V3 at South Mimms

St Albans Running Days

Saturday & Sunday January 12th-13th 2008

Prepared by Ian Smith, 23rd January 2008.



Saturday afternoon

Back on St. Peters Street after lunch I had to decide what to do: spend the afternoon riding round on the two Nationals, or head back to London. While I made up my mind I watched the buses on St.Peters Street. "Tank" 3154 had been right round its circuit, and was heading for Hemel Hempstead again on the 301. SNB449 came browsing along, back from another trip to the Abbey Station, every rivet caught by the low glancing sunlight.

3154, St.Peters Street. SNB449, St.Peters Street.

The "mobile first aid box", Centrebus 571, also called, heading for Jersey Farm on the S3.

3154, St.Peters Street. SNB449, St.Peters Street.

Two more services heading north-eastwards rolled south-westwards down to stiop in St.Peters Street, in the town's counter-intuitive way. Resplendent in pink and mauve was Dart SLF 119 of Universitybus, heading for Hatfield,, followed by Arriva's standard-liveried Volvo / Wright Endurance 3847 (ex Sovereign), on route 300 to Welwyn Garden City.

119, St.Peters Street. 3847, St.Peters Street.

Another pink and mauve bus was Universitybus' brand-new Mercedes Citaro 309, heading for Watford on the 602. (These were delivered in October 2007 for route 600). Hard on its heels came a Dart SLF of Metroline, DLD148, on the 84. I had noticed that today the Darts on the 84 were of the dual-doorway DLD variety, rather than the single doorway buses ex-Thorpe's that were on duty last year.

309, St.Peters Street. DLD148, St.Peters Street.

One of the ex-Greenline DAFs, 3444, worked past. I cannot remember which route it was working, and the dot-matrix blind is of no help to a memory that often relies on photographs (Apparently it was on the 321 (data from Peter Skuce: thanks)).

It was followed by SNB312, working to the City Station again. I climbed aboard. Another of Centrebus' ex-London Darts came the other way, on the 34 from Dunstable. It was short Dart DR134, now Centrebus 134.

3444, St.Peters Street. DR134, St.Peters Street.

Down at the station I alighted for a photo, and realised that M1309, on rail duty, was about to depart. It made my decision for me. With the forthcoming London Emissions Zone opportunities to ride 1970s and onwards vintage vehicles will become fewer, most certainly in the Greater London area. Their use on rail replacement work will thus be limited, and many will disappear, as will London-based preserved examples. (The same applies to Leyland Nationals and Bristol LHs of course, so if you want to travel on one of these in London, do it before July.)

SNB312, St Albans Stn. M1309, St Albans Stn.

I was the only passenger on the bus. Apparently I was only the second or third that day. Not surprising, given the direct express train service! But it was an interesting ride on the Metrobus, a type that I had largely missed in London service. I rode eastwards, out of St.Albans past Fleetville, and along the ribbon-developed road to Hatfield, and round, missing the town centre, to the station.

There in the yard was the Hatfield rail standby fleet, busy doing nothing. Herbert's Travel was prominent, and I spotted two ex-Kentish Bus Leyland Olympians, presumably acquired recently by Herbert's with this contract in mind. L526 and L552 stood next to another Olympian ex Tynemouth. Next to that was RML2515, "Ruby", in full London Transport white-bullseye livery, also on railway standby. I wonder if someone got a treat?

L526 & L522, Hatfield Stn. RML2515, Hatfield Stn.

I found I was in reasonable time for a train to Kings Cross, and soon was being whisked southwards...

Part Three: 712 to St.Albans


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


Back to Ian's Bus-stop Part One Part Three: 712 to St.Albans