Tuesday December 2nd 2008 ~ Bypass Operation

More unscheduled appearances on the A47 bypass today, more of which shortly. K1 07.48 ex Peterborough had not arrived at Wisbech by 09.00 (sched departure is 08.39), earlier however, Bruce had seen K6 07.59 King's Lynn to Peterborough with 37568 and K7 07.13 P'bo - Lowestoft with 37576 both on time. Cheryl saw K6 returning east and it was at Wisbech bus station alongside 37564 on J10 from Gorleston. Y9 was 37563 seen by Bruce. What happened next is unclear, but there must have been an almighty hold up somewhere as travelling west from Wisbech, Rob B passed 20105 before Guyhirn on J11 about 40 late, 20352 at Thorney at 12.45 on L12 about 30 late and then 20107 on L13 approaching Thorney just 5 late.
Bruce describes what happened next : "Coming back from Wisbech on the bypass at 13.06, I noted a Plaxton body in front of me. Instead of going home, I followed it up the dual carriage way and caught up with 20352 flogging along at 60+ with passengers on X1 - Lowestoft at Terrington West junction. At Terrington East a B10M was seen on the flyover, i.e. the proper route on the old road. Drove to the end of the dual carriageway with 20352 200 yards behind me and 201xx running parallel one field away. Retraced my steps on old road from the roundabout to meet at 13.09 20105, X1 - Lowestoft,which would have rejoined the A47 a few seconds behind 20352, having previously been in front! Bad enough, you may say, until I arrived in Walpole Highway to be met at 13.22 by 20107, X1 - Lowestoft, going like a train!"

Normality of sorts was restored by 37571 10 late on the K17 12.59 ex - Lynn while 37572 went by to Lynn at 14.13 (Y14 running 25 late), followed by 37570 at 14.20 to Lynn (K15 just 2 late).
"We only tell it as we see it!" says Bruce. Well I can add 37575 on K16 13.01 Wisbech - P'bo about 10 late and Rob Brooks enlarges on earlier services seeing 20107 on L13 1131 Wisbach - P'bo running approx 10 late down Elm Road (off its normal route). The later delay to 37572 on Y14 can be attributed to it departing Wisbech westbound 10 late and after the roadwords at Tesco this had increased to 27 mins late out of them!! 37564 on J10 11.39 Wisbech - Lowestoft arrived here at 12.10 (36 late).

This afternoon, almost all services took the Churchill & Elm Road route out of Wisbech to avoid the delays. On my way home 37566 was encountered near Walton Highway on K4 running 33 late while Bruce saw another B9 taking the bypass avoiding Walpole, Terrington and Tilney at 18.30 heading east - presumably a late running K1, in which case it was approx 41 late. Last thing tonight at 22.18 K15 was 5 late at Walpole with 37570 and L13 had 20352 on time.