T792 at Horley, bound for Reigate

Horley Route Recreation Day

Sunday 1st September 2013

Prepared by Ian Smith, 17th September 2013.



Lunchtime XF

At Horley Interchange I found XF3 standing behind RF633. All three bus crews paused for lunch. I crossed back to Sainsbury's to buy a sandwich and a drink, and returned to the Interchange.

XF3 at Horley Station Interchange XF3 at Horley Station Interchange

424: Horley to Hookwood: XF3

At the end of the lunch-break RF633, ready for the trip to Outwood, pulled forward to release the XF from the stand. I joined the Fleetline, now with blinds set for the short run north to Hookwood (Black Horse)

RF633 at Horley Station Interchange XF3 at Horley Station Interchange

It was not far to Hookwood. We rumbled off north-westwards, crossing the A23 at The Air Balloon into Vicarage Lane. At its end we turned left into Lee Street for the final fling of Horley suburbia. Beyond the River Mole we trundled along Mill Lane to Hookwood. As we could not turn at the Black Horse junction on Reigate Road we had to turn south, and run down to a roundabout and back, turning in to stop at the little wooden bus shelter outside the Black Horse.

424: Hookwood (Black Horse) to Copthorne (Dukes Head): XF3

As the blinds were being changed at Hookwood the assembled photographers were treated to a selection of possible destination blinds: E.Grinstead (Stone Quarry Estate); East Grinstead Gar, and then Copthorne (Dukes Head).

XF3 at Hookwood XF3 at Hookwood

We reboarded the bus, and headed back into Horley. We paused at the station, but no connections on this journey south. We made the by-now familiar turns to get onto the Smallfield road, and motored eastwards, the big Gardner engine at the back so different from the RT noises of the T.

In Smallfield we turned right along Redehall Road, and worked our way along through the linear village. We left Smallfield's ribbon development behind at the crossing of the B2037, and headed in towards Copthorne. We had only just got into the village when we made the sharp turn hard left into Borers Arms Road. We rumbled on through the eastern limb of the village to meet Copthorne Common Road for the final fast run along the A264 to the Dukes Head roundabout.

We expected to turn round the roundabout, and were bemused when the bus continued into Snow Hill. Where were we going. All was very quickly revealed (in more ways than one), when we turned in at the yard of Southdown PSV. Our driver so far was going off-shift here. We drove into the yard and turned round.

Much (if not all) of the current fleet was in the compound. Nearest at hand were Darts T591CGT, GX57BXH, SN53LWL, X188BNH, YX59BZD, Y839TGH, T841TGH, LK55ADX, T840TGH and EnviroDart YX59BZC. An ex-Dublin Olympian and a Nottingham Dart stood in an inner compound.

Y841TGH, YX59BZC, Y840TGH

T591CGT, GX57BXH, SN53LWL, X188BNH, YX59BZD, Y839TGH, LK55ADX..

More of the fleet were at the far end of the yard, including Darts W343VGX, LX55AEA, LX55ADZ, Y834TGH.

W343VGX, LX55AEA, LX55ADZ, Y834TGH

424: Copthorne (Dukes Head) to Horley Station: XF3

A toot on the horn gathered scattered photographers, and the big green double-decker was off again, back to the Dukes Head and then heading west for Hookwood again, via Horley.

We negotiated the turn off the main road onto Borers Arms Road, and the sharp turn in Copthorne north onto Copthorne Bank. We rumbled north into Smaalfield, and turned left to cross over the M23 to reach Horley. We went south to the roundabout to reach Victoria Road. Although the bus was going on to Hookwood I alighted, with thanks to Nigel, at the station stop.

XF3 at Copthorne XF3 at Horley Station

The bus went down the ramp of the station bridge and turned the corner to come back just below my vantage point, on its way into the Interchange.

XF3 at Horley XF3 at Horley

I turned my attention back to the main road, to watch for the imminent arrival of RF633...

Part 3: Afternoon RF


Ian's Bus-stop part 1: T part 2: XF part 3: RF