GS: The Guy Special
	Prepared by Ian Smith

494 EG East Grinstead - Lingfield - Tandridge - Oxted Stn ( - Chart)

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.

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 squeezed over the railway bridge 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.

489, 489A, 490, 491 807