Dunton Green Running Day

Sunday May 19th 2019

Prepared by Ian Smith, 6th June 2019.

Part 4: GreenLine to Green Street Green and back

704: Sevenoaks to Green Street Green: RF48

I was aware that I tend to neglect the Green Line services on Running Days. Perhaps it is a conditioning from my youth, when GreenLines were too expensive for the most part (although Mum used the 725 to get from Bromley to Dartford to see her parents). Also our trips into the Country Area were on Green Rovers, which did not allow Green Lines. So Sevenoaks to Bromley was either an RT on the 402 rather than the 704, or alternatively on an RT to Westerham and an RLH (or later an RML) on the 410 to Bromley, not the 705. But I did see both routes passing through Bromley: RFs, followed by CRL4, and RCLs then new unreliable but very smart Reliance RCs.

So laying aside my inbuilt prejudices I chatted to the crew of RF48. They were about to head north on a 704 to Dunton Green. So I joined them.

RF48 is one of the "modernised RFs", updated to make them appear less dated to their discerning clientele. In came twin headlights, go-faster aluminium strips along the sides, a zingy lime green band with new yellow fleetnames. The front number plate was relocated, and the direction indicators on stalks were replaced by shapely ones on the coach sides. The route-boards on the cant rail became yellow with black writing. Inside the layout was retained, but finished in modern business grey.

WE loaded up in the bus station, then headed north: down to Tubs Hill Station, then north to Riverhead and Dunton Green. There we used the new road to the foot of Star Hill, rather than the old road, which involves a turn across fast-moving traffic at the foot of Polhill. We turned to head up Polhill from the roundabout. It was not quick, but not slow either, although we were in the crawler lane!

We topped the hill, passing the erstwhile Polhill Arms, bringing back memories of exhilarating bicycle rides down the narrow road to Otford, past the Rising Sun. But we rumbled on, past the narrow road to Halstead, along to Badgers Mount, then down the old road to Knockholt Station.

Along came GoCoach Optare Solo 5014 (ex Quality Line, Epsom), as a train replacement from Chislehurst to Sevenoaks.

Then we passed Knockholt Station and reached the A21 for the glorious run down the avenue of trees to Pratts Bottom and Green Street Green.

At Green Street Green I was surprised when we turned right onto the Orpington Road. Then we turned left, following Go-Ahead MEC59 up to the Metrobus garage. It paused at Stop K, and we went up the sharp little bank to the roundabout at the foot of Farnborough, where we twirled round to head back down towards the garage. MEC59 was still there. We had our own pause, at stop L, before the return journey to Sevenoaks.

704: Green Street Green to Sevenoaks: RF48

We headed back to the A21 roundabout, and headed up the long sweep of fast road to Pratts Bottom, then on up to the old road turn-off for Knockholt Station. We stopped at the station stop for photos.

Then it was on up the long slow climb up the north slope of the North Downs to Badgers Mount and the Polhill Arms, then a whoosh down Polhill. But not too fast , as we were to turn left over the M25 to take the old road into Dunton Green. We headed on into Sevenoaks. Climbing up from the station we met XF3 going the other way to Green Street Green on the 402. That was followed by RM2 on a 403 to Westerham, that we met up on the High Street.

Then it was into the Bus Station...

Part Five: Farningham and back