The Number 102 Route

Monday 13 September 2010

Our third bus of the day, the 102 entailed only a short wait at Edmonton Green for Linda and me (Mary being only just back from the West Country).  We headed off at about 13.20, past the huge Asda which is one of many large shops in the area, and were soon caught in the traffic queues caused by the works to improve the gas network.  We were heading back along the route we had just travelled (the 144, as it happens) past an 'Islamic Desire' shop, a branch of which we had seen on an earlier journey, before coming to the Angel Edmonton Shopping Centre with its enormous Lidl.  How many supermarkets can one community sustain?

The North Circular had signs saying that access would be limited on 13 and 14 September.  These are the widening works that have been going on since April and are not due to finish till 2012, clearly very bleak for the people living alongside it, with many houses derelict and fenced off, though others looked in reasonable condition.  The Notting Hill Housing Trust is the partner with Enfield Council to renovate properties, shockingly subject to compulsory purchase orders in the 1970s for a widening scheme which is only now getting under way.

Crossing the New River, we were very close to where Eliza lives, and spared a thought for her journey to work this morning with the Piccadilly Line subject to serious delays.  Along Alexandra Park Road, our bus was boarded by a number of school students, discussing their new teachers and their timetables without restraint.  One said she was 'going to Starbucks to sit by myself and read' because she could not concentrate in the student block.

The John Baird Pub is 'named after the inventor of the TV' according to the pub's website, but I can't find any link between his life and Muswell Hill.  We headed on towards Fortis Green, leaving Enfield and entering Barnet, to pass the Noble Sage Gallery, which specialises in South Asian Art, and then past East Finchley Station to skirt the edge of Hampstead Garden Suburb, with its handsome houses, supposedly built to demonstrate how housing could be provided for all at a high standard, but now very much the home of the very wealthy.  We were heading along the Finchley Road, straight as far as the eye could see, and clearly too easy:  as we entered Temple Fortune our driver announced that he had been told to have a five minute stop as he was ahead of himself.

 Soon, however, we were again on the move, coming to Golder's Green Station, but not, somewhat to our surprise, looping into it.  Rather we headed off along the Golders Green Road and then left to pass the end of the road where Linda grew up.  Much of the housing was attractive and well maintained here, but we did see some evidence that leaving stuff in the garden is thought to be easier than going to the dump.

Pupils were coming out of Whitefield School as we passed, and we had views of Brent Cross for some minutes before we were able to cross the River Brent and weave our way behind the Holiday Inn to arrive at 14.45. We have linked to River Brent websites before, but not, I think, to this one.

The bus stop back at Edmonton Green had promised a journey time of 54 minutes, but this was clearly out of date, as we could not see any way that could have been achieved.