There was about an hour and a half until RF679 was due to depart. I thought perhaps I would hang around for a bit, and see some of the buses that I had otherwise missed during the day.
GS1 was loading for a 494 trip to Oxted, while RF672 was booked on a 428 trip to Dormansland.
A stranger was Southdown Greenway WIL6536, which had been operating on Bluebell Railway Tour services during the day. Now it turned up in King Street to operate a 473 link to Kingscote Station.
More traditional East Grinstead operation was provided by RF28 and red RF366. RF28 was heading for Kingscote Station, to copw with any remaining Bluebell passengers, while RF366 was loading up for Crawley, as the first leg of its long journey home.
RML2456 had arrived after its spell on the 409. Alan asked me to wander up to the carpark and collect the 409 blinds from it. On the way I passed RT3148, which was not going out on the 409 to Newchapel and back because of a tyre problem. Further up the street was RT604, which had been busy on the 424 and was now resting before heading home for Croydon on the 409. I found the green RML and crew, and they gave the onlookers a minute or two to take photos before removing the borrowed blind set.
SNB340 was heading away south just before five o'clock, working out as a 409 to Forest Row on its way. Reliance RP21 had been down at Sheffield Park for a late tour, and returned to East Grinstead. A little later it would head north, carrying passengers for Bromley and New Cross.
More buses came onto the stand for one-way only homeward trips, and the Controller was busy trying to ensure that everyone who needed them was getting on them before departure. RF633 came up behind RP21, to form the last bus to Three Bridges and Crawley. They were away successfully, then RT604 came round for its long 409 trip to West Croydon. Next was Eddie Knorn with SNC168, with an even longer journey ahead, first to London Victoria as a 708, and then on to Stevenage as a 716. All seemed to be going well, then we saw the bus that we expected to be the last 424 to Reigate departing without passengers. Consternation, and a discussion as to how the few remaining passegers could be got to their destinations.
Meanwhile, the visiting buses departed too. The Routemasters went. RF19 eased a way out of the car-park, and was soon followed by the Cobham contingent on STL2377, which was now dressed as a 58 to Golders Green Station. GS34 went too.
Now all that was left was GS1, GS2 and RF679, plus hors-de-combat RT3148. The information shelter was dismantled and stowed away in the buses.
RF679 departed as the last service bus, heading for Oxted Station as a 494 again, with passengers for the station there. From Oxted we headed east along the A25 to Westerham and Brasted, then headed east on motorways into Kent. It would be quite late when we finally put RF679 to bed.
Thanks to all who organised, supervised, drove, provided buses, conducted,
printed, gave permission, parked in the right place and/or enjoyed themselves.
All photos by Ian Smith. Click on most of them for a larger picture.
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