We haven't heard anything further about plans for this day out in London for a while. I presume John is too busy compiling his route of pubs along the 38 bus route to have time to spare to post on the thread. So I thought I'd kick-start the discussion again.
I agree that starting at the north and working our way back into the city seems the sensible approach. The nearest real ale pub to the northern end of the 38 bus route appears to be The Clapton Hart. The last stop of the 38 bus is stop L on Lower Clapton Road, a few yards from the pub, which opens at 12 noon on Saturdays.
For those who want an earlier drink, there's a Wetherspoons on Liverpool Street station, with trains every 15 minutes to Clapton station (takes 10 minutes), which is just over the roundabout from the Clapton Hart, about a five minute walk.
I've been looking at trains to get me to/from London on 25th March. I can get one that arrives at St Pancras at 11:30, then underground to Highbury and Islington, then train to Hackney Central arriving at 11:58. It's then a 15 minute walk or 10 minute bus ride. Unless an earlier start is suggested? I don't think that would be fair on Old Boots and others who might be coming from even further away than Sheffield! So I'm going to book my trains and hope to see you all at the Clapton Hart between 12:10 and 12:30ish, depending on the punctuality of the trains.