Green RFs tended to gather at the uphill end of the concourse. Looking very smart was RF281, one of the "modernised" Green Line RFs with aluminium-lined Green Line cummerbund instead of the window-surround, with double headlights and a new curved driver's windscreen. The London Transport emblem on the radiator filler flap had been displaced, and the number plate translated to the foot of the front panel. Roofboards were still carried, but were now black on yellow. Fleetnumbers were minuscule, carried above the wheel-arches. The protruding trafficators were replaced by more stylish versions.The interiors were refurbished too, in a bid to compete with the newly-electrified railways that were largely robbing Green Line of its staple traffic..
Next to it stood RF539, beautifully restored to London Transport Country Area condition and livery, with cream trim on a Lincoln Green base.
RF28 is another example of the modernised Green Line RF, while RF226 illustrates the earlier Green Line appearance, complete with early RF Green Line blinds.
RF13 was the only example present of the short body / short wheelbase private hire RF, introduced before the length limit was increased to thirty feet (9.0m). RF13 was sold early, when staff shortages made London Transport give up its private hire business. It spent rather longer working for Hampsons in Oswestry, and has retained this maroon and cream livery in preservation.
RF504 never wore this gold livery in service, but acquired it in 2002 for the Queen's Jubilee, when a considerable number of London buses were so treated.
RF319, one of the earlist Central Area buses, shows the mid-life condition of the red buses, when converted for one man operation by the fitting of passenger doors and the driver's escape door.
RF486 is in similar condition, but sports a second spotlight from its latter years as a Chiswick staff bus.
RF433, however, is one of the few survivors that has never worn doors, and shows the original driver's window and passenger doorway arrangement, plus the route number holder above the doorway. It also carries roof-panel adverts.
RF280 started existence as a Green Line coach, but later was demoted to bus operation. The roofboards were removed, along with the brackets to hold them, although the fixing points can still be detected. Livery was changed to the green with cream trim of the Country Area. This is the era that it portrays in preservation.
RF453 is in the middle of a repanelling / repaint exercise. As can be seen this involves bits and panels from other RFs!
At this stage two of the post-RF generation were also standing at the end of the line: Merlin MB90 and Swift SMS369.
Leyland Tiger TD95 came in from working on the 218, and reversed into the line of vehicles parked across the end of the paddock.
These included a pair of buses of a later generation in the Kingston area: Leyland Nationals LS24 and LS98. The Nationals were too long to operate through Kingston garage to the bus stands at the front, and RFs at Kingston were retained until the last routes could be reallocated to NJorbiton garage.
Other single-deckers graced the ends of the paddock too. AEC Regal T31, restored to rear entrance layout, was one of the type long retained in the area to work over Walton Bridge, which at that time was too weak to allow RFs. The side engine, side entrance AEC Qs were also prominent at Kingston, in both green and red liveries. Strange to think that this bus (Q83) dates back to the early 1930s!
GS34 was also resting from its early and late operations on the 416 to Tadworth Station.
I walked back up the line of RFs. RF534 had arrived, wearing the late livery with white trim and bullseye in place of LT fleetname that was worn by some of the recertificated RFs latterly at Kingston.
More RFs were arriving from service. RF457 came in from a turn on the 206, followed by RF354. Both were standard omo-fitted Central Area RFs.
Country bus RF673 came in, also from the 206. Fulwell garage, which operated the 206, for a while had a Green Line RF which it most unusually used on the 206. (Green Lines were allowed to operate Country Bus routes, but not Central ones, as a rule).
RF429, which had been working the 215 between Kingston and Church Cobham, also arrived.
RF366, restored to early external condition with doorless entrance, early driver's window and semaphore traffic indicators, came in and rumbled towards the east end of the line-up, now vacated by the MB and SMS. It was followed by RF326 from the 218.
Country RF672 squeezed in beside RF673, between RF13 and gold RF504.
RF491, still licensed as a PSV by Timebus, and dressed in white trim, also came in to join the line.
RF489 and RF406 quickly followed, as did RF421 and RF503.
Country Area RF667 arrived too. Now that the line appeared complete therec was a scrum of photographers at the south-west end of the row wanting to take a picture of the line-up. Anyone who dared to walk across to or from their vehicle, even drivers or owners, got shouted at.
But the majority of photographers missed two vehicles which arrived late, including RF395, which stirred the dust as it progressed to the far end. The line now comprised RF281, RF539, RF644, RF28, RF226, RF667, RF13, RF672, RF673, RF504, RF489, RF457, RF319, RF326, RF366, RF429, RF354, RF534, RF486, RF433, RF280, RF453, RF491, RF503, RF406, RF421, joined by RF395.
Eventually the final RF arrived. It was RF308, in London Country green and yellow. This is another RF with an interesting history, starting off as a Country Area bus as RF527. It was converted to a slightly sub-standard GreenLine coach when the needs of the Central Area, Country Area and GreenLine were adjusted in 1956, and renumbered RF308 in the Green Line series. Later, when Routemaster Coaches took over some Green Line duties from RFs, it was demoted to bus status again, although retaining the number and some evidence of Green Line fittings.
Now it was nearly time for the buses to go back out for the afternoon duties...
All photos by Ian Smith. Click on most of them for a larger picture.
Back to Ian's Bus-stop
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 5: Downside