The means of getting to Caterham on the Hill required two buses, so having left home at 1035 I made my way to the Purley Way to catch either a No 289 or No 439. However, I had to wait at least twenty minutes for the bus so didn't leave on a No 439 until 1114. This meant I arrived in Purley at 1127 and passing Purley United Reformed Church gave Charmaine some labels for her bookcases there. Next I boarded a No 466 in Purley High Street to Westway at Caterham on the Hill which was reached at 1202.
 |
The 400 is an hourly bus service |
 |
The No 466 layover spot |
 |
No 400 a Metrobus double decker No 6964 |
 |
No 400 Destination East Grinstead |
The next No 400 bus was to leave at 1225 and it arrived to lay over at 1205. This was Metrobus 6964 and I boarded at 1222 and we left on time past Caterham on the Hill library. At the 'T' junction ahead we turned right along the High Street to Church Hill and down to Caterham itself.
 |
Shop open Thursday to Saturday |
 |
Caterham old post office |
From here the bus turned right going past St John's church and the Miller Centre climbing all the time until it reached the Caterham Bypass (the A22). We then headed south towards the M25 going under the motorway and taking the third exit, the B2235, which led to Godstone.
 |
Approaching the M25 |
 |
Descending the hill towards Godstone |
 |
Road closures ahead |
 |
Returning back to Godstone from the south |
Normally the bus would have continued straight south through the village but the fairly recent subsidence there meant we had at 1238 to go left, eastwards along the A25 and then south down the Godstone bypass (the A22). At the roundabout the bus turned through 300 degrees and thereby reached Godstone village from the south.
 |
Approaching Blechingley |
 |
Crossing the M23 betwixt Blechingley and Nutfield |
 |
Pausing in Nutfield |
 |
Starting the descent from the Greensand Ridge to Redhill with Colley Hill Reigate behind |
This then allowed the bus to take the A25 through Bletchingley at 1249 and Nutfield at 1253. After a short wait, as the bus was ahead of time, we set off towards Redhill with views of Colley Hill above Reigate. The bus station at Redhill was reached at 1259 and we then headed south down the A23 from which we turned left into the East Surrey Hospital at 1309. Returning to the A23 we continued southwards through Salfords and on to Horley. We didn't go into Horley town but stayed on the bypass road where there was some roadworks.
 |
Entering East Surrey Hospital |
 |
Cows betwixt Salfords and Horley |
 |
Queue at roadworks on Horley bypass |
 |
Horley Cricket and Hockey club skittled tournament |
The bus followed on to Gatwick airport and then through the recently built city place past the original beehive airport terminal at 1330. Turning left we halted at the stop beyond Tinsley Green depot and exchanged drivers at 1334. The bus went straight on for a while but turned right under the bridge and took Northgate Avenue which led into Crawley town centre at 1345.
 |
About to head under A23 tunnel at Gatwick |
 |
Ryanair Boeing 737 turning to take off |
 |
Norwegian Boeing 737 following the Ryanair |
 |
Gatwick Road North bus stop |
 |
Broadway Crawley |
 |
Three Bridges station |
 |
Copthorne village sign |
We next headed east towards Three Bridges and then on to Copthorne, although we took the bypass rather than travel through the village. Beyond Copthorne at the Dukes Head roundabout we continued along the A264 in the direction of Felbridge. At 1410 we reached the A22 once again and turned towards East Grinstead which was reached at 1420.
 |
Turning right onto the A22 at Felbridge |
 |
East Grinstead town centre |
 |
East Grinstead High Street |
After the town centre was left we took the narrow road College Lane which the bus had to give way many times as there were rock cuttings that the road had been forced through. At the end of this road at Blackshaw we turned right to go past the Queen Victoria hospital. Shortly after passing the hospital we took a right turn called Quarry Rise and the bus then terminated at 1428.
 |
Crossing over the chasm that was the railway to Tunbridge Wells and is now the A22 bypass |
 |
Passing Queen Victoria Hospital |
 |
Journey's End |
 |
The bus going away to turn around |
I asked the driver as I got off where I catch the bus back to Three Bridges and he showed me the stop opposite. On arrival I found the information provided really helpful as it was real-time display which enabled me to get some lunch as I was told the bus returned in twenty five minutes. The bus then returned me to Crawley and I got off near Russell Road at 1537 and walked along the cycleway and then walked through the woods to get to Tilgate Zoo where I arrived at 1610.
 |
Two of the five Ring Tailed Lemurs |
 |
Serval |
 |
Both Servals in shot |
 |
Baird's Pochards with three ducklings, critically endangered |
 |
Eclectic Parrot |
 |
Soay sheep Rare British breed |
 |
One of five baby Bagot goats Rare British breed |
 |
Local bunny inhabitant |
 |
Our son's favourite animal at the zoo Alf the Tapir |
 |
Scottish wildcat |
After visiting the Zoo and saying goodbye to Alf I caught a No 10 at Southgate Avenue to Gatwick Airport and then got a train and a tram home arriving home in one and half hours.