RT3062 at Loughton Station RT3228 at Epping Station

Loughton & Epping Running Day

Sunday 13th September 2009

Prepared by Ian Smith, 25th October 2009


Part One: Loughton

The obvious way to get to Loughton was by the Central Line. So I found myself rattling up the old LNER line to Loughton in a modern Central Line tube train. On arrival at Loughton Station there was not yet much evidence of the event. It seemed that I was early. RM1699 was acting as an advert for the event, parked for a short while in the bus station.

91137 at Loughton RM1699 at Loughton Stn

Other buses were in evidence: Arriva uses quite elderly (ie 2000) Dart SLFs with Alexander bodies on the 397. ADL79 and ADL81 almost crossed with each other on their ways to South Chingford and Debden Broadway respectively.

ADL79 on 397 at Loughton Stn ADL81 on 397 at Loughton Stn

Regal Busways' little Solo No 201 was busy on the 240, and would be seen several times during the day as it buzzed to and fro between Debden and Waltham Cross. Then RF28 arrived, to clock in with control before leaving for the parking area.

Regal 201 on 240 at Loughton Stn RF281 at Loughton Stn

It was still early. RT3871 headed off towards The Wake Arms with a bus full of folk. Titan T1101 rolled into the bus station, then went off round the block to the parking area. I strolled up towards that street to see what was arriving: Timebus Travel's RF491 came in to park up and get fitted with blinds for the day.

RT3871 on 217A at Loughton Stn T1101 on 20A at Loughton Stn RF491 arrives

The Titan completed its short journey, rolling past me again to find a parking spot. I walked back towards the bus station. There I found Docklands Buses' E200 Dart / MCV Evolution ED19 heading for Ilford on the 167.

T1101 at Loughton ED19 on 167

Arriva The Shires made an appearance with a large Solo: 2488 was operating on the 541, which links Loughton with Harlow via Debden, Abridge, Theydon Bois and Epping. RF281 came in to the parking area, having come round the block from the bus station.

2488 on 541 RF281 off 720

There were more buses in the parking area now, as kick-off time approached. RM1397 was set up for the 38A, today operating as a loop from Loughton via Epping Forest to Chingford and round to Loughton again. RF489 was now set up for the 20B, to link the two centres of operations at Loughton and Epping.

RM1397 for 38A RF489 for 20B

Further up the road were two of the three RTs in operation today courtesy of The London Bus Company. Saunders-bodied RT3062 was still awaiting the blinds for today, whilst still sporting blinds for the 339. RT3871, however, was now set up with blinds for the 167A across the Roding Valley to Abridge.

RT3062 RT3871 for 167A

RF491 had been fitted with blinds for the intricate local 254 route, which linked many estates and stations along the west side of the Roding Valley.

I had determined that I was going to head up to Epping to go on the morning RF run on the 381 to Roydon, so returned to the bus station, where another of Docklands Buses' Evolutions, ED25, was loading up for its trip to Ilford.

RF491 for 254 ED25 on 167

Arriva DAF/Alexander DLA361 loaded up for a journey in to Walthamstow Central on route 20.

I had intended to go on T1101 to Epping, on the 20A, but was surprised when it departed rather earlier than I had expected. In a dither, I also missed flagging down RML2330, which checked in on its way north to Epping.

DLA361 on 20 T1101 on 20A RML2330 at Loughton

Having seen RML2330 depart, and enough time having elapsed to ensure that T1101 was not just doing a loop round the block, I headed for the station and a short Tube-ride north...

Part 2: 381: Epping and Roydon


All photos by Ian Smith. Click on most of them for a larger picture.

Back to Ian's Bus-stop Part 2: 381: Epping and Roydon