GS76 at Ewhurst

Dorking Running Day

Sunday 31st August 2003

Prepared by Ian Smith, 11th September 2003


Part 5: 439, 414 and 852 (RF633, RMC1476, GS76)

RF633 was just making ready for a clockwise tour round the 439. My timetable showed me that I should be able to alight at Beare Green and pick up the RMC working on the 414. So I joined Peter Aves on RF633, and we set off along the Reigate road. We turned into Brockham Lane, and crossed the Mole Bridge. We passed the green at Brockham, and continued up to Strood Green, where we stopped by the old LT concrete post for photos.

RF633 ready for 439 RF633 at Strood Green on 439

We continued, passing a number of bus-stops outside village pubs. We paused again at Park Gate, with its old phone box, pub, and old LT flag (albeit covered in purple paint and a Surrey bus-stop sticker). On again, through Newdigate, where the blind was wound round to the Dorking destination for the other half of the run.

RF633 at Park Gate RF633 at Beare Green on 439

I alighted at Beare Green, and watched the RF pull up to the main road. RF626 was just pulling in off the dual carriageway on its anti-clockwise circuit. I watched the buses depart, checked the timetable again, and walked down to the Duke's Head, where the RMC would be able to pull in off the dual carriageway. A few minutes later it rumbled into sight, and Mike Dawes paused to pick me up. Isn't it nice when a timetable works!

RF633 and RF626 pass at Beare Green RMC1476 at Beare Green on 414

I rode inside the RMC out to Capel, where we were not turning in the side-road opposite the church, but going on up to the roundabout. Photos were taken before the turn. We headed back north through Capel, past a frenzy of racing cyclists. We rejoined the dual carriageway at Beare Green, and sped north. The RMC was clearly much more at home on the fast road than the older buses. There was a pull-off on the west side to South Holmwood Railway Station (with its finedisplay of semaphore railway signals), then a quick dash and a pull-off on the east side to North Holmwood. The big RMC purred on into Dorking, and trickled back along the High Street to Pippbrook.

RMC1476 at Capel Upstairs in RMC1476 on 414

It was time to say goodbyes, and find GS76 for the return trip to Crawley. The bus was sitting in the carpark next to GS32. It had performed well on its short working out to Capel and back, but now the starter was hesitant again. Never mind, on a slope like this a bump-start was easy! But rather than take the long route out via and Horsham the owners decided that the short route via Brockham and Gatwick was called for. So we collected our return-trip passengers, and set out along that late variant of the 439. We turned up through Brockham, and then left along the 439 route to Leigh. There, instead of turning left again for Reigate we headed on south to Norwood Hill and Charlwood. Gatwick Airport passed by on our left, and remarkably soon we were pulling in to Crawley bus station.

GS32 and GS76 at Dorking GS76 back at Crawley

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

Many thanks to all those who provided buses, preserved them, drove, conducted, inspected, manned the stalls, organised the site, did the administration, paid the insurance, printed programmes.. ie everyone without whom the day would not have been what it was. Thanks!

system map Buses:

Visitors: Apologies if I missed anyone.

Back to Ian's Bus-stop Part 4