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Post by buspete on Nov 29, 2020 22:52:39 GMT
321 runs up the reception road to the car park at Sidcup’s Tescos.
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Post by thekbq14 on Nov 30, 2020 3:09:14 GMT
That would, indeed, be the one. As to your second question, the 273 comes to mind, using Lewisham Tesco car park as it does. I wouldn’t be surprised if there are other examples There used to be quite a few examples but many of them have since had separate stands built so as to avoid buses running through the car park, e.g 397 at Crooked Billet, W5 at Harringay. The 455 and 463 still run through the car park at Beddington Asda although it isn't a terminus. 321 as well which terminates at Foots Cray Tesco, 54 and 289 next to Elmer's End Tesco with a barrier separating it. I know there's plenty more examples out there |
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Post by Paul on Nov 30, 2020 9:46:47 GMT
He certainly will!  buspete The final stop is on the green at the stop named Westerham Green. Buses continue along the A25 and enter the main Westerham town car park, reversing into the bay marked ‘local bus services only’ - unless of course there’s a coach parked there...... To be fair, that doesn’t happen very often although one coach driver appears to have permanently commandeered one of the three spaces since, school times apart, the same coach is always parked there It’s not a bad place to spend 10 minutes or so but it could definitely use one of those TfL toilets since public facilities are too far away to be of any help Oh and source? 246 driver here  EDIT: just for additional information, there is the possibility that the car park will, in future, become the first and last stop. There have been officials down at the stand sizing up potential changes needed to make it passenger friendly. Currently there are no safe places to board and alight passengers although that doesn’t stop TfL mandating it when we are obliged to use the Beggars Lane diversion. There is also the question of whether that stop would be served when we toddle off down to Chartwell on summer Sundays Thanks for that. I take it then the turning point is the one marked on Goggle Maps as Darenth Car Park, which is just up from Westerham Green going towards Brasted/Sevonoaks? Very unusual for a bus to turn around in a car park, is this a first for a London bus route? Apologies for quoting you again but it occurred to me today that, of course, the other southern terminus of the 246 is also a car park; being the car park in the grounds of Chartwell House. In this instance we actually travel through the car park to reach the coach and bus stand |
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Post by buspete on Nov 30, 2020 20:36:21 GMT
I took a drive out to Westerham and had a look, need to leave the house as being in lockdown and going it bit stir crazy, Anyway I had a look at the car park and it is a pay and display car park, with 3 bays in it to turn buses, which is a tad optimistic for the bus service in Westerham. Didn’t notice the bus driver pay and display  Furthermore it is sad to see a town like Westerham who are like any other town outside London and have had their bus service culled, in the old days you had the 410 and 483, provide regular services to Croydon, Sevonoaks and Reigate. Also the town had a train service once. At least the 246 offers a more frequent service to Bromley. |
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Post by Paul on Nov 30, 2020 23:35:32 GMT
Anyway I had a look at the car park and it is a pay and display car park, with 3 bays in it to turn buses, which is a tad optimistic for the bus service in Westerham. Didn’t notice the bus driver pay and display As far as I can tell, the other services that terminate in Westerham use the bus stop bay by the petrol garage near Hartley Road to stand. We are the only bus service that turns around in the car park. Not sure if you noticed but only one of those bays is marked ‘for local bus services.’ The other two are marked for coach services Funny you should say that about the pay and display. There was a chap checking tickets the other day and I asked him if he’d let me off paying, pointing out my vehicle. Got a laugh out of him at least! |
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Post by buspete on Dec 1, 2020 0:50:24 GMT
Ha
No I didn’t notice bus/coach stand, thought it was 3 bus stands.
I take it from your last post, you work for Stagecoach? If so have you ever seen the coach stand used? Not sure Westerham is big enough for a day for a excursion firm. Actually I get an excursion firm doing morning Westerham/Afternoon Chartwell House or Sevonoaks.
I thought TFL have to provide toilet facilities as well? Which I saw none!
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Post by Eastlondoner62 on Dec 1, 2020 0:56:13 GMT
Anyway I had a look at the car park and it is a pay and display car park, with 3 bays in it to turn buses, which is a tad optimistic for the bus service in Westerham. Didn’t notice the bus driver pay and display As far as I can tell, the other services that terminate in Westerham use the bus stop bay by the petrol garage near Hartley Road to stand. We are the only bus service that turns around in the car park. Not sure if you noticed but only one of those bays is marked ‘for local bus services.’ The other two are marked for coach services Funny you should say that about the pay and display. There was a chap checking tickets the other day and I asked him if he’d let me off paying, pointing out my vehicle. Got a laugh out of him at least! This does make me wonder whether the 246 comes a firm second place for distance from the first stop to its stand (behind the 497 at Harold Hill). |
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Post by Paul on Dec 1, 2020 6:17:06 GMT
Ha No I didn’t notice bus/coach stand, thought it was 3 bus stands. I take it from your last post, you work for Stagecoach? If so have you ever seen the coach stand used? Not sure Westerham is big enough for a day for a excursion firm. Actually I get an excursion firm doing morning Westerham/Afternoon Chartwell House or Sevonoaks. I thought TFL have to provide toilet facilities as well? Which I saw none! I do indeed work for Stagecoach, although to be fair, it’s such a pleasant route to drive that it’s a bit of a stretch to call the 246 ‘work!’ The coach stand does get used. There’s one chap who, from the sign in the window of his coach, does regular school work and he parks his coach up there when he’s not working. In better times, there are excursions to Westerham and the surrounding areas - Quebec House gets plenty of visitors when it’s open and of course Chartwell is only up the road. There are plenty of coaches going up to Chartwell in the summer months - can get quite awkward if you meet one of those in the wrong place! My understanding is that there is no necessity in locating toilet facilities at each end of a route. Whilst it would be nice to have a toilet at the Westerham end, we are well catered for at Bromley North. I imagine there are plans for a TfL toilet in the car park but equally imagine that it is not a priority. Maybe one day! |
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Post by Alexis on Dec 1, 2020 7:58:23 GMT
As far as I can tell, the other services that terminate in Westerham use the bus stop bay by the petrol garage near Hartley Road to stand. We are the only bus service that turns around in the car park. Not sure if you noticed but only one of those bays is marked ‘for local bus services.’ The other two are marked for coach services Funny you should say that about the pay and display. There was a chap checking tickets the other day and I asked him if he’d let me off paying, pointing out my vehicle. Got a laugh out of him at least! This does make me wonder whether the 246 comes a firm second place for distance from the first stop to its stand (behind the 497 at Harold Hill). Where does the 497 stand? |
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Post by greenboy on Dec 1, 2020 8:09:03 GMT
I took a drive out to Westerham and had a look, need to leave the house as being in lockdown and going it bit stir crazy, Anyway I had a look at the car park and it is a pay and display car park, with 3 bays in it to turn buses, which is a tad optimistic for the bus service in Westerham. Didn’t notice the bus driver pay and display Furthermore it is sad to see a town like Westerham who are like any other town outside London and have had their bus service culled, in the old days you had the 410 and 483, provide regular services to Croydon, Sevonoaks and Reigate. Also the town had a train service once. At least the 246 offers a more frequent service to Bromley. The train service was before my time but I remember the 483 Sevenoaks to West Croydon service and the 410. Westerham is probably fortunate to have the 246. Paul mentioned it often being empty in the evening although I have seen buses quite well loaded on Sundays in nice weather when goes it to Chartwell, it's only hourly on Sunday though. |
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Post by busoccultation on Dec 1, 2020 8:22:49 GMT
This does make me wonder whether the 246 comes a firm second place for distance from the first stop to its stand (behind the 497 at Harold Hill). Where does the 497 stand? Dagnam Park Square stand where the 174 terminates |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 1, 2020 14:53:05 GMT
Some of the best use of scheduled short turns were made by night buses.
A snippet from 1992...
N2 Brixton, George Canning
N14 Roehampton, Earl Spencer
N16, Kilburn Park Stn
N19 Chelsea Cheyne Walk
N50 Acton Vale , Acton Gunnersbury Lane
N62 Eltham Southend Crescent
N68 Wandsworth Plain
N82 Welling, Nags Head
N97 Gunnersbury Roundabout, Turnham Green
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Post by buspete on Dec 1, 2020 22:32:10 GMT
Ha No I didn’t notice bus/coach stand, thought it was 3 bus stands. I take it from your last post, you work for Stagecoach? If so have you ever seen the coach stand used? Not sure Westerham is big enough for a day for a excursion firm. Actually I get an excursion firm doing morning Westerham/Afternoon Chartwell House or Sevonoaks. I thought TFL have to provide toilet facilities as well? Which I saw none! I do indeed work for Stagecoach, although to be fair, it’s such a pleasant route to drive that it’s a bit of a stretch to call the 246 ‘work!’ The coach stand does get used. There’s one chap who, from the sign in the window of his coach, does regular school work and he parks his coach up there when he’s not working. In better times, there are excursions to Westerham and the surrounding areas - Quebec House gets plenty of visitors when it’s open and of course Chartwell is only up the road. There are plenty of coaches going up to Chartwell in the summer months - can get quite awkward if you meet one of those in the wrong place! My understanding is that there is no necessity in locating toilet facilities at each end of a route. Whilst it would be nice to have a toilet at the Westerham end, we are well catered for at Bromley North. I imagine there are plans for a TfL toilet in the car park but equally imagine that it is not a priority. Maybe one day! I thought TFL had to provide toilet facility, for no other reason I remember the residents kicking off in Biggin Hill when TFL put one of those portaloos at the end of the R2 or R8 route. |
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Post by greenboy on Dec 1, 2020 22:50:35 GMT
I do indeed work for Stagecoach, although to be fair, it’s such a pleasant route to drive that it’s a bit of a stretch to call the 246 ‘work!’ The coach stand does get used. There’s one chap who, from the sign in the window of his coach, does regular school work and he parks his coach up there when he’s not working. In better times, there are excursions to Westerham and the surrounding areas - Quebec House gets plenty of visitors when it’s open and of course Chartwell is only up the road. There are plenty of coaches going up to Chartwell in the summer months - can get quite awkward if you meet one of those in the wrong place! My understanding is that there is no necessity in locating toilet facilities at each end of a route. Whilst it would be nice to have a toilet at the Westerham end, we are well catered for at Bromley North. I imagine there are plans for a TfL toilet in the car park but equally imagine that it is not a priority. Maybe one day! I thought TFL had to provide toilet facility, for no other reason I remember the residents kicking off in Biggin Hill when TFL put one of those portaloos at the end of the R2 or R8 route. I think toilets at one end of shortish routes is generally deemed to be sufficient. The Biggin Hill toilets were ridiculous and totally unnecessary, there was also a 'turdis' installed at Petts Wood that was subsequently removed. |
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Post by vjaska on Dec 1, 2020 22:54:35 GMT
I thought TFL had to provide toilet facility, for no other reason I remember the residents kicking off in Biggin Hill when TFL put one of those portaloos at the end of the R2 or R8 route. I think toilets at one end of shortish routes is generally deemed to be sufficient. The Biggin Hill toilets were ridiculous and totally unnecessary, there was also a 'turdis' installed at Petts Wood that was subsequently removed. Could you explain why according to you, providing toilets at Biggin Hill was ridiculous and totally unnecessary? |
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