GS62 at Sevenoaks Bus Station

Sevenoaks Running Day

Sunday May 22nd May 2016

Prepared by Ian Smith, 31st May 2016.


Part Two: Sevenoaks

With my physical needs well satisfied I emerged from the cafe to see what had arrived, and what was still coming. Whilst inside I had noted the Go-Coach Silver EnviroDart go past on the 401 to Tunbridge Wells. But standing outside, next to the programme stall, was GS62, set up for the short-lived 413B to Chipstead and back (the Westerham branch season ticket replacement service).

Behind it stood the RML tool-van conversion, RML2284.

GS62 at Sevenoaks Bus Station GS62 at Sevenoaks Bus Station

Country Area RF633 was there, wearing a 413A Chipstead blind, and RF406, set up for the 404.

RF633 at Sevenoaks Bus Station RF406 at Sevenoaks Bus Station

RT604 arrived from West Croydon with the 403B feeder service. Also in NBC green and white was RML2456, wearing a 401 blind to Swanley. It had been intended to run to Swanley Garage today, in co-operation with Go-Coach, who use the yard there, but motor-racing at Brands Hatch made this inadvisable.

RT604 at Sevenoaks Bus Station RML2456 at Sevenoaks Bus Station

Red RM1397 had arrived, and was tucked away round the coner, where it had been joined by Country Area RT3183 and RT604.

RM1397 at Sevenoaks Bus Station RT3183 and RT604 at Sevenoaks Bus Station

RF146, wearing nicely polished late London Transport livery of green and canary yellow on its modernised bodywork, looked excellent.

RF146 at Sevenoaks Bus Station

A pair of red modern buses arrived: open-top Volvo Olympian NV171 of London General, newly preserved by the Bromley Bus Preservation Group, was to prove popular on tours during the day. Dart SLF, recently with Stagecoach, but newly preserved, was on the shuttle to the open day at the Go-Coach garage at Otford. (Note, this is not the same Dart SLF that was at East Grinstead!)

NV171 at Sevenoaks Bus Station 34366 at Sevenoaks Bus Station

Maidstone & District was represented too, with low-height Regent V DL39, and Reliance SC390, which would work on local M&D routes during the day.

DL39 at Sevenoaks Bus Station SC390 at Sevenoaks Bus Station

Two more green RFs were Country bus RF539 and also modernised Green Line RF180 (from The London Bus Company, where it frequently works the Epping Station tp North Weald via Coopersale service).

RF539 at Sevenoaks Bus Station RF180 at Sevenoaks Bus Station

Departures started, with the inspiring sight of two RTs side by side, heading opposite ways on the 403. RT3183 was heading for Tonbridge Station, and RT3148 for Westerham.

RT3183, RT3148 on 403s

Two more arrivals were preserved Metrobus Dart 721, for use on the 401, and ex-East Kent Regent V GJG739D in Sealink livery.

721 at Sevenoaks Bus Station GJG739D at Sevenoaks Bus Station

But now it was time to locate RF633 for the 431A to Four Elms...

Part Three: 413 to Four Elms and back

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