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09/04/2009

Thursday 9th April 2009 ~ Revenge of the B10Ms

With a full load 37564 is running 27 late when photographed at Walton Road, Walsoken at lunchtime. Note the 'New In Town' ad which it has sported since 11th February.
20131 on the loose ! Here she negotiates Freedom Bridge roundabout at Wisbech this afternoon.

20131 returns to Lynn after a rare visit to Peterborough on K1. 37567 is ready to work forward. Photo : Rob Brooks


I had expected things to return to normal today after yesterday's fun, but far from it. The absence of at least three Geminis and 20353 meant B10Ms once again took a starring role.
37568/9/75/6 were not seen in service today and B10Ms deputising were 20104 which is believed to have done K19, a duty on which it was later replaced by 20103. Lynn's 20105 did K2 which ends up at Lowestoft and did the full turn. 20107 was K18, noted 18 late going west through Wisbech at 14.22 and 30 late past Bruce returning east. 20121 began the day on K4, but it ended up on K6 although it is not known whether it went through to Yarmouth this evening. 20126 was K1, but came off at Lynn at 15.24 and after a break took over K4 16.29 to Peterborough from 20121. 20127 not to be outdone was K16, but was removed at Lynn at 12.24 and 37564 worked forward 27 minutes late. Even dear old 20131 got in on the act doing K1 from Lynn to Peterborough and back this afternoon. 37567 which had come off K6 then worked back east. 20126/7 look as though they will be overnighting at Lynn together which is extraordinary.
Predictably timekeeping was a bit FST, even though it was a Thursday ! Y14 was heavily delayed with 37566 and eventually was overtaken by K15 with 37572, the two passed Walpole Highway in convoy at 14.31, 43 and 13 minutes late respectively. Thanks to Bruce for the report, however two services he didn't see were K3 going west and K16 returning east and both appear to have taken the A47 bypass to regain lost time. K3 was 12 late returning through Wisbech with 20352. the other serviceable Profile (20351) did K20 tonight.
Rob Brooks provided a comprehensive morning report from Wisbech and reports Y10 with 37565 (and faulty destination of course) 10 x 11 late; 37563 likewise 11 x 12 late on L11 and L12 the 11.01 departure from Wisbech to Peterborough with 37579 16 late arriving. Congestion saw 37577 on L9 10.18 Peterborough - Lowestoft 9 late into Wisbech but 16 late leaving King's Lynn.
Thanks to Rob and also to Bruce who did an afternoon vigil watching and reporting proceedings.
37566 had regained all its lost time by this evening and was seen entering Walpole Highway dead on time at 21.17.
The revised X1 timetable which takes effect from April 27th sees the timetable completely recast as this blog predicted sometime ago. The main changes appear to be the demise of almost all the Gorleston - Norwich shuttles including most of turn Y21 and the cancellation of the X1 parts of both K19 and K20. A new service is introduced departing Yarmouth at 05.50 and this turn seems to finish the day on the coast working a 19.10 Peterborough - Lowestoft. The first King's Lynn - Peterborough service is axed and K5 will now revert to its original format starting at Wisbech as the 07.21 to Lowestoft. Depending on how maintenance is slotted in, this could mean a reduction in vehicle requirements from 21 to 19, rather than an increase as at first thought. The 'First' website now includes a page which waxes lyrical about increased passenger loadings and sings the praises of the B9s as one might expect. Sam alerted me to this and here is the link :
http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/easterncounties/easterncounties/news/index.php?item=5871&show=1

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