Bus Route Of The Day 157: Crystal Palace to Morden Quadrant: London southwest Length of journey: 12 miles, 70 minutes
Because it's 15th July I've been out riding the 157, because that's the Bus Route Of The Day. Be warned I have a few of these up my sleeve as the week progresses, one from each quadrant. Also be reassured I won't be overdoing the reportage, focusing mostly on a brief stretch of each route.
The 157 is a perversely bowl-shaped route which links Bromley to Merton via Croydon and Sutton. That it still does this 60 years on is testament to the occasional need to bolt together several useful sections into an impractical meander. Double deckers emerge from Crystal Palace bus station five times an hour and tumble down Anerley Hill - the best view on the entire route - passing Betts Park where the Croydon Canal no longer flows. Then at Aldi the route makes its first big turn and shadows the 75 all the way to Croydon, three long miles whose highlights include South Norwood Clock Tower, Selhurst Train Depot and north Croydon's weird figure-of-8 gyratory. If you were heading to Morden you'd be much better off alighting at West Croydon and taking the tram. Beyond the busy town centre the 157 becomes the direct bus to Wallington, eventually dipping beneath the railway as it veers off for the last drive north. Crossing Carshalton Ponds is the pretty bit, then it's relentless suburbia up Wrythe Lane before catering to the unwell at St Helier Hospital.
There's not much rosy, nor hilly, about the elongated Rosehill roundabout. It acts as the hub of the ginormous St Helier estate, an overspill sprawl built by the LCC in the 1930s, just far enough from useful railways that the bus remains king. The 157 takes the direct route up St Helier Avenue, a pastoral dual carriageway lined by redbrick and pebbledash cottages, with occasional parking spaces for those thwarted by red route restrictions. At the borough boundary I see Merton have replaced their outdated waterwheel with their new tons-blander logo, fortuitously in Wimbledon colours. The bins are out for collection, the yellow cameras await any fool exceeding 30 and Wok Inc haven't yet lifted their takeaway shutters. Morden Hall roundabout toys with the unseen river Wandle and has been sponsored by Tax Link, your friendly local accountants. More and more buses funnel in as the Northern line approaches, then we duck left by the National Trust cafe to approach the heart of the town centre from the rear. Take your pick from Iceland, the emerald-fronted Irish bar or the tube to somewhere rather more substantial, with most passengers plumping for the latter.
