There are only three buses a day on this route now but consulting my 1974 timetable there were 20 buses on the no 431 with one on the 431A. When I was a kid there were buses like the 431C and 431D to Fort Halstead as well. So to do the full route I needed to drive to Orpington and catch a train to Sevenoaks. The best fit looked likely to be the 1209 Hastings train which delivered me to Sevenoaks at 1218.
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Orpington station with platforms 6,7 and 8
all occupied but wih different types of stock |
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The bus stop in Pembroke Road which still
expects a No 431 to call!! |
After a short stop for lunch at Costa I walked up Tubs Hill. The bus stop at the station does not allude to any 400 series buses but the next one up the hill does, as does still the one I snapped last time in Pembroke Road.
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Two GoCoch buses in the bus station the nearest
was my mount |
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| GoCoach operate double-deckers,too. |
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| A rear view of my future No 3 |
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| GoCoach operate demand led buses too |
I then made my way to the bus station and waited for the 1325 departure of my chosen bus, the now No 3 operated by GoCoach. YJ18DLX reversed from its parking spot art 1320 and I was aboard for the 1325 departure to Orpington via Halstead and Knockholt.
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| This was the site of the cattle market |
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| Five 400 series buses shown including 431 |
We headed straight back the way I had walked and was back at the railway station at 1328. The bus took the old A21 to Riverhead, brifel deviating ino a parking bay near Tesco where some passengers got on. We returned to he old road and transitted Dunton Green, passing over remains if the Westerham brnch railway and the site of the old Dunton Green Country area LT garage.
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| Matching gonk on pillar box in Dunton Green |
Crossing over the M26 and next the M25 we would normally have gone up Star Hill but this is closed for roadworks so we were diverted up Polhill instead.
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Passing Polhill Arms, last time when doing
the No 421 I walked past this |
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| Entrance to Polhill garden centre |
The bus passed what had been the Polhill Arns and turned into Polhill garden centre where five passengers boarded a 1341. After leaving the garden centre the bus would have normally gone up Shoreham Lane to Halstead but I later learned this has been deemed unsafe owing to parked cars making the road too narrow. hus we continued along the old A21 through Badgers Mount then left up Watercroft Road which becomes Station Road before reaching Halstead.
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| Halstead bus stop |
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| Three Horseshoes Knockholt |
In Halstead the bus headed right for Knockholt and did a circuit at the Three Horseshoes pub and returned he way it had come not only to Halstead but also back down to the old A21. Here we turned left passing Knockholt station at 1358 and finally joining the current A21 to get to Pratts Bottom. Here the final passenger to join the bus boarded.
The bus left the A21 at the Rose and Crown Green Street Green and took
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| Queens Head Green Street Green |
Sevenoaks way to the Opington war memorial.
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| Orpington war memorial |
We went left here up Station Road following this road the A232 all the way to Locks Bottom where we terminated at Pallant Way at 1415.
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| Lay over point occupied by a No 336 so has to stop where it can |
I then caught a No 61 to Orpington railway station and walked to where I had left my car.
