Events - 2015

A pictorial summary of where we've been this year

^{Page last updated 17 December 2015}

East Grinstead running day, 12 April

Windsor & Slough running day, 31 May

Hertford running day, 6 June

Epsom Coaches 95th anniversary, 20 July

Hemel Hempstead running day, 16 August

Camberwell Garage open day, 5 September

Bluebell Railway, 4 October and 1 November

London Bus Museum TransportFest, 18 October

Route 159, 9 December

Bromley route 227, 13 December

Bluebell railway

Brighton Pool Valley at the end of duty on the 20 from Sheffield Park.

Photo © Giffard Hazle

Hemel Hempstead

Trunk route 301 ran from Aylesbury to Watford Heath. RT4779 worked the Tring to Watford section for the day and is seen in Tring High Street.

Photo © Richard Thomas

East Grinstead

2015 marks 50 years since the introduction of the famous XF-class Daimler Fleetlines, precursors of London's new one-man double-deck fleet, on Country route 424 between Reigate and East Grinstead. The route therefore featured strongly in this year's event; RT4779 started from the Reigate Station terminus.

Photo © Colin Fradd

Not just a point to point route, the 424 ran in something of a zigzag, here leaving Horley for Smallfield.

Photo © Steve Whitelegg

Copthorne Church and RT4779 is followed by a cyclist through the sharp turn.

Photo © Colin Fradd

Later in the day, we had the pleasure of running the RT behind XF1. Two of the original eight XFs were in service on the day.

Route 159

Just for a change, a different green RT. Route 159 saw the last Routemasters in mainline service on 9 December 2005 (yes, it really was 10 years ago). To mark the anniversary, London Bus Museum organised the return of real buses for a day - a dozen Routemasters, half a dozen RT family and (marking 10 years of a fully-accessible network in London) LBM's TA1. Christmas Lights for the masses.

Epsom Coaches event

Epsom Coaches celebrated 95 years on 20 June, including operation of RTs 3491 and 4779 on route 418. After the event, RM2 and RT4779 restaged (ish) the posed LT photo of RM2's brief operation on route 406 in 1957.

Hertford

RT4779, loaned from Leatherhead for the day, before setting out on the long 715 run to Hertford.

A proper Country Area bus station scene - three RTs, a GS and experimental Routemaster RM2. And a crew having a chat.

Windsor & Slough

An exciting day shuttling between Slough and Uxbridge in the rain was punctuated by occasional visits to Pinewood Studios. Unfortunately, full blinds were not available on the day.