Green Line Tiger TD1 paid a visit to the bus station, squeezing into a space just vacated by a Centrebus Solar to turn. RF269 completed its turn and headed for London Road.
TD1 turned and departed, pausing to exchange greetings, and modernised Green Line RF281 came in for a late run up to Puckeridge on the 331.
I decided to walk over to London Road to see if GS62 was there. On the way I passed RMC1500 coming in on a 390 from Stevenage, the afternoon sun shining on its smart London Country livery.
GS62 was not there. I headed back towards the bus station. RF281 accelerated past on its way to Puckeridge.
Then, as I wound round the zigzag to Bircherley Green, GS62 caught up with me, pursued by Golden Boy Dart EU06JVW on the 395 from Ware. I waited until the bus had unloaded at the stand, then hopped on for the ride round to the other side of the bus station. It turned out that Alan Charman was not sure about the 333 to Chapmore End anyway. The bus had been doing extras all day, and he and it both needed a break after working the 329 short to Bulls Green. I stayed with the bus, parked behind GS64, while he went to consult.
GS64 pulled away to the stand to load up for the 308A to Little Berkhamstead, and RF489, which I had seen over at London Road, came into the stands and became the centre for discussion.
We turned left at Ware Station, over the level crossing and over the River Lea, and up through the quiet High Street to the bus stop at Ware Church. Thjere we paused, while John checked something and I took pictures.
Then we were away again, forking left onto the Stevenage Road, and following it out past Tonwell to the Sacombe turn-off. We turned right, to follow the narrow lane east to Sacombe and then Dane End. Fortunately we did not meet RF406 coming the other way on the 384A from Great Munden until we reached the wider road in Dane End.
After passing the other bus we had the very sharp bend to make onto the narrow lane to Whempstead. There we turned right onto the lane to Benington, and ran along, through the extended village to reach Benington Green, where we turned round the triangle and pulled up at the bus stop shelter.
The return run was uneventful. We wiggled our way back through Benington, Whempstead, Dane End and Sacombe, and called in at Tonwell before reaching Ware. There we crossed the river and pulled round into the station. After crossing the railway and New River we headed west for Hertford. As we passed Fairfax Road we met RF269 heading home.
We returned to Hertford Bus Station, where most people and buses had already set off home. Fortunately the cafe was still open for a sandwich and a cup of tea, before we went over to Old London Road to join the little band waiting for the evening services...
Photos by Ian Smith. Click on any of them for a larger picture.
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