Day 200 Two buses north of the river, but one so far north of the river it's wholly outside the Greater London area. The No 309 and No 310.

 The first 100 trips took me to the No 158 and 159 on the second anniversary of starting my Odyssey in 2019. It has taken 4 more years and two months to do the second 100 trips, obviously not helped by Covid lockdowns but also because of the more random nature of the numbering system.

This day started with my catching the 1035 to London Bridge. On arrival at London Bridge I found that there was no Jubilee line to take me expeditiously to Canning Town until 1500. Plan B was to catch the Northern line to Bank and there change to the DLR to Canning Town. Another option I could have chosen was the London Overground to Canada Water where I would again have found no Jubilee service. However, the DLR from Bank was only going to Lewisham so had to alight and get a different train at Westferry to Canning Town where I arrived at 1132.

The blue and white bus in the distance is a Jubilee line replacement bus provided by Ensignbus

Another replacement bus with
 no ownership markings

Two more usual buses at Canning Town both electric

The Green bus in the distance is First Essex 63464, another Jubilee line replacement

My mount to Bethnal Green

Stagecoach 37557

At 1138 I was boarding Stagecoach 36557 to convey me to Bethnal Green for the No 309. The bus initially headed west along the A13 but quickly crossed over the road to head northdown Abbott Road and then Blair Street. The bus then wriggled around Aberfeldy Street, Ettrick Street and others before burrowing under the A102M Blackwall Northern Approach before swinging left into Zetland Street and road through Burcham Street to reach Chrisp Street after crossing over the DLR from Poplar to Bow Church. 

Item in childrens' playground that looked like it had a Guy Fawkes hanging from it!

St Nicholas church Poplar

This was the bus type I was expecting for the trip

Leaving the market area at 1152 we took Cordelia Street as far as Bow Common Lane which we took until we went left at St Pauls Way. At Burdett Road we followed this right to go under the Fenchurch Street to Barking railway line and then wiggled back south to cross the river Lea as we met Ben Johnson Road. From here we headed NNW up Whitehorse Lane to reach the Mile End Road and then after a little jink at Stepney Green Underground station continued in that direction up Globe Road. At Roman Road we turned left to reach Bethnal Green Underground station.

At Stepney Green some Palestinian protesters were walking to the Underground station

Bethnal Green Gardens

After a short while heading north up Cambridge Heath Road past Bethnal Green Museum of Childhood we then immediately turned right along Old Ford Road and turned left up Bonner Road and terminated at 1212.

My bus heading for repose

New electric bus on the D3

My No 309 at Journey's End

I had earlier checked the map and decided the best way forward from here was to continue up Bonner Road until it reached Bishops Way where I could turn left and intercept Cambridge Heath railway station. I arrived here just as the 1220 train to Cheshunt was leaving and I had hoped to catch that train to Turkey Street and then board a bus to reach Waltham Cross. This is where it all started to go wrong. I thought rather than wait half an hour for the next train I could catch one to Enfield Town which I did at 1235 and arrived at 1303. Outside Enfield Town station I intended to take a No 317 to Waltham Cross and the timetable stated it should only be a three minute wait. By 1315 the bus hadn't come so I took the No 307 I caught yesterday as far as Morrisons in order to perhaps catch a No 217 to Waltham Cross. However, almost as soon I boarded this bus a No 317 appeared behind me and luckily I thought I would be able to board that at Morrisons. This I duly did only to be told as a No 217 whizzed by that the bus would terminate early and we would have to get the next one. I disembarked at Turkey Street station. If I had waited the extra 15 minutes at Cambridge Heath station I would have reached here at 1317 instead it was 1342. My chances of doing the three buses I had hoped to do were evaporating. The next No 217 arrived at 1356 and I arrived at Waltham Cross bus station at 1410, just having missed the No 310 I intended to catch. I quickly checked the bus timetable and saw the next one was at 1425 so went for a comfort break and to the bakery I had visited before to get a sausage roll and bread pudding plus drink.

The bus layover point at Waltham Cross with what I expected to be my No 310 in the middle

Waltham Cross is where a number of different
operators come together. This is a Vectare bus
to Epping.

The bus timetable to Cheshunt. the red buses are
No 242, the blue 251 or 310.

Finally an Arriva Herts and Essex bus No 6497 on route No 310 arrived at 1433 and we were away, this time turning left at the roundabout that all other routes have so far gone right. This took me behind the shopping centre and along the High Street past Theobalds Grove station and on into Cheshunt.

The 310 to Hertford

Arriva Herts and Essex 6497 based at Ware

The advertisement is for Fish Pools a furniture store I frequently
hear advertised on LBC

We continued basically northwards to Turnford where we briefly touched the A10 before turning back along the old A10 through Wormley which became Broxbourne and then Hoddesdon. At Hoddesdon we did a little circuit around the town before reaching the clock tower at 1510 in Amwell Street.

Entering Cheshunt next door to the dentists is Archangel Funeral directors

Loweswood museum Hoddesdon

High Street Hoddesdon

Hoddesdon Clock Tower

From here we went north for a short distance and then headed right into a housing estate which constituted Rye Park. Beyond this we finally got into the countryside after entering Stanstead Abbotts and turned away from St Margarets station and heading for Ware and Hertford running parallel with the New River.

Heading almost due west alongside the New River

An older Arriva Herts and Essex bus on the No 310

This was a very rural run along the A414 until we reached the outskirts of Ware and then on into the outskirts of Hertford where we terminated at the bus station at 1535. Had we arrived an hour earlier as I had hoped, I was going to go to Bishops Stortford, either by train or by the No 351 bus which only runs two hourly to ride the No 311. However, it was now too late as darkness would arrive afore I got there.

Arrival at Hertford bus station

I walked from the bus station to Hertford East railway station to find the train due at that time was delayed but by the time I had bought a ticket it had left. The next train was also delayed but I stuck it out and at 1620 I was on a train to Tottenham Hale where I changed to the Victoria line to Victoria and caught the 1730 Epsom Downs train home.

Two Great Eastern class 720 five car Emus.

The final insult even my train home delayed!

Day 199 after a late start two buses in North and East London the No 307 and 308.

I started the journey on the 1200 to Victoria but soon an announcement was made that there were signalling issues at Wandsworth Common. I therefore jumped ship ar the first opportunity-West Croydon. From here I caught a London Bridge bound train where I changed for the Northern line to arrive at High Barnet at 1320. I walked up into the town and caught a No 263 to Barnet Hospital.

ES5 a recent Wrightbus Streetdeck Electroliner

At Barnet Hospital bus station

I expected to be boarding the new ES5 but in fact a wright bodied DAF DW535 overtook this and meant I didn't get a photo as I boarded the bus at 1335. Straight away I was heading back the way I had come and very soon encountered a double decker bus from the University Bus bus company based in Hatfield and St Albans.

A university Bus double decker on the No 614

The bus continued back to High Barnet station from where there was quite a panoramic view over London before the bus took the left turn at the Everyman Cinema to head for New Barnet railway station. Once under the railway the bus continued on to East Barnet village where it was obvious it was the day before remembrance day.

Looking down the High Street towards London

East Barnet village

Beyond the war memorial the No 307 was ploughing its own furrow as it crept up Cat Hill we met one of the newer buses running a service in the opposite direction.

A new Electroliner on a No 307 descending Cat Hill 

After a while we reached the roundabout by the Chicken Shed theatre which I had passed on both the No 298 and No 299 routes with the No 299 accompanying us for a while. Then we reached Oakwood Underground station and two other bus routes joined us for the run on towards Enfield.

Entering Enfield Town

Enfield town was reached at 1406 and beyond this the bus headed due east to Soulbury along Soulbury Road. At the crossroads at the Enfield Highway it said Brimsdown straight on but the bus turned left.  

Enfield Highway Community Centre

We passed St John's Church and the Enfield Highway community centre and then turned right down Green Street to arrive at the Brimsdown station terminus at 1429.

My mount Arriva's DW535

DW535 with ES7 leaving at Brimsdown bus terminus

I then needed to get to the Lea Bridge roundabout so walked to the station and caught the 1438 to Tottenham Hale. The TFL website suggested to go to Hackney Downs and then catch the No 56 bus but I thought I'd try going to Lea Bridge station and then get a bus the other way. I arrived at Tottenham Hale at exactly the time a Lea Bridge train was in the adjoining platform. Thus decision made I ran across and arrived at Lea Bridge station at 1449. As I left the station there was almost static traffic as far as the eye could see in the direction of Clapton along the Lea Bridge Road. I thus walked one and a quarter miles to find the roundabout with two No 308s waiting in the middle of the roundabout.

The bus terminus on Lea Bridge Roundabout Clapton

The first bus stop is back down the Lea Bridge Road so I returned and Stagecoach No 13122 arrived to pick me up with loads of schoolkids at 1514. 

Stagecoach's 13122 arriving

The bus turned away from the roadworks quickly down Chatsworth Road and into the Chatsworth estate and ran on its own through Lower Clapton until we reached the Homerton hospital at 1523.

Homerton Hospital

From the hospital we took a left turn and left again along Homerton High Street which became Marsh Hill and then Homerton Road to lead towards the Eastway just north of the Olympic Park. We turned right and parked next to the leaside bus garage and waited here presumably to exchange drivers but no announcement was made from 1535 to 1540.

Misty view through the windows across Olympic Park from the Leaside bus garage

At this point the numbers in the bus were causing the windows to steam up and a very misty picture was achieved of the iconic Olympic structures. We ran alongside the Temple Mills yard for Eurostar trains and wended our way then around the Stratford International area and the city bus station. The bus then returned back the way it had come and the bus swung east to encounter some more roadworks in Penny Brookes Street.

Another set of roadworks hindering our progress

Eventually we were able to head right joining the No 158 and No 241 to run to Stratford East where we looped around to the Broadway and then took Romford Road. This road was only taken as far as Water Lane and the bus then headed north towards Maryland on its own. Just over the railway line at the station the bus turned right to follow the railway line; the bus still on its own to Forest Gate station arriving here at 1609.

.

University of East London on Water Lane

Running parallel with Great Eastern line near 
Forest Gate station

After turning left we turned left again just beyond Wanstead park station into Dames Road and taking the right turn of Lake House Road we crossed Wanstead Flats. The bus then took Blake Hall Road, I wondered if there was any connection with Blake Hall betwixt Epping and Ongar and as we crossed over the A12 and turned right to Wanstead Underground station and left to terminate at Woodbine Place at 1626.

Arrival at Woodbine Place

Stagecoach 13122 readying to return

After purchasing a ham and cheese croissant I walked back to Wanstead Underground station and took a Central line train to Stratford. At Stratford it was then the Jubilee line to Canada Water so as to catch a London Overground train to West Croydon and so home. at 1755.

 

Day 198 A trip to Fulham to do the No 306 just after storm Ciaran had passed over.

 Storm Ciaran had cleared through by 0900 and so I intended to catch the 1100 to Clapham Junction. However, realising I had missed it I caught a No 407 bus to the Whitgift centre to take a train from East Croydon. On arrival at East Croydon at 1114 I found the 1042 hadn't arrived and the 1058, 1119 and others were cancelled. The 1042 was arriving at 1119 but at only four coaches I couldn't get on board so walked over to platform 4 and boarded the 1115 at 1130. 

1120 on East Croydon station

I arrived at Clapham Junction at 1142 in plenty of time for the 1149 London Overground train to take me the one stop to Imperial Wharf.  On arrival at 1154 I then descended to the roadway and walked to Sand's End Sainsburys.

Metroline's VWH2698 waiting at Sand's End Sainsburys

Whilst waiting at the roadside beside Metroline's VWH2698 a heavy shower started and the driver opened the door to let me in at 1210 although he wasn't intending to leave for another three minutes. Indeed, we left at 1213 and almost immediately the bus swung right at the mini-roundabout heading back in the direction of the Imperial Wharf.

Fulham power station opened in 1936 which seemed boarded up

Approaching Imperial Wharf London Overground station

Before reaching the railway station the bus turned left up Imperial Road which passed by Imperial Studios before changing into Bagley's Lane just before we reached the New Kings Road. The No 306 route had been introduced to replace the No 391 route in Fulham and one of the stops in Imperial Road still had that number on it.

Bus stop still with No 391 instead of No 306 despite route change in 2020

From the New Kings Road we turned left then right to reach Fulham Town Hall, then through Fulham Broadway and subsequently up the North End Road. The bus followed this road all the way to the Hammersmith Road at Kensington Olympia and for much of the time was following the route of the No 28 but no other services. Thus it had been a long time since I had been on this particular road.

Kings Head Fulham which had been a restaurant but that seems closed now, too.

MR high up on building near West Kensington Underground station

At Hammersmith Road we turned left to reach Hammersmith bus station at 1245, entering from the south, doing a circuit and then exiting from the south as well. From here we took King Street as far as Studland Street which enabled the bus to get close to Ravenscourt Park Underground station. From here in the company of the No 218 we travelled along Padderswick Road to the Goldhawk Road. After turning initially left we took Askew Road to reach the Uxbridge Road and after a short trip westward we entered the London Borough of Ealing and terminated at 1302 at Bromyard Avenue Acton Vale. The bus was supposed to take 47 minutes and had taken 49, given the No 391 had been discontinued owing to all the heavy traffic hold ups that was a fair result. 

An interesting close off Askew Road which seemed to have solid gates barring entry

Disembarkation at Acton Vale

The bus turning to reach its starting point for layover at Bromyard Avenue

To return home I caught a No 207 to Shepherds Bush Overground station and a London Overground train to Clapham Junction. From platform 15 after ten minutes waiting I was aboard the 1409 train home.