RTW335 at Greenhithe Station

X55 and X81: Ensignbus Running Day

Saturday 6th December 2014

Prepared by Ian Smith, 13th December 2013.


Part Two: Grays to Shenfield Station

X81: Grays to Shenfield (RML 2588)

RML2588 on X81, Grays RML2588 on X81, Grays

I reboarded RML2566 at Grays, and we headed back for Lakeside. As we worked a way out of the town we met incoming First Essex Volvo 69909, heading for Chelmsford on route 100. Then was Ensign's Trident 105, once Stagecoach's TA115, now on a special duty. Olympus 117 was in service I think, but I caught its destination screens between flashes. There were other buses too, including the doyenne of the Metrobuses, M1. Unfortunately the photo consisted of the back of our driver's hand raised in salute!

First Essex 69909 on 100 105 117

We arrived back at Lakeside just in time to see RT8 disappearing. Again I was slow on the trigger, and RT8 passed behind the front corner of our driver's cab. The perils of trying to take photos from this seat! RTL453 also left. I missed it altogether as it passed in front of us, but waited successfully for it to come back from the roundabout.

RT8, Lakeside RTL453, Lakeside

We headed on north, up the B168, passing South Ockendon and North Ockenden, and on to Great Warley. We passed a succession of buses - with many photos falling to the driver's salute, the cab pillar or the wing-mirror!. There was Ensignbus 504, a Volvo Wright hybrid power bus, heading south on the 22 to Grays. Then Ensign's preserved Metro-Scania MD60, looking excellent after a long rebuild. Arriva's Volvo/Alexander 6114 was providing a double-decker on the 370. One of Ambus' Dart Caetano's was on the 269 from Brentwood to Grays.

504 on 22 MD60 on X81

We continued on to Brentwood Station, where a couple of single-deckers were waiting, including First Essex Dart SLF 43360 (V360DYG), probably on the 351 from Chelmsford.

Moving on, we met Ensignbus' preserved Leeds City Leyland PD3 5280NW, heading south in its attractive green livery, on the X81. It was hotly pursued by a First Essex Solo.

FSX43360 at Brentwood Station 5280NW on X81

We climbed up to Brentwood High Street, where we met more bus companies, including red buses. After the stop I changed seats to the nearside, which gave me an unobstructed view forward. Townlink's Dart SLF S472BWC was just ahead of us, turning left towards Harlow on the 21. We went straight on, very soon meeting Cravens-bodied RT1431 coming west.

S472BWC at Brentwood on 21 RT1431 on X81 at Brentwood

Now it was not far to Shenfield Station, where our bus terminated.

RML2588 at Shenfield Station RML2588 at Shenfield Station

Everyone alighted, and the bus disappeared under the railway bridge to start a lengthy break.

Ensignbus EnviroDart 703 came through on a local 81 service.

I used the long break to visit the coffee house on the corner opposite.

RML2588 at Shenfield Station 703 on 81 at Shenfield Station

Part Three: Shenfield to Brentwood and Upminster

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

Ian's Bus-stop 1 2 3 4 5