Planning to go to Kelvedon Nuclear Bunker (http://www.japar.demon.co.uk/
postcode CM15 0LB) next Thursday. Live near Plaistow, so planning to get a
bus to Stratford, then either the One train to Brentford, or the tube to
Epping, and then catch the 501 Townlink as it says on the bunker's website.

However, when I try on Journeyplanner.org, it says that the whole journey
will take 3 hours each way, and will involve a 50 minute walk from Kelvedon
Hatch town centre to the bunker. But none of their routes appear to mention
the 501 Townlink, making me think that they clearly mustn't have that route
on their system.

So my question is:

(a) does the Townlink take you straight to the bunker or does it still
involve a 50 minute walk from the town centre? I assume that the
Journeyplanner.org site said it takes so long because they don't appear to
list the Townlink service.

(b) is there a 501 Townlink timetable I can see online? I Googled it, and
found nothing useful

(c) a day travelcard covers you for all London bus journeys even if not in
the same zone, but is the 501 Townlink considered a London bus journey. I
know it's technically in Essex, but a lot of other buses in the area are
indeed London buses and would be covered, I believe.


If it's a major hassle, I guess I could get a taxi from Brentwood or
Shenfield, which would cost £16 return, but would clearly rather pay a quid
or so for a bus if it's reliable and takes you straight there!

Tristán White wrote:
Planning to go to Kelvedon Nuclear Bunker (http://www.japar.demon.co.uk/
postcode CM15 0LB) next Thursday. Live near Plaistow, so planning to get a
bus to Stratford, then either the One train to Brentford, or the tube to
Epping, and then catch the 501 Townlink as it says on the bunker's website.

However, when I try on Journeyplanner.org, it says that the whole journey
will take 3 hours each way, and will involve a 50 minute walk from Kelvedon
Hatch town centre to the bunker. But none of their routes appear to mention
the 501 Townlink, making me think that they clearly mustn't have that route
on their system.

They don't: TfL coverage outside Greater London is patchy, generally
limited to airports and other sites of (they presume) special interest
to Londoners.

So my question is:

(a) does the Townlink take you straight to the bunker or does it still
involve a 50 minute walk from the town centre? I assume that the
Journeyplanner.org site said it takes so long because they don't appear to
list the Townlink service.

According to Transport Direct ( www.transportdirect.info ), the 501
takes you to Langford Bridge Garden Centre, which is a 3 minute walk
from the bunker.

(b) is there a 501 Townlink timetable I can see online? I Googled it, and
found nothing useful

http://tinyurl.com/pamkz

(c) a day travelcard covers you for all London bus journeys even if not in
the same zone, but is the 501 Townlink considered a London bus journey. I
know it's technically in Essex, but a lot of other buses in the area are
indeed London buses and would be covered, I believe.

If it's not on the TfL planner, it's unlikely (remember Epping tube is
only in the zone system because TfL has a subsidy deal with Essex
County Council). The Arriva The Shires site doesn't make it especially
clear, although I'd suggest a look in case you find anything I've
missed.

http://www.arriva.co.uk/shires&essex

--
John Band
john at johnband dot org
www.johnband.org

"Tristán White" wrote in message
. 109.145...
Planning to go to Kelvedon Nuclear Bunker (http://www.japar.demon.co.uk/
postcode CM15 0LB) next Thursday. Live near Plaistow, so planning to get a
bus to Stratford, then either the One train to Brentford, or the tube to
Epping, and then catch the 501 Townlink as it says on the bunker's
website.

However, when I try on Journeyplanner.org, it says that the whole journey
will take 3 hours each way, and will involve a 50 minute walk from
Kelvedon
Hatch town centre to the bunker. But none of their routes appear to
mention
the 501 Townlink, making me think that they clearly mustn't have that
route
on their system.

I have serious doubts about JourneyPlanner's timings when used out of London
as they look for a postcode. Kelvedon Hatch 'town centre' is barely 15
minutes walk from the bunker itself but along the busy road. If you do get
dumped in KH you might want to consider walking in the roadside field
instead.

I would suggest taking the Tube from Stratford to Epping (30 minutes) and
then the 501 towards Brentwood (about 20 minutes). Clearly specify that you
want the Secret Bunker and buzz the driver after you pass the Wyevale Garden
Centre outside Ongar to remind them. IIRC there is a bus stop near there or
if the driver is good they'll pull up outside the gates.
http://www.arriva.co.uk/shires&essex are the firm, search for Epping 501
service.

Nick P



--
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On Thu, 05 Oct 2006 08:38:11 -0500, "Tristán White"
wrote:

Planning to go to Kelvedon Nuclear Bunker (http://www.japar.demon.co.uk/
postcode CM15 0LB) next Thursday. Live near Plaistow, so planning to get a
bus to Stratford, then either the One train to Brentford, or the tube to
Epping, and then catch the 501 Townlink as it says on the bunker's website.

There's a load of good information on the Essex County Council website
via this link.

http://www.essexcc.gov.uk/vip8/ecc/E...guideOid=15603

--
Paul C

On Thu, 05 Oct 2006 08:38:11 -0500, "Tristán White"
wrote:



(b) is there a 501 Townlink timetable I can see online? I Googled it, and
found nothing useful

On the Essex CC site - try
http://www.essexcc.gov.uk/applicatio...lanner/bus.htm

John B wrote:

Tristán White wrote:
Planning to go to Kelvedon Nuclear Bunker [...]
(snip)

However, when I try on Journeyplanner.org, it says that the whole journey
will take 3 hours each way, and will involve a 50 minute walk from Kelvedon
Hatch town centre to the bunker. But none of their routes appear to mention
the 501 Townlink, making me think that they clearly mustn't have that route
on their system.

They don't: TfL coverage outside Greater London is patchy, generally
limited to airports and other sites of (they presume) special interest
to Londoners.

Which, IMO, is fair enough - TfL 'do' Greater London - one must look to
other sources for journey info elsewhere. But read on...

So my question is:

(a) does the Townlink take you straight to the bunker or does it still
involve a 50 minute walk from the town centre? I assume that the
Journeyplanner.org site said it takes so long because they don't appear to
list the Townlink service.

According to Transport Direct ( www.transportdirect.info ), the 501
takes you to Langford Bridge Garden Centre, which is a 3 minute walk
from the bunker.

I've used Transport Direct before and found it useful if somewhat
clunky. However the south east bureau of Traveline [1] (each region is
operated quasi-independently) uses the same journey planner engine as
TfL [2] (i.e. the same software & interface) which I like, replete with
the facility to get PDFs of bus timetables and the clear PDF maps it
creates that feature on TfL's journey planner. I recommend it.

The 501 bus is the route given when I queried the journey planner for a
journey from Epping to the bunker (using the bunker's postcode). In
addition the full timetable for the 501 bus can be retrieved.

The information from the Traveline bureaux *might* be more accurate as
the bus operators are one of the partners in each regional partnership
that runs each regional bureaux [3].


(b) is there a 501 Townlink timetable I can see online? I Googled it, and
found nothing useful

http://tinyurl.com/pamkz

This is also available from Traveline SE - look under timetable search
at the top. The fomat of the timetable means it looks a bit different
but the timings are all the same.

The 501 isn't part of the London Buses network (it's too far out), so
you'll just have to stump up the fare so take some change with you.
Remember that sometimes you can buy a cheaper return ticket on your
outward journey so you can but ask.

Enjoy the bunker - it's a massive excavation, and a fascinating day
out.

I once read or heard somewhere a theory that the Epping - Ongar stretch
of the Central line was kept going, despite its very poor patronage, on
the request of central government because it would've provided
conveniant rail access to the bunker from central London, should the
decision ever have been made to man it. I don't think that's an
entirely ludicrous theory - and its demise after the end of the cold
war (in '94) would fit in to such a theory.

What is ludicrous however is the notion that any of the plans for the
continuation of government would actually have worked.

-----
References

[1] Traveline National portal with map showing each region
http://www.traveline.org.uk/

[2] Traveline South East journey planner
http://www.travelinesoutheast.org.uk/

[3] About Traveline - see "Who runs Traveline?" q&a
http://www.traveline.org.uk/about.htm

Ken wrote:
On Thu, 05 Oct 2006 08:38:11 -0500, "Tristán White"
wrote:



(b) is there a 501 Townlink timetable I can see online? I Googled it, and
found nothing useful

On the Essex CC site - try
http://www.essexcc.gov.uk/applicatio...lanner/bus.htm


Putting up a huge sign advertising "Secret Bunker" always makes me
smile. On the subject of signs there is one at Northampton General
Hospital that says "Family Planning Centre. Use rear entrance".

Enjoy the visit to Kelvedon; always something new to find..

Thanks ALL of you for your helpful links, info on Shires & Essex and
timetables and the like. THANK YOU.

I would suggest taking the Tube from Stratford to Epping (30 minutes)
and then the 501 towards Brentwood (about 20 minutes).

I can get a One train from Stratford to Brentwood and get the 501 from
there too. I guess that's faster? or maybe not.

In article . com,
none wrote:

Ken wrote:
On Thu, 05 Oct 2006 08:38:11 -0500, "Tristán White"
wrote:



(b) is there a 501 Townlink timetable I can see online? I Googled it,
and found nothing useful

On the Essex CC site - try
http://www.essexcc.gov.uk/applicatio...lanner/bus.htm


Putting up a huge sign advertising "Secret Bunker" always makes me
smile. On the subject of signs there is one at Northampton General
Hospital that says "Family Planning Centre. Use rear entrance".

or the one in Edinburgh: Warriston Crematorium - One Way Street.

--
From KT24 - in "Leafy Surrey"

Using a RISC OS computer running v5.11

"Tristán White" wrote in message
. 109.145...
Thanks ALL of you for your helpful links, info on Shires & Essex and
timetables and the like. THANK YOU.

I would suggest taking the Tube from Stratford to Epping (30 minutes)
and then the 501 towards Brentwood (about 20 minutes).

I can get a One train from Stratford to Brentwood and get the 501 from
there too. I guess that's faster? or maybe not.

TBH, it's probably a little bit quicker your way. Definite upside is that
the bus stops on the right side of the road for the bunker when coming from
Brentwood.

Nick P



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