T792, Cole Green

Hertford Running Days

Saturday 7th, Sunday 8th June 2014

Prepared by Ian Smith, 29th June 2014.



381/372: Coopersale Common and Toot Hill to Hertford: RF633

381: Coopersale Common to Toot Hill

I had not realised that the 381, for part of its existence, did not terminate every time at Coopersale Common, but continued in a loop back round through Epping and on to Toot Hill. So the blinds were changed on RF633, this time to a 381 to Toot Hill.

RF633 at Coopersale Common on 381 RF633 at Coopersale Common on 381

We reboarded, and went forward, under the Epping-Ongar Railway to meet the North Weald road. There we turned left to run into Epping. We met Townlinks' Dart SLF LX51FFW heading to Harlow from Ongar, then paused again on the High Street stop.

LX51FFW on 21, Epping RF633 at Epping on 381

We set off again, turning down towardfs Epping Station. This time it was Green Line-liveried RT3238 that was toiling up the hill with a 339 to Ongar.

We continued down to the valley bottom, and ran eastwards, passing the Merry Fiddler before climbing up through Colliers Hatch to Toot Hill.

RT3238 on 339, Epping RF633 at Toot Hill on 381

At Toot Hill we located the turning point, just beyond the Green Man, and alighted while the bus made a turn using a side-road, with the direction of conductor Larkham.

RF633 at Toot Hill on 381

The bus tootled back past the pub to halt at the bus stop. The blinds were changed for the return journey as a 381 to St.Margarets Station.

Toot Hill Green Man RF633 at Toot Hill on 381

381: Toot Hill to St.Margaret's Station

Some of us walked down the bank to the crossroads where the short-lived extension to Ongar had turned off to Stanford Rivers. There we found positions to watch RF633 pootle down the hill.

RF633 leaves Toot Hill on 381

We reboarded just downhill of the crossroads, and trundled down through Colliers Hatch for another pause at The Merry Fiddlers.

Sign Post at Toot Hill RF633 at Merry Fiddler on 381

We settled back aboard the comfortable RF. Almost dozing (except Peter and Peter, of course), we climbed back up into Epping, which we passed through uneventfully. Again we missed out the Beaconsfield Estate, and headed out over the rolling countryside. We passed through Epping Green (another short-journey turning point), and rolled on past Tylers Cross and Roydon. We dived dowm into Stanstead Abbotts and into St.Margarets, where Peter pulled round to terminate on the station forecourt.

St Margarets Stn RF633 at St Margarets Stn on 381

372: St.Margaret's Station to Hertford

The blinds were changed again, to 372 for the final run to Hertford. We headed west to Amwell Cross Roads (now a roundabout of course), and north towards Ware. We by-passed the town beside the New River and Ware Crossing. We followed an Arriva Trident (6018) westwards towards Hertford, where we pulled round into the carpark in London Road.

RF633 at St Margarets Stn on 372 6018, Ware Road

Post-script: 390: Hertford to Stevenage Station

The RF was heading off to Stevenage for an overnight stay. I was heading to Stevenage Station for a train to Cambridge. So I hitched a lift. Peter put up appropriate 390 blinds and we motored north, up the main road, not worrying about excursions off it into Watton and Broadwater. After dropping other folk at the Bus Station Peter kindly took me round to the station.

RF633 at Hertford on 390 RF633 at Stevenage Station

..and another day to come!

381/372 map

Part Three: 384: Stevenage to Hertford.


Photos by Ian Smith. Click on any of them for a larger picture.


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