The Number 6 Route

30 March and a beautiful warm day. Mary, Linda and I met at Aldwych, but Linda was right, and the departure stop for the 6 was outside King’s College.

We set off at 10.25, along the Strand, around Trafalgar Square and up to Regent Street, which was very slow. Oxford Street and Marble Arch came next, and a few roadwork-induced diversions up the Edgware Road: for the first time, we were going West. We went along Clifton Gardens (very close to where Mary’s friend Jenny has a flat) . and thought the blue plaque we glimpsed must be for ‘Penicillin’ Fleming, but in fact it was for Sir Ambrose Fleming, inventor of the diode. Little Venice was looking attractive as we crossed the Canal, and we admired the amazing modern church of St Saviour’s, which, it turns out is a 1970s replacement for a mid-Victorian church which was too big for the parish.

We passed some beautiful Victorian cottages in Kilburn Lane, about which, regrettably, Google has nothing to say, and then the World Spiritual University of Brahma Kumaris, before arriving at Willesden Bus Station. None of us had known the area we had travelled through well, though we did pass Kensal Rise Station, which I used to use when Sylvia was in St Charles Hospital. You can check our route by going to TfL Journey Planner.
No time to linger, as our next bus rolled up in a twinkling.

The Number 5 Route

23 March 2009
Having discovered the history behind the fact that the 5 does not go through any part of central London, Linda and I met at Canning Town tube station and took advantage of the facilities.

We then set off eastwards. Our journey took us past some remarkably fine town halls (in Newham and Barking) some wonderful allotments in Barking (black polythene much in evidence to kill the weeds) and roundabouts embellished with handsome street art. It took us 90 minutes to arrive in Romford, and we walked through the town, spoiled, we thought, by too many shopping halls and malls, which meant there was no focus; and the Market Place was more a car park than anything else, though with the odd reminder of its past.
To follow our route, go to Tfl Journey Planner, enter 'Canning Town Station' as the start and 'Romford Market' as the end, remove all options except 'bus', click on 'search' and then on 'view' for a single bus option; now select the map and then the wizard. Now sit back and enjoy the ride.

Our return journey took us along the entire routes of two other buses, about which you will learn at the proper time.

The Number 4 Route

21 March 2009. For the first time, my travelling companions, the people from Burbage, were passengers who needed to pay! We made our way to Waterloo, though sunny Saturday London: a man in a kilt was a reminder of what would be happening at Twickenham later. The Number 4 arrived promptly, and then we took a looping route, which took in the Courts of Justice and St Paul's Cathedral before heading north. We passed the path to the Millennium Bridge and the Firefighters' memorial .
The river was again looking beautiful in the sun. It took us about an hour to get to Archway, through Clerkenwell, all the way up Upper Street, past Finsbury Park and Arsenal and enjoyed some sharp turns and narrow roads, in part caused by diversions. Arriving at Archway, we walked round the corner to Stop U, and caught the 17 to return to London Bridge: but the story of that ride is for another day. Try this to see why we did not linger at Archway!

To follow our route, go to Tfl Journey Planner, enter ' Waterloo Station' as the start and 'Archway' as the end, remove all options except 'bus', click on 'search' and then on 'view' for a single bus option; now select the map and then the wizard (sorry, but even my blog can't store a direct link to these routes)

The Number 3 Route

16 March and Spring is here. Linda and I decided to go from Crystal Palace to Oxford Circus, rather than the other way round so I made my way to Elephant and Castle, noting the Faraday Memorial in the middle of all the traffic; then I caught the 363 all the way, collecting Linda as we passed the Forest Hill Tavern (This may be the moment to say that while the routes will be followed in order, we feel it is legitimate to scoop up other, later routes in passing, like the 68 last time and now the 363)
Passing Peckham Library always makes me think of Damilola Taylor
We were at Crystal Palace by 11.00 and decided to take a walk around the Park before heading onto the 3. It was all looking very springlike, though a little dilapidated. It seems a pity that the Sports Centre should be allowed to decay. particularly with the Olympics approaching.
Then it was back up the hill and onto the 3. The journey back took just over an hour, passing through the leafy areas of Dulwich, with beautiful magnolias and cherry trees, and then on through Brixton to pass the Museum of Garden History before crossing Lambeth Bridge (the River looking at its best, and the Duck Tour again!)
And so to Oxford Circus after a journey of about 70 minutes for a cup of coffee in John Lewis. For real obsessives, follow this link, click on the map of Crystal Palace Parade, click 'wizard', and be amazed!

The Number 2 Route

It's 11 March. My co-travellers being unavailable (Mary, boiler trouble, Linda, house guests) I set off to Marylebone Station, and got on the Number 2 bus. Just over an hour later I arrived at West Norwood Bus Garage.

I had shared the first part of the trip with a pleasant, chatty couple who had once lived in London, and talked busily as we passed the memorial to the animals at war, Hyde Park Corner, Buckingham Palace and all.

They got off at Vauxhall Bridge, and the clientele gradually changed as we went through Stockwell and Brixton. I was surprised to pass 'Walberswick Street'.
To see where I went, go to Tfl Journey Planner, enter 'Marylebone Station' as the start and West Norwood Bus Station as the end, remove all options except 'bus', click on 'search' and then on 'view' for a single bus option; now select the map and then the wizard (sorry, but even my blog can't store a direct link to these routes)

At West Norwood, I strolled up Knight's Hill and got on a 68 (West Norwood to Euston) The first part of the journey was enlivened by three young people of East Asian origin, each of whom had two mobile phones (or a phone and a blackberry) and talked excitedly into both (or all 6) My language skills aren't good enough to know if it was an emergency or just chat. South London was showing signs of the economic downturn (where isn't?)
When the driver announced that he would be terminating at Russell Square I got off and waited for the one behind, choosing Waterloo Road near the Old Vic as my change stop. The route was further east that the 2, through posh Herne Hill
And so to Euston, about an hour from West Norwood, and home to lunch.

The Number 1 route

On 5 March (Catharine's Birthday) I set off to do the first route: I met Mary at Canada Water, and we travelled to New Oxford Street. Unfortunately we were so busy chatting that we did not watch the passing scenery too closely: but we did notice the huge difference between SE London, where the Luftwaffe did a lot of clearance, and North of the Thames, where there are many more old buildings.


To follow our route, go to Tfl Journey Planner, enter 'Canada Water Bus Station' as the start and Tottenham Court Road Station as the end, remove all options except 'bus', click on 'search' and then on 'view' for a single bus option; now select the map and then the wizard (sorry, but even my blog can't store a direct link to these routes)

The Project

Have you ever hopped on a bus and wondered where you would finish up if you did not hop off? Well, I have been thinking about London buses since I retired from paid work Assisted by http://www.londonbusroutes.net/routes.htm, and encouraged by a couple of other ladies who bus, with my freedom pass in hand, I am making 2009 'Bus Year'. Since there are about 500 bus routes in London, it may well be 'Bus Decade' and have finally begun to do something about them: I'm going to travel from end to end of every bus route.