Friday 24th October 2008 ~ All Change

It was literally 'all change' today with many services swapping vehicles at King's Lynn and some appalling late running which was hardly ideal on the day the flagship service was publicised in the local press. A further three Geminis entered service today, full details in a moment, but first the news many have been waiting for : what is going and where ? Here is the full list :

First Hants : 20111

First Glasgow : 20114/117/119/120/141/142, 20502 - 509 inclusive

First Edinburgh : 20121/123/124

First Essex : 20500/501

The other big question, what is the Gemini depot allocation ? Well it is going to be 37563-569 at Lowestoft and 37570-579 at Lynn, To begin with all Geminis will come from Norwich Volvo to King's Lynn for safety checks before entering service. The first service on the full 17 vehicles will take place at King's Lynn. Tonight 37569 was in prep and should be OK for Saturday, also new on the road today were 37564/566/573.

Gemini workings today were :

37563 : K3 all day commencing with 06.54 Wisbech - Lowestoft

37564 : L12 all day commencing with 07.15 Lowestoft - Peterborough

37566 : K20b empty to Norwich, 17.17 Norwich - Peterborough to King's Lynn

37567 : Y8 commencing with 06.02 Yarmouth - Peterborough and finishing at Lynn at 17.24 (actually much later see below)

37568 : Y21 17.25 Lowestoft - King's Lynn (off X1 shuttles seen by Rob Brooks)

37571 : K6 commencing 07.59 King's Lynn - Peterborough and finishing at Lynn at 16.54, then replaced 37567 on Y8 17.29 to Peterborough and return to Lynn

37573 : K7 14.59 Lynn - Peterborough etc replacing 20506.

The late running made the influx of new vehicles seem a little ironic. 37563 on K3 was 13 x 18 late through Wisbech this afternoon. 37564 was heavily delayed on L12 and passed Bruce 39 minutes late en route to P'bo at 11.28, it returned via Wisbech bypass and was seen by Rob Brooks leaving Norwich still about 40 late full and standing heading east ! It may have had its turn cut short at Yarmouth as it was back at Lynn as booked this evening. 37566 holds the dubious distinction of being the first Gemini failure. It was removed from K20 tonight with loss of power and 20508 which had just come in from Peterborough was used as replacement. 37567 on Y8 began the day on time but was 33 late from Norwich this afternoon heading west with 20103 on Y9 not far behind, and 37571 on K6 was replaced by 20501 at Lynn at 16.59, it then took over from 37567 on Y8 (the first Gemini for Gemini swap !!) and was seen arriving back at Lynn at 20.31 being chaperoned by 20103 on Y9 immediately behind it. So all in all timings wise a bit of a disaster.

Amongst other incidents today were 20126 failing at Fransham with faulty wipers on K16 06.07 Lynn - Lowestoft, 20501 attended with the fitters and later K15 12.29 Lynn - Peterborough failed to run and passengers were crammed on to 20502 on the next service (K16). 20142 is believed to have resumed K15 as the 14.42 Lynn - Lowestoft.

20120, resident in Vancouver Avenue, is unlikely to work for FEC again and is one of the coaches going to Glasgow - see above. The vehicles destined for other parts of First will congregate at Rowan Road after full checks at Lynn prior to being transferred.

Thanks to Jamie Vendy, Jamie Robinson, Rob Brooks, Rob Horspole, Bruce and Judith for providing details of sightings today. Special mention ought to be made of Bruce's vigil waiting for K15 this afternoon which as mentioned above failed to run !

A lady reader of the 'Eastern Daily Press' had a letter published today having a general rant about the new Geminis - strange in that they only entered service yesterday, she must have delivered the letter personally or by email ! I found her moans quite entertaining when she referred to the old buses as unreliable but comfortable. Bet she was one of those who whinged about the lack of capacity on the coaches.