Eastbourne Regent V No69 was one of the buses that I had not rideen on today, although I have on several occasions at Hertford when Steven Woods has used it on the Saturday before the running day to check the trees on the 341 route. Nice to see it here on its proper stamping grounds, and in such delectable company.
Eastbourne Buses own the single-decker Regal, having owned it from new and then bought it back for restoration. They had a fifty year celebration for it in June 2000.
One of the other buses that I hadn't managed to ride in a very busy day was the Southdown Titan, RUF186. This immaculately preserved bus is also celebrating its jubilee, having gone into service in 1956 (six years later than the RT, incidentally). The wonderful bodywork is by the Chatham company of Beadle, who built bodies that greatly influenced the design of the Routemaster. Today it had been out to Polegate and back on Southdown route 15. Now it was time for it to set off homewards, just as the RF came in on a trip from the Miniature Railway.
Now the railway station rank looked quite empty, with just the Eastbourne Regent III, No42, next to the trains, and the London Transport Regal IV standing opposite. The Eastbourne Lion came in at the end of its day, before treating us to a purring departure.
No42 departed, and its place on the rank was taken by E69, back from its last tour of the seafront. No11 came back in too, and was posed alongside the big Refent for final pictures. Then it was time to head home, and we headed for the RF for the long haul back into Kent.
Many thanks to those who organised the day, and to those who did all the unglamorous jobs without which these days just would not happen. Spare a thought for them next time you are riding the cushions or taking the photos. Thanks!!
All photos by Ian Smith. Click on most of them for a larger picture.
Ian's Bus-stop
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Part 4
Part 5