East Grinstead Running Day

Sunday April 10th 2016

Prepared by Ian Smith, 14th April 2016.

Part 2: East Grinstead

Having alighted from RF633, I went to see what had arrived, and what was still coming in. First in line were two visitors, not taking part in the rides, but nevertheless welcome. RT1702 from Catford Garage is a regular East Grinstead attender. RML2335 is the BaRML, with an interior converted to a bar. It did good business during the day.

RT1702 stands at East Grinstead. RML2355 is a mobile bar.

In front of the traders' stalls stood RT4779, back in its Country Area element, operating first on the 409. Red RM1397 was pretending to be an RMC or RML, working on the 708 to Godstone.

RT4779, ready for a 409 duty, and RM1397 ready for a 708 short to Godstone.

Red RF368 was fully loaded for a 434 to Edenbridge, and pulled away eastwards. East Kent Reliance WFN513 was tucked out of the way for now, but would operate tours later on, I think.

RF368 sets out on a 434 to Edenbridge. East Kent Reliance WFN513.

Then two Maidstone and District buses arrived, part of a good M&D contingent today. East Grinstead was a LT - M&D border town, and M&D buses arrived and left via Moat Road, down near the Railway Stations. These two were the feeder service from Tunbridge Wells, on the 97 route. They were Dart SLF 3238, which I had seen earlier at Sevenoaks, and Lynx 3043.

Maidstone and District feeder services arrive from Tunbridge Wells: Dart SLF 3238 and Lynx3043

Being readied for duties on the 409 was the London Transport Museum's RM2, in Country Area green. Behind it was parked RTW185, on its regular visit to East Grinstead. It wears the early livery with cream upper window surrounds, and restricted blind displays.

London Transport Museum RM2 is almost ready for the 409. RTW185 on its annual visit.

A surprise was ex-Stagecoach Dart SLF on the 409. It took me a moment to realise that it IS a preserved bus, albeit still in full Stagecoach Selkent livery. It was heading for Dormansland, as the local service variant of the 409. It branches off the main 409 route at Lingfield, its primary traffic objective, and runs to Dormansland (in service) to turn at The Plough.

I walked back up the street. The queue for coffee in Caffe Nero was too long, so I returned to the High Street. M&D Reliance SC390 had arrived, and parked behind RF633.

Preserved Stagecoach Dart SLF 34394 on a 409 service to Dormansland. M&D Reliance SC390 has arrived too.

Back by the War Memorial, I watched RMC1461 arrive from The London Bus Museum at Brooklands. It squeezed between RF271 (loading for the 494) and RM2.

It was followed through the narrow gap by much wider Metrobus Scania 6550 on the 291 to Tunbridge Wells. These Scanias may have disappeared from Orpingto and the 358, but they are still much in evidence on the routes from Crawley.

RF271 loads up for the 494. RMC1461 squeezes through past RM2, followed by Metrobus Scania 6550 in service.

Then RT604 arrived. The RTs are one of the few types to actually look really good in NBC green and white, like RT604 here in the sunshine. It had run in service all the way down from West Croydon on the arduous 409 route.

It waited a moment or two for RF271 to pass through the chicane and turn in front of it, then pulled round to the stop opposite the War Memorial.

RT604 arrives from West Croydon on the 409, and waits for RF271 to turn the corner..

Now it was time to go for a ride..

Part Three: East Grinstead to Edenbridge

Five