I was invited to join the team on RF679 as photographer in residence,
and we took the bus to the bus station to form the 12.20 to Great Munden (Schools).
The bus filled with nearly every seat taken,
and we set off along the main road to Ware.
The level crossing gates at the station were closed for a train to pass,
and there was plenty of time to alight for a picture.
The train rattled past, the gates lifted, and we were away again, squeezing through the narrow streets of Ware,
and passing RF308 on the previous 384A working.
We squeezed past the queue of cars waiting to exit the diversion,
and rejoined the main road after an excursion along a narrow lane.
Tonwell, off the road on the right, was missed out to regain time,
and soon we were turning off the main road onto the lane to Dane End.
We wriggled through the village, and on up over the Hertfordshire hills
to the hamlet of Great Munden.
A London Transport "dolly stop" had been placed early in the morning,
marking the turning circle where the service used to terminate in the 1950s.
Agreement with the current owner had been received for the event to use it again for the day.
We arrived a couple of minutes early,
giving everyone time to stretch their legs if they wanted to.
The blinds were turned to read "Hertford",
and it was time to set off again.
We stopped at the pub at Little Munden,
partly for photographs,
but also to allow one of the spare drivers to collect some liquid refreshment (non-alcoholic) from the pub.
A family out for the day joined us for the ride down to Tonwell.
As resident cameraman I was allowed to stop the bus anywhere
that it wouldn't interfere with traffic, as the bus negotiated its way back through Dane End.
The return journey included the deviation off the main road into Tonwell,
where we pulled up opposite the Robin Hood.
A happy family alighted, having enjoyed their short trip.
The bus continued, wiggling out onto the by-pass,
then following the diversion again past the road closure.
We circulated through Ware, and passed a couple of Green Line coaches on the ruin back to Hertford,
veteran RMC1476 on a Hertford-Ware short working,
and modern DAF PDL206 on the 724.
Back at Hertford there was just a quarter hour before the RF's next trip.
RF308 came in for the 1400 working on the 308A to Little Berkhamstead,
and GreenLine RT3228 came and went on the 1405 GreenLine 715 departure to Wormley.
Another good load for the 1410 service 329, aboard RF679.
We wound through Hertford and out through Bramfield into the countryside.
It was so peaceful that I almost went to sleep!
Pretty Datchworth woke me up, as we crossed the green, past the cricket match.
Stands the clock at ten to three? Nope, 1433, 17 minutes early for honey and tea.
It was 1503 at Datchworth Green, but they were still playing. Perhaps they don't read poetry.
We slipped on down the hill into Hertford, and through the quiet Sunday afternoon streets to the Bus Station. There I met GS17 for the first time, which was working on the 308A, as well as seeing RF 308 again. RT3228 was back from its GreenLine trip to Wormley, and was alongside modern GreenLine PDL206 again in the bus station.
So it was the 384A again, leaving at 1539 so as to be back by 1715, the end of the day.
It was a quiet run, most of the traffic home for tea by now. We went out through Ware
and up towards Dane End. On the way we met RF28 coming the other way down the lane from Dane End.
This cannot have ever happened in the old days!
At Dane End we pulled in beside the old petrol station to allow a tail of cars to dissipate,
before continuing up the lane to Great Munden.
We had a job to do there before leaving: collect the dolly-stop. It went in through the rear door and was secured before we set off back to Hertford.
Yes, and we did bother to change the blind for the home run to Hertford.
Back at Hertford many of the buses and most of the crowd had gone.
Strangely, it was a moment for the three GSs of the day - GS1, GS17, GS32 -
to gather in the lengthening shadows of the bus station.
They had finished off a day of full loads with trips to Chapmore End (333), Bengeo (333)
and Little Berkhampstead (308A).
Thoughts turned to the future, and to next year's Hertford Running Day, to be held in June and enveloping Stevenage. A 807 blind appeared on GS1 in anticipation.
RM1699 came in to collect its patrons, and that was it. Another excellent Running Day done.
Or almost. Colin Rivers still had to get his RF679 back to its home in the depths of Kent, and I had to get back to Sevenoaks. It seemed sensible to offer company on the long drive. Long it was, too, down the A12 and round the M25 to the Dartford Crossing. Then down the M20 to Ashford as the last of the afternoon sunshine faded into velvety night. Colin dropped me off at Ashford Station in time to catch the last train back to Sevenoaks. It had been an excellent day.
Preserved vehicles I saw at Hertford:
Ian's Bus-stop
Part 1: Arrivals
Part 2: Morning Meanders