RF146 on 434, Troy Town

East Grinstead Running Day

Sunday April 17th 2011

Prepared by Ian Smith, 27th April 2011.



Variety on the 424

424: Forest Row to East Grinstead, DMS1868

I climbed aboard DMS1868 and went upstairs, to get a grand front view from the big front windows. We followed RF315 out of the station yard and up towards the town.

DMS1868 at Frest Row. RF315 leaves Forest Row Yard on 87.

We turned right onto the main road to reach the centre of Forst Row. XF3 came the other way, but my camera insisted on focussing on the paint flecks on the windows instead of on the oncoming bus, so all I captured was a blur with flecks on! I was more successful with RM1397, which we passed in the middle of Forest Row.

RF315 leaves Forest Row on 87. RM1397 on 409 at Frest Row.

I had the same problem when I reached East Grinstead, after the long climb up past Ashurst Wood. So I jumped ship and waited for the next 424.

DMS1868 at EG on 424. DMS1868 at EG on 424.

Across the road was RF600, which had arrived on a 494 duty, followed by SC390 off the 87. They moved on, and their place on The Crown stop was taken by RT604, heading east once more on the 424.

RF600 at EG on 494. RT604 at EG on 424.

424: East Grinstead to Copthorne and back: 109

The next arrival on the 424 was the Duple-bodied AEC Reliance, Metrobus No109. I climbed the three steps to the high-floor interior, and took an offside seat. Olympian 395 appeared, coming the other way. One advantage of a compact camera is that you can operate it outside of a sliding window!

109 at EG on 424. 395 at EG on 424.

After the silky purr of Reliance SC390 the throaty roar of 109, thirty years its junior, was something of a surprise. We roared off down to East Grinstead station, then climbed up to cross the bridges over the railway lines (current and abandoned), and headed west along the A22 for Felbridge. We forked left, then left again onto the road to Crawley Down. We twisted down to cross the Felbridge Water, and up again into outer suburban Crawley Down. A right fork along Sandy Lane took us to join the Turners Hill to Copthorne Road. We followed that north to The Dukes Head, where we crossed over the A264 to continue forwards to Snow Hill. There we turned right, soon rejoining the A264 for the return to Felbridge. We passed through the junction with the A22, then turned off right into the Imberhorne Estate. A left turn took us through the estate to cross the railway just outside the station. The one-way system then sent us on into East Grinstead, where I alighted at The Crown.

109 at EG on 424. GS2 at EG on 87.

East Grinstead interlude

Queen Mary 424, alias LS4, came through eastwards on the 409 from Dormansland to Forest Row. I was tempted to go for a ride, but I have previously been on the bus and guessed that Olympian 395 would soon be back.

424 at EG on 409. 424 at EG on 409.

Now there was a brief red interlude: RM1397 came bustling along the High Street with a 409 bound for Dormansland, followed by RF429 which had come up from Forest Row (despite what it said on the blind).

RM1397 at EG on 409. RF429 at EG on 494.

A pair of Leyland Nationals came through: SNB331 on the last through 473 to Crawley, and SNB340 on a 434 from Edenbridge.

SNB331 at EG on 473. SNB340 at EG on 434.

Two more 424s came through, in opposite directions: RT604 heading for Copthorne (despite the blind), and T1101 for Forest Row.

RT604 at EG on 424. T1101 at EG on 424.

424: East Grinstead to Copthorne and back: 395

At length Olympian 395 appeared on a westbound 424. I found a seat upstairs at the front, and we headed north-west. Just round the corner we found Metrobus Dart SLF 321 on the 270 to Haywards Heath.

395 at EG on 424. 321c at EG on 270.

We went on, calling at the station, then heading for Felbridge. RT604 hurried past heading for Forest Row once more. We forked left twice at Felbridge, to follow the route through Crawley Down to Copthorne, not quite catching up a service bus as we approached the Dukes Head.

There we turned right at the roundabout, neglecting Snow Hill, and looked for a layby for the benefit of the clutch of photographers aboard. One was located on the way to Felbridge, and we pulled in for a brief stop.

RT604 at Felbridge on 424. 395 near Copthorne on 424.

395 near Copthorne on 424. 395 near Copthorne on 424.

On our way back into East Grinstead via Imberhorne we met RM1955 heading home, then RT3228, which swept round the one-way system ahead of us.

RM1955 heads home. RT3228 on EG one-way system.

Back at the High Street we had no choice but to block in RML2323 which was waiting to depart on a 409 to Forest Row. I checked the time, and seized the opportunity...

Part Six: 409s and more.


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


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