Hertford, Stevenage & Harlow Running Day

Sunday 10th June 2007

Prepared by Ian Smith, 20th June 2007.

Part Five: Harlow & Bishops Stortford

715: Hertford to Broxbourne, RF48

As I walked across towards London Road I saw RF48 coming onto the far side of the roundabout. So I waited for it, and flagged it down as it approached. I climbed aboard for the short ride back to the bus station. We were soon loaded for the multi-section trip, and set off as a 715 to Broxbourne.

Wriggling round the corners out from the bus station we met RF627, already returning from its short trip to Hertford Heath.

Round the corner we met SNB449, and then RF600 waiting at the traffic lights with an inbound 350.

We set off up the London Road, but our navigator was too busy doing other things to call the right turn at the roundabout for Hertford Heath, so we found ourselves on the A414 dual carriageway. We turned down the A10, and managed to turn off at the correct exit for Hoddesdon, rejoining our expected route at the next roundabout - just where it deviates from the traditional route through Hoddesdon to avoid the town centre. Never mind, we had a mile of the old route as far as Broxbourne, where we turned left towards Harlow and stopped at a bus stop to change the blinds.

393: Broxbourne to Harlow, RF48

Quite why we were scheduled to come this far as a 715 rather than as a 393 all the way, I don't know. Anyway, the bus was redressed as a 393 to Harlow, and we set off again eastwards, down past the approach to Broxbourne Station and over the Lee Navigation. We rumbled on into Lower Nazeing, where we missed the turn for the 393 towards Clay Hill.

There was no convenient or even possible turning point. We continued along the 327 route through Bumbles Green and Nazeing Gate, and climbed the hill to Nazeingwood Common. We swept past the duckpond at the 327 terminus. We turned left at Broadley Common and rejoined the route a quarter-mile further on at a roundabout, where we turned right along the B1133 towards Harlow.

Harlow is always something of a mystery town to the passer-by, as all the housing is hidden away from the main roads behind green shelter belts. Anyway, we eventually pulled into the Central Area and found the bus station.

720: Harlow to Bishops Stortford, RF48

At Harlow Bus Station RF48 was redressed again, this time for the 720 Greenline to Bishops Stortford. We nearly lost the route again, this time because the instructions said turn left instead of turn right, soon after we left the bus station. But we corrected that error, and were soon leaving Harlow past Harlow Mill Station for the long straight road north.

We had a surprise when we reached Sawbridgeworth, for we met RF281 and RF269 on the previous service. They should have already been back in Hertford.

We pressed on up the Stort valley, into Bishops Stortford, where we wound through the town to find the Bus Station.

Bishops Stortford to Hertford, RF48

The return journey should have been a 350 via Much Hadham, Widford, and Ware. But the road was closed. All week I think, between Much Hadham and Widford. No simple diversions for a bus. So by dint of force majeure we were not going to get our 350. The blinds were put on anyway, although we went nowhere near the route.

We set off again, back down the 720 route to Sawbridgeworth, where we passed an Arriva bus on the 510 to Harlow fron Stansted.

Just past the village we turned off on the old 389 route to High Wych and Gilston. Just beyond the latter we joined the A414 dual carriageway and abandoned any pretence at following old LT routes on the run back to Hertford. We made our way in to the Bus Station. RF281 was still there after its run on the "350", and RF486 had just arrived back from Benington Green on the 384B.

Now it was time to find my next bus: RF308 to Welwyn..

Part Six: Hertford to Welwyn

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

Ian's Bus-stop One Two Three Four Part Six: Hertford to Welwyn