De-Confusing In Desperation - An Interlude
We know that in 2022 London Buses route 472 was extended from Thamesmead to Abbey Wood Station. From the above picture, fbb surmises that it turned via Felixstowe Road on the south side of the stations buildings. It later moved to Gayton Road on the north side, presumably in response to the Elizabeth Line line envelopment of the station.
The buff coloured road, Harrow Manorway, was, at some stage raised up on a viaduct to pass, unhindered over the tracks, which makes it fun to get close to the station buildings.
Way back when, Abbey Wood station was a sweet, almost rural, stop on the main line east .
Traffic used a typical signal box controlled level crossing ...
... with bus stops nearby.
Here is a later view from that footbridge.
... by which time the station had gained a new building and a new footbridge, but sill quite dainty!
But look at it now!
A similar view along the platforms towards the much bigger station buildings shows the consequences of the trains with doors n regal purple!
The main entrance is now from atop the flyover ...
The station has gone big!
So our 472 and its successor the SL11 have to find their way to the north side of the line whereat the routes terminate. London Buses (aka Transport for London) provide us with maps of a sort. Here we arrive at Abbey Wood having gyrated round the Thamesmead estate "loop".
Here we reach the terminus cartographically.
Travelling southbound our terminating bus trundles across the flyover, passing the station entrance on the right ...
... then a long shelter which is the stop for non-terminating routes.
The N472 provides an all-stops night service after the express SL11 has gone home to its bed!
... and on to the station. where a sharp right .... 
TfL does have a Harrow Manorway stop in its list ...
... so the answer is not to rely on the all conquering Google - it is not always right!
Our SL11 (and before that the 472) continues along the flyover saying goodbye to the station and reaches a roundabout where the road reverts to ground level.
Here we perform almost a U-turn but not quite. This takes us down a slope to a cross roads ...
... deposits us in a large passenger shelter ...
... under the flyover; where our SL11 waits for its departure time. You will have noticed that there is a lift (and stairs) from bus stop to station entrance.
When that departure time comes, all we have to do is to find our way out!
Our departing SL11 ...
... exits the Abbey Wood wind tunnel and turns right; it can do no other! We strike south on Florence Road.
There is no way through straight ahead, so it's a right hander and back under the flyover.
Then we turn left on to the up ramp ...
... and back on ourselves at the roundabout ...
... and off over the flyover.
There is a stop just past the station ...
... and all are agreed that the SL11 stops there!
The SL11 and its predecessor, the 472, is the only bus to serve the darkness of the station stop under Harrow Manorway.
But it is not easy to work it out. If only the limited stop SL11 came with a map showing exactly where its limited stops were.
What? There is on? Please tell!
fbb will reveal all tomorrow.
Next SL11 and Variety blog : Sunday 9th Feb
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