STL2377 in Wallington

Carshalton Running Day

Sunday April 15th 2007

Prepared by Ian Smith, 8th May 2007.


Part Five: 154: Carshalton Garage to Wallington

RF486 pulled back out onto Benhill Avenue, and pulled up close behing visiting GS42. RM938 came choggling along, wearing 654 blinds for the day, recalling the days when Carshalton was a trolleybus depot. The original Routemaster design brief included a trolleybus option. Can you imagine electric-powered FRMs still purring along the Uxbridge Road????

RF486 at Carshalton Garage. RM938 at Carshalton Garage.

RF406 came along next, heading for Sutton Garage from Wallington, and pausing at the Depot stop. I was watching for a 154 in the eastbound direction, and after a short while it appeared in the distance. It was Ensign's RT624, heading for Shotfield.

RF406 at Carshalton Garage. RT624 at Carshalton Garage.

Despite the conductor's offer to eject me back into the gutter I boarded, and went to sit behind the driver for the relatively short trip. This gave me the opportunity to admire his skill as he wound the bus along narrow suburban roads that were build without parked vehicles as a consideration.

Nearing Wallington we met DM1052 returning, heading for Morden Station.

Inside RT624, Carshalton. DM1052, Wallington.

I alighted at Wallington (Shotfield), and followed the bus round the corner at the traffic lights as it went off on its terminal loop. My next bus was the 234A from Wallington Station. I hadn't read the programme carefully, and duly headed north for Wallington Station. RML3 came through the station bridge dip, under the bridge that had originally precluded the passage of double-deckers before the dip was dug out.

RT624, Wallington. RML3, Wallington.

I walked round into the station approach. Here was a bus stand, but no sign of terminating buses. I re-read the timetable. Stop K was NOT here. I consulted a timetable board. Stop K was back by the shops I had passed on the south side of the dip. I walked back round onto the main road, and back through the dip. Modern double-deckers went past: a London General Volvo President (PVL280) on a terminating 151, and a Travel London Trident Alexander (TA20) heading north on a 157.

PVL280, Wallington Station. TA20, Wallington Station Bridge.

Short DAF Cadet DWS15 came through the dip on a 410 for Croydon and Crystal Palace. At least the route uses an appropriate number for the Country Route from Wallington to Croydon, although I can never dissociate the 410 number from the Westerham route. Coming down the other way was Blue Triangle's RT3871, representing the old order on the 157.

DWS15, Wallington Station. RT3871, Wallington Station Bridge.

I climbed up the other side of the dip in time to see my RF approaching stop K...

Part Six: 234A: Wallington, Hackbridge, Purley and Wallington

Photos by Ian Smith. Click on any of them for a larger picture.

Ian's Bus-stop Part One Part Four Part Six: 234A Hackbridge & Purley