Mike Nash gave me time to garab a front photo before boarding, and I made my way towards the back of the bus. RF457 was loading for the 219 to Weybridge immediately behind.
It was strangely nostalgic to be sitting near the back of an RF again. It was the seat behind the wheelarch, with restricted foot-room, that was my usual perch on the 227 going home from school. We rumbled towards Kingston along the Portsmouth Road, passing under the two restrictive railway bridges and running alongside the sparkling Thames. Then we were caught up in Kingston traffic, and picked our way round towards the railway station. We passed the site of the erstwhile Kingston garage, and pulled up on the alighting stop.
RF534 changed its blinds for a return run to Esher on the 219. A whirring noise and a red blur could be ascribed to Arriva's EnviroDart 3977 heading for Dorking again, with pedal hard to the floor.
Another EnviroDart was Transdev's DE7, terminating on the 285. More unusual was the passing of a Leyland bus in service! OA352, very smart in The Original Tour livery, was working a rail replacement service.
Now another RF rolled up. RF644 was working on the 715A. The blinds were quickly rolled round to show Guildford instead of Kingston, and a good crowd climbed aboard.
Now, where was that 264???
All photos by Ian Smith. Click on most of them for a larger picture.
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