Loughton Classic Bus Running DaySunday 11th September 2011Prepared by Ian Smith, 19th September 2011LoughtonThis was always going to be a small running day. Previously Loughton's local authority had closed a nearby residential road for the day so that the buses would have somewhere to park, while TfL would not allow the work of its busy bus station to be disrupted by our buses parking there. Now, in straightened times, the Council had no cash to pay for the road closure. That pulled the number of buses down from a dozen to four or five, which could flit in and out of the bus station all day without parking. That meant sufficient crews that buses could operate continuously while crews took statutory breaks. But then, with that few buses, TfL would permit parking in the bus station! Or so I gather. But all this determined its small size and the nature of its timetable. The London Bus Company helpfully provided most of the buses and crews.When I arrived at Loughton there were four buses already there, even with half an hour or so to go before the start. The two red RFs were RF401 and RF503. There should have been two red RTs, but at the last moment RT3871 was not available, and was substituted by Green Line RCL2260. The other was Saunders-bodied RT3062.
The bus station was still quite busy with its normal traffic: elderly (2000) Dart SLF ADL77 of Arriva passed through with a 397 to Debden Station, and Regal Busway's little Optare Solo 202 headed north on a 240 to Waltham Abbey.
Another 397 came the other way, heading for the southern fringe of Chingford, provided by even older (1998) ADL983. RT3062 was prepared for its first foray on the 217A to Waltham Abbey.
Blue Triangle EnviroDart SE34 passed through on a 167, and an Arriva doubledecker, DLA352, headed for Debden on the 20.
Then it was mid-day, and time for the Running Day timetable to start. First out was RF503, which went round the bus station to get to the stop to load for the 254, which would start on the loop via Debden back to Loughton Station.
217A: Loughton Stn - Waltham Abbey, and back: RT3062The radiator on RT3062, which had been dripping, was topped up, and promptly stopped leaking. The bus was given the OK to go. I joined the bus ready for the 1215 departure to Waltham Abbey on the 217A.
A little late, we pulled away and made the tight turn in front of the station. Then up into the town, and turn right for Epping Forest. We met DLA359 on its way back south as we went, and I think I surprised the crew by requesting a stop at the old Loughton Garage - now a hardware store.
We climbed out of Loughton up into Epping Forest, towards the Wake Arms. Coming south to join the event was BL49.
We took the Waltham Abbey road from the Wake Arms roundabout, and descended through the forest, down Woodridden Hill, into the Lee valley. We came to the bid roundabout under the M25, and dived under, continuing along Honey Lane into the town of Waltham Abbey. But when we had almost reached the centre we had an impasse: roadworks meant no right turn onto Sewardstone Road. We perforce turned left, and headed south, looking for a safe turn. We paused for photos, and to wind the blinds for the return.
In the end we went out to the by-pass, beyond the M25, and went clockwise round the by-pass. We saw Waltham Abbey, but did not turn into the tight town streets. We continued round the northern section of by-pass, to return to Sewardstone Road from the north end. We headed back east, and RT3062 fairly romped up the long hill into Epping Forest. We turned down Golding's Hill at the Wake Arms (which is now something else), and rolled down to Loughton Garage, where again we made a stop between the two erstwhile garage sites.
Then it was on again, up Church Hill, and down through busy Loughton High Road to find the turn for the station.
Part 3: 167 to Barkingside and backAll photos by Ian Smith. Click on any of them for a larger picture.
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