Riding the Routes: Day 300 A very local bus the No 439.

This bus route is a fairly recent addition having started in 2024. Previously the number had been applied to a country area bus operated out of Dorking which disappeared in 1973. It made sense to do this route from the south end as my wife was driving to Caterham on the Hill in any case. Therefore at 1015 I walked down Burntwood Lane to the Wapses Lodge roundabout and then turned left past the Ann Summers factory to the stop labled Well Farm Road.

The No 439 arriving with the Wapses Lodge roundabout in the distance

Here I waited for London General's electric single decker SEe252 to pick me as I saw it terminate as I was walking north. I boarded the bus with one other passenger at 1052 and we set off along the A22 in the direction of Purley.

Approaching level crossing at Whyteleafe railway station

However, on arrival at the roundabout for Whyteleafe or Upper Warlingham stations we turned left across the level crossing passing Whyteleafe station. From now until we reached Purley the bus operated as hail and ride and it did get hailed quite a bit as it turned right and used Hornchurch Hill which as we crossed into the London borough of Croydon appeared to morph into Beverley Road.

The railway viaduct across the chalk quarry
betwixt Riddlesdown and Upper Warlingham

Once past Kenley Primary School we reached Kenley railway station and then instead of heading for the A22 the bus went left then right into Park Road and right into Oaks Way. These were all quite narrow roads with a plethora of parked cars on both sides. Oaks Way became Northdown Avenue and then turning into Higher Drive and then Foxley Hill Road we reached the A22 just south of the Purley station railway bridge. This journey had so far taken fouteen minutes but there were at least ten passengers at times, so frequent stops were made.

Passing Kenley railway Station

Looking up at Riddlesdown

We stopped at Purley Tesco and then took the A23 Purley Way towards Croydon Airport and the Waddon Leisure Centre which was reached at 1115.

Waddon playing fields

We continued along the A23 past what I used to refer to as the 'secret shops', as for a long time after moving to Waddon my wife didn't know of their existence. We reached Purley Way Sainsburys where we terminated at 1124. I then walked home through Waddon Ponds to see if any interesting wildfowl were present and got home by 12 noon.