RML2440 on 484, Slough

Slough & Windsor Running Day

Sunday 22nd May 2011

Prepared by Ian Smith, 30th May 2011.



457: Windsor to Uxbridge, RM188

Red RM188 was on the stand at Windsor Bus Garage (as was) when RT2083 arrived. The RM had worked through from St.Albans, first as a 330 to Hemel Hempstead, then as 301 to Berkhamstead, followed by a 353 run through Amersham, the Chalfonts, Gerrards Cross and Slough to reach here. The crew was busy changing the blinds for the 457 duties during the day.

RM188 at Windsor Garage RM188 at Windsor Garage

It didn't seem right to hog one of the few seats on RT2083, so I swapped onto the RM for the return to Slough - and indeed on to Uxbridge. I even got my favourite seat behind the bonnet.

We were soon away, and quickly back under the walls of Windsor Castle.

RM188 at Windsor Garage Windsor

There were not many ordinary service buses about, despite the crowds of people, but there was one of Ensignbus' City Sightseeing Ayats-bodied Volvos, No 376, gliding past Windsor Castle with a good load, and at the stop further down was First Berkshire's ex-London Trident TN33142 on the Legoland service.

376 on City Sightseeing, Windsor Castle TN33142 on 200, Windsor Castle

RML2676 came round the corner, just where I couldn't get a decent shot.

Then something long, new, sleek and very blue came round the corner, too quickly for a good photo. ES64047 is a 2007 Mercedes-Benz Citaro, branded for the Slough Heathrow 7 Series.

ES64047c on Heathrow Service, Windsor Castle

We wound our way back out of Windsor, back to the banks of the Thames, then under the tight bridge under the Western branch railway, then out to the by-pass and back to Slough.

We made a triple passage of Wellington Street between the roundabouts, in order to serve west-bound stop G. In the process we passed behind RM1859 as we first entered the western roundabout. It was west-bound to Cippenham on the 407. We then passed incoming Hants&Dorset Bristol RE 1644, which had worked a Thames Valley route 63 from Maidenhead via Cliveden.

RM1859 on 407, Slough HD1644 on 63, Slough

As we came back to the stop other buses passed on the eastbound carriageway: First's current offering on the Heathrow service 75 - an Alexander bodied Dart SLF, DMA42346, followed by MB90 on a 441 to Hedgerley Corner. After our bus-stop call we rounded the roundabout again, following RT2083 which was inbound from Windsor on a 457D to Pinewood.

DMA42346 on 75, MB90 on 441, Slough RT2083 on 457D, Slough

We came up behind RF600, waiting at the lights while preparing to go out on the 442, and then we were finally away, free to leave Slough behind. We turned north-east onto the Uxbridge Road, and choggled through suburbia and countryside. At the roundabout where the 457Ds turn hard left to Pinewood we continued up Church Road, then had to turn right down Bangors Road North to regain the road into Uxbridge - now, inevitably, Slough Road. We crossed the rivers Colne and the Grand Union Canal, and climbed up towards the crux of Uxbridge. But we were not heading for the bus station, so headed round the town. We came up behind a local Trident with a significant number: TN33333 on the U4.

RF600 on 442, Slough TN33333 on U4, Uxbridge

We went past, and turned into Chippendale Waye to find our terminal stop, on the east side of the shopping massif.

RM188 on 457, Uxbridge RM188 on 457, Uxbridge RM188 on 457, Uxbridge

We were soon away again, rounding the shopping block, and passing VN37878 preparing for a return trip to Acton. We rounded the big roundabout, and took the Slough Road.

Soon we were back in Slough. The scene was improved by GS13, which rounded the eastern roundabout ahead of us, terminating on the 442.

VN37878 on 427, Uxbridge GS13 on 442, Slough

The stop was well-occupied. RF673 was on a 458 from Uxbridge to Windsor, having come via Iver. RML2440 was on a 484 eastbound to Langley Village.

RF673 on 458, Slough RML2440 on 484, Slough

While I debated whether to catch the RF, whilst taking pictures, the decision was made for me, when the three buses, RF, RML and GS, all took off. RF673 arrived, with another 442 to Burnham Beeches, but that wasn't what I wanted just now, either.

GS13 on 442, Slough RF600 on 442, Slough

But that was... RT3491 was coming along the other side of the dual carriageway on a 441 from High Wycombe to Staines...

Part Three: 441 to Staines and Beaconsfield

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


Ian's Bus-stop Part 1 Part 2 Part 3