The first run of the day was on the 36B, as far as Camberwell Green. At least, it should have been. Traffic control reported severe vcongestion in Lewisham as the result of a fire just off-route, so the decision was made to go via Brockley instead. So I was going to get a 179/141 routing in place of the 69/36B one. We set off into Catford. I had the top deck to myself, and quickly found that the front drop-lights worked, so that I could keep the windows clear from the scattered rain-drops. You cannot do that on modern buses!
As we headed past Catford Bridge and St.Dunstans, and up towards Forest Hill, it became clear that we had not avoided the jams. Buses came the other way: PVLs and VWLs representing the modern generation of low-floor buses, with their own kind of style and interest.
Turning right into Brockley Rise took us ages. We reached the Chandos (terminal for the erstwhile 36A), and the decision was made to head directly for Peckham. Another left turn took us towards Peckham Rye. We joined the 12 route, and crawled behind a bendi-bus for a while. An LDP - a Low-floor Dennis Plaxton - slipped past to take the back-roads eastwards. It seems odd that the earlier members of this class too are being sold off now as old!
Down in Peckham we joined the one-way system and headed west along Peckham Road, back on route for Camberwell Green. We put the blinds back up, and followed a 436 bendi-bus towards Camberwell.
Before we reached our short-working terminus RT1702 pulled into a stop for another photo-stop,
displaying the ultimate destination "West Kilburn" blinds for a few moments,
before the Camberwell Green went back on and we continued to the Green.
Not that the blind seemed to make much difference:
still the hands went out from members of the public at every stop,
even though we were going only two or so stops onwards!
We crossed Camberwell Green and turned left before the railway bridge to find the back-entrance to Camberwell Garage.
We had not lost time by our short-cut, so had a few minutes to spare before the return 36B.
With most of its allocation out on the road, Camberwell Garage was mainly inhabited by trainer vehicles:
blue double-decker NVs, and bright yellow Dart-Marshalls from Metrobus.
Part Two: 36B to Grove Park and back to New Cross
Bus Stop Part Two: 36B to Grove Park and back