RF633 on 413, Brasted

Sevenoaks Running Day

Sunday May 18th 2014

Prepared by Ian Smith, 29th May 2014.


704: Sevenoaks to Farnborough and back: RF28

I swapped from RF633 onto RF28 in Sevenoaks bus station. Another RF. A different RF, with the coach interior layout with forward facing seat pairs in place of the bench seats, except for the solitary inward-facing seat behind the driver. Luggage racks too, bell pushes for the conductor to use rather than a cord, and a lighter, brighter colour scheme. Green Line.

We set off, along to the War Memorial and down St.Botolphs Road to the station. RF226 was still there, but on more of an even keel and with the service van in attendance.

RF28 loads at Sevenoaks RF226 at Sevenoaks Station

The journey on, to Riverhead and Dunton Green, was uneventful. We turned up Polhill, and climbed the bank under the trees. As a a teenage cyclist I found this route long and boring, and preferred Star Hill. The RF romped up the hill, then regally glided down the other side past Knockholt Station to Pratts Bottom and Green Street Green. I was a little surprised when we turned right, briefly, to past the Metrobus Garage on the bottom end of Farnborough Hill. We climbed up to the Farnborough By-pass, and used it to, well, by-pass Farnborough!

At the north end of the village we turned hard left at the traffic lights to run back through the village to the stop. The George & Dragon is no more. A dull block of housing stands on the corner now. At least the Change of Horses and The Woodman are still there. We paused at the stop, giving time for photographs.

RF28 at Farnborough RF28 at Farnborough

For the return, we went straight on, down to the roundabout on Farnborough Hill, where we crossed the by-pass to descend to the bus-stop by the bus garage, There we came up behind AN53, which was resting after a trip on the 402. We went round it, down to Green Street Green High Street. We retraced our outward journey, gliding elegantly up the A21 past Pratts Bottom, pausing to let a pair of gentlemen off, then turning right at Knockholt Station for the long climb up to Badgers Mount.

We passed the top of Polhill - no Polhill Arms, but there was a substantial number of Go-Coach vehicles in the yard there. We whiffled down the hill, and at the foot jinked left to cross the motorway and right to follow the old London Road to the edge of Dunton Green. As we came to the junction with the road to Star Hill - the modern preferred routing from Polhill - AN53 shot past.

AN53 at Farnborough Hill AN53 at Dunton Green

We made a more leisurely journey through Dunton Green, including a pause at the Duke's Head, opposite the site of Dunton Green garage. Then it was on, to Riverhead and Sevenoaks Station, and up the leafy hill to reach the top of the town. AN53 had already arrived, unloaded, and was standing on the loop road by the traffic lights as we passed along the High Street to the bus station.

In the bus station were a pair of buses that I had only glimpsed earlier: Leyland National SNB340, loading for Chipstead, and Metrobus Olympian 395. At first glance I thought the latter was 806, seen earlier on the same spot, then realised that it was 395, Metrobus' first new double-decker purchase, now in preservation.

RF28 at Farnborough 395 at Sevenoaks

Down at the other end of the bus station was East Kent Reliance WFN513.

East Kent Reliance WFN513 RT604 on 454 at Sevenoaks

454: Sevenoaks to Chipstead and back: RT604

Loading up at the stand was RT604 on a 454 to Chipstead. Suddenly I realised that this was a double-decker journey to Chipstead, something we have not done before (unless you know otherwise). I climbed aboard, and secured a seat up at the front, upstairs.

We were soon away, heading for Bat & Ball. As we went down the long hill through St.Johns we met SC390, returning from Kemsing on the 55. We turned left at the lights, crossing over the Otford loop. We headed along to Riverhead. As we approached the bridge under the main line railway I prepared to take a picture of it, only to find, fortuitously, that it framed RF308 coming the other way on a 413.

SC390 on 55, St.Johns RF308 on 55 at Riverhead

Being unable to access Chipstead directly from Riverhead we followed the A25 west through Bessels Green, then turned right into the west end of the village. The trees along the lane gave evidence that this is not a normal double-decker route. We paused for photos in the village, but had to move the bus to allow the passage of Go-Coach Dart V303MDP, heading for Westerham on the 401.

RT604 on 454 at Chipstead RT604 on 454 at Chipstead

We climbed back aboard, and headed for Bessels Green along Witches Lane. We negotiated the double roundabout at Riverhead, where the A25 and old A21 cross, where traffic-jams caused horrendous queues before the advent of the M25/M26. We climbed back up from Bat & Ball to Sevenoaks.

No more out-and back journeys, but another sighting of buses just glimpsed during the day: RF308 - one of the Country RFs converted to Green Line specification (almost), then returned to bus work in London Country days. Red RF429, that had been out to Twitton and back on the truncated 404.

RT308 off 413 at Sevenoaks RF429 off 404 at Sevenoaks

Now it was time to choose a route to head home. Would it be a 410/409 to Croydon on RT604, a 403 to Chelsham Garage, or a 431D to Orpington Station?

Part Six: Homeward Bound

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

Ian's Bus-stop One Two Three Four Five Six