Friday 14th January 2011 ~ Over To Bruce

After two days of us both chasing non-existent K16s, your editor retired for the day to the safe confines of the BBC Archives - doubtlessly to investigate further the vagaries of Test Card F and provide more amusement for Paul Merton, Ian Hislop and myself.
And so the sub Editor (Laid back) came out of semi-retirement to provide a more lighter human side to observing the X1 and its endless procession of White Elephants and their little B7 cousins.(you mean pedal cars Ed.)I was on duty a bit late but 37576 saved the day by being a little late on K1 at 08.07, passing 37573 on K5 Peterboro bound. 08.34 produced 37574 on K2 and 37579 on Y6, both on time.
K3 had 37570 but with no sign of Y7, I set off down the fields with the Alsatian. I had barely gone ten paces when a B9 slipped by on Y7 and was still down the fields when L8 and K4, both B9s, passed each other on time. An inconvenient phone call ensured I missed K5 and Y9 and an appointment with 3 sausage sandwiches took priority over Y6 and L10 - or so I thought.
Worried that I had failed your editor miserably by missing K4,Y7,L8,Y9,and L10, I set off for my little wood yard in Lynn Road,Walsoken at 10.40, determined to see L11at least. I was just getting out of the car when 37568 (what else?) waddled by on L10 over 10 minutes late - 'no change there then', in Angus Deayton's words.
Once home with the logs, I caught Y7 on time with 37565, followed by 37160 8 late on L11. L8 was almost on time with 37567 and L12 was only 3 late with 37566.
As it was Tesco day, a shave and shower was imperative (you mean it isn't normally ? Ed.) and 37577 was seen from the shower 6 late on Y13 (but could the passengers see you in the shower Bruce ?) . Patiently waiting for Y9, due 12.04, I was about to leave for Tesco when Father-in-law rang at 12.25 - very fortuitously as it turned out. At 12.36, 37159 staggered over the flyover, 32 minutes late, on Y9 and followed 2 minutes later by 37568 on L10!
Deliberately driving down the bus route to reach Kings Lynn, I met K14, 14 late with 37579 (!!!) making a second trip to Peterborough. Two complete laps of the Pullover roundabout ensured I finally identified 37572 on K15 for good measure.
My route to Tesco (very involved) involves using Nar Ouse Way and cruising past the garage, then making a U-turn and a second pass of the garage. In the garage was a nice clean 37158 (spare?) and a very dirty 37156 (the favourite vehicle of one certain Yarmouth driver) facing No2 pit. On my return, a Fount of All Knowledge was spotted on the forecourt, with a mobile seemingly attached to each ear. As he had spotted me as I spotted him, I pulled over to wish him a Happy New Year - or was it a Miserable B10M-less New Year? It seems 37579 had succumbed to a fault on Y6 and had been replaced, but it was mended in time to replace the hapless 37156 on K14. 37563 passed us by on K16 and 37568 set forth from South Gates on L10. I mentioned it had been following 37159 closely at Walpole Highway so neither of us were surprised when 37159 this time followed 37568 across the South Gates roundabout in convoy. The Fount (Count surely ? Ed) visibly groaned internally and shook his head. To make him feel better, I offered to reinstate 20118 free of charge, given the correct spanners!
I managed to miss K17 (37571?) and K19 in both directions due to incompetence and K4 as well due to potato peeling. However I was out in the dark awaiting Y6 at 20.10 and its new steed which proved to be 37578. So that leaves 37564/9/71/75 for K4/17/19 to my way of thinking.
Furthermore Scania 65529, out of service for many months, was over No3 pit being worked on but 2 hours later, along with 65532, was back at Rowan Road (the obvious way home) keeping the withdrawn B10Ms company.
Well Bruce, I know someone else who can explain a bit more about Y9's delay. Des says :
37565 - Y7 06.10 Yarmouth - Peterborough,  (me off at Lynn)- on time throughout
 
37159 - Y9 09.45 King's Lynn to Peterborough  departed 21 late at 10.06, 20 late at Terrington (10.20), roadworks at Wisbech,  33 late from Wisbech (10.51), 35 late at Guyhirn (11.05), 34 late at Thorney(11.04), 34 late into Peterborough rail station at 11.35. Returning on the 11.05 we set out 30 late at 11.35, 36 late from Queensgate at 11.40, then 30 late throughout to arrive King's Lynn 31 late at 12.55.
As we have said before, the chances of catching up any time with a 50mph resticted B7 are limited. To complete today's log, Bruce's guesses for the turns he missed were spot on. 37579 only worked K14 from Lynn to Peterborough and back where a revived 37156 took over.