The RT timetable seemed to be still well out of kilter when we arrived back at Horsham. Both red RT3871 and green RT3148 were parked at the Carfax, whereas the green RT should have been at Capel. Presumably the rescue trip had thrown the sequence out by a half-hour or so.
I enquired what was happening, and found that the green RT was about to depart for Capel, with the red one following a quarter-hour later. I looked aboard RT3148, and found that my favourite seats were already occupied. So I hoisted my bag aboard RT3871. It was time that I had a ride on this RT. Roger Wright has brought the bus out for all the last crew-days on the RMs for the last couple of years, as well as appearing at most of the Running Days. I chatted to him a bit, and he told me that he is planning a series of commercial services in Essex this year, on Sundays otherwise unoccupied by running days or rallies, on which to use his heritage fleet. (more details).
GS76 arrived to prepare for the 1345 trip to Horsham, and RT3148 departed. RF626 came in from Crawley on the 434.
I ensconced myself in the behind-the-bonnet seat on RT3871, and awaited departure. One of Arriva Surrey & West Sussex' Darts (DSL99, alias 3099) came in and paused at the bus stop briefly.
We set off, out of Horsham onto the old A24, northwards towards Dorking. Horsham via the 414 was the furthest south that I reached on a Green Rover as a youngster. I can remember thinking that we had almost reached Brighton! Now the red RT roared north, out of town to the by-pass, then along it to Warnham, and north along the country road, soaring and swooping along the switchback road. We passed through Kingsfold, and almost before we knew it were negotiating the roundabout at the south end of Capel. As we passed down through the village we met RT3148 coming back, and pulled into a bus-stop lay-by to let the green bus past.
It was decided to turn there. Most of the passengers alighted to watch the turn, then rejoined the bus at the bus stop and shelter on the southbound side of the road.
We headed back south, into the winter sunshine. We roared along the winding A24 back towards Horsham, then took the dual carriageway for the first stretch of the by-pass in order to reach the town.
I alighted at Horsham Station. I had calculated that by changing here I should be able to board the green RT on its way back out of town. As I waited other buses came and went. A Dart operated by Compass Rose arrived on route 17, and terminated at the station before heading off again, into town and on to Brighton.
RF626 rumbled through on a 434 from Crawley. It turned out that I would have had plenty of time to stay on the red RT, but eventually the big green machine rolled up the street and stopped to let me on.
I rode the platform with the conductor (Peter Larkham) on the way north to Capel. It was, as ever on an open platform bus, an exhilarating ride. The RTs don't do much above thirty miles per hour, but it surely feels faster!
At Capel we all alighted for a demonstration of an offside reverse turn, conductor assisted. This was executed superbly, the blinds were reset for Horsham and the passengers reboarded for the drive south.
I rode inside on the long seat on the way back. Riding inside an RT is a delight for the spirit! When younger I always rode on top, but now I prefer inside - perhaps it's the engine/transmission noises?
We paused for photos at Horsham Station, then pressed on round to the bus station,and up to Carfax.
Suddenly it seemed to be over. It was quarter to four, with GS62 due out to Ewhurst again at four, and another RT run to Capel imminent, but otherwise there was a bit over an hour to wait until five, when buses headed east for Crawley and home. Besides which, I needed something to eat.
All photos by Ian Smith. Click on most of them for a larger picture.
Back to Ian's Bus-stop
Part 3
Part 5: 434, Horsham-Three Bridges (RF679)