Bus spotting around london

[Alistair G.]

Hi all,

Going on a jolly to London tomorrow, some train spotting but mainly bus spotting. I have a few regular spots I'll be trying but wondered if anybody could suggest some more where they have maximised numbers in their experience.

My usual ones are:

Euston Road, Stratford bus station, trafalguar square, Marble Arch/Oxford street and east Croydon (crossroads just down from the station)

Not really interested in Victoria as I'm more interested in big red things than all the coaches, but any suggestions I'd be happy hear

Thanks

 

[83G/84D]

I go to Aldwych near the junction of the A301 towards Waterloo bridge. Very busy on my last visit with plenty of variety in terms of types and operators.

 

[Lrd]

Hammersmith bus station?

Hounslow bus station is full of single and double deckers...

 

[Busaholic]

Romford is still full of buses. At one time it was one of the few places in outer London where four of the major groups were represented, too. Brixton, just south of the station, is good too.

 

[Alistair G.]

Thanks for the suggestions guys!!!. May check a couple of those out later!!

 

[Robertj21a]

Elephant & Castle would seem an obvious choice.

 

[Hophead]

City end of London Bridge, around Monument Station?
Vauxhall Bus Station?

 

[Alistair G.]

So I went down again to London (14th June). I actually went for a music concert but left early due to the tragic events during the night of the 13th/14th... only to find no traffic in my way (I did park further out than planned to try and make sure I skipped traffic)

So I decided to try a couple of places whilst I had time in my hands.... Busaholic.... your Brixton suggestion was amazing. Never been there before but the amount of traffic was brilliant!, will be going back!!!! So thank you

I also tried Wood Green out. They have a depot here and a busy crossroads. Fantastic if you want Arriva numbers but not much else

Then I went on to Hammersmith (asy concert was at the Hammersmith apollo) and although the bus station had bits coming in and out I was expecting that area to be slightly busier, but still gave me plenty of new numbers!

So just really to thank you guys for all your suggestions and if you have anymore then please feel free to post!!

 

[Busaholic]

So I went down again to London (14th June). I actually went for a music concert but left early due to the tragic events during the night of the 13th/14th... only to find no traffic in my way (I did park further out than planned to try and make sure I skipped traffic)

So I decided to try a couple of places whilst I had time in my hands.... Busaholic.... your Brixton suggestion was amazing. Never been there before but the amount of traffic was brilliant!, will be going back!!!! So thank you

I also tried Wood Green out. They have a depot here and a busy crossroads. Fantastic if you want Arriva numbers but not much else

Then I went on to Hammersmith (asy concert was at the Hammersmith apollo) and although the bus station had bits coming in and out I was expecting that area to be slightly busier, but still gave me plenty of new numbers!

So just really to thank you guys for all your suggestions and if you have anymore then please feel free to post!!

Happy to have been of assistance. Hammersmith is one of those places where gradual cuts in services (some of them 'temporary' that will probably become permanent) have meant that, if you go back after being away for a couple of years, the cuts in service are noticeable. Brixton too is shortly to see permanent extended headways on a couple of routes, but the lack of tube service south of there should mean the impact is much less, and the casual observer will probably not notice the difference. Plenty of different operators there of course too.

 

[83G/84D]

I spent an hour at Hammersmith this evening albeit in the evening peak and it was quite busy. The only thing that had me thinking was the fact that London United have renumbered their fleet into a five digit series which I wasn't previously aware of.
Previously I did a depot discovery tour at London transport Acton.
Recommend this to anyone, lots to see and great staff to show you around.
Tour has to be pre-booked but well worth doing.

 

[Alistair G.]

I'm glad it's not just me that was surprised to see London United had renumbered their fleet . Completely at a loss why and from what I can gather from my notes I have made, they have simply added the numbers 404 at the start of every ADE numbered/lettered bus.

So for example. What was ADE 69, was on my notes ADE40469 (this has happened on 3 others as well so far and haven't finished my numbers yet)

Any thoughts on why they would do this???

 

[ANDREW_D_WEBB]

The renumbering is part of a RATP wide computer generated renumbering system, although it has not yet appeared on sister operations in Bournemouth or Windsor.

 

[plcd1]

So just really to thank you guys for all your suggestions and if you have anymore then please feel free to post!!

Almost any town centre outside a main rail or tube station in Greater London will bring you a reasonably frequent parade of buses.

Finsbury Park, Seven Sisters, Tottenham Hale (as some routes don't go past S Sisters), Walthamstow Central are all linked by the Vic Line which runs every 2 mins or so and is very quick.

Stratford, Barking and then Ilford will give you a wide range of types plus some of the "branded" routes. Woolwich and Lewisham town centres (both accessible by rail and DLR) are also busy with a wide variety of routes and types.

A bit further out places like Romford, Edgware, Bexleyheath, Richmond, Kingston, Croydon, Bromley and Harrow will also give you variety although you may need to walk about to pick up all the routes in places like Croydon and Kingston because of the complex route structure and road layouts. Kingston also has some newish operators running on cross boundary services - only place you'll see Stagecoach national livery within Greater London. Again all are accessible by rail (tube for Edgware / Richmond) although Bexleyheath's station is away from the town centre so you'll have a walk or need to hop on a bus.

 

[traction22]

Sorry to bump a very old thread, but I want to ask the same question - were you number taking or photographing? Did any of these places seem good for amount of buses, yet decent to get shots without wandering pedestrians, cyclists and reflections? I normally go to Marble Arch on a sunny summer afternoon, but I'm on the lookout for other spots.

 

[Alistair G.]

I was doing both. Tried a few more since this thread as well. Elephant & Castle was excellent, got some nice pictures as they came round the roundabout opposite the tube station. Walthamstow was excellent as well. Stood opposite the entrance/exit and got everything (although not quite so great for pictures)
Brixton was good. When you get outside the tube station, take a left and head for the crossroads, you’ll see everything there.
I clipped a DVD together but a freeview mini version of what I saw can be found in YouTube here:

Might give you an idea what some of the places are like.
I’m going down again in March and am hoping to try barking as a new spot.

 

[darloscott]

One spot quite far out that I love is Richmond, it's pretty busy (for its size) and it's just generally a very nice place for a wander. Decent variety too with Tempo, Versa, Darts, Scania DD among the more standard Enviros and Volvo's.

 

[traction22]

Thank you, I'm down next month so will try some new places out.

 

[Mutant Lemming]

Edgware bus station - and on the road outside you will see the occasional Uno Comet


https://www.bing.com/images/search?...met&selectedindex=0&ajaxhist=0&vt=0&eim=1,2,6

 

[ValleyLines142]

Caught the 237 from White City last night and whilst it was late at night (about 11.20), there were still a fair few number of buses out on routes such as the 31, 49, 207, 237, 260, 316 and C1. The lay out is also very unique, especially for the 49 and the 237 where they loop around in that sharp bit upon dropping off, then come back on themselves again to pick up and then do the same thing to leave!

 

[devonlad]

Hello everyone can you tell me which are London busy bus stations like Victoria and I think Stratford any other one's thanks for looking

 

[traction22]

Hello everyone can you tell me which are London busy bus stations like Victoria and I think Stratford any other one's thanks for looking

I can't give a list and it depends on your needs, but for bus stations Euston is busy.

 

[ANDREW_D_WEBB]

Try reading the top of this thread for ideas, they will still be busy locations. Other locations include Woolwich, Hounslow, Croydon, Heathrow, Harrow, Walthamstow to name but a few. Any town centre in London is busy with buses. Check out LVF.io for real time information on routes and vehicles.

 

[traction22]

This might also come in handy. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_bus_and_coach_stations_in_London#cite_note-2

 

[devonlad]

This might also come in handy. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_bus_and_coach_stations_in_London#cite_note-2

Cheers will look into it thanks