This page created 3rd November 2003
494 EG East Grinstead - Lingfield - Tandridge - Oxted Stn ( - Chart)
The route exited the King Street bus station in East Grinstead, where it rubbed shoulders with Southdown routes as well as the trunk LT route 409 (West Croydon - Forest Row), the 424 from Reigate (which operated a mix of vehicles, including some RLH), and RF operated routes to Crawley and Edenbridge. It crossed over the railway bridges at the north end of the town and turned off the main road onto the road through Baldwins Hill and Felcourt to Lingfield. It headed on north into countryside through Crowhurst Place and Crowhurst Lane End, where it turned right to squeeze under the low railway bridge. The bus could then race north through Chathill and climb over the Greensand Ridge through Tandridge. It reached the main road just west of Oxted, and rubbed shoulders with more RLH buses on route 410 on the way down through narrow Old Oxted and on into the more modern town clustered around the railway station of Oxted. Some journeys continued on through Limpsfield and up onto Limpsfield Chart, terminating at Chart Church.
GS56 revisited the 494 during the Country Bus Running Day in April 1998. GS56 is in King Street, East Grinstead, about to depart for Oxted Station.
GS13 was on 494 duty at the April 2000 Running Day, with GS1. GS13 was seen before the start, at East Grinstead, while GS1 is seen near the end of the day on a re-enactment of one of the Limpsfield Chart workings, at Chart Church.GS58 and GS59 were the East Grinstead based GSs, GS58 staying there, (apart from overhauls) until August 1962, and GS59 until May 1964, when one-man-operated RFs took over. GS39 took over from GS58, staying from June 1962 until February 1963. Cover for overhauls included GS54 (I don't know when), GS26 in April/May 1957, GS32 from May to August 1957, GS47 from May to September 1962.
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A GS bus took over operation of this rural ramble along Surrey lanes between East Grinstead and Oxted
in December 1953, consigning to oblivion the rear-engined Cub CR that had previously worked it.
489, 489A, 490, 491
807
Bus Stop
GS