The Number 72 Route

West Acton to Roehampton (Bessborough Avenue)

Monday April 6th 2009

The Number 7 (see earlier) having left us in East Acton, we had only to remain at the same stop to get its close relative – the number 72. East Acton was a lot smarter and less scary than we had anticipated and even nearby Wormwood Scrubs looked attractive in the spring sunshine. We are clearly not alone in thinking this as the prison building built between 1875-1891 was recently awarded 'listed status'. We retraced some of the same ground back to Latymer (private) and Burlington Danes (C/E) schools and then turned right past some ? regenerated nurses’ homes (Nightingale and Pankhurst blocks) onto the Du Cane Road. This then took us under Westway past a shiny, as in aluminium covered, and secure looking building which turned out to be the new BBC. In fact it calls itself the new Media Village, was designed by Allies & Morrison and can be visited in detail in the News Release put out by the BBC on 11/5/2004. The bus swept onto the older BBC White City, familiar from aerial shots. This is of course now close to the large Westfield Shopping Centre, which seems to fill in a rather dead area between White City and Shepherds Bush.

The bus went right round the Green that is only enlivened by a small war memorial and the detritus of the101 fast food outlets which now surround the eponymous patch of grass. We veered off left towards Hammersmith, which has less green but more offices – we noted firemen busy washing their engines in the newer station and the older station just up the road a trendy restaurant. Hammersmith is a major transport hub, as we have learned to call them, with the tube interchanges rather neatly tucked under the road system and two tier bus garage – we went through the lower one and then headed south.

My more knowledgeable companion informed me that St. Paul’s School, with the pupils evacuated during the war, had served as a secret HQ and was the site where Monty told Churchill about the D-Day plans. To me this indicates that St. Paul’s has been out in Hammersmith for at least 60+ years…We were delighted to cross Hammersmith Bridge, which is most attractive (visit here for a 360º view) and had been out of commission for so long. This led us then along the road to Barnes – Castelnau – graced with substantial villas and many a magnolia tree in bloom, followed by bosky Barnes Common.

No sooner had we crossed the South Circular by Rosslyn Park Rugby Ground than we passed several different parts of the University of Roehampton – formerly different teacher training establishments, but now selling itself as ‘open spaces – open minds’ We thought it was a good campus if you felt a bit timid about tackling central London universities. There also seemed to be a vestige of Queen Mary’s hospital, Roehampton perhaps still famous for its limb-fitting centre. At the end of Roehampton Lane the bus turns into the very large Alton Estate, known to me from my Wandsworth social worker days when this was indeed my ‘patch’. In the early seventies, when I worked here the blocks and houses were newish, the buses were few and far between and the tenants had mainly been re-housed from ‘older properties’ in Battersea and World’s End (Chelsea) and thought themselves, quite literally, to be at the end of the line out of London.

The blocks, built during late Fifties, do have extensive views over Richmond Park and rather than walk directly from one end to the other we (eventually via the A3 and a comfort break at ASDA) got ourselves into Richmond Park and back round to pick up our next bus.

This was a friendly and busy but not crowded single decker bus, often used by younger people doing short hops, especially round the key stations and university.

 

 

12/5/2010
PS There is a very striking documentary series on life on the inside of Wormwood Scrubs, currently running on ITV.


PPS Only three photos are taken at the time and then batteries failed – I’ve added some spring colour to cheer us up – all familiar, reliable and popular garden plants visible on many bus rides….

The Number 71 Route

Kingston (Cromwell Road Bus Station) to
Chessington World of Adventures
Tuesday April 6th 2010

The Number 65 (see earlier) having left us in a Kingston side street off the main shopping drag, we walked to the more streamlined of the two bus stations at Cromwell Road where we boarded, along with a few passengers of school-age, bound for fun at the end of the line. It was clearly school holiday time.

Very pleased to be back on a double-decker bus, we enjoyed our superior view of Kingston as we threaded through the town   following the quite fierce and extensive one-way system. Close to the bus station you can just see the ghost of an older Bentalls, now flats. (Today’s bus did not past the current revamped store.) The precincts were very busy and several passengers boarded loaded down with their spring finery purchases. Tempted but not that much we progressed through Kingston, passing en route evidence of Civic Pride in both the Crown Court which has hosted some pretty high profile trials of late, likewise the adjacent handsome Town Hall When we emerged we were headed in the direction of Surbiton, which while ostensibly a suburb of Kingston is still very much a place in its own right – the bus did not do much stopping round here as the residents clearly walk or use cars, but slowed through the Surbiton High street, nicely tended with abundant daffodils, and older buildings thoughtfully recycled into the ubiquitous Pizza chains or Building Societies. Research indicated that Surbiton Station was used as a location for ‘Harry Potter & The Half-Blood Prince’.

As we left Surbiton via the fringes of Tolworth the scenery changed abruptly into the rather bland and slightly tired looking ‘ribbon’ development that had grown up (and died by the look of several pubs) alongside the busy arterial roads hereabouts. The Hook roundabout is big enough and in fact goes over the multi-lane Kingston by-pass below and the 71 keeps up its speed along this route passing rapidly through Chessington North before heading off the to the right and uphill to Chessington South. We confessed to being rather disappointed as the Tfl South West map (and we were very much on the fringes of London travel) looks all ‘green and fairly empty’ but is in fact pretty built up and has been for some time – all rather reminiscent of the North Circular which was a bit disorientating, as we were about as far away as we could be from that.

Just close to Chessington South there had been some redevelopment – a new Community College (with pupils keen enough to be doing some Easter revision classes by the look of it) and a very extensive Business Park. Once past these buildings the bus draws into the front of Chessington World of Adventure – originally just a zoo but now one of the premier adventure parks. The ‘Welcome to Chessington’ guides looked slightly surprised when two ladies ‘of a certain age’ disembarked without grandchildren, and possibly relieved when we turned round to march back to the nearby rail station. At Kingston they had estimated the journey as taking 23 minutes – 29 would be closer for while the distance covered is significant the Number 71 can belt along quite happily for long stretches without having to stop.

The Number 70 Route

Tuesday 11 May 2010

A week's gap in our journeys for reasons I won't go into in case you are reading this over a meal, but Mary, Linda and I were all set this week, and walked through parts of Acton from our first bus to board the 70 at noon in Horn Lane.

A single decker bus, it was busy all the way, with people getting on and off with shopping, and a number of large buggies.  We headed down the Uxbridge Road, here called Acton High Street, and were interested to see a green grocers that had not gone over to the plastic basin sales method.  We also passed a Passmore Edwards Library, so we are able to note what an all-round good guy he was.  Without him and Carnegie, we wonder how many London boroughs would have libraries.

 We noted the EYCIS centre and the Michael Flanders Centre, opened by the great man's widow shortly after his death, and catering for the elderly.  Then we reached Acton Central Station and Acton Park, pleasingly springlike though the weather had clouded over, and then the King Fahad Academy, celebrating its silver jubilee this year.  Acton, by now East Acton, had become rather village like, with small cottages opening straight onto the pavements.

Soon we were over the A40 and passing Hammersmith Hospital and then Wormwood Scrubs Prison.  The attractive white painted blocks of flats that are called Pankhurst House and Nightingale House seem to indicate a feminist enclave, but I can't find any explanation of their names. Barlby Road brought us to the Kensal Road and the Grand Union Centre (and Canal) where we looped into and out of what we think of as 'Sylvia's Sainsbury's' before heading down Ladbroke Grove as far as Westbourne Park Road, and swung left, entering Notting Hill, with its pram shops, fine houses large and small, trendy restaurants, as well as the Portobello Road Market.

The bus took us round Whiteley's, and on past the Catholic Church of St Therese of Lisieux and the Anglican Church of St Mary Abbot, so we could have had both earthly and heavenly delights had we not been pressing on towards Kensington.  Along past Kensington Palace and Hyde Park, we turned right into Queen's Gate, with a Statue of General Napier as well as a blue placque for the ex-Hungarian Physicist Dennis Gabor.

We reached South Kensington Station at 13.00, after an hour of enjoyable West London travel.

The Number 69 Route

Tuesday 27 April 2010

Mary, Linda and I met at Walthamstow bus station, only to be told that the area was being closed for some works, so we moved to the stop outside the huge supermarket instead.  The 69 soon arrived and we set off around 10.35, destination Canning Town. We had been here before, on the 48, not to mention the 58, and again we noted the large number of religious venues, including the London Healing Centre, and the Waltham Forest Nur-ul-Islam Centre, a Mauritian organisation, with an interest in sports.

But we also enjoyed 'Sweet Choice' with its offer of 'endearing food', cheering because there were a lot of boarded up and empty shops.

Then as we came into Leyton, we passed the handsome ex-town hall, now on the verge of becoming studios and business premises.  We also had fine views of the Olympic site, before forking left down Crownfield Road, with very determined attempts to calm the traffic.  

A number of shops cater for the East European market, though few as comprehensively as this one.  A number of shops were also looking towards 2012 and calling themselves 'Olympic' this or that.  We swept past St John's Church and through Stratford, passing Plaistow Station, and then crossing the Northern Outfall Sewer, part of Bazalgette's great works, and a pleasant embankment to walk along, should you wish to get to Beckton on foot.  The East London Cemetery next door is large, but seemed well tended;  it has an area which is in the care of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

As we passed Rathbone market, we were intrigued to notice an ex-pub, now flats, called Dick Turpin House, since w had always associated him with the Great North Road. However, he turns out to have been a local lad.  We knew we were approaching Canning Town Bus Station as we could see the huge road junction under which it nestles. The Dome was so close that it was hard to believe it was actually across the river.  We arrived at the handsome bus station after only 50 minutes, which seemed to pretty good, as we had swept eastwards and then back towards the west, through varied scenery, with dense population but also a surprising number of open spaces, looking ravishing in the spring sunshine.

The Number 68 Route

Wednesday 11 March 2009


This route was travelled more than a year from the moment of its posting on the blog, as it was the return route from West Norwood, following the outward trip on the 2.

I was on my own, since both the other 'ladies who bus' were still in gainful employment.  A short walk from West Norwood bus garage brought me to Knight's Hill and a brief wait saw me on board the 68, which forked right almost immediately to take me up the Norwood Road and so to Herne Hill and Tulse Hill.

After both King's College Hospital and the Maudsley, we were into the Walworth Road and to Elephant and Castle,  I had thought that West Norwood was down Croydon way, rather than being north of Streatham, so was impressed by the speediness of the whole thing.  Of course going into London, even outside the rush hour, was slower than coming out had been, but not much.

After Elephant and Castle we were quickly to Waterloo Bridge, passing the Necropolis Railway Station  (do you think the story that the platform bar had a sign that said 'spirits served here' is a myth?) Waterloo Bridge may not have Wordworth, but it does have Wendy Cope.

We rounded Aldwych, with barely time to notice the pretty medallions decorating the Indian High Commission, and headed up Kingsway and through Boomsbury. There was the promising sight of Russell Square with many buses we have yet to take, and passing Tavistock Square always gives us the chance to think of the people who were on the Number 30 bus on 7 July 2005.
And so to Euston, well within the advertised 57 minutes for this time of day.

The Number 67 Route

Monday 19 April 2010

Mary, Linda and I did not have to wait long at Wood Green and boarded the 67 at 11.30. The bus was quite busy as we headed down past the shopping centre and the many shoe shops to Turnpike Lane Station, and then down West Green Road to Black Boy Road.  The housing is quite dense around here, as confirmed by the fact that we passed 3 primary schools in the first five minutes of our trip, including Chestnuts Primary school, by a small green area called Chestnut Park, although most of the trees seemed to be London Planes

We saw Papa Jonas Vie-Court's Congolese Restaurant, but sadly it does not seem to have a website although the Florentia Clothing Village does!  We also passed St Ann's hospital, still associated for many people with the tragedy of Baby P.  The Police Station is just across the road, but clearly proximity did not make communication any more effective.

Soon we were in Stamford Hill, passing Lubavich House as well as many shops serving the needs of the local community, perhaps the strangest being a Kosher kebab shop.  As we headed towards Stoke Newington, we spotted a political, or perhaps anti-political poster by Dr.d  impressively up to date as the Goldman Sachs story only broke on Friday.

Down into Dalston, and we were in among the works for the East London Line extension,  as well as admiring a beautifully tiled Mosque.

We were also taken with the clock outside a hardware shop. Mary was delighted that we passed Ridley Road Market, where she used to shop when she was a student, as well as the Metropolitan Hospital, where she did her first job, and the Fox pub where she and her co-workers used to unwind.  We were, though,  less happy to see a ghost bike outside the Fox.

The Geffrye Museum is clearly having major works done on its grounds, as there were diggers and large bags of soil lying around.  Its beautiful trees make it hard to take a decent photo, however.

Heading straight for the Gherkin, we passed a second impressive mosque, as well as the beautiful church of St Leonard's Shoreditch, built by George Dance: clearly the early 18th century was a good period for architects - we were about to pass Christ Church, Spitalfields, built by Nicholas Hawksmoor.

Then we came to Toynbee Hall, with its Blue Plaque to its founder Jimmy Mallon, and Canon Barnett Primary School, named for the husband of Henrietta Barnett, whose parish this was.  After a quick turn around Aldgate East Station, we were at Aldgate, arriving an exact hour after we had left Wood Green.

The Number 66 Route

Romford Station to Leytonstone Station
Monday April 12th 2010

In order to get thus far we had already been under the Thames and out from Stratford so were not impressed that we waited over the expected 12 minutes for our 66 to start us off from Romford Station. Once again we found ourselves a year on from our last visit back in Romford on a non-market day, but by lunch-time in the school holidays Romford was still pretty busy and this route, like many of the others makes sure you pass the key shopping centres at Liberty and the Romford Mall – smaller and quieter. The pedestrianised areas are all well sign-posted, and bus is probably the best approach to this part of London, situated as it is not far from two major roundabouts, signs to the M25 and a whole lot of dual carriageways.

We of course were heading (not for Chicago or LA) but back into town and Leytonstone and the most direct way – if you don’t opt for the Central Line – is arguably down the A12 dual carriageway on Route 66. We were 12 miles from central London (much less than 2,000 miles all the way), as the many motorway boards told us, and swept on through lingering only by a few early shops – office clearance showing the death of the filing cabinet as they piled up on the pavements. After that it was fast driving along the quaintly named Whalebone Lane North to get, most aptly to the Moby Dick crossroads. If you ‘Google’ Moby Dick at Crossroads you get an excellent heavy metal YouTube clip of a band called Black Dog, or possibly the other way round! However more prosaically there was and still is a pub of that name.

The only route along here takes it pretty fast as most of the stops seem to be requests – we agreed that with the Central Line so key to this area the bus ‘fills in the gaps’, sometimes considerable, between stations, but most commuters would go for the tube. Some stretches had rows of inter-war housing, with blossomy front gardens still well maintained, other bits had larger warehouses named randomly ‘Doors-R-Us’ or even ‘Lamps-R-Us’. Signs to Goodmayes Hospital reminded Mary of some early experience in mental health medical training.

Our speed was curtailed by the Gants Hill roadworks, which had been due to finish this year, but it seems not so we’ll update when we are next round here. This gave us time to contemplate the teeny weeny balconies on the new build by George Wimpey – handy for the tube though. Still the sole bus we passed Redbridge Station close to the M11 and a very large road intersection – apparently a speciality hereabouts.

Thames water seem to be housed in a pretty and older pumping station and there are some squeezed in allotments, possibly prone to flooding from the River Roding, just before you get to Wanstead Station – lacking the art deco charm of the Piccadilly Line the Central Line stations are utilitarian and in need of some TLC, which we noted Wanstead is about to get in the form of a face-lift and better access.

Somewhat to our surprise the bus turned off the A12 at this point and what we glimpsed of Wanstead Place impressed us with its villagy feel – a Green, older houses, and even some Almshouses, so obviously is worth stopping off. Then lo into yet another Roundabout – this time the Green Man, a very popular motif in East England – location of a Close named after locally-born writer John Drinkwater, whose most quotable lines appear to be the seasonally appropriate “And not a girl goes walking / Along the Cotswold lanes / But knows men's eyes in April / Are quicker than their brains.” From here we took a little 1-way access into Leytonstone Station, where clearly café society has arrived, and joined the passengers heading for the Underground.

Well you can tell by all my desperate references to stations passed and route numbers that the bus was short on drama, history or landscape, in short: I did not get many kicks on Route 66, which did its number in something over the promised 23 minutes.
Short route = short blog.