Heathrow And Hounslow (3)

But It Was A Bus Station

Although fbb rued the lack of  real bus station at Hounslow, reduced to two stands only, he should record that it was, not too long ago, a much more splendid edifice. in the 60s pictures hint at many more stands facing out on to Kingsley Road.

In the 70s the whole caboodle gained an overall roof.

It had skylights and strip lights aplenty - so what happened? A bit like the overall roof at Victoria, (also long gone) it was added in the early 1970s. and removed, says one published account, in the mid 2000s. Prophetcic or what? We haven't quite got there yet - maybe it means the mid noughties?

What is not explained anywhere easily accessible on-line is why most bus departures were removed and transferred to the High Street.

Ringing The Bell At The Bell

Also subject to change is the "traditional" town centre stop at Bell Corner. The Bell was a pub, oif course and an ancient one at that.

It was rebuilt in the early 1900s ...

... and stood at the top of Bell Road (surprise, surprise). 

This is/was where the Bath Road forked from the Stained Road, both important routes since ancient times. The building with the cupola still stands at Neals corner in the apex of the two roads.

Although the original "corner" is somewhat lost in road schemes and pedestrianisation ...

... The Bell is still there.

The bus stops are now well dispersed, many of them without even a glimpse of the pub which provides their name. Again the TfL spider ought to help, but it doesn't.

There is a similar collection of stops loosely called The Treaty Centre (it's Hounslow's shopping "mall") which are a challenge to the unfamilar mind of fbb.

And if you are trying to match the Treaty Centre to the very old map above, note that a new road parallel to Bell Road has been blasted through older property, and the former narrow Grove Road is where most of the Treaty Centre stops are ...

... apart from those that are off-piste on the Hanworth Road.

Hounslow To Heathrow Today

Bur, if we return to fbb's "stay indoors or else we'll come and get you" project to male a speculative GoTimetable Heathrow, we discover that the only bus from Hounslow to the central bus station atr "normal" times is service 111 routed in part away from the Bath roan and via Heston.

That makes good sense because most "normal" people would use the Piccadilly Line! Worthy of mention however is that the 111 does run all night, seven days a week. Its nocturnal trundlings are joined by a sort of Piccadilly Line "N" labelled night bus. This runs every 20 minutes (every 30 Sunday nights) and continues from Heathrow Central to Terminal 5.

Now, having cracked the maps situation, all fbb has to do is to process timetables which Transport for London resolutely refuses to publish - so it isn't all on line after all!

Three cheers for Robert Munster!

fbb will not be attacking TfL timetables unt1il there are signs of an end to the present crisis; but there is more challenge to he had in that department.

This Blog - This Crisis - This Policy

As the bus and rail industry collapses, there is less and less to fill the screens of this blog and any other. fbb will continue to produce something each day; but cannot promise much in the way of new material. There will be snippets of news and occasional major happenings but writing every day will become a challenge.

Don't shoot the pianist blogger - he is doing his best.

 Next "snippets" blog : Wednesday 8th April 

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Short(ish) Thought

The writer of Psalm 118 realised that the solution to mankinds prtoblems would not be solved by relying on mankind - something would always go wrong

And throughout history it always has done.

Religion isn't much use either.

Surprised to see this in writing? Throughout the Old Testament, the message from God via the prophets was that GOD HATES RELIGION!

Here is Amos ...

The Lord says, “I hate your religious festivals; I cannot stand them! When you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; I will not accept the animals you have fattened to bring me as offerings. Stop your noisy songs; I do not want to listen to your harps.

... and Micah.

What shall I bring to the Lord, the God of heaven, when I come to worship him? Shall I bring the best calves to burn as offerings to him? Will the Lord be pleased if I bring him thousands of sheep or endless streams of olive oil? NO.

So it comes as no surprise that the oft described "gentle Jesus meek and mild" went into the Temple and kicked out all the traders and con-artists. It was violent!

When they arrived in Jerusalem (the day after Palm Sunday), Jesus went to the Temple and began to drive out all those who were buying and selling. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the stools of those who sold pigeons. He then taught the people.

If "religion" doesn't work, then what does?

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