Was unfortunate enough to get an Aldgate collection today and unsurprisingly the traffic was horrendous, tube strike, traffic, weather, more traffic, roadworks and accidents all playing their part.
But it was nice to see an AEC Regent on service duties, along with some more modern Routemasters, and DMS buses.
Don’t envy you that, with the tube strikes etc, i’m sure London was a joy.
I was in there yesterday, MK to Bermondsey to Radlett, 5hrs 45minutes. Lots of people on the road who only drive at the weekend 
it was slow going…
F-reds
I used to go sight seeing in London pre con charge if the weather was nice.
chilistrucker:
Don’t envy you that, with the tube strikes etc, i’m sure London was a joy.
Site address was Whitechapel High Street, had planned to come down Commercial Rd A13 to A11 junction, site should be on left.
A13 rammed so came down A11 which was sticky, site on left but no visible gate, turn left onto Leman St look for entrance. Possible entrance via Buckle St but other delivery vehicles waiting so cut round via Prescot & Mansell to have another look. Second time around spot a gate at the bottom of Commercial Rd, so down to the Highway head out to the Limehouse and come back down the A13 as originally planned albeit much much later.
Get to Whitechapel fire station on 3hr 48min and spot a red route ■■■■■■■■■■■■ 200yds from gate. Stop for a 45 and walk to gate, no one on the gate but a contact number. Get told entrance via Buckle Street.
45 mins later pull off and head for Buckle Street. 30 mins later Park in load bay and wander about, deffo not right, phone back the contact and get told sorry should have said Commercial Street. Another 30 mins to loop back round via Limehouse to get back to where I started.
Only good thing was the Victoria collection got binned because of the time.
Google maps reckon that to do that loop it’s 3 miles / 10 minutes.
In what? A helicopter??
Ouch.
was listening to the travel on radio 2 yesterday, and it sounded rubbish!
8wheels:
chilistrucker:
Don’t envy you that, with the tube strikes etc, i’m sure London was a joy.Site address was Whitechapel High Street, had planned to come down Commercial Rd A13 to A11 junction, site should be on left.
A13 rammed so came down A11 which was sticky, site on left but no visible gate, turn left onto Leman St look for entrance. Possible entrance via Buckle St but other delivery vehicles waiting so cut round via Prescot & Mansell to have another look. Second time around spot a gate at the bottom of Commercial Rd, so down to the Highway head out to the Limehouse and come back down the A13 as originally planned albeit much much later.
Get to Whitechapel fire station on 3hr 48min and spot a red route ■■■■■■■■■■■■ 200yds from gate. Stop for a 45 and walk to gate, no one on the gate but a contact number. Get told entrance via Buckle Street.
45 mins later pull off and head for Buckle Street. 30 mins later Park in load bay and wander about, deffo not right, phone back the contact and get told sorry should have said Commercial Street. Another 30 mins to loop back round via Limehouse to get back to where I started.
Only good thing was the Victoria collection got binned because of the time.
Google maps reckon that to do that loop it’s 3 miles / 10 minutes.
I used to like London, but that ^^^^^^^ Ladies and Gentlemen, is why I’m so grateful I’ve only been twice in the last 4 years. And that’s twice too many as far as I’m concerned.
What a prick of a place
8wheels:
But it was nice to see an AEC Regent on service duties, along with some more modern Routemasters, and DMS buses.
The RTs, Routemasters and DMS are all owned by Ensign Bus on Juliette Way in Purfleet. One of their barns is chock-full of old London buses that they either have restored, are restoring or will restore. The Newman family, who own Ensign, made their fortune back in the 1980s when all the DMS Fleetlines came out of London well before their time was up, as they very shrewdly bought a couple of thousand and sold them on at a chunky profit. They are nice people.
Some of the stuff they have tucked away has to be seen to be believed. There are buses in there which they’ve brought back from America, the Caribbean and goodness knows where else.
Doesnt seem that long ago, that if travelling to Kent/Essex from these parts,you had no choice but to go through London village.
Actually quite enjoyed it in those days,the traffic was a bit busy but if you hit London by 6:00 it was more or less a clear run through.When the M25 was completed,it was still quicker to go through the middle,but then all the lorry ban/restrictions came in you had no choice but to go around.
The very first vehicle I drove aged about 8 was an RT at North Weald Airshow, you paid a pound and drove it 100 yards or so, round the corner and back again. Pretty cool stuff.
Should have got the EOR to wheel this one down there.
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BOYCOTT THE DUMP !!!
full of self important ■■■ wipes,dont want lorries,fine,pick it up on the outskirsts and everyones happy 
I used to drive for a bakery in central London 25 years ago. It was ok, busy but passable. it’s a wee bit slower now but what the heck…you still get through. I don’t get the mentality of any driver who complains that there’s traffic on the road…of course there is, and you are the traffic!
big boots:
BOYCOTT THE DUMP !!!full of self important ■■■ wipes,dont want lorries,fine,pick it up on the outskirsts and everyones happy
Totally agree, I’ve been saying that for years.
Best thing that could happen to that ‘Dirthole’ is for the Woolwich Barrier to break, then let all the Filthy Seawater in, then the barrier could work again, for half an hour only to break again & get stuck for the next 15 years (I’ll be retired then 
) Trapping all the Dirty Seawater & Sewage, drowning all the Rats & rendering the place useless.
Or just Nuke it 
I use to deliver class two into london, places on piccalilly, fortnum & masons on jermyn street etc, the only thing that made it worth the hastle was seeing some of the women there. That’s the only thing I miss about driving class 1 
I went both days of the tube strike. Absolute hell. 1h50mins to do 5.8 miles. Usually do 3 drops, but not this week, 5 both days. Ran out of hours 40 miles away from base on day 2.
Had deliveries of construction gear Thursday and Friday morning to just off Park Lane. Left Scratchwood services at 6.00 both mornings and was “on-site” before 7.00 both days. Pot of tea and cheese butty while waiting for the site chaps to arrive, watched the houehold cavalry, saw the site of Florence Nightingale’s house, and had some fascinating conversations with the gentlemen of the Met on duty outside the Egyptian embassy. Heavy traffic? Paid by the hour, not worried.
8wheels:
The very first vehicle I drove aged about 8 was an RT at North Weald Airshow, you paid a pound and drove it 100 yards or so, round the corner and back again. Pretty cool stuff.
Delivered an exchange generator there a few weeks ago to the flying club. Watched a Chinook practicing evasive landing/take-offs, had a look at a pair of what I think are Douglas DC3s ( (the tailfins are just visible above the hedge by the s/b hard shoulder of the M11), and had a good nosey at some old Russian single engined planes that are still regularly flown, while I was waiting to transship a load from a subbie. We spent the night on the airfield parked where the Norwegian airforce were stationed during WW2, slit trenches and all. They have some original WW2 wooden huts which are decked-out in period style as a canteen and a refurbed nissan (sp?) hut set up as a bar. Me and said subbie had a beer in the company of the local motorbike club. Had an entertaining evening in good company, most of whom were over 60 years’ old!! I’ll be 50 in a few weeks and I reckon I was the youngest in the hut!
Another interesting day and the main reason why I love the hiab work. Always something different.
It is surprising just how well an RT keeps up with modern traffic in Central London when in service. It’s not at all uncommon to be pulling round the modern buses at stops because they are holding you up. Apart from the heavy steering when fully loaded they are a real pleasure to drive. What is even better is that you have no contact whatsoever with the passengers except the odd numpty who comes to the front looking for how to get on!