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10/01/2013

Wednesday 2nd - Wednesday 9th January 2013 ~ Par for the Course

A Happy New Year to all our readers ! Seems a while ago now doesn't it ? The first week of 2013 has been relatively uneventful, but let's have a look at it anyway :
Wednesday 2nd Jan. The year begins with a day of good timekeeping, Y9-XL15 lost 11 minutes with 37157 and L11-XL17 12 minutes with 37568, but everything else was good. 37579 on K4-XL10 misbehaved with a faulty starter motor after the initial trip to Peterborough, so 37563 off maintenance did the rest of the turn. 37570 needed new brake pads so in the afternoon came off K19-XL06 and a revived 37579 took over. A problem with the ticket machine on 37571 saw it swapped for 37564 on Y6-XL12 20.35 King's Lynn - Lowestoft.
Thursday 3rd Jan. Temporary lights at Necton caused minor delays to services today, but west of King's Lynn punctuality was excellent 37577 on L8-XL14 was 6 late on the heavily loaded 09.48 Wisbech - Peterborough, but only 1 minute late returning eastbound and 37572 on Y9-XL15 was three late westbound and one early coming back. Just one swap today, again involving 37571 which did K17-XL04 until 13.37 with 37156 taking the turn forward to Peterborough at 13.45 from Lynn.
34111 photographed on a short by Jo Watson
Friday 4th Jan. Another great day for timekeeping - even the fact that L11-XL17 with 37159 passed through Wisbech 9 late westbound and 37157 arrived in Lowestoft 17 late on Y9-XL15 couldn't take the gloss off a very good day otherwise. K17-XL04 was the only bus change reported with 564 giving way to 565 this afternoon.
Saturday 5th Jan. I didn't see much today, but things seem to have gone smoothly. B7 37159 was seen arriving at the Southgates from Lowestoft at 14.16, a minute after it should have left westbound, but that was the only delay noted. 37578 is at last almost ready to return to service after a prolonged lay off for repairs. It now just needs an inoperable destination system sorting. No swaps were required which is always a good sign and the buses weren't choked with football supporters as some people suspected they might be with Norwich playing away at Peterborough in the FA Cup, for which a special bargain fare was available.
Sunday 6th Jan was just an ordinary Sunday with ten B9 worked diagrams, so to Monday 7th and B7 worked services ran about 10 late, 37159 on Y9-XL15, 37160 on L11-XL17 and 37156 on K18-XL05 were all late by this margin westbound through Wisbech, although surprisingly, the latter did regain a lot of this and was only 3 late coming back eastbound. Worst delay affected Y13-XL19 which had 37563 and was 13 late on the 11.45 Lynn - Peterborough and this had increased to 20 minutes coming back. 37572 replaced it for the 14.32 King's Lynn - Lowestoft.
Tuesday 8th Jan saw some services diverted via Wisbech St. Mary due to delays in the Guyhirn area. One service which ran via the correct routewas L8-XL14 which left Wisbech 8 late westbound and came back 13 late. 37566 on L12-XL18 expired at Middleton with a water leak at around 11.00, so 37572 took over. 37566 came out again later replacing 37159 on K18-XL05. At last 37578 returned to traffic on K4-XL10, it had last worked on December 20th.
Up to date then with Wednesday 9th January and today more services ran via Wisbech St. Mary, particularly in the middle of the day. 37577 on K17-XL04 used this route in both directions this afternoon. Tonight an accident on the Acle Straight saw services diverted via Filby and K15 with 37568 took this route,still though arriving in King's Lynn on time. Diagram K1-XL07 had an interesting day, beginning with 37563, this gave way to 37579 at 15.15 from King's Lynn eastbound, however, a mysterious rumbling noise saw 579 taken off on arrival back in Lynn and 37570 went forward as the 18.02 King's Lynn - Great Yarmouth. All the X1 Geminis were involved in the service at some point today except 37574 which was out of service having new brake pads fitted.
On a final note 37572 should pass the half million miles mark on either Sunday or Monday of next week !


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