At Hertford Bus Station it seemed to be Green Line arrival time. RP21 was there, sporting 715 blinds and wearing NBC green and white dual-purpose livery, and so too was RB51, which was going to be working a 724 Hertford - Hatfield and 716A Hatfield to Stevenage service during the day. RMC 1477 was also there, clocking in prior to operating the 715 between Hertford and Wormley during the day. GS2 and GS17 were there too, having just worked in from Knebworth / Hitchin, and RT3148 was waiting out of the way for its departure on the 395 service at 1040 .
I headed for the bus park off the old London Road. Perhaps I caould have scrounged a lift in GS17, which passed me on the way. I noticed RF406 squeezing through the town centre too, on its way back from an early trip to Bengeo on the 333. But the short walk did me good.
The bus park was already bursting at the seams, with more buses still arriving. Continuing the GS theme was immaculate GS60.
GS62 was there too, with Alan Charman completing last minute pre-service checks, and RF627, ready for a trip on the 350. Toby Prescott's RML2364, repainted in red with white band since bought for preservation in September last year, was waiting for a turn on the 395.
RML2364 had already completed a long run in service as a 339 from Brentwood via Ongar and Harlow. I had missed seeing it arrive, but Toby kindly sent me some photos, one of which I include here. Toby's other bus at Hertford was his modernised Greenline RF28, looking immaculate and prepared for a short run on the 333.
RM1699, ready to travel the 341 to Hatfield and back, was standing next to RT4317 (which I somehow failed to photograph, sorry!). Another red RT was Saunders-bodied RT3062 of Blue Triangle, while next to that was the only remaining genuine Country-Area roofbox RT, RT3496. Both these two were in early postwar livery with cream uppers. It looked like the local 341 and 395 routes were in for an interesting day!
Also in the line was Jubilee gold-liveried RF504, and RF633 quietly awaiting its journey home. RML2755 was there too, in Metroline livery with blue skirt.
By now London Road too was filling up: RF679 was nearly ready to depart on the 350, with short-length "glasshouse" RF4 prepared for its day of tours from Hertford Castle, having arrived by a long in-service run on the 384 from Letchworth. RMC1477 was to be the service vehiicle for the 715 all day, and was waiting in the line.
RF486 had already been out on the 715A: it had travelled in service up, via London, from Dorking! It swung into line behind green RML2440.
But my time was up. It was time for RF679 to head for the bus station for the 350 to Widford, so I joined the crew and off we went...
All photos by Ian Smith. Click on most of them for a larger picture.
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Part 5: The Hertford Panhandle