Bromley Mini Running Day

Sunday 9th December 2018

Prepared by Ian Smith, 23rd December 2018.

Part Four: 227s and 94s

227: Bromley Town Hall to Crystal Palace (RF395)

So I climbed aboard and settled down for another comfy ride to Crystal Palace, enjoying converstaions with the crew and passengers. Some of these expressed amazement at the internal condition of the RF, which has been restored by The London Bus Museum at Brooklands.

We passed Citaro 23102 yet again, this time at the Shortland Station step, just beyond the low bridge under the main line.

We continued on through Beckenham and Penge, and up the hill to Crystal Palace. The passengers alighted at the stop before the bus station, then the bus pulled in and paused for the crew to use the facilities. The bus station manager came over to see what we were doing, and was reassured that we were not taking a brak but just a PNB. We pulled round to the loading stop, and took on some passengers there - and more at the stop on the other side of the Parade.

227: Crystal Palace to Beckenham, Westgate Road (RF395)

We passed one of Arriva's new Wrightbus Streetlites, SLS4, on the 450 to Croydon, where they have displaced the short Cadets and Dart SLFs. Then as we went down the hill we met Citaro 23104 labouring up the grade on a 227.

Down in Penge we saw RF401 at the Crooked Billet stand, and then met Go-Ahead Citaro MEC64 on the 358.

I worked out on the timetable that I could swap onto RF406 after a short wait at Beckenham Church. But on Beckenham High Street Peter said that we would miss Beckenham Church as the fuel state was low and the sharp rise might run the remaining fuel to the back of the tank. So I stayed on, along the short stretch of 725 route to the traffic lights, and alighted at the Westgate Road stop.

I crossed over and waited. And waited. But eventually RF406 arrived ... and went straight past! It was full. I should have walked back to Beckenham Church.

What should I do now? I still wanted that run to Bromley Garage on RF406, so decided to walk along Bromley Road back to Beckenham Church. RF401 rushed past me as I went along, coming round a corner too quickly for me to grap a picture. RF486 went past too, heading for Crystal Palace.

227: Beckenham Church to Bromley South Station (RF406)

Another twelve minutes went past. RF395 had had time to reach Bromley and return. It too paused opposite, on its way to Penge. Going my way was a Stagecoach Citaro: 23102 yet again!

It was followed just four minutes later by another: 23111 this time. Another three minutes later along came RF406, and I gratefully climbed aboard out of the cold damp evening.

RF406 completed its journey to Bromley North, then set up blinds for a garage run to Bromley Garage. It was my intention to make the garage run, and then catch RT1702 north to complete my day. But my calculations indicated that I would not get to the garage on time. So I let RF406 take me to Bromley South Station, and alighted there.

94/61: Bromley South Station to Bromley Garage (RM1397)

Then an RT arrived. But it was RT1798, likewise heading for Bromley North.

So I revised ny plan. I crossed the road to climb aboard RM1397 as it came back south. I enjoyed the ride up onto Bromley Common. Ah, there was RT1702, scurrying north for Grove Park and Catford Garage. Too dark for a moving picture, mind. We continued along the 94 route to Petts Wood Station. We continued ahead, then and turned right onto the 61 route to Locksbottom, and thence to Bromley Garage, where the RM was pulled round into the yard. RF406 was standing in the garage doorway.

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

Many thanks to the owners, drivers conductors and others who made this possible once more. Particular thanks to Peter Aves for compiling schedules and generally organising, albeit from long range (Leeds). (Try his new book: Green All Over (Capital)).

Buses:
RT1702*, RT1798*, RM1397*
RF395*, RF401*, RF406*, RF429*, RF486* DT29*

Ian's Bus-stop 1 2 3 4