The Number 20 Route

Thursday 24 January 2019

This bus goes from Debden to Walthamstow, and we had chosen to travel three other buses to get to its head stop at Debden Broadway. Since the previous stage of our journey had got us to Debden Station, we were grateful to the locals who showed us the snicket (ginnel/alley/footpath) which brought to the Broadway, past the reassuring sight of a number 20 having a rest.










We remembered the handsome planting in the middle of the High Street from our previous visit, and so were saddened to see that this is one of the cuts that the Epping Forest District has found itself forced to make (compare the two photos, one from 2009 and one from today)

Thomas Willingdale School takes its name from one of the people who saved Epping Forest from developers in the 19th century. We were travelling alongside a small stream, which might be part of the River Roding, but I can't be sure.  Still there was a pleasant green look to the view from the slightly steamed up bus.

The Princess of Wales pub was closed. The area around here is called Jessell Green, and we saw signs saying 'save Jessell Green', a campaign in opposition to the District Council's building plans. It must be said that we did pass other still-open pubs, including the Cottage Loaf.  At this point, there were many school students getting onto the bus, as we passed through residential areas.  There was green space around, but no shops at all.  No wonder so many people have car , and have made their front gardens into hard standing.

The next pub we came to was the Plume of Feathers, which is having a psychic night at the end of the month.  Linda and I shared the old joke about how it should not be necessary to advertise a psychic night, since all should be aware of it.

Our route then took us along the straight road which leads to Loughton.  This is all the area that was the constituency of Winston Churchill, and so we were not all that surprised to find Estate Agents and, indeed, a  fish and chip shop named after him.

Around here there was still quite a lot of snow, which made the landscape attractive as we passed Woordford Green's large pond, and more school students joining us.  We went into Loughton Station and out again, with some of the students cross that a bus stop was 'not in use', requiring a 20 metre walk!

We noted yet another close pub, this one now a Turkish restaurant.  While I'm on the subject, a closed pub on the outskirts of Walthamstow has become an Islamic Centre.

This area has many private schools, mostly small, but including Bancroft's School, which is fairly substantial

Then we crossed the North Circular, and came to the Church of St Peter's in the Forest, before reaching the major road works around Whipps Cross Bus Station, which are, in part at least, to improve life for cyclists.

Although the Leytonstone Road was blocked off, we were able to get into Leyton, passing the William IV pub, as well as the Bakers Arms;  and as we entered Walthamstow, we noted the Peppers Ghost Pub, which rounds off quite a pub filled trip. This seems to be a pub that has been near death a few times and to have had name changes, but it looked OK to us.

More road words around Hoe Street (also, we thought, to enhance the life of cyclists (hooray) ) brought us down to Walthamstow Bus Station by 3.20, so we could get onto the Victoria Line and zoom towards our homes.

It is surprising to us that a route with such a low number should operate so far out of central London, but it did mean that were had a (mostly) rural and suburban day after 19 routes involving bits of the middle of the city.