Random Rides: Hawkenbury

[Chris]

Having achieved the Speldhurst end of the route in 2023 (https://groups.google.com/g/mdekbusclub/c/r_u7CNbNISQ/m/4pt6WOvFAAAJ), I finally managed to do the other, more frequent half of the 285 on 6th August. 

The frequency at this end of the route is irregular, but has 14 inward and 15 outward journeys on Mondays to Fridays, and 11 in each direction on Saturdays. The turning arrangement is unusual, consisting of a turn in the road with the help of a large layby - the yellow sign behind the bus reads "Please do not park / Buses turning", matching a similar, less formal, request at the Speldhurst end. 

MC74 HAM was sharing the route with newbie DW25 HAM on the day in question, and it seem here before turning, but with the blind already set for the return journey. The rear view of the EvoRa body provides an interesting contrast to that on the BZL demonstrator from the same manufacturer, and shows how the operator makes excellent use of the engine cover to highlight the company contact details... and certainly isn't advertising second-hand cars.

It may also be noted from these pictures that the seats at the rear are very high - the cove panel has a 'cut-out' in the moulding for the back-row passengers to be able to sit reasonably upright.

Chris

[Nik Anthony]

Wasn't the 285 operated by an off-shoot of Sullivan's buses, largely with double-deckers, at least on SDO, around 10-15 years ago? Think they were based at Polhill, but relations with them and mainstream Sullivan's became strained.

Nik

...

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Invicta Bus & Coach Newsgroup" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to mdekbusclub...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mdekbusclub/f6e62421-078e-4c98-b701-7f09a4ca585en%40googlegroups.com.

[Neil Gow]

Hawkenbury cemetery terminus in June 2015 and July 1986. It looks like the housing behind the EvoRa was there in 2015 but that in front of the EvoRa (the Frank Rosier Way development) is new since then and the gate has gone. I only took the turning out picture in 1986 but I would hazard a guess that none of the housing was there then, I remember it seeming quite remote.