Chesham Broadway Micro Running Day

Sunday 2nd August 2015

Prepared by Ian Smith, 13th August 2015.

394: Chesham Broadway to Great Missenden Station: T792

After a day and a half on RF679, it was time for T. So after lunch I joined the elegant Regal for its turn on the 394 to Great Missenden Station. The route was the same as before: up onto Chartridge; a pause at Cherry Tree Farm by the old LT bus stop flag; Swan Bottom Crossroads; The Lee; Oxford Street; Ballinger Bottom; Ballinger; Great Missenden Station...smooth, nostalgic, wonderful.

394: Great Missenden Station to Swan Bottom: T792

The return journey was just as far as Swan Bottom. At the crossroads there we went straight ahead, up to the Old Swan pub, where we had permission to turn. Permission was one thing. Space was another. RF679 was already standing in the obvious place, and the car park was quite full. A seventeen-point turn in the entrance to the carpark was accomplished, followed by a round of applause for the driver!

394D: Swan Bottom to Kings Ash: RF679

No buses for years, then two come along together! I doubt this ever happened before, even in the old days when the last bus stood at The Old Swan for half and hour before returning to Chesham.

I rejoined RF679 for the final run up to Kings Ash.

394D: Kings Ash to Chesham Broadway: RF679

We turned in the tight driveway at Five Ash - second bus in 58 years! - and headed back along the ridge and down to Chesham Broadway. There we met T792 again, and prepared for the return to Wrotham.

703: Chesham Broadway to Amersham - and then to Wrotham: RF679

Information suggested that we would not only have to deal with a Wembley final turnout just as we passed if we went the 703 route, or if we went via the 710 route we would probably still encounter a clogged London centre from the cycle event. So it was agreed that we would drop folk off at Amersham Station, then head for the M40 and M25 to circle round London.

The circle round London was boring compared to the trip through London the day before - no buses to see - but we had some good conversation as the miles ticked past. A final kindness after the drop-off at Wrotham was the trip down to Borough Green station to drop me off. The big RF then purred away, with more miles to go before home.

Many thanks to the owners and crews of RF679 and T792, not forgetting M513VJO. We hope Ashley managed to extricate his RM from cycling London! It was a great couple of days.