Barkingside High Street

 Barkingside High Road
Click on picture [154] for an enlarged version

From: "Alf Currey" <rascalrock@btinternet.com>

Picture 154 shows the recovery truck outside a space between the Chequers Pub [now renamed the "Olde Investigator" - something to do with it being opposite the nick] and the shops. There was a fruit and veg stall there then, and it is still there now, and trading daily.

From: "JOHN WELLS" <VIV@FULLWELL.DEMON.CO.UK>

The pub is now back to the 'Chequers'. The fruit n veg stall no longer there. Being built on, I believe some sort of housing.

From: "David Hamilton" <David.Hamilton@DCA.GSI.GOV.UK>

I can confirm that now in October 2006 the pub is thankfully again the Chequers, a french windows type doorway now exists in the front wall where punters can sit and enjoy their beer whilst watching the present day transport scene. A sea food bar still trades just to the side of the pub but the site behind has been infilled with a large block of flats which look slightly dutch and do not really sit happily with the pleasing 1930's shops alongside. The shop has yet to be let or fitted and is boarded up. Interestingly after all these years the old trolley stop which then was used by the 169 group of buses was removed in the summer of 2006 and now all Ilford bound buses share a stop outside what is now an Opticians branch of Boots.

On a personal note I was born in Barkingside and have lived here always, I can only relate to RT type buses but remember the 1970's when the driver only buses began to replace those on routes 169, 167 , 247a then the 129. The RTs remained on the 150 till 1976 when we got my favourite type the RM's at weekends and was around for the final RT run in April 1979 and have plenty of slides taken around this time. It is frightening to think it was now over a quarter of a century ago.

Most recent highlight was in 2004 seeing a RML type operate route 169a during the phasing out period when the bus worked some east end routes, again I would travel on the route to and from school int he 1970's but rarely had a RM to ride on, a shabby RT with no paint on the roof mainly. Happy memories and a pleasure to see the High Street at a time when I would have been gurgling in my pram!