MB641 roared back into life, loaded up and was away, round the roundabout and back along St Peters Street for another trip to South Mimms. RT3254, looking superb in Greenline livery, came back from Garston towards St.Albans Garage on the 321.
SNB449 followed, working local route S6. RT3871 threaded a way along St.Peters Street towards the west, probably on a 321 working. Its occupants certainly seemed to be enjoying the experience.
I was looking for RF633. The crew had taken it off to St.Albans City Station to turn it, but had got caught up in the Victoria Street traffic. I hoped to intercept it before it got back. I saw a green RF shape approaching - but it was RF280 on another of today's "new" routes, the 338 to/from Radlett.
Heading the other way along the street was Universitybus Dart 120 heading for Watford.
I was just in the wrong place when I saw RF633. It was past me and off along St.Peters Street. I legged it back along the street, and joined the enormous crowd waiting to get on. Fortunately I found a place on the long nearside seat again.
We set off, closely following a Centrebus Solo, also on the 304. We passed the old garage, and forked right just beyond onto the Wheathampstead Road. We met the National returning towards the city from Firbank Road on the S1.
The bus drew into a stop to let a tail of traffic pass, and I took the opportunity to grab a photo.
We rolled on northwards, out across the common of Nomansland and down into Wheahampstead. We negotiated the narrow road through the village, and headed on towards Gustardwood. The road narrowed. We met the Solo coming back the other way. Everyone breathed in. The two buses squeezed past each other, and Colin, who was driving, started breathing again. We slowly wound our way down the lane past Blackmore End to reach the west end of Kimpton, where we turned right ro run down through the village.
A tight turn into a narrow lane took us onto the Whitwell Road, and we clambered up over the hill past Cuckolds Cross and down the steep hill into Whitwell. We all alighted at the terminus, glad to stretch our legs after the 36 minute journey. We could not turn the bus beside the pub, as in days of yore, so rumbled on along the village street to the junction at the far end, where the Hitchin road turns north.
The bus was reversed round the corner of the tee, and we rolled back through the village to collect our passengers from outside The Gravel Inn.
We all climbed back aboard, and Colin set us off up the hill out of the village, up the twisting road into the setting sun, wary lest SUVs should come round the bends too fast. But we crossed the hill to Kimpton safely, and rumbled past the White Horse.
Next came the climb up the minor road to Gustardwood, also taken very carefully with the narrow road and tight bends. But then the road improved past Wheathampstead, and the RF rolled smoothly on towards Sandridge and St.Albans.
When we reached St.Albans I could see RF308 ahead of us, waiting to depart on the 356 hospitals service. But across the road was MB641 ready to leave on the 84. Decisions, decisions..
Part Six: 84 to South Mimms: MB641
Photos by Ian Smith. Click on any of them for a larger picture.
Ian's Bus-stop
Part One
Part Three
Part Three
Part Four
Part Six