London visitor

The issue of numbering London’s bus routes is a thorny one. The system is not an entirely logical enterprise — being one which has evolved and mutated over many years.

Like our fair metropolis, some of the best bits of the haphazard scheme (like historic precedent) have been preserved, while certain useless elements have been jettisoned (laters, suffixes).

So, when did London first get numbered bus routes?London’s bus routes first started being numbered in 1906.

Before then, in Victorian times, passengers would recognise their bus by its distinctive coloured livery and line name, much like we do today with our tube lines. Buses had the two termini painted on the sides to indicate their route.

Then, a George Samuel Dicks from the London Motor Omnibus Company noticed the line name ‘Vanguard’ was very popular, and decided to name all his lines Vanguard, adding a number for the company’s five routes 1 to 5.

It caught on. Other operators realised numbers were easier for the public to remember, and so the practice spread. For another 18 years, there was no universal system in place; independent operators simply chose the numbers themselves.

Imposing order on London’s buses: the Bassom Scheme

In 1924 the London Traffic Act was introduced; one of its features was a numbering scheme for London’s buses.

The Met was then responsible for allocating route numbers to buses. The system was known as the Bassom Scheme, after the then-Chief Constable of the Metropolitan Police responsible, A. E. Bassom. Under the scheme, double-decker bus routes were numbered 1 to 199; single-decker routes from 200; and trolleybuses from 500.

This system was revised in 1934 when London Transport was formed, and the task of numbering routes returned to the people who worked in the transport industry. But historic numbers for routes stuck, even if the buses serving them were changed from single to double-decker, or vice versa.

What does the bus numbering system look like today?

Today, numbers 1 to 599 are for your everyday day routes; school day services are numbered 600 to 699; 700 to 899 are for regional and national coach services.

As this fascinating email explains, TfL tries to work sympathetically with the transport solutions of the past when numbering new bus routes in London. As London has grown and evolved, so more routes have been added; thus there’s not really any chronological — or much geographical — order to the numbers.

Blogger Mark Hadfield asked TfL about the number 55; in his email reply, the anonymous TfL employee explains that the 55 came from tram 55, replaced by trolleybus 55, that had run along Old Street to Hackney, and then evolved into today’s bus route 55, from Oxford Circus to Leyton, along its predecessors route.

Similarly, the 207’s history can be traced back to what was once Tram 7 between Uxbridge and Shepherd’s Bush Green. That tram was replaced by trolleybus 607 in 1936 (the ’60-‘ coming from the Bassom Scheme), and subsequently by ‘motor’ bus 207 in 1960.

Today’s 207 is the fifth busiest route in London, and runs between Southall and White City bus station.

«When we introduce a new route — or make alterations to an existing route by splitting it — the last digit or digits of the historic ‘parent’ route are used wherever possible, so that passengers might associate the incoming route with its predecessor,» says that anonymous TfL worker.

So, when the 53 between Plumstead and Lambeth North was split into two sections in 2003, the new part became 453, between Deptford Bridge and Marylebone.

What about those bus route letter prefixes?

Prefixes first came into use in 1968, under London Transport. Some prefixes have straightforward meanings: C stands for Central; X stands for Express routes; N denotes a Night Bus.

With others, the prefix letter designates the place around which the route clusters. So P for Peckham for routes P4, P5, and P13; E for Ealing in series E1 to E11. Then there’s the now-defunct RV1 — a nod to the river it used to hug along its route; and the G in south London’s G1 is for St George’s Hospital.

Do you remember suffixes on bus routes?

Bus route numbers with letter suffixes were gradually abolished over the years, but they were in use for many years. The last suffixed route in London was the 77A, between Aldwych and Wandsworth, which became the 87 in June 2006.

Ever done a double-take at an unexpected or mysterious-looking London building? Here are the stories behind some of the most puzzling examples…

1. Chinese Garage, Beckenham

Once a petrol station and now a car showroom, this pagoda-style garage and its lantern-filled garden first popped up on a suburban roundabout in 1929. Why? Well, why not? Local legend has it that the one-time shipping magnate who owned the land was inspired by his travels in the Far East.

2. Shurgard lighthouse, Norbury

We first encountered this somewhat baffling sight during a particularly tedious bus journey between Croydon and Streatham – but it turns out there are several similar beacons at other Shurgard Self-Storage centres across the capital. The lighthouses are purpose-built into the warehouses to convey security and innovation, apparently. Well, it’s good to have a gimmick…

3. The Victorian Bath House, Bishopsgate

Hold up, we hear you cry: what’s that Turkish bath house doing in a City churchyard? Nowadays, it’s a fancy party venue – but from 1895 until 1954, this exotic little gem operated as a men-only baths. Having survived the Blitz and numerous redevelopments – not to mention an undignified stint as a storehouse – it’s now Grade II-listed and beautifully renovated.

4. Brunel’s Water Tower, Crystal Palace

This curious foliage-smothered ruin on Anerley Hill is all that remains of a 284ft-tall water tower – one of a pair designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel that sat at either end of the old Crystal Palace. Their purpose? To feed the many fountains. Both towers survived the huge fire that destroyed the palace in 1936 – but were pulled down at the start of the second world war due to fears they would serve as landmarks for the Luftwaffe.

5. The Treatment Rooms, Chiswick Park

This three-storey house in leafy Chiswick is the home of artist Carrie Reichardt, and the mosaic-covered exterior is a technicolour work-in-progress by Carrie and fellow creatives from around the globe. There’s an equally eye-catching tiled pick-up truck and London taxi parked outside — plus an early work by street artist Stik on the garage doors.

6. 23-24 Leinster Gardens, Bayswater

You’ll need to be fairly eagle-eyed to spot what’s weird about these two upmarket Victorian houses. Give up? It’s the greyed-out windows (and no letterboxes). While there’s plenty going on behind the net curtains on the rest of the terrace, numbers 23 and 24 are false facades. They were built in 1868 to mask the Metropolitan line extension – and accompanying smoke from the steam trains – that cut through the middle of the terrace.

7. The Pagoda, Blackheath

This show-stopping house, with its gabled Chinese-style roof, is thought to be the work of Sir William Chambers, the celebrated architect behind Somerset House and the Kew Gardens pagoda. It was built in around 1775 as a folly for the Duke and Duchess of Buccleuch, who lived nearby in now-long-gone Montague House – and later became home to Caroline of Brunswick, after the break-up of her marriage to the future King George IV. The Pagoda was used as a London County Council children’s home during the last century, but is now privately owned again.

8. Severndroog Castle, Shooter’s Hill

A small-but-perfectly-formed folly in the middle of Oxleas Wood, this ‘castle’ was built in 1784 to commemorate Sir William James, a politician and commander of the East India Company. The building has enjoyed mixed fortunes over the years, but is now fully restored and open to the public, offering top-of-the-turret views across London and seven surrounding counties.

9. Thin house, South Kensington

Breathe in… this end-of-terrace house on Thurloe Square is barely 7ft wide at the thinnest edge of the wedge – although it does widen out to a whopping 34ft. The reason for its odd shape? To accommodate the District and Circle line that runs directly behind the building. A one-room studio flat inside the house was recently on the market for £895,000.

10. Tower Subway, Tower Hill

Tucked away next to the Tower of London ticket office, this innocuous-looking round building stands on the site of the original northern entrance to the Tower Subway – a 19th-century pedestrian walkway beneath the Thames. The 7ft-wide tunnel unsurprisingly plunged in popularity when Tower Bridge opened in 1894, and is now used to carry telecommunications cables.

11. Shell huts, Victoria

Lower Grosvenor Gardens has been home to two much-admired shell-covered huts since 1952. That’s when the gardens were given a Gallic makeover by Jean Moreux, architect-in-chief of the National Monuments and Palaces of France. Designed in the style of 18th-century fabriques – the French term for ‘follies’ – the huts showcase shells from the beaches of England and France. Now as then, they’re used to store gardening equipment.

12. Russian Orthodox Cathedral, Gunnersbury

Many a car or coach passenger on the A4 has been momentarily distracted by the unexpected sight of a glorious blue and gold dome peeping out between the more common-or-garden West London rooftops. This – to use its not-so-snappy full name – is the London Russian Orthodox Church Abroad’s Cathedral of the Dormition of the Mother of God and the Royal Martyrs. It’s been open for worship since 1999, and guided tours are available on request.

13. Croydon Water Works

This Grade II-listed water tower and pumping station in Exchange Square were completed in 1866. The building has been empty for a good long while, but Historic England and Croydon Council are reportedly considering various ideas for its future use. In the meantime, local street artist Rich Simmons has decorated the tower with a much-admired mural of the paparazzi taking snaps of Princess Diana.

St Bride’s Church on Fleet Street is a Christopher Wren church built after the Great Fire of London. It’s the journalists’ church, and the spire is the original inspiration for tiered wedding cakes. It is a City of London working parish church and welcomes visitors as a heritage attraction too.

NOT THE FIRST

This wasn’t the first church at this location or even the second. It’s the eighth!

ROMAN

The history goes back 2000 years as there may have been a Roman villa here that was used as a place of Christian Worship which could be why St Brigid, or her followers, founded a church here in the fifth century.

The crypt has a small museum, but you also see the remains of a Roman pavement dating back to around AD 180 and a range of Roman artifacts that were discovered on this site.

MEDIEVAL

The first stone church was built here in the sixth century and survived for three centuries. The next building lasted until 1135 and was followed by its twelfth-century successor which had an impressive tower from which rang one of London’s four curfew bells.

Between the 11th and 13th centuries, the population of London increased significantly, from less than 15,000 to over 80,000. By the year 1200, the capital city was, in effect, Westminster, a small town upriver from the City of London, where the Royal Treasury was located, and financial records were stored.

St Bride’s was a significant building between the City of London and Westminster. In 1205, the Curia Regis, a council of landowners and ecclesiastics (in effect, a predecessor of today’s Parliament, charged with providing legislative advice to King John), was held in St Bride’s. And in 1207, King John held his Parliament at the church.

The wealthy bequeathed money to pay priests to pray for their souls. The less wealthy joined parish guilds which provided similar benefits. The Guild of St Bride was confirmed by Edward III in 1375, and 100 of its members still serve the church.

The crypt has on display the remains of the churches that stood on this site between the 11th and 15th centuries and examples of medieval floor tiles, roof tiles, stonework, glass, and other artifacts from the period. The Eagle Lectern that is still in use was rescued from the medieval church.

PRINTING

In 1476, William Caxton, a merchant, businessman, and diplomat, brought to this country for the first time a printing press that used moveable type. He set it up on a site adjacent to Westminster Abbey. It is said that modern advertising began when Caxton wanted to sell a service book and produced a memorable poster.

After Caxton’s death around the year 1492, his press was acquired by his apprentice, the printer Wynkyn de Worde, who was dependent upon printing for his livelihood and needed to ensure its commercial viability.

At the time, the area around St Bride’s had become a haven for clergy, who were unable to afford the high cost of living in the very heart of the medieval city. Since the clergy possessed almost a monopoly of literacy in those days, alongside the lawyers who were also based in the area, they were the printers’ best customers. So Wynkyn de Worde followed the best commercial principles and moved his business to the customer base, setting up his printing press in the churchyard of St Bride’s in 1500.

Wynkyn de Worde was buried at St Bride’s in 1535, and a plaque commemorating his life can be seen in the church. St Bride’s is also proud to possess an original example of Wynkyn de Worde’s printing, dating from 1495.

GREAT PLAGUE

During the Great Plague of 1665, the Court of Charles II plus lawyers, merchants, doctors, and many clergy fled the city in fear. But the poor had to stay, and 2,111 people died in St Bride’s parish (100,000 Londoners lost their lives – 20% of its population). The vicar of St Bride’s, Richard Peirson, chose to remain. At the height of the plague in September 1665, Peirson buried 636 people within a month – 43 of them on a single day. The dead included two of his Churchwardens.

Remarkably, Peirson survived the plague, and he was succeeded as vicar in August 1666 by Paul Boston. Literally, two weeks later, another landmark disaster occurred.

GREAT FIRE OF LONDON

On 2 September 1666, fire broke out in the bakery of Thomas Farriner in Pudding Lane. Fanned by strong winds from the east, the fire spread rapidly. On 4 September 1666, the fire crossed the Fleet River (which today runs underground) and engulfed St Bride’s. All that could be saved from the fire was some fused bell metal – some of which can be seen in the crypt.

Vicar Paul Boston left £50 in his Will to the church, which purchased new communion vessels that are still in use today.

SIR CHRISTOPHER WREN

The Great Fire of London destroyed 87 churches. Despite Wren’s conviction that only 39 were necessary to serve such a small area, St Bride’s was among the 51 to be rebuilt.

The £500 required as a deposit by Guildhall to launch the project was raised in a single month: a remarkable effort, given that most of the parishioners had lost homes and businesses in the disaster.

Joshua Marshall, the King’s Mason, was the main contractor. He was a parishioner and also worked with Wren on the Temple Bar and the Monument. One of his assistants was the young Nicholas Hawksmoor, who was to become a renowned architect himself.

Construction started in 1671 and progressed quickly as Wren had built a hostel for the workmen nearby on Fleet Street. The Old Bell Tavern is still there.

Built from Portland stone, the church cost, apart from the steeple, £11,430, making it the third most expensive of all of Wren’s churches. Wren built over the remains of the previous six churches, thus forming extensive crypts.

By 1674 the main structural work was complete, and a year later, the church finally reopened for worship on Sunday 19 December 1675. St Bride’s was one of the first post-fire churches ready for worship. And Fleet Street was one of the first main roads to be substantially restored.

Shortly after opening, galleries were added along the sides of the west walls.

WEDDING CAKE SPIRE

A model of Wren’s original plan for the steeple can be seen on the font inside the church. (The font is from St Helen’s, Bishopsgate.) It was a much shorter cupola design without the additional tiers. In the end, the 234 ft steeple – Wren’s tallest – was completed in 1703.

It was struck by lightning in 1764 and lost 8 feet of height, bringing it down to 226 ft. George III was upset about this, and one of the people he called upon to advise him was Benjamin Franklin. Unfortunately, Franklin and the monarch did not agree. The king insisted the new lightning conductor should have blunt ends, while Franklin thought pointed ends were more effective. This led to political pamphleteering about ‘good blunt, honest King George’ and ‘those sharp-witted colonists.’ It can’t have helped having two leading figures showing public political tempers so close to American Independence.

William Rich was an apprentice to a baker near Ludgate Circus. He fell in love with his master’s daughter. When he set up his own business at the end of his apprenticeship, he won her father’s approval for her hand in marriage. Rich wanted to create a spectacular cake for the wedding feast and took inspiration from the spire of St Bride’s church. He created a cake in layers and began the tradition of the tiered wedding cake. Until his death in 1811, he made a small fortune peddling cakes under its design. Both William and Susannah are buried at St Bride’s.

Fortnum & Mason won our Store Wars, when we pitted London department stores against each other, so we decided to take a closer look at the historic Piccadilly shop. 

Food and drink is the store’s main focus, although homeware, beauty and fashion have found their way in in recent years.

The clock

Ever looked up on the front of the building and seen the clock? Weighing in at more than four tonnes, the clock comes to life every hour on the hour, when co-founders of the store William Fortnum and Hugh Mason take the time to bow to each other.

Candles

Food may be the store’s main focus now, but candles were where it started. A certain William Fortnum was a footman in the royal household of Queen Anne, a household which had a penchant for candles. The family insisted on having fresh candles every night, regardless of how much was left of the previous night’s candles, which meant a lot of half-used wax. Fortnum sold this wax on, making himself a profit and honing his business acumen which would come in pretty handy later on.  

Baked beans

Fortnum & Mason may be associated with the more prestigious foodstuffs, but back in 1886 it was the first shop in the UK to stock tins of baked beans. Other tinned foods had been available in the shop for a while, but baked beans were a new idea.

It bought the entire stock (five cases) of a new product, Heinz Baked Beans, from a salesman visiting from the USA, and sold the lot. Think of that next time you chow down on a full English.

The Scotch egg

Fortnum & Mason claims to have invented the Scotch egg, as a travellers’ snack, in 1738. The location of the store meant that it was on the route for lots of travellers heading west, so the staff created a travel-friendly snack of a hard boiled egg in sausage meat, coated in breadcrumbs.

The post office before the Post Office

The General Post Office was founded in 1839, before which sending letters was a bit of a free-for-all. Ever the enterprisers, Mr Fortnum and Mr Mason seized on this opportunity by providing letterboxes which were emptied six times a day. Soldiers and sailors received a discount.

A bee in your bonnet 

Since 2008, the Piccadilly rooftop has been home to four beehives, each six feet tall. A dedicated bee master is in charge of coaxing the bees to produce their annual crop of honey, harvested in September and sold in jars in store. Apparently the flavours of the honey «hint at the bees’ journeys through London’s nearby parks and gardens, including Buckingham Palace, Clarence House and Green Park».

For those who like their honey slightly grittier, more Fortnum’s hives were installed on a Hoxton rooftop in 2014.

There’s even a mug dedicated to the beehives, or why not splash out on an olive wood and sterling silver honey drizzler.

The Primark link

Fortnum & Mason and Primark seem about as far away from each other as you can get, but they are both owned by the same parent company.

Wittington Investments also owned Heal’s furniture until 2007.

Another of the best free things to do in London is see the big events. From annual parades to daily ceremonies, there are a lot to take in.

51. Changing the Guard

Witnessing the Changing the Guard ceremony at Buckingham Palace is one of the most classic London experiences.

It’s free to see the redcoats parading in formation, and it’s hard to beat the pomp and pageantry of it all.

51 Free Things to Do in London

So there you have it. 51 free things to do in London. I hope they keep you as busy as they’ve kept me.

As much as I love walking around, sometimes it’s worth slowing down and stopping to observe the city. Watching the world go by is a fun free thing to do in London, and there are some great places for it.

48. Regent’s Canal

Watching the canal boats go by from the steps outside Granary Square in King’s Cross is the ideal way to spend a sunny afternoon.

49. Piccadilly Circus

Watching the people go by and the lights flash on the big screens in Piccadilly Circus is another good way to absorb the London scene.

50. South Bank

Watching the world go by on the South Bank is a great way to soak up the city. From the performers to the London Eye, the riverboats to the festivals, there’s always something exciting going on here.

I love exploring London neighborhoods, and one of my top picks for free things to do in London is getting lost in a different one every day.

42. Hampstead

Hampstead has always been my favorite part of London, and this leafy village is the perfect place to spend an afternoon meandering. The atmosphere here is hard to beat.

43. Richmond

Richmond is a great area to explore, too. Its riverside location makes it the ideal spot for a waterfront walk on a sunny day. The aforementioned Richmond Park is perfect for picnics, too.

44. Greenwich

Greenwich is full of maritime history and free museums and parks, so it’s an ideal place to explore if you want a mix of pretty streets, great views, and London history.

45. Dulwich

South London is underrated, and Dulwich village is worth a special trip. This area is full of beautiful houses, parks, and picture galleries. Neighboring East Dulwich has great window shopping on Lordship Lane, too.

46. Notting Hill

Notting Hill needs no introduction. This is one of the most famous London neighborhoods, and for good reason. Its colorful houses, vibrant market, and beautiful side streets make it worth visiting over and over.

47. Covent Garden

Covent Garden is a great place to explore for its shops, cafes, courtyards, and entertainment. It’s at the heart of many of London’s cultural attractions, and colorful spaces like Neal’s Yard delight.

London’s street performers entertain locals and visitors from all over the world. From dancers and singers to actors and mimes, they put on shows for kids of all ages.

But it’s not just humans that entertain in London. There are floral displays all over the city that catch the eye and provide a pleasant distraction. Seeing them is one of the best free things to do in London.

39. Trafalgar Square

Trafalgar Square is a great place to see street performers in London. Not only does it have regular acts and chalk artists, but there are also free parades, events, and festivals in the square all the time.

40. Covent Garden

Covent Garden is famous for its entertainment, and the area in and around the covered piazza is always full of performers. Whether it’s Covent Garden Christmas carols or comedy, there’s something to see here year-round.

41. Belgravia

The floral facades in London’s Belgravia offer some of the most beautiful entertainment in the city. Elizabeth Street alone could keep my camera busy for hours.

Whether you love food or flowers, there’s a London market for you. Wandering through the markets and taking in the sights and scents is one of the most appealing free things to do in London.

29. Borough Market

Borough Market is the most famous market in London, not least for its wealth of culinary treats and treasures. If you love food, it’s the perfect place to go.

30. Broadway Market

Out in east London, Broadway Market is full of stalls selling fresh produce, prepared foods, and all kinds of other goods. It’s fun to pick something up and have a picnic in neighboring London Fields.

31. Columbia Road Flower Market

The Columbia Road Flower Market is one of the prettiest markets in London. This beauty has blooms galore and lots of shops to explore. It’s one of the best free things to do in London on a Sunday.

32. Portobello Market

Over in west London, Notting Hill‘s Portobello Market is famous for its antiques. It’s a great place to wander and pick up vintage treasures.

33. Old Spitalfields Market

Old Spitalfields Market is one of London’s great covered markets. Its stalls offer everything from handmade clothing to food and coffee.

34. Brick Lane Markets

Just down the road, the Brick Lane markets liven up Spitafields on Sundays as they take over the street with food, clothing, and artisan goods.

35. Exmouth Market

Exmouth Market sometimes has a street market and sometimes just has great shops and restaurants to explore. It’s worth a visit any day.

36. Camden Markets

The funky markets in Camden operate in a warren of tunnels and courtyards along the canals in north London. Camden Market is great for picking up unique finds.

37. Maltby Street Market

Maltby Street Market is just the place to indulge your inner foodie or go vintage furniture shopping. This market has great fresh food and hip shops under the railway arches.

38. Duke of York Square Market

The Duke of York Square Market is the perfect place to spend a Saturday morning in Chelsea. It’s next to the Saatchi Gallery, a contemporary art gallery that also offers free entry.

Some of the best views in London are free, and it’s worth seeking them out. From skyscrapers to parks, they’re great places to soak up the city skyline.

24. Sky Garden

The Sky Garden in the City of London has one of the most popular free views of London. Its terrace and cafe attract visitors from all over the world to see the views over the Thames.

25. The Garden at 120

Just down the street, The Garden at 120 on 120 Fenchurch Street also offers views of the city free of charge. It’s a good place to get a different perspective.

26. Primrose Hill

As far as parks go, Primrose Hill has great views over London from close enough that you can pick out the main attractions easily. It’s also a beautiful spot in its own right.

27. Parliament Hill

Up higher, Parliament Hill in Hampstead Heath has panoramic views of the city skyline. It’s a great place to go if you want a broad overview of London.

28. Greenwich Park

Greenwich Park might just have the prettiest view of London. The hill offers stunning views of Maritime Greenwich below and the skyscrapers in Canary Wharf across the Thames.