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