RT3148 was next out on a Sevenoaks-bound 431, so after a pint in the Three Horseshoes I walked down towards Bowen's Yard.
I didn't get far: RT3148 came up the hill towards me and I joined it.
The green machine paused at the Pound, of course, to load for a round-trip to Sevenoaks.
Then we were off, turning left away from the Pound and along through the top of the village to reach Star Hill Road.
We passed by the back exit of Fort Halstead, and made a controlled descent of Star Hill,
down to the broad valley below the chalk downs. Soon we were down into Dunton Green,
and made a stop at the Dukes Head, to pay tribute to the memory of Dunton Green Garage.
All that there is there now is a row of houses.
Peter Aves drove us on into Sevenoaks. No queue at Riverhead today - the M25 has brought SOME benefits! We passed the station and climbed up into the town, where we visited the new bus station. As new bus stations go it has some character - in many towns there now are none anyway, as the land has been sold for "development".
The blinds on the RT were reset for the return trip.
We rumbled down through Sevenoaks and on through Riverhead and Dunton Green. I went upstairs for the climb of Star Hill.
Knockholt Pound held a trio of GSs when we reached the Three Horseshoes: visiting GS15, Cobham's GS34 and Alan Charman's GS62, clustered around the tiny triangle outside the pub.
I stayed on the RT, hoping that perhaps it might do a 431 or even 431A trip via Halstead, but it was not to be. It seems that it had changed to a 471 at Knockholt while I was looking at the GSs. We went straight down Rushmore Hill to Pratts Bottom, and thence to Green Street Green and Orpington Station. At Green Street Green I sneaked a shot of First's DMS456 as it stood on its terminal spot.
All photos by Ian Smith. Click on most of them for a larger picture.
Back to Ian's Bus-stop
Part 4: Fort Halstead
Part 6: RFs on the 431 and 471