Tuesday 2nd November 2010 ~ You Are Being Watched

Just in case any of you had forgotten, when you travel on a B9 Gemini on the X1, you are constantly being monitored by no less than 17 (I think that is the figure, but am willing to be corrected) security CCTV cameras. Now don't get me wrong here, I think it is an excellent idea, as unless you have something to hide, it shouldn't bother you - after all 'First' are hardly likely to show footage to the police of someone picking their nose !!  Oh dear, I'm getting out of my depth here, I'm not suggesting that readers of the X1 blog pick their noses whilst travelling, or at any other time for that matter, but you get my drift.  Anyway, what I'm leading up to here is the fact that 37568 (yes, the one with that unenviable reputation for late running) has been sidelined since Saturday afternoon simply because of a fault with its CCTV system. Such are the pitfalls of having such hi-tech buses I suppose ? 568 has been sitting in Vancouver Avenue during this period awaiting attention.

Another problem of a different kind today involved last nights late arrival from Peterborough, 20115, and exactly what to do with it. This was soon resolved in the 'last in, first out' mode and it was used on the first eastbound departure today,  K14, which ends at Lowestoft. For subsequent events with 115 see Des' report below.
In a clever ploy, Richard sent 37158 out on K16 to enable modifications to be carried out on Lowestoft's 37567 and the latter was then able to replace 37158 for the 16.02 to Lowestoft. 37571 had a break from its regular turn of K17 today and instead appeared on K15, another Lynn internal diagram.
20121 continued its remarkable renaissance on K3, but was clearly delayed at some point. It was 5 late into Wisbech for the 08.56 to Lowestoft, but this evening was running 26 late on the 16.15 from Lynn to Peterborough. Whatever had delayed it had a lesser effect on K4 following and 37566 was only 7 minutes late. This gives a far from accurate picture of punctuality today though, which was overall very good. Peak hour morning services from Peterborough are usualy a few minutes late, but K4 with 37566 somehow managed to arrive in Wisbech a minute early today.

Syd keeps us up to date with events at Lowestoft and says "Hi Gerard,  More stories of the ever versatile 'Beast'. Today she caused another coup by operating on Lowestoft Town Service 102....the absolute preserve of Dart SLFs.  We cannot remember a B10M ever working on the route before. The cause was the failure of SLF 43465 when no replacement was available.  James, of course, was on hand with his camera to record the occasion :-

Not content with this, 20107 then worked the 19.15, 21.15 and 23.15 99 to Southwold followed once again by the 0040 return from Bernard Mathews. It's good to see she doesnt just sit around out of use when not required for X1s". Indeed it is Syd and proof that you can't keep a good bus down !

I noticed recently that 107 now has a hub meter to record its mileage, not unique for a B10M but certainly something that is  associated with more modern types.

Des reports Y7 with 37569 at  15:42 from Great Yarmouth to King's Lynn : 7 late departing (15:51), 6 late @ Norwich (16:31), 15 late @ Dereham (17:20), 15 late @ Swaffham (17:52) 15 late arriving Lynn (18:22). Once again K4 was the duty back and as we've already said 37566 was on this turn, however, despite keeping time throughout, 566 was plagued with fault messages indicating adblue problems and engine derate. Maybe this accounts for it being the lowest mileage B9 in the X1 fleet.

Other news from Des involves 37579 which Michael Bryant had seen on the 12.08 X2 out of Lowestoft and which Des confirms as being the 16:40 X2 ex Norwich. Delinquent 37156 was repaired and worked the 15:20 6B, then 881, then 17:25 X1 short out of Lowestoft. 20115 on K14 was insufficient to house the lengthy queue waiting at Norwich at 16.55 and on arrival at Lowestoft was collected by a Yarmouth fitter who had brought 37156 the other way.