RTW75 had been borrowed from The London Bus Company for the day by the Country Bus Rallies team, as their RF633, scheduled to attend, was still in the paint shop. As the local RF routes were forbidden to double-deckers because of the low bridges in the area, the RTW was employed in short journeys on route 72, which went round them.
Thisbus had sent along RML2261, while Catford's RT1702 had also stepped in for a missing RF, in this case the feeder RF from West Croydon. RT1702 had worked through from Catford on a somewhat extended 54!
I came back to the RF park in time for the 1405 departure aboard RF429. Indeed I had time to brave the wrath of the photographers and cross the strand to reach the parked bus for a quick chat with Alan Charman.
We did not actually have blinds for the 215A final destination of Downside, and had to make do with the short journey blinds for Church Cobham. We loaded a good crowd at the dolly stop, for this only afternoon trip on the 215A. We turned west through Esher, and climbed out along the Portsmouth Road into the countryside over Esher Common. We crossed the present A3 at Fairmile Common and ran into the start of Cobham. In the village we turned left to go round the triangle, and turned left on the south side to head for Downside. This was the last haunt of the Kingston TDs, as the road was considered too difficult for the longer RFs until proved otherwise in 1962. We were soon at Downside Common, where I hopped off as well as our conductor (Peter Larkham) to control the traffic while the bus made its reverse turn before standing opposite The Cricketers.
The blinds were turned for the return run to Kingston, the photographers did their thing, and we reloaded for the return journey. I had considered hopping off in Church Cobham to catch the 715A out to Ripley, but the timing was tight and I didn't know whether the stops coincided as we went round the triangle. We did not see the Green Line, so my decision to stay aboard was probably wise.
Rolling back down through Esher we met RF366 toiling westwards up the hill on a 218.
I wanted to make a trip on the MB, out to Leatherhead on the 416, so I did not have time to go into Kingston on RF429. I alighted at the gates of Sandown Park. RF395 came bustling along behind on the 219 to Kingston.
I went into the bus park to find a cup of tea.
All photos by Ian Smith. Click on most of them for a larger picture.
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