Just after seven in the morning Peter Aves and I went to fetch GS2, parking the bus in Hertford Bus Station before returning to our hotel for breakfast. The only other bus around at that time in the morning was one of Trustline's 9.8m Dart/Plaxtons, (M150 HPL, ex-Metrobus/East Surrey), waiting round the corner from the bus station before going on rail replacement duty.
When we came back after breakfast the bus station was in a much fuller condition: Alan Charman had arrived in GS62 and was unloading equipment. Colin Rivers was there unloading RF679, and Peter set about unloading GS2. (All had materials for the CBR stall). Three green buses with open rear doors. At the south end of the row stood Arriva The Shires' 5451, a recently imported Trident from Southend, awaiting a turn on the 311, and at the other end was one of Sullivan Buses' smart Dart/Caetanos, DN7, on rail replacement duty.
The Dart departed for its railway duties, and its place in the row was promptly taken by red RM1699. It was 0910, time for our departure in GS2. Peter Aves and I were pleased to find that we had a reasonable number of passengers for this early turn, enthusiasts who had bought programmes in advance and so knew about this gem of a journey that occurs before the main event really gets going. Although I had been out on the similar journey (only earlier, and to Hitchin and back) last year, and along the route yesterday, it was still a wholly irresistable treat.
We set off round the town to Hertford North, where we came across another Dart / Caetano Nimbus. No, it was not the same one, but DN4 this time.
Just beyond the station we turned off onto the Bramfield Road, into the green tunnel. We paused briefly at Bramfield Post Office, then went on.
We went on. More green tunnel. We paused again at Bulls Green, just across the village green from The Horns public house.
We squeezed through to Datchworth Green and turned left, past the cricket green and out across the fields to Woolmer Green, where we joined the main road to Knebworth. Much to my surprise (so much camera shake the picture is unusable) we passed a south-bound service bus, the 301 Stevenage - Welwyn - Hatfield - St.Albans service, with one of the ex-Sovereign vehicles still in Sovereign livery in charge (Arriva The Shires took over the Sovereign operation in January). We reached Knebworth and turned the corner up under the railway bridge to the station, where we pulled into the station forecourt behind GS17. This had worked in from Hitchin as a 329A.
We set off on time, back along the 329 route. We wiggled through Woolmer Green and Datchworth Green, and stopped at Bulls Green for photos. Roadside photographers told us that GS17 had been through a few minutes ahead of us. Peter put the Bulls Green short-working blinds up for a minute or two, before redressing the bus with the correct Hertford destination blind. We went on to Bramfield, and stopped opposite the Post Office next to the telephone box.
We rolled on down towards Hertford, and down past Hertford North Station (a Trustline Dart SLF this time), and made our way round to the bus station. It was 1025, and the day's events were just getting underway. I had a half-hour before my next departure: just time to see what had arrived...
All photos by Ian Smith. Click on most of them for a larger picture.
Back to Ian's Bus-stop
Part 4: Hertford Interlude