East GrinsteadBack at East Grinstead I watched as M&D Lynx 3043 threaded between RF146 and RF429. The Lynx, new to Grey Green before going to M&D and then Arriva Kent & Sussex, has been restored to the 1997 M&D livery that it never wore. It looked great!
RF146 was waiting to go out on a short 434 journey to the Bluebell Railway at Kingscote. RMC1500 returned, heading eastwards along the High Street, bound for Forest Row.
Titan T1030 eased down the street on a 424 short working from Forest Row, and headed for the station to turn round. Then XF3 arrived, heading for Forest Row on the 409. The bus nearly emptied, and I nipped aboard, not wanting to miss it again. I found a front seat upstairs, and settled down to wait for the bus to continue. I didn't realise it was going to be an half-hour - but at least I had the advantage of a grandstand seat to watch the High Street.
409: East Grinstead to Forest Row: XF3Parked near the trade stands, having arrived back on the 434 from Edenbridge, was RF518.Olympian 806 squeezed through on a 424 to Crawley (using the 424 route to Copthorne and the 438 route onwards). It seems no time at all since these were regular buses in the Crawley area.
Then RF600 arrived off the rural 494, easing past the XF to pull in to unload. Leyland National SNB340 arrived on the next 434 from Edenbridge.
The Lynx came back from the station, and passed through towards Forest Row. Then the blinds were changed on RF518, ready for it to head north through Lingfield and Crowthorne to Tandridge on the 494.
RT604 arrived on a 409 to Forest Row. The RT had failed to start this morning - and then the summoned starter van had also suffered an unserviceable starter pack, requiring a further rescue van! Titan T1030 squeezed through, also heading for Forest Row, on a 424 from East Grinstead Station. Then RT3183, looking good in Country Area green, came through on a westbound short 409 working.
Olympian 395 also passed through on a 424 for Forest Row, and we followed it out of town. We passed Metrobus' Caetano-bodied Dart SLF No 374 working westwards on the 291, then overtook 395 at a bus-stop. We rolled down the long incline past Ashurst Wood and into Forest Row, where we met the Lynx again, already heading back towards East Grinstead as a 424.
We climbed the short bank past the old LT terminus at the Brambletye Arms, and turned left, then left again, to reach the station yard at Forest Row. 395 waited patiently while the Fleetline reversed into the row of buses, then reversed in in turn.
It was lunch time..
Photos by Ian Smith. Click on any of them for a larger picture.  Ian's Bus-stop
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