RT3254 on 801, Stevenage White Lion

Stevenage Running Days

Saturday 8th, Sunday 9th June 2013

Prepared by Ian Smith, 18th June 2013.



Sunday morning in Stevenage Old Town

I was to be the information man and program seller in Stevenage Old Town on Sunday morning. Armed with cash bag and programs, and yellow vest, I walked up from the station to the Old Town. GS2 passed as I came under the underpass, and I followed it up the High Street. Then there was one of those 1950s moments, as I almost reached the little Guy Special. A pair of Bedford lorries, 1946 O-type BWH453 with semi-trailer and 1954 tractor unit NUW984, came up the street.

NUW984, BWH453, GS2 GS2 at Old Town

I found RF633 at the White Lion stop too, ready for the first bus north, to Letchworth Station via the 384.

RF633 on 384, Old Town RF633 on 384, Old Town

Ordinary Sunday bus services were running, of course. Arriva the Shires 3554 rolled up past the GS with a 301 from Hemel Hempstead to Lister Hospital, then uno's Scania SNL353 rumbled past southwards with a 635 from Baldock to Hatfield.

3554 on 301, Old Town SNL353 on 635, Old Town

GS2 departed for Weston on the 807, and then RT3254 arrived on the 390 service from Hertford. People were disappointed that it was not returning to Hertford, but after turning was heading for Welwyn Garden City as a 303. I pointed out that people could go to Welwyn on the RT and thence connect on a 393 to Hertford.

The blinds were changed on the RT, and a turquoise and black slipboard for Hitchin market fitted. The bus, running as Hatfield's HF12 set off to turn round the big roundabout.

RT3254 on 390, Old Town RT3254 on 303, Old Town

The GreenLine RT returned to the southbound stop at the White Lion, and after waiting time set off through the roadworks on its southward journey.

RT3254 on 303, Old Town RT3254 on 303, Old Town

A pair of Arriva's Volvo / Wrights headed south, 3886 on the SB9, 3884 on the 101 from Luton.

3886 on SB9, Old Town 3884 on 101, Old Town

GS2 arrived back from its short trip, and continued on south to Stevenage Bus Station. Uno Mercedes-Benz Citaro 321 came north on the 635. An interesting juxtaposition, these two, at opposite ends of the day's time-line , size and style, and also in negative-opposite liveries. (Try looking at the images in negative view to see what I mean).

GS2 on 807, Old Town uno321 on 635, Old Town

By now the red RF bound for Letchworth was well overdue. Had it got lost? Had it suffered a mishap on the long back-road via Benington and Walkern? (I discovered later that it had missed out the Old Town and gone straight north.)

Green RF633 arrived back from Letchworth (the northernmost tip of LT operation) on time (1147), and continued to Benington Green as a 384B. I checked the timetable to see if it connected there with a bus for Hertford - no: it didn't.

GS2 arrived back on a dead run from the bus station, ready to head off again with the next 807 to Weston.

RF633 on 384B, Old Town GS2 on 807, White Lion

A red RF appeared. It's RF406 heading for Letchworth, I thought - and announced. It wasn't. It was RF503, terminating on a 390. At least I could make some people happy by sending them to Hertford! Those who had hoped to catch the 384 to Letchworth were less happy. The RF made a quick turn-round, and was soon choggling off southwards to Hertford again.

RF503 on 390, Old Town RF503 on 390, Old Town

Another forty minutes passed. During that time a pair of Stevenage Dart SLFs passed in opposite directions, both from the ex-Sovereign batch: 3808 was northbound on the SB9, 3809 southbound on the 54.

3808 on SB9, Old Town 3809 on 54, Old Town

At length green buses started to appear again. GS2 growled through on return from Weston. Then RMC1500 (posing as RMC1486 due to non-availability of its own registration plate) arrived from Hertford on the 390. After a whirl round the block it was ready to depart again southwards.

RMC1500 on 390, Old Town RMC1500 on 390, Old Town

Then RT3254 reappeared from Welwyn, bound for Hitchin. Two green double-deckers at once! I despatched the waiting passengers onto the two buses, and then decided I had had enough. I joined the RT...

Part 5: Sunday Afternoon with RT3254


Ian's Bus-stop part 1 part 2 part 3 part 4 part 5