It was a red RT that puled up behind us at the Carfax. Green RT3148 had been called away to Capel to rescue the passengers from RP21, which had died on the way. But Roger Wright's RT3871 rolled up, still bearing evidence of its last outing.
We waited until RT3148 arrived back on its mercy mission, carrying some passengers with control tickets for the Ewhurst trip. Then we set off for the trip into the wilds of West Sussex. We took the main road west from Horsham, to cross the A24 by-pass into Broadbridge Heath. We passed through the village, diverting south to a roundabout as the old road west has been closed off to deter through traffic. We turned north and headed for Rowhook. John Huxford came zooming past us in GS2, heading back for Horsham with the earlier working.
We passed through scattered Rowhook, motoring through an extended wintery wood. It was delightful in the winter sunshine. We forked right, off the Ewhurst road, to visit Oakwoodhill. Peter negotiated the sharp turn there, and pulled up briefly.
After a brief photographic break in the sunshine we reboarded the bus and continued: along the narrow lane west to join the "main road" to Ewhurst. Scattered houses now began to appear beside the road, and after a short while we were running in to Ewhurst Green, and then Ewhurst. For once the route actually passed right through the village it was serving, to reach the Bulls Head at the north end, where it terminated along with the 448 and 449 routes.
There was time there to pop into the pub for a pint while the camera shutters clicked outside. Then with blinds reset for Crawley we set south again.
We had a request for a stop at Ewhurst Green, next to the old telephone box, so paused there for a moment or two before plunging back into the forest. Soon we turned off again along the narrow lane towards Oakwoodhill.
At Oakwood hill we paused again. Crocuses in the verge were a welcome harbinger of spring. We went on, down to the main road at Broadstone Farm, where we had another request stop.
After that it was foot down and back to Horsham, through Rowhook and Broadbridge Heath. Back in Horsham we found a pair of RTs waiting to go out on the 414 to Capel..
All photos by Ian Smith. Click on most of them for a larger picture.
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Part 2
Part 4: 414, Horsham - Capel (Rt3871, RT3148)