GS2 at Coldharbour

Dorking Running Day

Sunday August 29th 2004

Prepared by Ian Smith, 19th September 2004


Part Six: Departures

By the time that we got back to Dorking in GS2 most buses had gone home. The queues had gone, the stalls were packing up, and just a few buses remained to go, some to carry passengers homeward.

GS1 was still there, wearing the blinds from its late-afternoon foray to Holmbury St Mary on the 412. RF13 and RMC1476 were parked side-by side. Mike Dawes, having driven the RMC during the day, would soon be heading home in the RF.

Down at the bottom of the carpark stood RF633, dressed in 439 blinds. This would be departing at 1740, as a 414 to Redhill, whence it would head for Caterham on the 440.

GS1, 412 blinds RF13, RMC1476 RF633 off 439

RT3148 headed for home, soon followed by RML2456, the 1730 414 service through to Horsham.

RT3148 departs RML2456 departs on 414

Down next to the council offices RP21 and RF213 were ready to depart on 712 services towards London.

RP21 RF213

But now I went to find RF679, my ride home. We were due out at 1730 as the 439 to Redhill, via Leigh. We had to convince Colin, the driver, that we were supposed to go via Leigh, as we headed along the road towards Brockham with a handful of passengers for Redhill and Westerham. But he did turn off on the Brockham Road, and we stopped at a stop to put up the correct 439 blinds.

RF679 ready to leave RF679 in Brockham Lane

RF679 at Redhill We crossed the Mole, passed through Brockham Green, and presently turned left on the road to Leigh. We made the diversion through the village, squeezing past a Saturday-afternoon wedding at Leigh Church. Flanchford Bridge was passed without problem, and we turned left for Reigate Heath. We headed down through Reigate, and on to Redhill, where we pulled in to the bus station and reset the blinds to the 410 for the run to Westerham.

Old Oxted got a visit again, and we pulled up the long hill to Limpsfield Common before rolling down the valley to Westerham.

At Westerham our last passenger alighted, so we could head east without diverting via Sevenoaks. We passed through Brasted and Riverhead, and took the A25 to Wrotham, and thence the M20 eastwards through a torrential rainstorm that accompanied us most of the way home.

2004 system map Thanks to all those who contributed: organisers, owners, drivers, conductors, inspectors, programme-sellers, police, council officials, passengers...

especially Peter Aves, John Huxford, Colin Rivers, Alan Charman and the rest of the Country Bus Rallies team.

Buses (not all in service) included:


All photos by Ian Smith. Click on most of them for a larger picture.

Back to Ian's Bus-stop Part 1 Part 5 Part 6