RF421 at Chislehurst

Chislehurst and Sidcup Running Day

Sunday 23rd June 2002

Prepared by Ian Smith, 15th July 2002



Part 5: Chislehurst and Sidcup again

The west entrance to Sidcup Station also had buses - and a turning circle! But the buses here were Rail Replacement service buses plying between Sidcup and Lewisham. I saw a pair of Imperial Buses' Metrobuses - one of them ex-London M228. But also on duty was green RTL1256. I had seen it earlier in the day too. Well done Imperial for joining in the spirit of the Running Day.

Imperial Metrobuses at Sidcup on RRS. RTL1256 at Sidcup Station on RRS.

Back round in the east yard I met RT1798, coming in from a 229 round-trip, and Greenline RF113, off the 725.

RT1798 at Sidcup off 229. RT1798 at Sidcup off 229. RF113 at Sidcup off 725.

The afternoon was drawing on. What round trips could I still do before home-time? Too late for the 467. But RF368 was leaving for Chislehurst, and this was a Sidcup RF day after all! So I climbed aboard for another round trip to Chislehurst. We passed RTL139 on the way.

RF368 at Sidcup on 228. RTL139 seen from RF368.

Chislehurst was quiet now. I returned to RF368 for the trip back to Sidcup Station.

RF368 at Chislehurst on 228. RF368 at Sidcup on 228. RF368 at Sidcup on 228.

In the station yard some buses were arriving on last journeys, some were heading home and a few were setting off on last one-way workings. In the last category was LS98, heading off to Chislehurst as a 228, and from there on to Crystal Palace as a 227 through working. I wished I were going - the 227 between Bromley and Penge was my everyday journey for seven years in the sixties. RF633 was preparing to go home, and RF679, having been on 725 runs, was parked awaiting its finale. Off went the Q, back to Cobham, and RF429 went too.

LS98 leaves Sidcup on 228. RF633 at Sidcup.

The RT family was passing through too, on its home. RT227 came in off its day's work shuttling on the 467. RT1702 was ready for the off, and RTL139 was having its blinds changed. RT2043 departed, but RT2083 was still parked in the same place that I had seen it all day, although with blinds restored for its northern division base.

RT227 comes back to Sidcup on 467. RT1702 at Sidcup. RTL139 at Sidcup.

RF453 came in to turn and say farewell, squeezing between RT227 and RF269 - and then it was time for me to go. RF679 was to do a last journey to Sidcup Garage as a green 241 before heading back into Kent, and I went with them. As a day celebrating Central Area RF operation it seemed a fitting finale.

RF453 comes back to Sidcup Station on 241. RF679 at Sidcup Garage on 241.

Running Day System map.

Routes

51 Sidcup Garage - Sidcup Stn
161 Chislehurst - Sidcup Garage
227 Chislehurst - Bromley
228 Chislehurst - Eltham
229 Sidcup Garage - Bexleyheath
241 Sidcup Garage - Welling
467 Sidcup Stn - North Cray
725 Bromley - Bexley

Buses

Q83
RF113, RF269
RF366, RF368, RF383, RF421, RF429, RF453, RF486
RF633, RF679
RT227, RT1702, RT1798, RT2043, RT2083
RTL139
RM(L)3, RM8, RM1699
SMS369
DM1052
LS98
T1129

Thanks

Thanks to all those who made this such a memorable day, through efforts seen and unseen:
-the owners, drivers and crews of the buses;
-the organisers, inspectors, programme sellers..;
-the bus companies and councils who gave permissions;
-Connex South Eastern for the use of Sidcup Station carpark;
-the Mayor of Bromley;
-the passengers, from near and far.

Part 1. Part 2. Part 3. Part 4. Part 5.

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