Hertford, Hitchin & Stevenage

Sunday June 7th 2009

Prepared by Ian Smith, 25th June 2009.

East from Hertford

350A Hertford to Much Hadham and return, RF633

RF633 arrived at Bircherley Green off the 388 with Peter Aves driving and Laurie Akehurst conducting. RF 633 has been restored to conductor operation condition, which shows mainly in small details, such as the lack of a cash tray on the driver's internal door.

WE loaded up and hgeaded east out of Hertford, along the road to Ware. We met RT3871 thundering along on a 331 from Standon. We did not turn in over the level crossing to Ware, but did stop to drop off one passenger. We continued instead down the road beside the New River, out into the countryside towards Great Amwell.

We crossed the site of the old Amwell Crossroads - identifiable by the blocked off roads on each side - and turned left at the modern roundabout onto the road to St.Margarets. We crossed the level crossing at the station, and turned right with the main road through Stanstead Abbotts. A left fork took us onto the rural Bishops Stortford road, the B180. We rumbled east and north through Hunsdon, and paused in Widford for photos.

Then it was north along the Ash valley, through Hadham Cross to Much Hadham. Turning there was not made easier by the roadworks, but the reverse turn using a side-road was accomplished successfully, and the bus stood on the stop under the trees for a while.

Then the blinds were rewound, and we set off back south, the way we had come. In this direction we paused at Hunsdon, outside The Crown.

Homegoings, RF633

Back at Hertford there was another black cloud sitting over the town. It was much quieter now. Most of the trade stands had already gone, and there were just a few buses waiting to make homeward trips. RMC1500 had just finished on the 341, and RML2330 was ready to take out the return 310 feeder to Wood Green. RF366 was setting off on a late 350 run to Potters Bar, prior to a long journey home.

The Running Day finished as it had started, with RT3254 pulling into Hertford Bus Station.

I joined RF633 with Peter Aves for the long journey south to Swanley. We took it gently: it had been a long weekend. Before reaching the M11 Peter pulled in to a service station to refill the tank: the RF had run almost continuously and had drunk a lot of juice. We crossed the Queen Elizabeth Bridge over the Thames, and Peter took me round to Azalea Drive in Swanley for me to catch a train.

system map

Many thanks to all those who organised or participated in the Running Day. It takes several years of effort to plan and organise one of these days, and then things never go as planned, so contingencies have to be incorporated. Particular thanks, then to the CBR team, and to the owners/drivers. Thanks to those passengers and spectators who refrained from doing silly things that might result in permission to hold future events being withheld, and just enjoyed themselves. Thanks to those who gave all the necessary permissions too, bus companies, the police forces, the councils, the centre managers...

Buses that I noted:
GS2
RT3228, RT3254, RT3871*
RF4, RF281, RF308, RF366*, RF406*, RF429*, RF627, RF633, RF679
RM1*, RMC1476, RMC1500, RM1699*, RCL2330
MB641*
Eastbourne 69

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

Ian's Bus-stop Part One Part Two Part Three Part Four Part Five