On Sunday 7th October, Amersham & District held their yearly Amersham & Chesham running day, but this year the normal car park was being redeveloped so they were forced to make Chesham Broadway the centre of the event. However, this added a little more interest for me as I had attended the previous two at the Amersham site.
Travel was, as always, not of any interest, so I'll skip straight to the running day.
As I walked up to Chesham Broadway, I could immediately spy a red double decker, which turned out to be RTL554 with my friends Peter driving and Bob conducting! This was ready to run the first trip of the day, a 10:00 service to High Wycombe over route 305 (the long way).
I had a selection of 4 different possible plans to choose from, two of which involved this trip. However, as it began filling up, I decided otherwise and opted for my first run to be out to Buckland Common, which I thought would be a very scenic trip. Well, I wasn't disappointed! However, as departure time loomed, there was no sign of the bus. RML2456 arrived from Uxbridge on a feeder service and RML2440 also turned up.
This was due to run the third trip of the day, the 10:15 362A to High Wycombe, the quick way. At the other end, it was due to meet with RTL554, which it blocked upon arrival at the stop! However, there was still the pressing matter of the RF... The minutes ticked by and the RTL departed.
Luckily, my fears were unfounded - at around 10:05, RF406 burbled up to the large queue, ready to take us all to Buckland Common and back. The queue was large and everyone only just about made it on the bus!
The immaculately preserved RF (one of my most-ridden examples) completed the Chesham Broadway triangle before emerging at the roundabout and turning right before heading up Bellingdon Road and continuing on to Hivings Hill. This part was just a housing estate, but I was getting very expectant for the next section. However, the bus was given a test up the first hill of the trip - after this, the roads became tree-lined and much more pleasant than they had been. Going through Bellingdon and Braziers End, the road was still relatively 'normal' (apart from the lovely greenery), but then we veered off left and it became a whole lot more interesting. The country lane was so tight that the driver had to sound the horn around some of the blind corners. The Buckland Common terminus was soon reached and, after a quick spot of reversing, there was time for a photograph. The friendly crew had somehow managed to adhere roughly to the scheduled arrival time of 10:27, although reversing took an extra minute or two.
Then, at 10:35 precisely, we were off again, heading along the same fantastic route as before. The blind corners posed some challenges, as we met a car just after one! However, everyone made it back to Braziers End unscathed for the trip back along Chesham Road, through Bellingdon and down the entertaining Hivings Hill before arriving back at Chesham on time, despite being given a minute less running time on the return trip.
At the Broadway, RM188 was loading up for the 1052 trip to Berkhamsted on the 353 and RML2412 had just terminated on a 362 from Ley Hill, seemingly a tad earlier than scheduled at 1055.
However, as appealing as both of these buses were, I had my sights set on the next Gerrards Cross service, as I had a feeling I would like the vehicle; I had only travelled on it once before!
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