June challenge I.(c) Buses: From West Croydon to Battersea

[nou]

Like we did last year and the year before that, bob and I made simultaneous attempts at Theme I: Buses, subtheme (c) (get on the first bus that comes along, stay on for n stops, get off, repeat), starting from the same stop, with me taking n=5 and him taking n=6.

In 2012 I ended up in Cheam (map), which is a few miles southwest of Croydon out towards where London stops being London, and in 2013 I ended up in Putney (map), which is several miles northwest of Croydon and very nearly on the other side of the Thames. I wondered if in 2014 I would actually cross either the border of Greater London, or the Thames.

The starting point for our flânage.

It was drizzling as we left the house, and the skies were clouded over. My first six buses took me on a route identical to last year's. This is always going to be a risk from this starting point — once you get on the 250 you're likely to be stuck on it for a good while, since it goes off on a little wander around the houses on roads that no other buses venture onto.

Van outside Croydon University Hospital.

As I passed through Streatham, I noticed a branch of Tasty (Nigerian takeaway) opposite the station. A few weeks later I returned to buy some moi moi from here, since I knew from visiting their Stratford branch that they sell it in the leaf. It was delicious.

I also noticed a stationery shop called Unikob — a name I was familiar with due to my local history research. On the same return visit as noted above, I popped into here and talked to the owner about a shop she used to have in West Croydon, which was helpful for the article I wrote about the building it was in.

My journey continued northward, and eventually I caught sight of The Shard! This was very exciting as it meant I was heading towards the north of the river. A bus or so later I got onto a 148 to White City, which (a) was the first Boris Bus I'd ever been on (I was unimpressed; it was dark on the upper deck, it smelled funny, and the windows were too small) and (b) took me across the river via Westminster Bridge.

Shiny buildings at my first north-of-the-river stop.

A few buses further on I crossed back over the river via Battersea Bridge, and eventually ended up at the back entrance to Clapham Junction Station, where I decided to stop.

Battersea Bridge, taken from the bus stop where I was waiting for a bus to take me south across it.

Here's a map of my journey, and here's my photoset on Flickr.