After a minute or two of photo-taking of the bus "where it said on the tin" the blinds were rolled round for the return to Loughton Station and we climbed aboard.
As we climbed back into Epping Forest and headed south I realised that I had travelled this way before on a red RF - back in September 1969. On one of very few ventures north of the river my brother and I had walked through Epping Forest from Chingford Station to Ambresbury Banks (an ancient hill fort) where we caught a 20 to Walthamstow. The Forest hasn't changed much.
We turned left at The Wake Arms, and rolled down through another mile of forest to the outskirts of Loughton. We passed one of Regal Busways' Darts heading for Waltham Cross on the 250. We couldn't pass Loughton Garage without a pause to survey the scene: on our left the site of the newer garage is now just housing, while across the road the pillars and footings of the older garage survive under the cladding of the Homebase store. The bus stop is prosaically called "Homebase".
We continued up the hill into central Loughton, passing BN61 on a further foray to Epping and Toothill, and turned down to Loughton Station.
I walked up Station Road to find my next ride, on the way passing RF489, ready for a 254 to Buckhurst Hill Stn.
I went upstairs to the front and changed my film as we rolled down to the Station to load up. I forgot to check the wind-back release when I loaded the new film. So apart from the first one, the next couple of dozen pictures were all squeezed onto about five frames: no good to you or me, I'm afraid. So the next bit is rather devoid of pictures! Sorry.
RT1206 followed us down to the bus station. It was going out on the 167, first to Debden Station, then back through Loughton and Chigwell and on to Barkingside. We loaded up, and passed parked RF28, and headed out into Loughton and south for Buckhurst Hill. We continued down into the Roding Valley, which was easily crossed this time without the Sunday morning parked cars. We climbed up into Chigwell, and there was some speculation among the passengers as to whether the bus would go first to Chigwell Station or go left for Abridge. We turned right for the station, and squeezed round the Station Road triangle past the cars parked there. This was made more interesting by meeting Docklands Minibuses' ED19 heading for Ilford on the 167.
We completed the turn and headed north for Abridge, climbing up the hill through Chigwell, then down the other side, giving us extensive views over the Roding Valley to Loughton and Debden. We passed the junction for Debden at Rolls Park Corner and continued through sparsely populated countryside to Abridge. I wondered why London Transport ever ran the 10 all the way from Victoria to this Essex outpost. I could see why the 167A took over as a one or two RT operation. Anyway, we reached Abridge, but the corner at the Blue Boar was congested with other traffic, so we ran on to reach a turning point on the other side of the village.
The bus stood for a minute or two for photos, then we were away again, down the Roding Valley and over the hill to Chigwell Station. A group of lads boarded, and came upstairs. But when they found that they couldn't sit in a bunch, or stand upstairs, they departed. We crossed the Roding Valley, meeting RT1206 roaring south for Barkingside, and climbed up past Buckhurst Hill Station again, and into Loughton.
I pondered staying on for the evening running, but I was already tired. RF486 was due to set off in a quarter hour, back to London by an interesting route, so I opted for that...
All photos by Ian Smith unless otherwise indicated. Click on any of them for a larger picture.
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