The E2 Route

Friday 5 April 2013

Ealing does not get any warmer, so Linda and I were delighted that we had barely a moment to wait after disembarking from our previous bus at Brentford's Commerce Road before climbing onto our second double decker of the day.  Commerce Road is actually where the bus garage is, by the way, and is experiencing a rebirth as a residential area, with a huge new-build project under way.  Will they rename it 'Domestic Road' I wonder?  We were on our way to Greenford Broadway by 10.55.

We came over the Grand Union Canal, where the newly built flats are appropriately named for Brentford Lock, though we did not see the even more interesting development here, which is to do with growing things rather than just building dwellings.

Turning left at the Beehive Pub, we were interested to note the Beehive on its roof, of the old fashioned skep variety, rather than the modern box shape.  We headed along Boston manor Road, the only bus as we went over the Railway and then under the motorway (M4) to reach Reynard Business Park. This appears to be up for redevelopment though there were few signs of this as we went past.

This was a residential area, and we admired the substantial semis as well as the purpose built apartments of Windmill Court along Windmill Road.  We supposed that the existence of the Piccadilly Line, and the proximity of Northfields Station, had encouraged development in this area during the last century.


Heading on towards West Ealing, we thought Getbike's strapline, 'get back your freedom' might have more appeal on a slightly less cold day, though of course waiting at bus stops is more chilling than riding a bicycle in windproof clothing.  But I digress. 

We also admired a hairdresser's wittily called "Aristacuts' and noticed that Jackson's Wine Bar occupies a building which  had clearly once been a bank.

Lammas Park was a welcome burst of green and we thought that the allotments were looking good.  Clearly some people had spent the Easter weekend doing their spring digging, though the soil must still be very cold indeed.

When the voice on the bus announced the Lido, we were surprised that she pronounced it to assonate with 'eye';  in Ruislip it is pronounced with a double 'e'.  But it turns out that it is not a swimming pool or water centre, but offices.

We saw several ghost signs along here (we notice them because the 63 Regular likes them) including the Rowland Clay Estate Agents.  Ealing also has a number of office blocks which are vacant, and as we passed the Council Offices, we saw the many banners boasting that the Council has frozen its council tax for this year.

It was at this stage that we realised that we were lucky to be on a double deckers, as some E2s are little buses.  We came past Haven Green, where many buses start, finish, or just pass;  it was here that we waited with hundreds of other people a while ago, but this time we were in the day time, and in the school holidays, so the bus shelters were mostly empty.  We barely paused before heading on along Castle Barr Road to turn right and - yes - gently up hill along Eaton Rise.  We passed St Benedict's School, subject of a great deal of press attention in 2011, and then turned along Woodfield Road, with a few signs of Spring including a luminously pink ornamental cherry.   The road was fairly narrow and so we were not surprised that many residents had hardened their front gardens to make parking easier.

We  thought that Harrow View Road was well named, as there were indeed dine views all the way to Harrow on the Hill, as well as a brief glimpse of the Wembley Arch.  The Duke of Kent Pub had his coat of arms as an inn sign;  it is a Fuller's Pub, as are many round here, and looked pretty prosperous.

We travelled alongside the River Brent for a while, and came past Brentside High School, to arrive in the heart of Greenford at 11.30.