RF486 at Crouch End

Routes 212 and 233 Revisited by RF

Sunday 17th February 2013

Prepared by Ian Smith, 21st February 2013.


212: Finsbury Park to Muswell Hill Broadway: RF486

Back at Finsbury Park the WG garage plates were swaopped with a Muswell Hill (MH) pair. Everyone got on this time, so I was able to nip off and take a picture before we set off again on the 212.

We turned left again onto Stroud Green Road. Now I had a seat on the front nearside, so could see forwards on this trip. Arriva's T210 came the other way on a W3 from Northumberland Park.

RF486 on 212, Morris Place, Finsbury Park T210 on W3, Stroud Green Road

By now the route seemed fairly familiar. Soon we were climbing Muswell Hill, and terminating at the stop on the south side of the roundabout.

RF486 on 212, Muswell Hill Broadway RF486 on 212, Muswell Hill Broadway

RF486 moved across to the central stance, and then, without any preknowledge on the part of Peter and Steve, RF459 arrived too, and pulled up behind!

RF486, RF459, Muswell Hill Broadway

212: Muswell Hill Broadway to Finsbury Park: RF486, + RF459

RF486, RF459, Muswell Hill Broadway Muswell Hill

RF459 was not carrying passengers. We pulled across to the pickup stop, and loaded up. RF459 was away, down Muswell Hill. By the time we set off it was just a small red blob at the limit of vision. But traffic lights are sometimes in your favour: by the time we reached the junction at the foot of Muswell Hill we had almost caught up.

We followed the other RF along Park Road to Crouch End, where again we were right behind at the ornate clocktower.

RF459 at foot of Muswell Hill RF459 at Crouch End

RF459 at Crouch End Clock RF459 at Crouch End Clock

But now the traffic lights worked the other way, and we were left behind in Crouch End. But as we chugged up the rise of Crouch Hill we came up behind a parked RF and the other driver's thinking became clear: he wanted a photo of the two RFs side by side. He got his photo.

He passed us again at Crouch Hill Station, where we stopped to drop off a passenger. Peter Larkham kindly took a picture for me.

RF459 passes RF486, Crouch Hill Stn (Peter Larkham)

We followed him through the junction onto Stroud Green Road, and down the slope towards Finsbury Park.

RF459 on Stroud Green Road RF459 approaching Finsbury Park

We turned into Lennox Road, and RF459 followed us round the corner into Morris Place, where we terminated.

RF486, RF459 Morris Place RF486, RF459 Morris Place

Finsbury Park: RF459

Once the crowd had dispersed, the small remnant of us (Peter Osborn, Steve Whitelegg, Peter Larkham, Nigel Henty and I), went to see RF459. It looked good, having been conserved in final service condition since withdrawal from Kingston in 1977. Peter was offered a drive round the block, so we all climbed aboard for a quick loop round the block.

Then RF459 departed. Peter and Steve offered to drop the rest of us off at Waterloo on their way home. I stayed with the bus briefly while they went off to find some refreshment.

RF459 Morris Place RF486, Morris Place

Private: Finsbury Park to Waterloo Station: RF486

When they returned we set off down into London along the 19 bus route to Holborn. Then it was down to Aldwych and over Waterloo Bridge for a drop-off alongside Waterloo Station: a nice gesture at the end of a marvelous day. Thanks guys.

RF486, Waterloo RF486, Waterloo

Photos by Ian Smith. Click on any of them for a larger picture.

For a gallery of photos by a variety of photographers, click here.

Red-RF Ian's Bus-stop 1 2 3 4