Watford (A&DMS Running Day) - 8 Apr 2018

Sunday 8 April 2018 (1224) – AEC/Park Royal Routemaster RMC1453 (453 CLT) is now in the Arriva Heritage Fleet but was new in August 1962 as one of a batch of 68 vehicles fitted out for London Transport’s Green Line services. It was seen in Beechen Grove in Watford town centre participating in the Amersham & District Motorbus Society Running Day which replicated former London Transport Country Area services operated by preserved vehicles.

Sunday 8 April 2018 (1212) – The Amersham & District Motorbus Society Running Day replicated former London Transport Country Area services which were operated by preserved vehicles. The focal point for the event was Watford Junction Interchange. RMC1453 (453 CLT) now in the Arriva Heritage Fleet was new in August 1962, one of a batch of 68 vehicles fitted out for London Transport’s Green Line services.

Sunday 8 April 2018 (1213) – The Amersham & District Motorbus Society Running Day replicated former London Transport Country Area services which were operated by preserved vehicles. The focal point for the event was Watford Junction Interchange. RMC1453 (453 CLT) now in the Arriva Heritage Fleet was new in August 1962, one of a batch of 68 vehicles fitted out for London Transport’s Green Line services.

Sunday 8 April 2018 (1159) – In addition to the normal regular bus services using Watford Junction Interchange, today there was also a number of preserved vehicles taking part in the Amersham & District Motorbus Society Running Day. The event replicated former London Transport services of the past using former LT vehicles. Seen at Watford Junction Interchange, the focal point for the event, is preserved MB90 (SMM 90F), a dual door MCW bodied AEC Merlin new to LT in November 1968. Standing behind is a present day bus in the form of Arriva 4185 (KX62 JJO), an Optare Versa new in January 2013.

Sunday 8 April 2018 (1157) – The Amersham & District Motorbus Society Running Day replicated former London Transport Country Area services which were operated by preserved vehicles. The focal point for the event was Watford Junction Interchange. MB90 (SMM 90F), a dual door MCW bodied AEC Merlin new in November 1968 was seen having arrived back from Harefield on the 1040 service 347. Its next run was to be the 1211 service 311 to Shenley.

Sunday 8 April 2018 (1040) – The Amersham & District Motorbus Society Running Day replicated former London Transport Country Area services which were operated by preserved vehicles. The focal point for the event was Watford Junction Interchange. MB90 (SMM 90F), a dual door MCW bodied AEC Merlin new in November 1968, was leaving on the 1040 service 347 to Harefield.

Sunday 8 April 2018 (1040) – In addition to the normal regular bus services using Watford Junction Interchange, today there was also a number of preserved vehicles taking part in the Amersham & District Motorbus Society Running Day. The event replicated former London Transport services of the past using former LT vehicles. MB90 (SMM 90F), a dual door MCW bodied AEC Merlin new in November 1968 ready to leave on the 1040 service 347 to Harefield. Behind that is Eastern Coachworks bodied Guy Special GS13 (MXX 313), new in October 1953. On the left is RF673 (NLE 673), a Metro-Cammell bodied AEC Regal IV new in September 1953. The red Alexander Dennis Enviro400 double decker is a London Sovereign (RATP Group) vehicle parked between trips on a regular service (quite likely the 142 to Brent Cross).

Sunday 8 April 2018 (1157) – Today the Watford Junction Interchange was not only in active use with normal regular bus services but was also the focal point for the Amersham & District Motorbus Society Running Day. The society replicated former London Transport/London Country services of the past. On the left on regular service 142 from Brent Cross is London Sovereign (RATP Group) ADE40406 (YX12 FNM), an Alexander Dennis Enviro400 that had been new to London United (also RATP Group owned) in June 2012 (ADE6). On the right is preserved former London Transport MB90 (SMM 90F), a dual door MCW bodied AEC Merlin new in November 1968. It was ready to work the 1211 service 311 to Shenley.

Sunday 8 April 2018 (1054) – In addition to the normal regular bus services using Watford Junction Interchange, today there was also a number of preserved vehicles taking part in the Amersham & District Motorbus Society Running Day. The event replicated former London Transport services of the past using former LT vehicles. This view, taken from the upper deck of AEC/Park Royal Routemaster RML2440 (JJD 440D), shows RF673 (NLE 673), a Metro-Cammell bodied AEC Regal IV new in September 1953 which was new to London Transport in March 1966. In front of that is RT604 (HLX 421), a Weymann bodied AEC Regent III new in July 1948 which ended its working life in National Bus Company ownership when the LT country area services passed to NBC in January 1970. It is preserved in NBC green livery with NBC style logo and fleetname of London Country Bus Services Limited. Parked between trips on regular service 142 to Brent Cross is London Sovereign (RATP Group) ADE40432 (YX12 GHU), an Alexander Dennis Enviro400 that had been new to London United (also RATP Group owned) in August 2012 (ADE32). On the far right, also on a regular service, is Arriva 6525 (YX17 NFC), an Alexander Dennis Enviro400 MMC new in May 2017. It was heading to Hemel Hempstead on ‘Sapphire’ branded service 320.

Sunday 8 April 2018 (1150) – In addition to the normal regular bus services using Watford Junction Interchange, today there was also a number of preserved vehicles taking part in the Amersham & District Motorbus Society Running Day. The event replicated former London Transport services of the past. Former London Transport RF 226 (MLL 763), a Metro-Cammell bodied AEC Regal IV new in April 1952, one of the 263 of the RF class delivered for Green Line service work. It was working the 1126 service 347 from the former LT garage at Garston to Northwood Station. Garston garage is now operated by Arriva and the event was to mark its pending closure during 2018. Behind are two Arriva vehicles on regular services. 6527 (YX17 NFE), an Alexander Dennis Enviro400 MMC new in May 2017. It was heading to Hemel Hempstead on ‘Sapphire’ branded service 320. Behind that is 4187 (KX62 JKN), an Optare Versa new in January 2013, working the 1126 cross town service 10 from Holywell to Woodside.

Sunday 8 April 2018 (1153) – The Amersham & District Motorbus Society Running Day replicated former London Transport Country Area (green) services which were operated by preserved vehicles. Former London Transport RF 226 (MLL 763), a Metro-Cammell bodied AEC Regal IV new in April 1952, one of the 263 of the RF class delivered for Green Line service work. It was working the 1126 service 347 from the former LT garage at Garston to Northwood Station. Garston garage is now operated by Arriva and the event was to mark its pending closure during 2018

Sunday 8 April 2018 (1152) – The Amersham & District Motorbus Society Running Day replicated former London Transport Country Area (green) services which were operated by preserved vehicles. Former London Transport RF 226 (MLL 763), a Metro-Cammell bodied AEC Regal IV new in April 1952, one of the 263 of the RF class delivered for Green Line service work. It was working the 1126 service 347 from the former LT garage at Garston to Northwood Station. Garston garage is now operated by Arriva and the event was to mark its pending closure during 2018

Sunday 8 April 2018 (1153) – The Amersham & District Motorbus Society Running Day replicated former London Transport Country Area (green) services which were operated by preserved vehicles. Former London Transport RF 226 (MLL 763), a Metro-Cammell bodied AEC Regal IV new in April 1952, one of the 263 of the RF class delivered for Green Line service work. It had just left Watford Junction Interchange when working the 1126 service 347 from the former LT garage at Garston to Northwood Station. Garston garage is now operated by Arriva and the event was to mark its pending closure during 2018

Sunday 8 April 2018 (1200) – The Amersham & District Motorbus Society Running Day replicated former London Transport Country Area services which were operated by preserved vehicles. The focal point for the event was Watford Junction Interchange. In January 1970 the London Transport Country Area operations passed into National Bus Company ownership operating as London Country Bus Services Limited. LCBS added a number of shorter and narrower Eastern Coachworks bodied Bristol LHS buses to the fleet for rural services like BN45 (GPD 313N) which was new in November 1974. It is preserved in the NBC green livery with NBC style lettering. The NBC used a lighter shade of green than that used by LT. On the left is former London Transport MB90 (SMM 90F), a MCW bodied AEC Merlin new in November 1968.

Sunday 8 April 2018 (1200) – The Amersham & District Motorbus Society Running Day replicated former London Transport Country Area services which were operated by preserved vehicles. The focal point for the event was Watford Junction Interchange. In January 1970 the London Transport Country Area operations passed into National Bus Company ownership operating as London Country Bus Services Limited. LCBS added a number of shorter and narrower Eastern Coachworks bodied Bristol LHS buses to the fleet for rural services like BN45 (GPD 313N) which was new in November 1974. It is preserved in the NBC green livery with NBC style lettering. The NBC used a lighter shade of green than that used by LT.

Sunday 8 April 2018 (1201) – In addition to the normal regular bus services using Watford Junction Interchange, today there was also a number of preserved vehicles taking part in the Amersham & District Motorbus Society Running Day. The event replicated former London Transport services of the past. On the left between trips on regular service 142 to Brent Cross is London Sovereign (RATP Group) ADE40406 (YX12 FNM), an Alexander Dennis Enviro400 that had been new to London United (also RATP Group owned) in June 2012 (ADE6). On the right is an Eastern Coachworks bodied Bristol LHS that was new in November 1974 to National Bus Company subsidiary London Country Bus Services Limited. In January 1970 the London Transport Country Area operations passed to LCBS. BN45 (GPD 313N) is preserved in the NBC green livery with NBC style lettering. The NBC used a lighter shade of green than that used by LT. In the background is preserved former London Transport MB90 (SMM 90F), a MCW bodied AEC Merlin new in November 1968.

Sunday 8 April 2018 (1034) – The Amersham & District Motorbus Society held a Running Day centred on Watford Junction Interchange with preserved former London Transport vehicles operating over former LT Country Area services. RT3228 (KYY 957) is a Weymann bodied AEC Regent III new to London Transport in June 1950.