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.