GS62 at Oxted

Westerham & Oxted Running Day

Sunday 21st September 2003

Prepared by Ian Smith, 2nd October 2003



Part 3: Late afternoon: Tatsfield, Chelsham & Oxted (GS62)

Back at Westerham I had a break and a sandwich, and watched the comings and goings for a half-hour or so. RLH48 was resting between highly popular forays to and from Godstone Green. RF679 came in from Edenbridge on a 485.

RLH48 at Westerham RLH 48 at Westerham RF679 at Westerham

NBC-liveried RT604 came in after another stint on the 410, followed by GS1.

RT604 at Westerham GS 1 at Westerham

403: Westerham - Tatsfield - Chelsham GS62 and SNC168

Apparently the last GS from Westerham each night used to work up Botley Hill to Chelsham as a 403, the only GS working on the route. GS62 was given the right blind, and with SNC 168 in attendance set off on this unusual working. The two buses drove up through the centre of Westerham, and took the right turn for Croydon, up the B2024. It was a steady gruelling climb up the hill, but the views across the valley below the chalk escarpment of the North Downs were superb. We turned in to Tatsfield, and pulled up by the Old Ship Inn for photographs.

GS62 and SNC168 leave on 403 GS62 and SNC168 at Tatsfield

SNC168 at Tatsfield (Old Ship) GS62 at Tatsfield (Old Ship)

Ours were not the only buses at Tatsfield on this Sunday afternoon. Sitting under the trees was a modern-day 464, in the guise of Metrobus' Dart SLF No.319. One of the photographers went over to speak with the driver, and he came round with his bus to pose beside GS62. Alan even found a 464 Tatsfield blind! The driver showed considerable interest in the fifty-year old Guy Special.

Metrobus 319 at Tatsfield 319 with GS62

But the buses then went their separate ways, the Dart to New Addington and the Guy and the National towards Chelsham. It was a long run down the back-slope of the hill to Chelsham, and when we got there Alan was not in a mood to hang around a supermarket. It was round the roundabout and back the way we had come.

464: Chelsham - Oxted Stn - Oxted (Barrow Green Lane) (GS62)

It was a surprisingly hard long slog up onto the Downs again. There was considerable heat coming back from the engine. But that had a chance to cool as we turned down Titsey hill, following the 464 garage run route. Now it was the turn of the brakes to run hot, on the steep descent into Limpsfield. Down in the village we followed the 707 route along towards the station, and paused at the West side for a personal needs break and a change of blinds.

Now we were heading for Gordon's Way, a 464 town working to collect and deliver folk from the station. We went round the block from the station, only to be thwarted by a large fairground vehicle and two trailers, that was trying to get through a gateway onto the green. Soon we were on the move again, following Barrow Green Road up under the other low railway bridge, and up the lower slopes of the Downs to reach Gordon's Way, the turning point.

Titsey Hill at speed GS62 heads for Barrow Green Road

464: Oxted (Barrow Green Lane)- Oxted Stn - Westerham (GS62)

We ran back down to Oxted Station, and exchanged passengers before heading directly for Westerham. RF626 was taking the scenic route via Chart, and followed us round through Oxted (East side), and up the grind to Limpsfield Common. There they turned right for Chart, while we headed straight on.

RF626 picks up at Oxted Stn (East) RF626 turns away at Limpsfield Common

Westerham

Back at the carpark in Westerham the GSs were gathering at the end of the day. After some shunting they were arranged in a line where they would catch the remnants of the latre afternoon sunshine, and camera shutters clicked in profusion.

GS12, 32, 76, 62, 15, 2, 1, 13

GS12, 32, 76, 62, 15, 2, 1, 13

403: Westerham - Sevenoaks (RF679)

Then it was time for goodbyes. I decided that Sevenoaks might be a better bet than Bromley for a quick journey to London, so I waved off RP21 with its return load for Westerham Hill and points north, and took a ride with Mike Dawes in RF679 to Sevenoaks Station for the train north.

RP21 prepares to leave RF633 and RF679 ready to go.

My thanks go to all the Country Bus Rallies team, who organised the event, invited buses and crews, planned timetables, organised a venue, manned the entrance to the carpark, got sworn at and threatened by car-drivers, drove and conducted buses, devised and sold programmes, arranged insurance... It was a hard day. The Oxted routes all involve lots of hills, narrow roads, intricate navigation and Sunday traffic. You all did a fantastic job. Thanks!

Buses:


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


Back to Ian's Bus-stop Part 1. Part 2.