Day 237 One not nearby after five that weren't difficult to get to, the No 357.

 This number used to be utilised by a longer version of the No 353 before the advent of the Croydon trams, when buses linked Orpington to Croydon. However, now it links Whipps Cross Hospital with Chingford Hatch or rather it should have! The day began with a trip to the Geffrye Museum (now the Museum of the Home) in Hoxton to see the newly renovated rooms. To get to Whipps Cross I expected to catch the train on to Dalston Junction and then take the train from the other Dalston station -Kingsland to Stratford. From there is would have been two stops to Leytonstone and a short bus hop to the hospital. However, after we had descended to the platform it was announced there had been a power failure and there was no idea when trains were likely to be moving again. So to plan B we walked back to Dalston Junction and boarded a No 56 which was supposed to go to Whipps Cross but this time was only going to Leyton Baker's arms. As we crossed the Overground line our train passed underneath so we would have been better off if we had waited. But we had made our decision so stuck with it and alighted at Leyton Baker's Arms. Looking at the TFL Go app there were five bus stops within the hospital complex where a No 357 would pick us up. So to get to the hospital from Baker's Arms we boarded a No 257 and got out at James Road so as to enter the hospital from the east finding bus stop N first. 

After many travel modes and a walk finally
we have arrived at Whipps Cross

Bus stop N Sundays only

Bus stop K Sundays only

Leaving the hospital grounds in search of a bus

This bus stop stated it was used on Sunday only so we moved on to the next two but these were also Sunday only and in fact so were the final two. From the main entrance bus stops we walked to the Whipps Cross bus stand which was all closed off because of a burst water main. Finally I found a notice about the closure of the bus stand and that the No 357 was not getting any nearer than Walthamstow and by the same token the No 56 was only reaching Baker's Arms. 

Finally I know why I can't find the No 357

The bus stop where we caught a No
W19 to Walthamstow Central

As a result we caught the next bus heading towards Walthamstow bus station but at this point Charmaine decided to go home because of the aggravation the journey had caused thus far. At the bus station I asked a member of staff where the No 357 was starting from and he explained it was from the market. 

This is finally where the No 357
should be starting from

A bus arrives without a destination with a No 357
on the other side of the road

Destination now changed I finally leapt aboard

So finally at 1611 I was aboard London General's Ee32 heading north towards Chingford. The bus journey according to the timetable should take twenty minutes.

Heading north now with a Superloop bus

The Dog and Duck Chingford Road

The route took us to the Bell at Forest Road and then straight over in the direction of the North Circular and after that the remains of the greyhound stadium which is filled with tasteful flats. Just beyond this the bus driver was asked to wait a short while, but we were soon on our way again in the company of the No 97 and No 158 towards Chingford Mount. 

South Chingford Methodist church

Chingford Mount bus terminal

At Chingford Mount this bus route turned right along New Road and crossed over the roundabout at the end with New Road morphing into Hatch Lane after crossing under the Chingford rail line. We terminated outside the parade of shops at 1634-so 23 minutes after departure.

Journey's End but into sun Chingford Hatch

From here I caught a No 212 to Chingford station and caught there the 1710 to Walthamstow Central. I then transferred to the Victoria line two stops to Tottenham Hale where I changed to the 1741 Greater Anglia service to Stratford. The Jubilee line, after quite a wait conveyed me to Canada Water where I travelled to West Croydon and finally I was home at 1925.