Redhill Road was full of Routemasters. Well, that's a bit of an exageration, but there was a good line-up: Red RM1955 represented the Central Area standard type, while RCL2260 showed the stretched Green Line version. RMC1469, now owned by Greene & Lane, was the shorter Green Line version, but showing the modifications made when modelling for the newer RCLs - a wider front display being the most obvious. Country Area stretched bus RML2330 lurked behind. RMC1476 shgowed the later NBC livery worn whilst in London Country bus service.
RMC1476 was about to set off for a trip to Leatherhead, so I joined Clive and Mike aboard and we headed for the stop. Out on Byfleet Road we headed east for the A3 roundabout, and promptly met Travel London's Dart 8807 coming the other way, out of service, presumably heading for their Byfleet depot. Just behind came RF28, working through from Stoke d'Abernon on the 432A.
As we passed by the river in Cobham Village we met RLH48 coming the other way on the 432, and a little further on we met T792 on the same duty.
We called at Stoke d'Abernon Station, then proceeded to Leatherhead Station. After a short stand we returned to Stoke, and back again to Leatherhead Station. This half-way service was presumably to encourage people to alight to see the display there and change buses. Anyway, heading back for Cobham again, we met RL48, tungsten lights ablaze in the growing dusk.
Back in Redhill Road I alighted from the RMC, and went to buy some books. When I emerged the light had largely gone, and RMC1476 was gently glkowing on the other side of the road awaiting a trip to Stoke d'Abernon as a 432A.
GS34 was also on 432A duty, while RT1499 was starting out on its long return trip to Essex - or was it heading for a rail replacement duty on the way?.
Prototype Leyland/Weymann Routemaster RML3 was still on its customary Weybridge Station shuttle duties. There was to be a Tungsten Twilight Tour, and STL2377 arrived in Redhill Road in readiness.
I watched T792 and RLH481 arrive back from Stoke d'Abernon, and decided that it was too dark for moving bus photography. It was time to locate my ride home...
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
Part Five: Heading home