Day 247 A much nearer bus the No 371 from Kingston to Richmond.

 A different route to the usual we caught a No 410 to Wallington Green and then the No SL7 to Kingston station. Charmaine and I then meandered our way to Kingston Hall Road where there was a No 371 resting before taking us to Richmond.

The layover point in Kingston Hall Road

Service every fifteen minutes should take 45

Took the opportunity to look at the
No 514 and 515 services which are
two a day

Bus heading up to roundabout to turn round

London United's 37044 arriving

Charmaine boarding, crisps in hand for the journey

Halifax building society with strange notice
above entrance

The bus was RATP London United's electric bus 37044 and after going around the roundabout and heading back to us departed at 1315. It took us back the way we had come but using the roads rather than the pedestrianised way we had utilised. It stopped at Cromwell Road bus station at 1321 and then made its way to London Road passing the site of Norbiton bus garage. After going under the railway bridge we immediately went left onto Park Road. Initially this is all late Victorian housing but the nearer we got to Richmond Park itself ,there was more inter war and post war developments. Particularly this was the case when the road morphed into Tudor Drive it was then all 1930s housing at the earliest.

Park Road with Victorian villas east of here and more modern dwellings to the west

Typical 1930 or 1950 building type in Tudor Drive

We crossed over the main Kingston to Richmond Road into Dukes Avenue and then went right into Broughton Avenue at 1342. Next we stopped at Mariner Gardens whose dwellings seemed to be of a very similar construction to our own, which means they are Wimpey 1970s built houses. The bus went right into Ashburnham Road and this took us into Ham.

Advertisement for new Ham Community Centre

The Fox and Duck Petersham

We took Ham Street turning left and then went right into Sandy Lane which took us to the main road once more which we then followed into Petersham and on up Richmond Hill.

Warning of Deer cull in November

Richmond Hill took us to the Richmond Gate of Richmond Park and then descent began of Queens Road. After a fair while we reached Marchmont Street and turned right and then right again into Kings Road before turning right at St Matthias church to follow Church Road down to Sheen Road.

Marchmont Road Richmond

We went left at Sheen Road and drove the bus station where betwixt 1408 and 1411 we exchanged drivers. The bus then took us along Richmond High Street to the station and on to the roundabout on the Great Chertsey Road. Here the bus chose the Great Chertsey Road and headed east to reach the Manor Circus roundabout. Turning right the bus terminated at the Manor Road Sainsbury's at 1419.

Journey's End

Charmaine disembarked from the No 371

Boarding the R68

We then walked back to the main road and took a No R68 back to Richmond station. This enabled us after a while to take a train to Twickenham so as to visit a Christmas market before returning and catching the 1533 train to Wimbledon via Kingston. However, the train stopped at Raynes Park but didn't stop after that until Waterloo owing to its lateness. Apparently there had been a message from the guard over the public address system but in these 40 year old trains the sound was so weak no one on our carriage and probably few other carriages too, heard it. Thus we had to catch a train from Waterloo to Clapham Junction and then a train home from there, instead of the intended tram from Wimbledon.

Day 246 Back to Romford to take the No 370 out of the TFL area to Lakeside shopping centre.

 I took the 1005 train with Charmaine to London Bridge and whilst she was then going to catch the 1046 to Cambridge I took the 1036 Bedford train to Farringdon. At Farringdon I only had two minutes to wait for an Elizabeth line train to Romford where I arrived at 1123. I then walked to Mercury Gardens to find the next bus on my quest.

Arriva's T205 resting before conveying me to Lakeside

Bus every 15 minutes unlike the No 369

Still two more buses to bring me
 to this bus stop in Romford

My mount arriving

Arriva operate this bus and last time I used it the bus was a Wright bodied Daf. However now some of the Enviro Tridents which worked out of Wood Green were operating the route. So it was T205 that I boarded at 1142 and then travelled around the usual route to Romford station. However, the bus then went left up Victoria Road with only the No 496 for company.The bus continued straight on as this road became Heath Park Road and we were then informed that the bus was on diversion. Instead of turning right at the Drill roundabout down Slewins Lane, because of road-works we were continuing on to reach Squirrels Heath Road where we then turned right along with the No 294. This meant we were travelling northeast instead of southeast. The No 165 had to take this diversion too, and we then turned right along Ardleigh Green Road to rejoin our normal route just before Burntwood Avenue, accompanied by the No 256 on its rightful route. 

In Squirrels Heath Road. Bus on bus top is the No 294

Another diverted route the No 165

A No 256 in Ardleigh Green Road

The reason for our diversion: Slewin Lane closed

From here we headed over Emerson Park Station and into Hornchurch passing the theatre on the way to the stop at the Wildwood at 1203. From the High Street past St Andrew's church we entered Upminster Road with the No 248. At the junction by St Laurence church the bus turned left into Upminster High Street. However it proceeds almost to the station but then turns right down to a mini roundabout where people can alight only. Having gone round the roundabout at 1213 it then climbed back up to the High Street. Here it turned left to go down the opposite way and at the crossroads went straight across now as the only bus servicing the road. This continued to be the case as the bus enters Corbets Tey and heads out in the countryside past South Essex crematorium.

Looking up Upminster High Street from the west.

Descending towards the mini roundabout
and alighting point only at Upminster station

Upminster library

The junction of Harwood Hall Lane and Ockenden Road
where I emerged when I got lost walking from Abbey Wood lane to Hornchurch

At the junction with the B186 the bus turned right and headed into the Ockendens with the No 347 and non TFL route 269 for company. Having passed where I boarded the No 347 the previous time I used this bus the first person to board for quite a while got on at South Ockenden. Another passenger boarded at the Thurrock garden centre and we were then joined by four Ensign bus routes which presumably serve the estates of South Ockenden, the 21, 22, 77 and 77a. Climbing after crossing the Mardyke and the A13 we reached a roundabout where we took the lane for Lakeside and terminated in the bus station with many blue and grey buses of Ensign Buses at 1238.

Leaving the TFL hated ULEZ zone at the junction of
Ockenden Road and Kendon Road

Sign pointing to Lakeside Shopping Centre

Arrival with blue and grey buses a plenty

Ensign Bus 502

Demonstrator bus ENS1972

To return from Lakeside since it was bitterly cold I caught the No 372 heading for Hornchurch. However, I didn't do the whole route as that has to be done after the No 371 and got off at Elm Park to take the District line to West Ham and then Jubilee and London Overground back to West Croydon arriving home at 1515 with temperatures of two degrees Celsius. By 1645 it was below freezing under clear skies.

Day 245 A long wait since the previous bus because the only No 369 I could find runs from Exeter to Morchard Bishop.

 On Tuesday 19th November it was arranged that Charmaine and I would visit the Christmas market in the Cathedral Close and then I would go to Sidwell Street to catch the Dartline operated two hourly service to Morchard Bishop. We left Waddon station on the 0920 to Victoria and then via Victoria and Bakerloo lines made the 1035 semi fast to Exeter which was located as far away as could be on platform 14! It was expected to be a cold day and once we had left Newbury snow started to fall outside and at the Hungerford stop there were some fairly large flakes. The snow continued as we climbed to the Crofton beam engine and then faded to rain as we stopped at and then passed beyond Pewsey. The train arrived just about on time at Exeter at 1307 which meant I missed as expected that No 369 and had to wait for almost two hours for the 1510 departure. This gave us time to visit the Christmas market together properly, purchasing a few products to eat there and then, and also for purchase of Christmas presents.

Charmaine in front of nativity scene at Exeter Cathedral

So at 1445 we separated and I walked to where I expected to be able to catch the bus, but found the No 360 indicated but not the No 369. I was starting to wonder if it had been discontinued, so since the bus station was nearby I went to find some evidence it still existed after my experience with the 351 and 357. I found the Mid Devon bus guide which showed it and I then realised I hadn't walked far enough up the 'high street' and found there was a coach and two buses waiting at bus stop No 40.

The No 366 has one service each day whereas the
No 369 is at least 2 hourly and takes just under an hour

Three buses which only run once
a week

Lots of route options but not many are regularly
operated

The bus stop is utilised by a good many services but looking at the timetables for these buses quite a number were one service on one day a week. Thus they were so that people could get to Exeter from the villages surrounding rather than being able to get to the villages from Exeter and return later the same day!

Dartline YJ18DLO approaching with an older Stagecoach operated
Optare Solo parked.

The bus arrived at exactly the appointed time and was comprised of Optare Solo YJ18DLO of Dartline. This company is a subsidiary now of the Go Ahead group Southwest area. We quickly did a circuit of the old bus and coach stations, now rubble to face across the 'high street' so as to take the bypass route towards St David's. Photography was difficult because all the windows were covered in mud. I was later to find out the width of the road provided ample opportunity for detritus to plaster the bus!

Rubble where coach and bus station used to be.

I had been alone from the first stop until the next when 14 passengers boarded. We picked up another person at the side entrance of Exeter Central and then ran past the prison to the equestrian Buller statue. Here we didn't continue straight over to St David's station but turned right and headed down New North Road. Here three more passengers joined next to the Weatherspoon called The Imperial. At the bottom of the hill as we approached the Exeter station Riverside fiddle yard two students alighted presumably as there was student accommodation there.

On the way to Newton St Cyres

Newton St Cyres

After joining the A377 the bus turns left with the road over the railway and two rivers the River Exe and the River Creedy. After passing through Cowley we reached a settlement called Half Moon and then entered Newton St Cyres. The station was 1/2 mile to the right as we continued on the A377 and entered the parish of Crediton at 1531. The bus then turned off the main road into a trading estate with Tesco and Mole Avon Country Stores, which enabled the bus to reach Crediton station. These were right on the edge of Crediton and we then pushed on upwards into the town which was reached at school closing time. At 1538 5 people left the bus and 3 joined as we reached the town centre.

Driving past Crediton station

Stopped by the church as myriad schoolchildren
cross in front of us

Beyond the town centre we passed from the High Street into Western Road and just before we left the town we turned sharp right and started to climb Alexandra Road. This gave tremendous views of the valley of the tributaries of the river Yeo.

View into Yeo valley as we climbed Alexandra Road

Turning right at the top into Higher Road we soon reached a crossroads where the bus turned sharp left and headed towards Sandford. We passed Creedy park and entered Sandford village at 1547. One person alighted as we entered the village and two more after taking the left turn signposted 5 1/2 miles to Morchard Bishop. The road after this became very narrow with hedges brushing both sides of the bus as we went along and there was grass down the middle of the road. Eventually we met a Mini coming the other way and it had to reverse out of our way.

Grass down middle of rain ahead of us
with hedges both side just wide
enough for a Solo.

View of Dartmoor in distance 

We were getting higher and higher and could see Dartmoor in the clouds in the distance. Further negotiation was required as we met other vehicles coming the other way as we continued through West Sandford and then New Buildings. By now only three people and I remained on the bus and at 1558 we set off for Morchard Bishop. Finally as we entered that village the other three people left the bus and just the driver and I continued on to The Greenway where the bus reverses next to the surgery. 

Morchard Bishop surgery

The Greenway Morchard Bishop

We arrived at 1605, which is the time the bus was due to start back for Exeter, so I asked if I had time to take photos and the driver suggested taking the surgery which would prove my arrival at the village.

We picked up two people in Morchard Bishop as we headed back and gradually the light was lost. Four other persons used the bus for various journeys and five of us got out at the equestrian statue at 1700. I then found Charmaine and we caught the 1751 back to Paddington, the Elizabeth line to Farringdon and then Thameslink to East Croydon, finally getting home on the No 410 bus at 2145.

Train tickets Waddon to Exeter St Davids
with Dartline bus co. tickets there and back

Day 244 Another trip to the Barking area this time to do the No 368.

 I made sure Charmaine reached the 1205 to Market Harborough at St Pancras and then took a Metropolitan train to Barking. I arrived at the station at 1249 and resolved to walk to the starting point in the Hart Estate but as I was walking towards North Street a No 368 arrived. I thus boarded that to the start of the journey.

Bus stand in the Harts Lane Estate

Timetable suggests a journey of 32 minutes.

London General's Wright Hybrid Volvo No 70

The bus driver having made himself comfortable I re-boarded London General's WHV70 five minutes after alighting at 1309 and we set off briskly back the way I had recently travelled. This part of the journey to the roundabout was only covered by the No 368 route.

One of a number of ex public houses seen, in
some places only the sign remained. This is North Street Barking

We turned left to cross over the throat of Barking station which took us to the roundabout to the north of Barking station. We reached the station at 1314 and after that took the diversionary route around the back of the High Street to intercept North Street at near Barking Abbey. 

Church on site of Barking Abbey

From here we continued to run around the outside of the town centre in an anti-clockwise direction and thereby reached Ripple Road.  A little way along this road roadworks caused quite a hold up the Barking side of the Movers Lane junction. Beyond this though progress was quite quick to Rippleside cemetery which was reached at 1330. 

The end of Ripple Road where it meets the A13

At the junction with A13 flyover we bore left along the A1153 (Lodge Avenue) accompanied by the No 62. However, after the Roundhouse this bus route is alone and continued thus along Lodge Avenue until we reached the Bennett's Castle Lane stop where the bus driver announced the bus would terminate. The hybrid bus had been making strange grinding noises each time it tried to pull off in electric mode so I guess this was why. It was 1344 when we got off and the bus service is every 11-13 minutes.

St Cedd's church Lodge Avenue

The bus in front was going all the way but departed as we stopped

WHV70 at terminal stop

Journey left only five minutes

Our saviour WHV113 arriving

Following with perfect timing WHV113 hove into sight at 1357 and we quickly turned left and now joined by the recently covered No 364. We separated from that route at the end of Bennett's Castle Lane joining the Nos 128 and 150 as we turned right as far as Valence Lane. There those buses go straight on but we turned left again accompanied once more with the No 62. We then passed over the railway at Chadwell Heath station and terminated in the one way section at the stop called Wangey Road at 1403. The billed 32 minute journey had taken 54 in total. To get home I took the Elizabeth line at Chadwell Heath to Farringdon and then the Thameslink to East Croydon, a tram and finally a local bus which took two hours.

Final Arrival

WHV113 starting its return journey