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Routemasters - favourite epic journeys

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Boooo Flag 30 Jul 17 7.21pm Send a Private Message to Boooo Add Boooo as a friend

Originally posted by ex hibitionist

Just thinking the other day about the old 159 which was the last routemaster to ride - before they started shortening the routes these bus routes were like epic journeys across London, as a kid you remember spending about an hour and a half on one and seeing all these famous names and places and wanting to see where they all were on the map, but it was all too much to take in.

The 159 used to go from Old Coulsdon to West Hampstead - or Finchley if you like. Took me from my home in Streatham to Palace, Brixton, the Oval, and the Czech National House (West Hampstead) just along from Abbey Road no less, to St John's Wood Road where I worked in a newsagent with a then unknown Gaby Roslin, just round the corner from Lords, Baker Street, the West End, Wstminster and the River.

I could prattle on about the 49 (Crystal Palace Park up to Harlesden once upon a time - b4 it went Streatham to Shepherds Bush), the 137 - Archway (where a mate lived) also to Crystal Palace Park - I was about 13 and still remember the bus ride through Camden, Marylebone, Mayfair, Hyde Park, Knightsbridge, Sloane Square, Victoria, Battersea Park and Clapham Old Town. The BBC even had a documentary on the Number 31 - Camden to the World's End. Any old b*ggers got a favourite route or journey? I may seem a total train(bus)spotter, but these were epic journeys right across London.

What a lovely subject.
My Uncle used to live in Blackburn Road, West Hampstead. I used to get the 130b to Allders from Addington on a Friday evening and then the 159 to almost the end of it's journey. I was about 9 or 10 when i first starting doing this, something you'd never let your kid do these days. I knew all the conductors and they'd keep an eye on me if i fancied a venture upstairs into the smoke!
I wish my memory was better because i'm sure it was one of the better routes for taking in the sights.

 


I refuse to believe there are that many people out there that can't spell. Too f**king lazy, that's what I think.

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johnno42000 Flag 30 Jul 17 9.24pm Send a Private Message to johnno42000 Add johnno42000 as a friend

122 was the bus I had to take from Cobbs Corner to get to Hilly Fields in Brockley to go to school. Free bus pass.

The 75 was the bus I took to watch us when I was growing up.

 


'Lies to the masses as are like fly's to mollasses...they want more and more and more'

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chateauferret Flag 05 Aug 17 9.34pm

A colleague of mine (in Glasgow!) used to be a conductor on the 137, which used to take me from my flat in Streatham to various kinds of work. By the time I used it they'd dumped the Routemaster beyond Streatham Hill and called it the 137A with the new vehicles from there to Crystal Palace Parade; but of course I remember very well the 159.

Does anyone remember the 94? It went from Orpington and Petts Wood by Bromley Common, through Bromley and Grove Park then on to Lee Green and Lewisham. We lived in Burnt Ash Lane and my father had a shop in Loampit Vale. And i remember when they had really cheap fares and our dear friends in Bromley Council did us all a great public service by taking the GLC or whomever it was to court and getting them all put back up again. Nice one.

36B was also a favourite Routemaster which went out of Grove Park and up Downham Way to Catford and then into London.

If I ever get the urge to sit in one again of course they've got one in the transport museum in Glasgow. Every year they do a day out and you can get a ride in it from there to the heritage bus depot in Bridgeton. There's something a bit surreal about sitting in a Routemaster done up in London Transport livery and looking out of the windows at an entirely different city!


Edited by chateauferret (05 Aug 2017 9.40pm)

 


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