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Post by galwhv69 on Aug 29, 2019 9:36:19 GMT
Had a free day, it's still school holidays, so for once wasn't forced into a weekend nighttime journey to avoid the crowds! Here's the Essexer's venture to catch a DB250 before it disappears: Tube and overground to West Croydon 455, West Croydon > Waddon Rd ; SOE33 - missed a 67reg 289 to Purley, so thought I'd catch this and beat it to Waddon.... 289, Waddon Rd > Waddon Leisure Ctr ; ENX32 - good news: I did beat it here and caught it. Bad news: it got immediately curtailed to Colonnades. So change of plan, and I hopped out after just a couple minutes. Big shame. 157, Waddon > Wallington ; T83 - the diversion began with this, and was a pleasant journey. Quicker than the 154. Last caught this bus in 2016 when it was still based at DX, on the 150. 127, Wallington > Purley ; E97 - great Enviro, relatively speedy in the semi-countryside. Never covered this stretch before. 405, Purley > Coulsdon Town; WVL509 - with DAFs on the 412 or 466 having either been recently subbed or in Addington, I decided to venture further south on this amazing B5TL. Only ever caught a B5LH, but I can safely say I'll be back for the full journey to Redhill on this and a 06reg Enviro very soon....! 463, Coulsdon Town > Beddington ; WS20268 - nice hail and ride sections, nimble bus. Little did I know that these were ex-GAL. Main road sections were brisk too. Bus behind this broke down, causing a 40 minute gap between buses. Fairly busy at 2pm on a Wed afternoon 410, Beddington > West Croydon; SLS24 ; another Streetlite! Aside from start-stop, not too dissimilar to the 463. I much prefer the First West of England 13 and 14reg ones, I must admit. 264, West Croydon > Tooting Bdwy; DW102 ; the reason for the whole trip, was this beauty. As a NE Londoner, I'd never caught a DAF Gemini - probably just the ALX ones. Although it was slightly on the sluggish side, I miss it already. Will certainly be doing the Mitcham - Croydon section again in the near future, great scenes. 270, Tooting Bdwy > Wandsworth ; WHV21 - with the DAF mission complete, I just hopped on anything and went anywhere..... although I couldn't say no to the Gemini2 B5LH. Very jolty. 220, Wandsworth > Fulham High Road ; WH45252 - another thing off the list. The RATP demonstrator appeared the moment we got to Wandsworth on the 270, couldn't complain. 414, Fulham H R > Fulham Bdwy ; 9520 - caught it in March, but it has great accel and engine sound. Highly recommend. 295, Fulham Bdwy > Hammersmith ; VWH2129 - my first time on the 295 since the First days. Lots of traffic, but a speedy and nimble B5LH is something I can't get enough of. (Time to binge ride the 34, even though another batch of 14reg ones are on their way in Arriva colours...!) Tube home. I'm glad someone else likes the 264. It's a route I have very fond memories of completing. I like the route apart from the fact that there is tons of congestion on Croydon Road
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Post by ak121 on Aug 29, 2019 23:03:25 GMT
Went for an 'Electric bus spree' today and used routes 134, 43, 214, 46, 153. 1. Jumped on OME2652 YJ19HVC from North Circular Road - Waterlow Road on route 134 2. Got on BDE2629 LJ19CVC from Waterlow Road - Old Street Station on route 43 3. Got on SEe80 LA19KBY from Old Street Station - St Pancras International & King's Cross Stations on route 214 4. Got on BEL2524 LJ18FHX from St Pancras International & Kings's Cross Stations - Prince of Wales Road on route 46 5. Got on SEe98 LA19JZW from Prince of Wales Road - Highgate Village on route 214 Used the 143 to Archway, the Northern line to Moorgate. 6. Got on SEe70 LJ67DKX from Moorgate, Finsbury Square - Finsbury Park on route 153. I must say the SEes on the 214 are fantastic. They are bright and airy and still have the wonderful new bus smell. On the whole, very amazing but the lack of low floor seating to make space for the large wheelchair bay is a tiny negative about these mostly great batch of buses. The BDEs are also very interesting and quiet to ride on. They provide an amazing, comfortable ride with the calm blues of Metroline's seat moquette to calm you down (likewise with the OMEs and BELs). One thing I have noticed though is that people trying to access the back row of seats on the bottom deck frequently bump their head due the raised floor height. All in all, another great experience. Although the OMEs provided a nice ride, I do think that the BDEs look way better and have a better build quality with absolutely no rattling and creaks from the bodywork when the BDE was turning. The BDE is way superior to the OME. The 153 and 46 also provided very enjoyable rides. I must say, GAL and Metroline are definitely pioneers in zero emission technology. GAL were the first company to introduce the BYD and ADL E200EV match made in heaven on the 521 and 507 (thus making RA completely electric) and the company is also home to the largest fleet (very nearly 100 so far and more on the way) of these wonderful buses in three different lengths (10.2, 10.8 and 12m). I think the 100's buses may be 9.6m or something? Metroline on the other hand introduced the world's first electric DD buses on the 98 with its BYDs, they are also introducing the first full fleets of electric DDs on the 43 and 134 as we speak and will also introduce the world's first hydrogen DD buses on the 7 soon. Today was a very successful day and riding so many electric buses made sure my phone was never below 90% charge
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Post by Eastlondoner62 on Aug 30, 2019 11:50:16 GMT
Went for an 'Electric bus spree' today and used routes 134, 43, 214, 46, 153. 1. Jumped on OME2652 YJ19HVC from North Circular Road - Waterlow Road on route 134 2. Got on BDE2629 LJ19CVC from Waterlow Road - Old Street Station on route 43 3. Got on SEe80 LA19KBY from Old Street Station - St Pancras International & King's Cross Stations on route 214 4. Got on BEL2524 LJ18FHX from St Pancras International & Kings's Cross Stations - Prince of Wales Road on route 46 5. Got on SEe98 LA19JZW from Prince of Wales Road - Highgate Village on route 214 Used the 143 to Archway, the Northern line to Moorgate. 6. Got on SEe70 LJ67DKX from Moorgate, Finsbury Square - Finsbury Park on route 153. I must say the SEes on the 214 are fantastic. They are bright and airy and still have the wonderful new bus smell. On the whole, very amazing but the lack of low floor seating to make space for the large wheelchair bay is a tiny negative about these mostly great batch of buses. The BDEs are also very interesting and quiet to ride on. They provide an amazing, comfortable ride with the calm blues of Metroline's seat moquette to calm you down (likewise with the OMEs and BELs). One thing I have noticed though is that people trying to access the back row of seats on the bottom deck frequently bump their head due the raised floor height. All in all, another great experience. Although the OMEs provided a nice ride, I do think that the BDEs look way better and have a better build quality with absolutely no rattling and creaks from the bodywork when the BDE was turning. The BDE is way superior to the OME. The 153 and 46 also provided very enjoyable rides. I must say, GAL and Metroline are definitely pioneers in zero emission technology. GAL were the first company to introduce the BYD and ADL E200EV match made in heaven on the 521 and 507 (thus making RA completely electric) and the company is also home to the largest fleet (very nearly 100 so far and more on the way) of these wonderful buses in three different lengths (10.2, 10.8 and 12m). I think the 100's buses may be 9.6m or something? Metroline on the other hand introduced the world's first electric DD buses on the 98 with its BYDs, they are also introducing the first full fleets of electric DDs on the 43 and 134 as we speak and will also introduce the world's first hydrogen DD buses on the 7 soon. Today was a very successful day and riding so many electric buses made sure my phone was never below 90% charge I wouldn't say GAL and Metroline are the pioneers, they just happened to have the routes which ended up converting to the bus types. I don't think neither operator even purchased the initial BYD buses out of their own pocket. The actual pioneers are TfL who decided to introduce electric buses. One pet hate I certainly have is the fact the chargers on the electric buses seem completely useless should you have a phone that's quite power hungry. I've tried different cables now and it's not making a single difference but during my journeys my phone hasn't gained more than 2% at all. This is the case for the S8 I used to have and the S10 that I currently do have. On the 43 once my estimated charge time... well Attachment Deleted
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Post by overgroundcommuter on Aug 30, 2019 22:58:11 GMT
Final trip on the 197 under Arriva from home to Forest Hill. London Overground to Canada Water Jubilee Line to Waterloo Northern Line to Goodge Street Bolt Cab to home.
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Post by ak121 on Aug 31, 2019 0:13:46 GMT
Went for an 'Electric bus spree' today and used routes 134, 43, 214, 46, 153. 1. Jumped on OME2652 YJ19HVC from North Circular Road - Waterlow Road on route 134 2. Got on BDE2629 LJ19CVC from Waterlow Road - Old Street Station on route 43 3. Got on SEe80 LA19KBY from Old Street Station - St Pancras International & King's Cross Stations on route 214 4. Got on BEL2524 LJ18FHX from St Pancras International & Kings's Cross Stations - Prince of Wales Road on route 46 5. Got on SEe98 LA19JZW from Prince of Wales Road - Highgate Village on route 214 Used the 143 to Archway, the Northern line to Moorgate. 6. Got on SEe70 LJ67DKX from Moorgate, Finsbury Square - Finsbury Park on route 153. I must say the SEes on the 214 are fantastic. They are bright and airy and still have the wonderful new bus smell. On the whole, very amazing but the lack of low floor seating to make space for the large wheelchair bay is a tiny negative about these mostly great batch of buses. The BDEs are also very interesting and quiet to ride on. They provide an amazing, comfortable ride with the calm blues of Metroline's seat moquette to calm you down (likewise with the OMEs and BELs). One thing I have noticed though is that people trying to access the back row of seats on the bottom deck frequently bump their head due the raised floor height. All in all, another great experience. Although the OMEs provided a nice ride, I do think that the BDEs look way better and have a better build quality with absolutely no rattling and creaks from the bodywork when the BDE was turning. The BDE is way superior to the OME. The 153 and 46 also provided very enjoyable rides. I must say, GAL and Metroline are definitely pioneers in zero emission technology. GAL were the first company to introduce the BYD and ADL E200EV match made in heaven on the 521 and 507 (thus making RA completely electric) and the company is also home to the largest fleet (very nearly 100 so far and more on the way) of these wonderful buses in three different lengths (10.2, 10.8 and 12m). I think the 100's buses may be 9.6m or something? Metroline on the other hand introduced the world's first electric DD buses on the 98 with its BYDs, they are also introducing the first full fleets of electric DDs on the 43 and 134 as we speak and will also introduce the world's first hydrogen DD buses on the 7 soon. Today was a very successful day and riding so many electric buses made sure my phone was never below 90% charge I wouldn't say GAL and Metroline are the pioneers, they just happened to have the routes which ended up converting to the bus types. I don't think neither operator even purchased the initial BYD buses out of their own pocket. The actual pioneers are TfL who decided to introduce electric buses. One pet hate I certainly have is the fact the chargers on the electric buses seem completely useless should you have a phone that's quite power hungry. I've tried different cables now and it's not making a single difference but during my journeys my phone hasn't gained more than 2% at all. This is the case for the S8 I used to have and the S10 that I currently do have. On the 43 once my estimated charge time... well My iPhone XS Max, being quite power hungry, does tremendously with the USB ports on the buses, when I boarded the 43, my phone was on 35% and when I got off, my phone was on 81%. So quite a large increase
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Post by ronnie on Aug 31, 2019 1:58:40 GMT
Did the 9, H91, 81, 140, 240, 340, 328 and N11 (what was left of it) end to end today
9 (aldwych to Hammersmith): slow journey (no surprises) but the bus was very well loaded. Unfortunately the bus stopped in the “wrong” place for me so so a bunch of people got up before me due to which I couldn’t get my favourite seats upfront .... actually well loaded and a fair number of people did a large / full chunk of the route
H91 (Hammersmith to Hounslow West): lovely and quick route. Especially once you are close to the airport one sees so many planes just above ... has a couple of A380s landing as well!
Quick dash back to Hounslow bus station
81 (Hounslow bus station to Slough): this bus was running late which is why I managed to catch it. Another lovely route with great views - Colnbrook is so charming and also provides good views of Heathrow! Unfortunately there was traffic on the way ro Slough so the bus got even more delayed. Cake back in the same bus (and same seat) to near the heathrow tunnels and then jumped on a 285 to heathrow central 140 (Heathrow central to Harrow weald bus garage): very busy bus at 10pm - very few seats left upstairs and downstairs was packed. Reminded me ot 25 in uts heydays
Doubled back quickly to Harrow bus station
340 (Harrow to edgware): quick efficient journey; think views will he quite scenes in daylight
240 (edgware to Golders green): just missed one so had to endure a near-30 min wait. Journey itself was quick (and scenic) but regulated 2/3 tikes towards the end
328 (Golders green to Chelsea worlds end): my 240 arrived a min early but the 328 left 2 min early! And the next one left 6 minutes late! Anyway overall uninspriting loo
N11 (Chelsea worlds end yo Ealing Broadway): ticked off ehateve’s Keftt
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Post by ronnie on Sept 1, 2019 10:28:42 GMT
Another long day of doing end to ends on Saturday - did the 128, 145, 150, 169, 173, 362, 366, and EL2. Difficult because unlike previous days, some of the connections were not straightforward and the frequencies didn’t help (just kissed 150 so 15 min wait, 169 playing truant and so on)
145 (Leytonstone to Dagenham Asda): long dreary route set the tone for the day. I think this deserves to be a 24 hour route every day and not just the weekend. Took almost 80 min so was quite slow - had also started late from Leytonstone
Quick break at asda for food so got the same bus to go one stop to Dagenham dock station. I was initially planning to walk but the bus was suppposed to leave in 1 min. It eventually left in almost 10 min which was quite annoying to be honest
Crossed the rail tracks for the EL2
EL2 (Dagenham dock to Becontree Heath); this seemed the polar opposite of a scenic route! Very bleak and industrial at the onset and seemed to be in the middle of nowhere. I’m not sure there are any shops etc anywhere close by .... stilll a route is a route and once it gets closer to civilisation (Barking) its not too bad
150 (Becontree Heath to Chigwell row): just missed one so had to endure a 15 min wait. Overall route was quite scenic at the Chigwell end.
After this I was again in a dilemma on what to do as I was in the middle of nowhere. Had 15 min to walk till Grange Hill station for tye 362 - so a very brisk walk through the countryside transpired
362 (Grange Hill to king George hospital): made it with 2 min to spare. Most notable was that I was the only passenger throughout - no one else boarded anywhere!!!
173 (king George hospital to beckton station); again, just missed one so another 15 min wait. But the route was very enjoyable and fast - exactly what’s needed!!!
366 (beckton station to Redbridge): another quick journey back to Redbridge.
Central plus district line to barking
169 (Barking to Claybury, the glide): the first timetabled bus didn’t show up so another 20-25 min wait.... overall quick journey once it did come
Quick dash through residential areas for the next bus
128 (Clayhall Broadway to Romford): very quick driver so another quick one end to end
Saw a 5 near Romford (before queens hospital though- don’t remember exactly where) parked in the middle of the street with lots of glass in front of it. No clue what happened and no police
Took the N15 and N550 back home. The 5 was still standing there. MU N15 almost crashed into the back of a small red car which was being driven erratically (the guy just came out of a side street on our right and stopped in the middle of the road - almost an emergency braking for the bus). Lots of cuss words flew from the top deck. And the N15 was packed - very fee seats left on the top deck!
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Post by rif153 on Sept 1, 2019 18:38:34 GMT
E8 to Hounslow Bus Station (VW1263) - Surprisingly well loaded due to a festival in Blondin Park. Although I always lament VWs, the driver floored this one, making the journey enjoyable.
81 to Harlington Corner (VW1833) - My first time on the 81 since Metroline took over. Still hard to believe this route is no longer run from its eastern terminus. I got an ex First VW which made the journey a bit more interesting. Overall a decent journey.
111 to Heathrow Central - The driver floored this bus through the Heathrow Tunnels, and it was a proper boneshaker at speed, exactly what one thinks of when stereotyping SPs.
285 to Kingston (VH45133) This route was enjoyable. I really enjoyed the scenery in affluent Teddington, the views of the river over Kingston Bridge, and being up close to aeroplanes around the Eastern Perimeter. The two double runs are a little annoying though. Another negative was how long this route took, at 89 minutes. On the bright side, glad it wasn't 90 or I would've missed my next connection. Not the best route of the day, and not my last RATP VH of the day. 8/10
418 to Epsom - A lovely beastly 07reg ADE. The driver floored the bus, giving fantastic engine sounds as we pelted down the roads. I really like the Quality Line interior too, a shame it'll be lost soon. I love Trident Enviros, and in my opinion they're better than the SPs that'll replace them. I like that this route passes EB so you can have a peek at the buses there. The scenery is pleasant with lots of greenery too, overall a very enjoyable route, but its not the best Kingston-Epsom route. 8/10
406 to Kingston (ADE40305) - Although I got a 61reg ADE, inferior to the 07reg, the better routing more than compensated. I loved t scenery, and at the expense of the residential streets the 418 serves, the pleasant greenery, augmented by a charming little stream, makes the 406 the greater of the two. I didn't feel as if I anywhere near London on that section, for which words cannot do justice. This route was and felt slightly shorter than the 418. Route of the day. 9/10
465 to Chessington World of Adventures (OV30072) - Didn't have it in me to go all the way down to Dorking, but I jumped at the chance to have a nice rattle ride on the OVs before they're all gone. I have such nostalgia for OVs, with my fondest memory getting on down to the then brand new Imperial Wharf station om the 391. The OVs have a lot more character than DEs/DLEs, so ehen they're gone it'll be sad to see another unique type in the RATP fleet meet its end.
71 to Kingston (SP40096) - A bit dry, but not the worst. I guess a redeeming quality is the balance of residental streets, and more major routes. This SP sounded nothing like the FW ones, so whatever TV are doing to their SPs, I commend them for keeping their SPs in such good condition. 6/10
65 to Warwick Road/University of West London (VH45313) - My favourite route in London never lets me down. A nice lively ride with a good driver who floored the bus where possible. Amusingly, we did circle the gyratory in Kingston for an unknown reason, certainly bemused me to see the bus veering right towards Cromwell Road Bus Station, but it may have killed a bit of time. On my mission to ride all the 19reg VHs, I've now ticked three off. I could rant about how much I love the 65 all day...
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Post by george on Sept 1, 2019 18:43:30 GMT
E8 to Hounslow Bus Station (VW1263) - Surprisingly well loaded due to a festival in Blondin Park. Although I always lament VWs, the driver floored this one, making the journey enjoyable. 81 to Harlington Corner - My first time on the 81 since Metroline took over. Still hard to believe this route is no longer run from its eastern terminus. I got an ex First VW which made the journey a bit more interesting. Overall a decent journey. 111 to Heathrow Central - The driver floored this bus through the Heathrow Tunnels, and it was a proper boneshaker at speed, exactly what one thinks of when stereotyping SPs. 285 to Kingston (VH45133) This route was enjoyable. I really enjoyed the scenery in affluent Teddington, the views of the river over Kingston Bridge, and being up close to aeroplanes around the Eastern Perimeter. The two double runs are a little annoying though. Another negative was how long this route took, at 89 minutes. On the bright side, glad it wasn't 90 or I would've missed my next connection. Not the best route of the day, and not my last RATP VH of the day. 8/10 418 to Epsom - A lovely beastly 07reg ADE. The driver floored the bus, giving fantastic engine sounds as we pelted down the roads. I really like the Quality Line interior too, a shame it'll be lost soon. I love Trident Enviros, and in my opinion they're better than the SPs that'll replace them. I like that this route passes EB so you can have a peek at the buses there. The scenery is pleasant with lots of greenery too, overall a very enjoyable route, but its not the best Kingston-Epsom route. 8/10 406 to Kingston - Although I got a 61reg ADE, inferior to the 07reg, the better routing more than compensated. I loved t scenery, and at the expense of the residential streets the 418 serves, the pleasant greenery, augmented by a charming little stream, makes the 406 the greater of the two. I didn't feel as if I anywhere near London on that section, for which words cannot do justice. This route was and felt slightly shorter than the 418. Route of the day. 9/10 465 to Chessington World of Adventures (OV30072) - Didn't have it in me to go all the way down to Dorking, but I jumped at the chance to have a nice rattle ride on the OVs before they're all gone. I have such nostalgia for OVs, with my fondest memory getting on down to the then brand new Imperial Wharf station om the 391. The OVs have a lot more character than DEs/DLEs, so ehen they're gone it'll be sad to see another unique type in the RATP fleet meet its end. 71 to Kingston (SP40096) - A bit dry, but not the worst. I guess a redeeming quality is the balance of residental streets, and more major routes. This SP sounded nothing like the FW ones, so whatever TV are doing to their SPs, I commend them for keeping their SPs in such good condition. 6/10 65 to Warwick Road/University of West London (VH45313) - My favourite route in London never lets me down. A nice lively ride with a good driver who floored the bus where possible. On my mission to ride all the 19reg VHs, I've now ticked three off. I could rant about how much I love the 65 all day Sounds like a good trip. I miss the OVs on the 33. 65 is also my favourite route in London think it's brilliant the bit by petersham is the best.
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Post by rif153 on Sept 1, 2019 19:53:24 GMT
E8 to Hounslow Bus Station (VW1263) - Surprisingly well loaded due to a festival in Blondin Park. Although I always lament VWs, the driver floored this one, making the journey enjoyable. 81 to Harlington Corner (VW1833) - My first time on the 81 since Metroline took over. Still hard to believe this route is no longer run from its eastern terminus. I got an ex First VW which made the journey a bit more interesting. Overall a decent journey. 111 to Heathrow Central - The driver floored this bus through the Heathrow Tunnels, and it was a proper boneshaker at speed, exactly what one thinks of when stereotyping SPs. 285 to Kingston (VH45133) This route was enjoyable. I really enjoyed the scenery in affluent Teddington, the views of the river over Kingston Bridge, and being up close to aeroplanes around the Eastern Perimeter. The two double runs are a little annoying though. Another negative was how long this route took, at 89 minutes. On the bright side, glad it wasn't 90 or I would've missed my next connection. Not the best route of the day, and not my last RATP VH of the day. 8/10 418 to Epsom - A lovely beastly 07reg ADE. The driver floored the bus, giving fantastic engine sounds as we pelted down the roads. I really like the Quality Line interior too, a shame it'll be lost soon. I love Trident Enviros, and in my opinion they're better than the SPs that'll replace them. I like that this route passes EB so you can have a peek at the buses there. The scenery is pleasant with lots of greenery too, overall a very enjoyable route, but its not the best Kingston-Epsom route. 8/10 406 to Kingston (ADE40305) - Although I got a 61reg ADE, inferior to the 07reg, the better routing more than compensated. I loved t scenery, and at the expense of the residential streets the 418 serves, the pleasant greenery, augmented by a charming little stream, makes the 406 the greater of the two. I didn't feel as if I anywhere near London on that section, for which words cannot do justice. This route was and felt slightly shorter than the 418. Route of the day. 9/10 465 to Chessington World of Adventures (OV30072) - Didn't have it in me to go all the way down to Dorking, but I jumped at the chance to have a nice rattle ride on the OVs before they're all gone. I have such nostalgia for OVs, with my fondest memory getting on down to the then brand new Imperial Wharf station om the 391. The OVs have a lot more character than DEs/DLEs, so ehen they're gone it'll be sad to see another unique type in the RATP fleet meet its end. 71 to Kingston (SP40096) - A bit dry, but not the worst. I guess a redeeming quality is the balance of residental streets, and more major routes. This SP sounded nothing like the FW ones, so whatever TV are doing to their SPs, I commend them for keeping their SPs in such good condition. 6/10 65 to Warwick Road/University of West London (VH45313) - My favourite route in London never lets me down. A nice lively ride with a good driver who floored the bus where possible. Amusingly, we did circle the gyratory in Kingston for an unknown reason, certainly bemused me to see the bus veering right towards Cromwell Road Bus Station, but it may have killed a bit of time. On my mission to ride all the 19reg VHs, I've now ticked three off. I could rant about how much I love the 65 all day... Thought I'd create a ranking of all the routes in Kingston I've done after that Kingston heavy day: 65 57 X26 406 85 285 418 111 131
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Post by ronnie on Sept 1, 2019 22:46:37 GMT
Another long but scenic day today - managed to tick off 10 more routes today
Dlr to Lewisham 208 (Lewisham station to Lewisham town hall)
Quick walk to catford bridge
320 (Catford Bridge to Biggin Hill Valley): long but such a scenic route! Glad I did it - the DD makes for some amazing views once past Bromley. Didn’t realise how rural / rolling hills / hilly these areas are!
Was thinking of walking back to get the 246 but one look at the slope and I gave up - took the 320 a few stops back
246 (Lebanon gardens to Chartwell and then Chartwell to Bromley North): the highlight of the day. Some amazing sights in this route and glad I did it on a Sunday so as to do the Chartwell extension. Again, very hilly, very scenic, rural and hilly. A must do route. About 10 more people did it end to end
Lazy lunch in Bromley
208 (Bromley to Orpington): 2nd 208 of the day. Gets quite scenic once close to Orpington
Quick hop back to 51’s starting point
51 (Orpington to Woolwich): pretty long route but another very good one. Was surprised at how much this route spends on its own
96 (woolwich to blue water): pretty unique route with some scenic sections, long non-stop section, use of fast track. Good view of queen Elizabeth bridge from darent valley hospital
492 (blue water to sidcup station): just managed to catch this one. Another interesting one and very quick in sections
160 (sidcup station to catford): was a pretty quick one again with no traffic and us running a fair bit ahead of schedule
Quick walk back to catford gyratory
208 (Lewisham town hall to Bromley): finally completed this using the 3rd bus of the day! Just before Bromley, we spotted a guy sitting next to the bus stop (very drunk and passed out). The driver and 1 more guy tried to help him up but be fell twice - finally managed to start taking a few steps (very staggered and somehow walking...). Good luck to him if he is working tomorrow (this was post 9pm)
Quick walk to Bromley north
227 (Bromley North to Crystal Palace): short but quick route using single deckers.
202 (Crystal palace to blackheath royal standard): more leafs and hills at the beginning
53 (blackheath to lower marsh): had done plumstead to deptford bridge the other day so ticked off the rest
Tube home post this
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Post by Nathan on Sept 1, 2019 22:55:54 GMT
Another long but scenic day today - managed to tick off 10 more routes today Dlr to Lewisham 208 (Lewisham station to Lewisham town hall) Quick walk to catford bridge 320 (Catford Bridge to Biggin Hill Valley): long but such a scenic route! Glad I did it - the DD makes for some amazing views once past Bromley. Didn’t realise how rural / rolling hills / hilly these areas are! Was thinking of walking back to get the 246 but one look at the slope and I gave up - took the 320 a few stops back 246 (Lebanon gardens to Chartwell and then Chartwell to Bromley North): the highlight of the day. Some amazing sights in this route and glad I did it on a Sunday so as to do the Chartwell extension. Again, very hilly, very scenic, rural and hilly. A must do route. About 10 more people did it end to end Lazy lunch in Bromley 208 (Bromley to Orpington): 2nd 208 of the day. Gets quite scenic once close to Orpington Quick hop back to 51’s starting point 51 (Orpington to Woolwich): pretty long route but another very good one. Was surprised at how much this route spends on its own 96 (woolwich to blue water): pretty unique route with some scenic sections, long non-stop section, use of fast track. Good view of queen Elizabeth bridge from darent valley hospital 492 (blue water to sidcup station): just managed to catch this one. Another interesting one and very quick in sections 160 (sidcup station to catford): was a pretty quick one again with no traffic and us running a fair bit ahead of schedule Quick walk back to catford gyratory 208 (Lewisham town hall to Bromley): finally completed this using the 3rd bus of the day! Just before Bromley, we spotted a guy sitting next to the bus stop (very drunk and passed out). The driver and 1 more guy tried to help him up but be fell twice - finally managed to start taking a few steps (very staggered and somehow walking...). Good luck to him if he is working tomorrow (this was post 9pm) Quick walk to Bromley north 227 (Bromley North to Crystal Palace): short but quick route using single deckers. 202 (Crystal palace to blackheath royal standard): more leafs and hills at the beginning 53 (blackheath to lower marsh): had done plumstead to deptford bridge the other day so ticked off the rest Tube home post this Wow. How long did all this take?
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Post by ronnie on Sept 1, 2019 23:30:03 GMT
Another long but scenic day today - managed to tick off 10 more routes today Dlr to Lewisham 208 (Lewisham station to Lewisham town hall) Quick walk to catford bridge 320 (Catford Bridge to Biggin Hill Valley): long but such a scenic route! Glad I did it - the DD makes for some amazing views once past Bromley. Didn’t realise how rural / rolling hills / hilly these areas are! Was thinking of walking back to get the 246 but one look at the slope and I gave up - took the 320 a few stops back 246 (Lebanon gardens to Chartwell and then Chartwell to Bromley North): the highlight of the day. Some amazing sights in this route and glad I did it on a Sunday so as to do the Chartwell extension. Again, very hilly, very scenic, rural and hilly. A must do route. About 10 more people did it end to end Lazy lunch in Bromley 208 (Bromley to Orpington): 2nd 208 of the day. Gets quite scenic once close to Orpington Quick hop back to 51’s starting point 51 (Orpington to Woolwich): pretty long route but another very good one. Was surprised at how much this route spends on its own 96 (woolwich to blue water): pretty unique route with some scenic sections, long non-stop section, use of fast track. Good view of queen Elizabeth bridge from darent valley hospital 492 (blue water to sidcup station): just managed to catch this one. Another interesting one and very quick in sections 160 (sidcup station to catford): was a pretty quick one again with no traffic and us running a fair bit ahead of schedule Quick walk back to catford gyratory 208 (Lewisham town hall to Bromley): finally completed this using the 3rd bus of the day! Just before Bromley, we spotted a guy sitting next to the bus stop (very drunk and passed out). The driver and 1 more guy tried to help him up but be fell twice - finally managed to start taking a few steps (very staggered and somehow walking...). Good luck to him if he is working tomorrow (this was post 9pm) Quick walk to Bromley north 227 (Bromley North to Crystal Palace): short but quick route using single deckers. 202 (Crystal palace to blackheath royal standard): more leafs and hills at the beginning 53 (blackheath to lower marsh): had done plumstead to deptford bridge the other day so ticked off the rest Tube home post this Wow. How long did all this take? Long day it was .... 12 hours or so. I boarded the dlr at 11:30am in the morning and got off the dlr at 11:30pm. Of course the issue with doing some of these low frequency routes / routes which end in the middle of nowhere is that a fair amount of time gets wasted. The morning 208-320 wasn’t bad but then one has ro het the 320 back for a few stops to get the 246 (which is hourly!). I had a 20 min wait for tye 246, then had to go to Chartwell and back. Plus an hour for lunch - from the 96 at woolwich onwards it was back to back (<1 min!) till catford (6 min wait) and then again back to back till doing the 53 completely so that helped
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Post by rif153 on Sept 2, 2019 22:04:46 GMT
Central Line to Liverpool Street
London Overground to Clapton
425 to Ilford (VN37849) - I loved the scenery, residental streets, beautiful Victoria Park, gentrified Stratford, suburban Romford Road, fantastic variety. A thoroughly enjoyable route to do end to end, although probably more enjoyable on a DN than a VN. 8/10
179 to Roding Lane South (10172) - Boring slow Enviro 400, wish I'd gotten the 123 instead
Walk to Claybury Broadway
128 to Romford Station (VLA138 and T185) - I knew I needed to do this route before it goes to Stagecoach, and is rerouted in Romford. I let a T at the Claybury stand go in favour of a VLA, whilst I do like Tridents, it has to be said these ones aren't in optimal condition, and I can understand why the drivers I spoke to will be glad to see them go. This bus was curtailed at Becontree Heath which gave me a chance to talk to DX drivers waiting to take over buses, both of them said that they much prefer the DWs/Ts to the VLAs. Lots of passengers were giving the poor driver some stick when the bus curtailed at Becontree Heath, however Becontree Heath is hardly in the middle of nowhere, and there are lots of buses from there to Romford, including a 5 a few minutes behind. The 128's route isn't anything special though, what made it special was the chance to ride a trident. 6.5/10
66 to Leytonstone (DW244) - A nice lively ride along the A12 with the driver flooring the bus where possible, this is augemented by some lovely scenery towards the eastern end of the part of the A12 this route uses. Its a nice quick route too, taking less than an hour, which was exactly what I needed having needed two hours to do the 128 end to end. One criticism of the route is that after a whle going down the A12 turns into routine dual carrigeway boredom but good other than that. 8/10
Central Line to Stratford
158 to Chingford Mount (HV225) - There is immense demand for this route at Stratford, no wonder it got a PVR increase. The route is mostly enjoyable. I found it interesting for the most part, with the best parts being Blackhorse Road-Stratford, and Crooked Billet-Chingford Mount. The residential part of this route was a little boring, but it wasn't the worst, despite the traffic leading up to the Billet. I prefer this route to the 58, and I can imagine it is a popular radial for those wanting to avoid the congestion of Walthamstow Town Centre. A solid route. 7.5/10
97 to Chingford (15044) - Just to get up to Chingford, but sitting at the back of a Scania is great fun
97 to Stratford City (15044) - A route I really like. Chingford is a very pleasant suburb which I've really enjoyed visitng, and viewing from the 97/179/212. The scenery just between Chingford and the Mount was good, but I like the majority of the route. The section between the Billet and Bell Corner felt a little bland, but other than that I really enjoyed the views from this route. The section between Walthamstow and Stratford is fantastic, even better than I remember it being on the 69. Leyton, and Draper's Field were interesting places too. I like that rather than going to the main Stratford Bus Station as the 69/158 do this goes to SCBS. Its cool to go into Stratford via the backdoor instead, and be able to get a great view of Stratford Box, and see all the newbuilds which have gone up in the viccinty of Stratford International, the fact there are fewer buses from this side of Stratford make visiting it a lot more enjoyable. If I lived in Leyton, I would chose the 97 over the 69/158 to reach Stratford. Also the Scanias make the route even better. 8.5/10
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Post by rj131 on Sept 2, 2019 22:09:57 GMT
E8 to Hounslow Bus Station (VW1263) - Surprisingly well loaded due to a festival in Blondin Park. Although I always lament VWs, the driver floored this one, making the journey enjoyable. 81 to Harlington Corner (VW1833) - My first time on the 81 since Metroline took over. Still hard to believe this route is no longer run from its eastern terminus. I got an ex First VW which made the journey a bit more interesting. Overall a decent journey. 111 to Heathrow Central - The driver floored this bus through the Heathrow Tunnels, and it was a proper boneshaker at speed, exactly what one thinks of when stereotyping SPs. 285 to Kingston (VH45133) This route was enjoyable. I really enjoyed the scenery in affluent Teddington, the views of the river over Kingston Bridge, and being up close to aeroplanes around the Eastern Perimeter. The two double runs are a little annoying though. Another negative was how long this route took, at 89 minutes. On the bright side, glad it wasn't 90 or I would've missed my next connection. Not the best route of the day, and not my last RATP VH of the day. 8/10 418 to Epsom - A lovely beastly 07reg ADE. The driver floored the bus, giving fantastic engine sounds as we pelted down the roads. I really like the Quality Line interior too, a shame it'll be lost soon. I love Trident Enviros, and in my opinion they're better than the SPs that'll replace them. I like that this route passes EB so you can have a peek at the buses there. The scenery is pleasant with lots of greenery too, overall a very enjoyable route, but its not the best Kingston-Epsom route. 8/10 406 to Kingston (ADE40305) - Although I got a 61reg ADE, inferior to the 07reg, the better routing more than compensated. I loved t scenery, and at the expense of the residential streets the 418 serves, the pleasant greenery, augmented by a charming little stream, makes the 406 the greater of the two. I didn't feel as if I anywhere near London on that section, for which words cannot do justice. This route was and felt slightly shorter than the 418. Route of the day. 9/10 465 to Chessington World of Adventures (OV30072) - Didn't have it in me to go all the way down to Dorking, but I jumped at the chance to have a nice rattle ride on the OVs before they're all gone. I have such nostalgia for OVs, with my fondest memory getting on down to the then brand new Imperial Wharf station om the 391. The OVs have a lot more character than DEs/DLEs, so ehen they're gone it'll be sad to see another unique type in the RATP fleet meet its end. 71 to Kingston (SP40096) - A bit dry, but not the worst. I guess a redeeming quality is the balance of residental streets, and more major routes. This SP sounded nothing like the FW ones, so whatever TV are doing to their SPs, I commend them for keeping their SPs in such good condition. 6/10 65 to Warwick Road/University of West London (VH45313) - My favourite route in London never lets me down. A nice lively ride with a good driver who floored the bus where possible. Amusingly, we did circle the gyratory in Kingston for an unknown reason, certainly bemused me to see the bus veering right towards Cromwell Road Bus Station, but it may have killed a bit of time. On my mission to ride all the 19reg VHs, I've now ticked three off. I could rant about how much I love the 65 all day... Thought I'd create a ranking of all the routes in Kingston I've done after that Kingston heavy day: 65 57 X26 406 85 285 418 111 131 What was wrong with the 131?! 😱😱💔💔 Granted when I last did it a couple of weeks ago some temporary traffic lights near Norbiton made the journey very very slow indeed, so I’m giving the 131 a break for a while until it’s back on form
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