Favourite London Bus Route?

[RubyFakeLips]

I appreciate this is niche.

Reminiscing about when I had no money and a baby that loved being on the bus. Could take the 38 from almost outside my hackney flat, with him in the carrier. Sit on the top deck and go to the west end all the way to Victoria and back.

More recently I've been a fan of the 15.

I love 'Upon Westminster Bridge'... I remember I got an A for an analysis of it in English 😂

I like the number 9; often take it for RAH.

In the past, my favourite routes were 185 and 188. I think the first was a SE route; in Lewisham and elsewhere; I think the 188 might have gone to Islington up the City Road?

No... 188 was another SE London route I took. Think the Islington bus I liked was the 73.

What a lovely thread! I left London 20 years ago, after spending all my 20s there, and this reminds of a lot of happy times.

159 from Streatham to Central London

@chorusline79

341 First bus route from my flat in Manor House to where I worked in clerkenwell - happy times!

Maybe we were neighbours in MH! I loved that route because i associate it with seeing something at the NT, then crossing Waterloo Bridge, my favourite night view in London, headed north and home.

And the 151 down to Borough Market on Saturday morning.

And yes, the N29 was wild. I remember reassuring some frightened American tourists they would live to see the dawn, when someone was busking in the luggage rack and some else decided the best way to get the driver to let him off at a red light was to roar ‘I’ve crapped myself!’

Also the 24 up to Hampstead for a swim and a picnic.

Oh, nostalgia.

I used to live on the number 1 bus route. Could get it to work in Covent Garden from SE London.

W16 through Walthamstow, but only if you sit in the luggage rack. It reminds me of being 14 & invincible, before we got priced out and forced to move away

No 8 - ding ding! Goes to Tottenham Court rd and runs 24/7:

Bow Church
Old Ford Parnell Road
Bethnal Green station London Underground
Shoreditch High Street station London Overground
Liverpool Street station London Underground London Overground Crossrail National Rail
Bank station London Underground Docklands Light Railway
St Paul's station London Underground
City Thameslink station National Rail
Holborn Circus
Chancery Lane station London Underground
Holborn station London Underground
Tottenham Court Road London Underground

137 and 159 when they were old routemasters

And you've sent me down a nostalgia tunnel remembering the N78 to Croydon in my youth :)

I love threads like this. I’ve lived in Liverpool my whole life but would love to take a selection of these routes when visiting London. I mean, the C2 and L3 are no longer operational where I live but I can still get to “town” on the 53. So I’d have to research your routes Love where you live

I’m liking the number 8 @username18702

Oh God the N29! Just complete mayhem.

I used to get one from Victoria that went past Buckingham Palace and if you were on the top deck you could see into the grounds. I never saw anything very exciting, just people playing tennis or gardening, and it was too far away to make out faces. It was cool though. Was that the 11?

Great thread. I'm not even a Londoner

@Polishtheboards

I’m liking the number 8 *@username18702*

I have a poster of it - I'll get my coat

How about the 3? Parliament, The Garden Museum, Brixton, and then all the views of inner and outer London from Crystal Palace.

@DameAlyson

The 53 starts in Plumstead, then goes onto Woolwich, Charlton and Blackheath before going into Deptford, Old Kent Road and Elephant and Castle before terminating in Lambeth North. I am sure it used to go all the way to Trafalgar Square though

It did!

The No 11 is a good one. From Victoria, passes W. Abbey, Houses of Parliament, Whitehall, Traf Square, St Paul's, terminating at L'pool St.

Yes definitely, I used to get it to work, but it was also a night bus I think (or possibly the 453) so we caught it in Trafalgar Square sometimes in the early hours and went all the way back to the old Kent road. Nearly twenty years ago now. One night we got chucked off when the police arrived because someone threatened the driver with a machete. He wasn't bothered at all, gave as good as he got. Fond memories.

137, 94 and 10 were the best West to Central buses when they were Routemasters, you could see a huge amount of tourist attractions. Not sure about routes now.

DH who was born and raised in London says what about the number 5?

Also DH says does anyone remember Matt Munroe who was a bus conductor who was a fine singer? He sung on the buses. It used to turn at Streathan.

I see the 14 has been mentioned but I also loved the 22 from central London back to Putney- straight down the King's Road. Can't think when I last took the bus back from shopping because it didn't matter when I got home.

I came on to say the 11 but see quite a few fans have already mentioned it. Great bus route for sightseeing. I've recommended it to so many people wanting to see the highlights of London quickly and on a budget.

The 24 for me too. I used to live behind the Victoria Station and work in Hampstead. The first time I caught that bus it was following a Tube failure and I hopped on it in desperation somewhere near Oxford Street (?). I remember arriving to South End Green in the pitch black about 20 minutes late for a job interview and then having to leg it up Downshire Hill. Still got the job .

I always found it quite scenic, the way it wound its way past Trafalgar Sq, Chinatown, Tottenham Ct Road, Camden etc then up to the Royal Free.

Here also to say the 11, it's the poor man's version of the hop on hop off. And I've only skimmed the thread - has anyone else mentioned that Sherlock had the 11 going down Baker Street of all things, so anyone who knew and loved the 11 route stood up and shouted angrily during that episode and then bored their kids stupid with the explanation why?

35 and 37 as I could jump off the bus straight home - no walking up a hill with all the shopping I’d bought after work 🤣🤣🤣

@Nandocushion

Here also to say the 11, it's the poor man's version of the hop on hop off. And I've only skimmed the thread - has anyone else mentioned that Sherlock had the 11 going down Baker Street of all things, so anyone who knew and loved the 11 route stood up and shouted angrily during that episode and then bored their kids stupid with the explanation why?

Yep! I felt very indignant on DDad’s behalf (see my previous post for my dads love of the No.11).

I grew up across across the road from the second to lasts stop on the 24 route, in the days it was open back Routemaster. As it came round the bend, the driver would change the destination from “Pimlico” to “Hampstead Heath”. My grandparents lived near Haywards Heath. I didn’t really make the distinction when I was 3 or 4 ish (they were both a long way away) and went to get the bus by myself. Fortunately the conductor vaguely knew my parents and ran me back across the road!