Dorking Running Day

Sunday 2nd September 2001

Prepared by Ian Smith, 12th September 2001

Part 3: 412 to Holmbury St. Mary

We set up a set of blinds with a 412 available, and headed out to the stand, passing parked RF489. This most unusually wore a set of GreenLine blinds. This did happen occasionally, usually if a Greenline RF failed in town when the spare was already occupied. As we exited GS32 came in from a foray on the very rural 449.

We drew out to the stand. Oh! This was different: we took on almost a full load. With just two empty seats we turned round the roundabout and headed back through Dorking town and out along the Guildford road. We climbed up to Westcott, then turned aside up a lane towards Abinger Common. Hollow Lane narrowed, and wound up onto the Greensand Ridge, in places passing close to overhanging cliffs of sandstone beneath the overall arch of trees. Scenic! At Parkhurst Corner we consulted the map - and route sheet- closely, and turned down the even narrower lane towards Holmbury St.Mary. What's this? 18%! That's more than 1 in 6. This will be interesting on the way back!

We descended successfully, and turned north to Holmbury St.Mary. We found a bus-stop and had a brief photo-stop. One or two people left us.

We went on down through the straggling village, and turned aside into the hamlet of Sutton, where we terminated the outward journey next to the Volunteer. Sutton was unusual in London Transport and London Country days as being an outstation. Three drivers lived at Holmbury St.Mary, with one always available for an early inwards journey to Dorking, and another rostered for a late return. The bus (GS, RF or BL) spent the night "down on the farm". RF255, then in Country bus livery, was one of them.

So many photos were taken, and everyone re-boarded for the trip back. The RF almost stalled on the sharp little bank out of Sutton up onto the "main" road. We went back up through Holmbury St.Mary, and collected rather more passengers than we had set down earlier. We ended up full and standing. We warned the late boarders that they might have to get out and push. What we didn't know was that earlier in the day exactly this had been required for another RF (no names, no pack-drill, but it was red, with no doors and a very high-speed differential, which didn't help!) We turned off up the hill. Would it make it? The engine was game enough, but would the fluid flywheel transmit enough torque to keep us moving? Yes! The gradient eased and we heaved a sigh of relief.
We turned left at Parkhurst Corner and ran steadily down through the Hollow Lane to reach the main road. The drive back through Westcott to Dorking was something of an anti-climax.

By now it was getting late. Most of the GSs were back in the bus-park, although GS1 was just going out on a late local foray. Other buses were disappearing for home. Some of the owners and drivers were at last finding time for that chat. RM9 and SNB312 were preparing for their long passenger-carrying trips home.

Soon it was our turn to go. The blind (cut down from a Putney NV blind) had Wimbedon Tennis Special on it, so we wore that for a change when we set off. We paused at Godstone (where there are public toilets) and changed the blinds (a bit late) to 439 for the long run eastwards into Kent.

My thanks go to Mike Dawes, for accommodating me on the bus (as well as overnight), to the organisers, especially Alan Charman, Colin Rivers and Peter Aves; to the drivers and bus-owners for their time, expertise and courage; to the inspectors who kept things running when things went a bit aglay at times (not often) and to most of the travelling public for their patience and good humour. (There was a notable exception to this during the day, when one bus went astray, but not everyone is a saint!)
system map