GS67

GS: The Guy Special

Prepared by Ian Smith

This page created 19th November 2003

449 DS Dorking Bus Station - Dorking - Chart Downs Estate - Four Wents Pond - South Holmwood - Beare Green - Capel - Ockley - Forest Green - Ewhurst

449 map Dorking started out with two GS routes, the 433 and the 449. Both had been Cub operated, and the GSs took over in December 1953.

The 449 was a straggly rural route, with a primary purpose of connecting various communities on the south side of the Greensand Ridge south of Dorking with the railway stations near Ockley, South Holmwood and Dorking. Shopping and schools in Dorking was another factor.

It started at the west end of town, in the bus station at the bus garage. It ran down through the town, then turned right up the steep hill onto Chart Downs. Not bare green Downs these, but tree-girt, and carrying a new estate. Then the route quickly became rural, passing out into the countryside of Holmwood Common to Four Wents Pond. A right turn took the bus across the common to the main road, and into South Holmwood, where it paused at the station. Then it was south again down the main road into Beare Green, and along through ribbon development to Capel. Another right turn took it onto the road to Ockley, passing another station on the way. Ockley and Forest Green were both barely touched as the bus wound its way west over the outliers of Leith Hill to eventually reach Ewhurst. There it met (very briefly in 1955) the 852 from Horsham and Crawley, and the 449 from Guildford.

GS2 at Dorking, August 2003 GS76 at Ewhurst, August 2003

During the August 2003 Running Day GS2 worked out to Ewhurst from Dorking, and GS76 worked in from Ewhurst to Dorking (having reached Ewhurst by the 852).
The 449 was hard hit by car travel. The station runs and shopping trips were so much easier by car, and this was affluent country. On the other hand Dorking and the Chart Downs Estate still needed bus transport. In-town shorts between Dorking and Chart Downs changed over to RT working, leaving the Ewhurst runs to a GS. That survived until October 1958, when it was cut back to Four Wents Pond only.

GS76 heads for South Holmwood, September 2002 GS1 at Dorking with GS13, GS32, September 2002

The Running Day at Dorking in September saw one of the most frequent services to Ewhurst ever seen. GS76 is seen heading towards South Holmwood in the morning, tailed by GS62, and GS1 is seen heading for a short trip to the bus station during a lull in the afternoon, while GS13 and GS32 rest.

Allocation

Dorking required four GSs to manage its two routes in the early days, but by the end was using just the one - GS42 - on the 433. 

GS6: 11/62 -  2/63
GS16: 1/59 -  7/59
GS29:11/56 -  5/60
GS32: 8/57 - 11/57
GS36:12/53 - 12/56
GS37:12/53 - 10/57
GS39: 2/63 - 12/66
GS41:11/53 -c11/56
GS42:12/53 -  2/55, 12/66-10/68
GS44: 4/62 - 10/64
GS45: 3/55 -  5/55,  2/56- 8/57 o/h 11/57 - 10/62  
GS82: 7/59 -  4/62
GS83: 5/55 -  7/56

448 450

Bus Stop GS GS Routes bus histories photo refs