227,228 Revisited

Sunday 30th November 2008

Prepared by Ian Smith, 19th December 2008.

228: Chislehurst to Sidcup Garage (RF429)

We changed the blinds on RF429 to the 228 route, for a garage journey. We changed the garage plates too, exchanging TB for SP.

RF489 was behind us. They were going for a run over the full 227 route to Crystal Palace.

We set off, across the common again to the War Memorial, then turned left towards Sidcup. We made our way along the straightened road, avoiding the wiggles of Perry Street, to cross the A21 and pass the hospital. We tried to remember what it was like here before the bypass and flyover, but I for one could not remember anything. In Sidcup we turned right to head for the site of the old garage, descending to cross the weak bridge (with permission). We looked for somewhere to turn, and turned left to do so. But returning to the main road we had to continue left: no right turn! But we turned a little further up, and came back to stand outside the old garage site.

228: Sidcup Garage to Chislehurst (RF429)

After standing for a few minutes, and changing the blinds again, we set off again, and climbed back up into Sidcup, and westwards to Chislehurst.

227: Chislehurst to Bromley Garage (RF429)

At Chislehurst we went round the loop, and paused at the Gordon Arms stop to change the blinds for the garage run to Bromley. We set off through the darkness, across the Common, across the valley to Bickley, and into the urban awfulness of Bromley. We could no longer go down to the Market Place and turn left of course, so we turned right along Tweedy Road, past Bromley North, to London Road, where we turned left to reach the Swan & Mitre. As we crossed the lights into the High Street we saw RF489 at the top of Swan Hill! They followed us along the High Street to the Market Place. We had to bypass Bromley High Street, so soon were climbing Masons Hill for the run out over Bromley Common to Bromley Garage.

At the garage both buses were allowed in, and turned to stand alongside each other inside. Then we were away: outside the garage we alighted to watch RF489 leaving too. The RFs set off into the night for their journeys home, while we retired to the bus stop opposite to catch a bus to Bromley.

Thanks to Colin Rivers and Alan Charman for the invitation to join them, and to Selkent, TfL and various councils for giving permissions. It was an excellent afternoon.

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

Back to Ian's Bus-stop Part One. Part Two. Part Three.