Sevenoaks Running DaySunday May 18th 2014Prepared by Ian Smith, 27th May 2014.246: Bromley North to Westerham: 36313I made a mistake. Not unusual perhaps! I had just a few days before written on the CBR web-pages that the feeder from Westerham to Sevenoaks would leave at 0915, but somehow got it in my mind that it was 1015. So, after a relatively leisurely start, I caught the 0924 bus from Bromley North to Westerham, the Chartwell-bound 246. Stagecoach EnviroDart 36313 loaded quite well at Bromley North Station, and purred its way south, down through Bromley, and then by suburban roads I had not travelled before (Cameron Road, the north end of Meadway), up the hill and down again to Hayes Station. A twirl through Coney Hall and we were climbing into the leafy embrace of West Wickham and Hayes Commons.
This became a green tunnel as we took the narrower road across Keston Common to pass The Fox. No 146 RT there this morning.
The delights of this spring morning continued as we climbed on, past Keston Windmill, then down the twists past the Wilbeforce Scout Camping Ground to Keston Church. Just beyond the fork to Downe we met 36310 on its way back from Westerham. A little further on it was the turn of a Metrobus Scania to roar past on its way to Catford.
We climbed on up the hill through Leaves Green, stirring memories of teenage night-time wide games when we were supposed to "blow up" a nearby pill-box, despite guards outside the pub and around the pill-box. We passed the RAF Officer Selection Centre. Failure here resulted in being "410-ed" - ie sent back home on the 410 to Bromley. The Spitfire and Hurricane - or life-size models - were still on display at the main gate of Biggin Hill, and I snatched a picture as we roared past.
Biggin Hill is now a fair-sized town in its own right. We crawled up along the main street, past the Post Office, (no 479 GS), and out into countryside on the brow of the North Downs. We swooped down the leafy tunnel of Westerham Hill, crossed over the M25 and ran up into Westerham. I alighted from 36313 at the Green, and wondered how I was going to get to Sevenoaks.
403: Westerham to Sevenoaks: MB90I was very lucky. Just as I crossed the road from Bromley towards the George & Dragon I spotted MB90 threading its way through the traffic. I flagged it down, and they stopped for me. They were not an official feeder service, but had left the motorway in favour of the A25 to avoid over-heating problems.I settled in behind the driver. The big engine growled purposefully at the rear. We trundled along through Brasted and Sundridge, into Bessels Green and Riverhead. A right turn there took us along to Sevenoaks Station. St.Botolph's Road - a leafy delight - led us up to the War Memorial on the hill, and a further right turn took us along the high road into the town, to the bus station.
It was time for breakfast. Part Two: Sevenoaks Bus Station
Photos by Ian Smith. Click on any of them for a larger picture.  Ian's Bus-stop
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