Dunton Green Running DaySunday May 19th 2019Prepared by Ian Smith, 6th June 2019.Part 6: Late in the day431B: Sevenoaks to Knockholt Pound via Polhill: RF679I had been surprised to see RF679 here. Three weeks before it had not gone to East Grinstead because of suspected problems with wheel-bearings, with horrid noises, apparently. But investigation had shown that these noises were due to squirrels secreting nuts inside the wheels! How they expected to retrieve them was not apparent! So RF679 was back in operation.With camera not available I joined the bus for the now-familiar journey north to Dunton Green, then up Polhill to the top. We did not go up the approach road to the gates of Fort Halstead, but turned instead along Otford Lane towards Halstead. We negotiated the narrow lane without meeting any oncoming traffic, although we swapped stories of previous occasions when we had. At Halstead Post Office we turned left to head along the current bus route up to Knockholt Pound, where we halted at the stop opposite The Three Horseshoes. There I remembered that I could take pictures on my phone!
431C: Knockholt Pound to Knockholt Station: RF679The blinds were reset to 431C for the trip to Knockholt Station. This group of 431 routes were mainly works journeys linking Fort Halstead with journeys to and from Orpington, Sevenoaks, Knockholt Pound, Halstead and Knockholt Station, before and after the working day and at lunch-time.
We turned round the traffic island and headed down for the fork to Halstead village. We went on, past the Cock Inn, celebrating the farm-horses used in Kent and Sussex. We forked left down to join the old A21, and headed down towards Knockholt Station. No three-point turn: Colin turned up Wheatsheaf Hill - the 431 route to Chelsfield, and turned left at the big roundabout onto the road to Pratts Bottom: the main A21 now. A little way down the bank we turned left onto the old A21, and came to a halt facing south at Knockholt Station. 402: Knockholt Station to Sevenoaks: RF679The return to Sevenoaks was as a 402, direct up/down the main road - up to Badgers Mount and Polhill Arms, then down to Dunton Green, then along by Riverhead to Sevenoaks Station, and up to the town and the Bus Station.
403: Sevenoaks to Sevenoaks Station: RT604I now had to contemplate my route home. I had thought to go to Warlingham Green with John Huxford, but he had gone already. My thoughts shifted to RT604, and a roundabout journey to Croydon, followed by a 119 to Bromley. A long journey, perhaps shortened by a 246 connection at Westerham. In the end I caught RT604, but just down to Sevenoaks Station, where I caught a Thameslink train to Bromley South via the Darenth Valley line. It had been a good day.
Many thanks to all who organised this day, to all the owners, drivers, conductors, bus station controllers, program producers and sellers, to all who gave relevant permits, including the use of the bus station.
Buses:  Ian's Bus-stop
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