Red by Name, Red by Nature

[Chris]

I've always liked the backdrop of Cliffe Village (even if it is somewhat unreasonable that they didn't foresee the arrival of the bus stop in 1260 and build it a little closer to the road) for photography, and on 7th May I cycled the long stretch of the B2000 to meet the lunchtime return of the 417 to Gravesend. 

A longstanding service numbered 47 by M&D, a quick check (for once) through the list meaning I don't make the mistake of thinking this was the service that replaced the Hundred of Hoo railway in 1961 (it started in 1926!), it is a prime example of a service from a relatively rural area to a more urban area that isn't the one you'd necessarily think of, albeit now with KCC support. 

Adorned only with the Merton garage code of its previous owner but otherwise entirely anonymous, Enviro 200 LX07 BXK performed the duties on that day, and I just managed to take the picture before that ominous-looking grey cloud in the background got much greyer, started raining, and continued to rain exceptionally hard for the entire 75 minute cycle home. 

As an aside, recent observations seem to suggest that on Saturdays at least, and given the timetable similarity presumably Mondays to Fridays too, the 417 and its sister service 416 to Meopham are now interworked with the 306/308 at Gravesend. 

Chris