennington Road. Here we joined three other routes and turning left ran around two sides of the Imperial War museum. Beyond this we had to follow the one way route around St George's Circus and down London Road to turn left and terminate at Newington Causeway at 1501.

Very attractive cab alongside the Thames

Arrival at Newington Causeway

To get to the next bus I had to walk to Elephant and Castle mainline station and catch the 1519 to St Albans. This train 700003 was one that stopped at all stations so I didn't arrive at St Albans City station until 1610. I then had to walk to St Peter's Street which is actually one half of the main shopping street. I arrived about 1620 an found the next No 361 to Borehamwood was at 1642 so went in search of sustenance.

My bus arriving from Borehamwood

Bus due at 1642

Bus takes just under an hour

Red Eagle is the bus company which run the service and this company seems to use a good many ex-london buses. The one I used was ex-Metroline DE1896 and this was still marked on the inside along with a good many TFL signs. I was aboard at 1637 and it was very smartly that we left and headed down the hill which is called Chequer Street with a brief view of the abbey.

St Albans Museum and art Gallery

Abbey Theatre

In quick succession we reached the Abbey station and Abbey theatre and then headed up the old A5 now the A5183 to St Stephen's church. At this roundabout the bus took the road towards Watford and at the same time the drizzle became persistent. At Chiswell Green the bus went left down Tippendell Lane and after a while we crossed the A405 where it said road closed. Soon though we turned right up Penn Road and into the settlement of How Wood.

How Wood shopping centre

UNO bus going opposite way in How Wood

The bus followed a sweeping curve to intercept Park Street Lane where we turned right and this took us over the M25 and a right fork ment we entered Bricket Wood. We took a circuitous route around this housing area with Lye Lane, the West Riding, South Riding, Blackboy Wood and Hunters Ride before finally taking Mount Pleasant Lane and after crossing under the railway we took Station Road past Bricket Wood railway station. Had we continued beyond The Gate public house we would have returned to Park Street Lane but here we turned abruptly right along Smug Oak Lane.

The Gate Bricket Wood

Hanstead Park

Hanstead Park

After a short while the bus swung right into a new housing development- Hanstead Park. Later the driver told me this used to be an HSBC training establishment and there were some large buildings that are obviously converted into flats. We waiting here from 1702-1705 before resuming our journey down Smug Oak Lane. This road led us back to the old A5 and we took this in the direction of Radlett. We had so far only had one person join the bus but now four joined and as we got closer to Radlett more and more people boarded the bus. We passed a No 338 going the other way at this point.

Storia in Radlett

Radlett's theatre

Instead of remaining on the old A5 to Elstree the bus took the left of Theobald Street and was soon in very rural surroundings until we entered the Borough of Elstree and Borehamwood at 1718. At the first  stop the lady who had accompanied me all the way from St Albans alighted and we then continued in a straight line all the way to Elstree and Borehamwood station where we arrived at 1724. 

Another No 357 I could have chosen at Elstree station

A circuit here and again at Tesco's saw us following the route of the No 107 up Elstree Way. However, we took Studio Way which took us up past the Travelodge where Charmaine and I stayed when she was filming a couple of Januarys ago. 

Studio way Travelodge Borehamwood

Beyond the hotel the road names become named after film studios-Pinewood, Denham, Shepperton, Ealing etc. At the end of the road the bus went left and left again to terminate at Alexandra road at 1733.

Alexandra Road Well End Borehamwood

The driver explained he was going back to St Albans in three minutes so I might as well get back on and he'd drop me at the station. This actually meant I had the opportunity to ride the length of Alexandra Road, then Potters Lane and Denham Way back to Studio Way. This time the road names were big names such as Grenfell, Robeson, Novello, etc. I arrived back in time for the 1801 train to Sutton. This dropped me at 1913 at Mitcham Junction where I caught a tram to Wandle Park and then a No 407 home.