I've decided to write this post in a few separate parts, as the others seem to have been very long...
On 8th July 2018, I took the trip to Hemel Hempstead for the first time to the Amersham & District Running Day.
Travelling to Hemel Hempstead
Usually, the main part of the travel to these events is by feeder service and today was going to be no different. RF600 (yes, the same bus I'd got for 4 hours the weekend before) was operating a 708 feeder from Croydon via Central London. Normally my boarding point is Croydon, but I decided to splash out and travel through from Marble Arch to the event. My first method of transport was the bus to the station, then the c2c through to Fenchurch Street before walking to Bank and hopping on the Central Line as far as Marble Arch. From there, I had to find the seemingly elusive stop '14A', which didn't exist - the RF pulled up around 10 minutes late and the driver was similarly bemused by the lack of stop, so pulled up to the last one in the row.
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| We meet again... |
I was greeted again by the friendly driver (and part-owner) of the vehicle and settled down into my seat before we left for the hour and a half trip through to the running day in Hemel Hempstead. As with last week, it was a pleasant ride and there was also a similar 'mishap' - the bus overheated again on the third sweltering weekend in a row, but we were soon on our way. RT604 ran the other feeder from Croydon round South West London and we were chasing it all the way to the old (now disused) bus station, where the event was based for the day.
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| The main focus for the event, Green RTs, parked in the bus station |
The running day
ROUTE 317A (HEMEL HEMPSTEAD - BERKHAMSTEAD) - GS13, MMX313
My plan to travel to Berkhamsted on the 312 then take the 301 to Tring so that I could make one of the few morning 387 journeys was already scuppered, as the 301 that would take me wasn't running! A GS pilled up working the 317A towards Berkhamsted, but I was going to stay there and replan... Or was I? The conductor made 'last calls' and there were (surprisingly) still a few seats left, so I took one for the scenic 317A trip through the countryside. The crash gearbox certainly looked fun to drive with! Although it was a little jerky, the ride was absolutely fantastic and we even got a photo stop in the very picturesque village of Little Gaddesden.
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| Timeless scene! |
There was very little traffic and, as you can see, the photographs that we captured could've been in the '60s! On the way through Northchurch, we met T792 coming the other way on a 352 towards Dunstable. It was a very pleasant ride, apart from the speed bumps towards the end - the 317A serves a housing estate on the way into Berkhamsted and doesn't serve the High Street, but only the Station.
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| Time to run... |
I alighted at the station and walked as quickly as possible towards the NatWest bus stop for RT604 towards Aylesbury; I knew I could still make one of the 387 journeys if I caught this particular trip...
LUNCH BREAK
As you can guess by the title, I didn't make the RT heading up to Aylesbury. I did see one going in the other direction, but I hoped that RT604 would arrive soon.
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| Why did I let you go? |
However, having enquired with another running day passenger, I discovered that the RT in question had left a few minutes early and so I decided to catch the next bus back towards Hemel Hempstead.
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| Different routing on the return trip |
It turned out that there was a long wait for the next 301, so I decided to eat my lunch. At this point, I was questioning why I'd let 3238 go...
Continued in Part 2
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