London's Least Scenic Route

[rif153]

I find the 222 quite boring, I guess the North Perimeter at Heathrow is decent but for the most part I find it dreadfully boring

[thelondonthing]

Surely - surely - the winner of this inauspicious title must be the H20.

Highlights of the route, from Hounslow to Ivybridge: 

• It used to start at Hounslow's Civic Centre, which has since moved elsewhere. The stand is still in the same place, but instead of Hounslow Council HQ, it will now serve yet another cookie-cutter housing development.
• From that stand, the first major landmark along the route: Hounslow Central Underground Station, and its majestic bridge.
• The H20 knows how to excite, thrilling its passengers with a view of the new Hounslow Civic Centre...
• ...and of the multiple bus stands on Steve Biko Way.
• This is as close as you'll get to the action in Hounslow. The H20 barely brushes against the edge of the town centre.
• Another majestic view along the route on Bell Road.
• The H20 wants you to think that it will go straight on and take you to Hounslow rail station. But it won't.
• Infinite suburbia. All totally forgettable.
• This section of route is particularly delightful, as it passes uncomfortably close to the Mogden sewage stinkpit Water Treatment Works. On many a day, the pungent stench of human faeces is so thick in the air that you can almost taste it. Helpfully, the H20 has been designed to almost fully circumnavigate the site, to ensure that the smell becomes deeply embedded in your clothing and hair.
• As it does so, you'll pass Worton Hall, which just looks awful.
• This is probably the most pleasant view on the whole route.
• Road humps and mini-roundabouts...
• ...and the wondrous surprise of suddenly finding yourself in an industrial park. Just soak up all those awesome sights.
• The H20 will then speed you past the rather grim-looking Isleworth Leisure Centre and Library...
• ...and on towards the gleaming spires of Ivybridge.
• Turning into Mogden Lane, you'll get a glimpse of the prestigious Ivybridge Retail Park...
• ...before ducking into Summerwood Road and the Ivybridge Estate.
• But then - after that entirely forgettable detour, a glimmer of hope! Looming mightily on the horizon, a behemoth comes into view: the magnificent Twickenham Stadium.
• ...but no! Instead of taking you there in triumph, the H20 turns before the stadium, dumping you at the Tesco Extra megastore where it terminates. The final insult from a savagely dull route.

I can't believe any other route can come close to such end-to-end blandness (to say nothing of its enviable quality to almost reach numerous places).

The only thing that makes the H20 at all interesting is the more unusual vehicles that have operated it over the years.

[twobellstogo]

Well, Metroline1511 and rif153 have both but the boot into my area 😂
Large patches of Bexley are really rather nice! The 492 has much to commend it, as does the 229. I like the 96 run too.
If you’re like me and you like a nice country run, get a B12 to the southern edge of the Joyden’s Wood loop and head south. Much underrated.
The routes in the area that really struggle scenically are those which largely run through unremitting suburbia. The B13 and B14 are both very much in that category. The 428 is currently saved by the section beyond Dartford, once that’s gone, I’d put that up for dullest route in the area.

[busaholic]

Sept 10, 2019 13:49:40 GMT twobellstogo said:

Well, Metroline1511 and rif153 have both but the boot into my area 😂
Large patches of Bexley are really rather nice! The 492 has much to commend it, as does the 229. I like the 96 run too.
If you’re like me and you like a nice country run, get a B12 to the southern edge of the Joyden’s Wood loop and head south. Much underrated.
The routes in the area that really struggle scenically are those which largely run through unremitting suburbia. The B13 and B14 are both very much in that category. The 428 is currently saved by the section beyond Dartford, once that’s gone, I’d put that up for dullest route in the area.

The most brilliant P.R. person in the country would find the area that contains part of Thamesmead, including the original high-rise development, and all of Erith the most difficult 'sell' of all. I confess I've never set foot in either, but have travelled through them, which was as near as I ever wished to get, but, like anywhere, there will be redeeming features. As a kid, I used to catch the 132 to Danson Park at weekends and have fun and the Black Prince pub was a famous early venue for the nascent R&B movement, even though I was too young and impecunious to ever make it there.

[richard]

I would've said 276 i travelled on it for the first time yesterday it gose around the houses i would would say it's worse than the 4

[RandomBusesGirl]

270 and 98. Boooooooring
Oh and 149 as well (sorry the bridge doesn't redeem it at all)

EDIT: I just saw 469 on one of the posts and couldn't agree more - I had to do it e2e 3 times, because I legitimately fell asleep on my first 2 attempts 😂

[abellion]

Sept 11, 2019 7:48:59 GMT RandomBusesGirl said:

270 and 98. Boooooooring
Oh and 149 as well (sorry the bridge doesn't redeem it at all)

EDIT: I just saw 469 on one of the posts and couldn't agree more - I had to do it e2e 3 times, because I legitimately fell asleep on my first 2 attempts 😂

270 has beautiful views in Mitcham (for hardly any time at Commonside West) and Putney - Wandsworth is great but Garratt Lane is so endlessly boring... 

[londonboy71]

95. Western Avenue. Warehouses. Ugh

[rif153]

472 - Thamesmead is a shithole, and to be honest, the other section of the route isn't that great, there are far better routes serving North Greenwich, Woolwich, and Plumstead.

[aaron1]

The 32 is one you have a lot of traffic and see a lot car buyers places  

[rif153]

Sept 15, 2019 10:27:45 GMT aaron1 said:

 car buyers places  

Sorry if you feel I'm being pedantic but just felt I'd let you know they're called dealerships

[Deleted]

Any route that touches Woolwich, Plumstead, Thamesmead, Abbey Wood, Belvedere, Erith and Slade Green is a bit grim. So any town along the southern side of the thames east of Greenwich and west of Dartford.

[rif153]

Sept 17, 2019 17:30:48 GMT @dillon95 said:

Any route that touches Woolwich, Plumstead, Thamesmead, Abbey Wood, Belvedere, Erith and Slade Green is a bit grim. So any town along the southern side of the thames east of Greenwich and west of Dartford.

*Cough 472

[DE20106]

I’d like to put forward the 287 (been mentioned already and quite rightly so) but also two new ones the 266 and 297. Nothing interesting at all to look at and both are so incredibly boringly sloooooooowwww 😤

EDIT: Ronnie got to the 266 before me and also mentioned the 260 which I completely agree with, slipped my mind but also dislike equally for exactly the same reason.

[Deleted]

Sept 10, 2019 13:49:40 GMT twobellstogo said:

If you’re like me and you like a nice country run, get a B12 to the southern edge of the Joyden’s Wood loop and head south. Much underrated.

Yeah Birchwood Road is lovely. Though it's within Dartford Borough not Bexley.