Monday / Tuesday 2nd/3rd July 2012 Bits & Pieces

Firstly I'm pleased to say that one of our trusty readers managed to capture 37567's little holiday in Norwich with his camera and kindly sent it in for use in the blog ....

37567 captured on the 24a by one of our Norwich correspondents

Now a few days ago I remarked on the proposed reopening of Nene Quay in Wisbech from Monday. WRONG - due to the contractors lethargy, the route is now closed until 31st August ! Well not quite, it has actually reopened in both directions today (Tuesday) and will remain so until after Saturday's Wisbech Rose Fair Parade, so may be a rare chance to get an X1 on the correct route if anybody realises it is possible. Meanwhile, Kings Street in Yarmouth is closed for emergency repairs - see the ENBB for details, link here :
http://eastnorfolkbus.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/bus-lane-closed.html

Monday 
37572 was kept in to get its starter motor sorted and 37564 was on a scheduled safety service. 37576 was on MOT prep. The service seemed to run well with no recorded changes, but Y6 (XL12) and 37574 did almost catch up K5 (XL11) with 37158 in Norwich. As a result the 13.55 ex Lowestoft ran empty to Norwich to get back in diagram . Normally when this happens passengers transfer to the following service at Norwich so that the K5 bus can then go directly to Lowestoft to work the 13.55.

Over on the X2, Lowestoft were due to lose a couple of its Volvo B7TL /ALX400s to Yarmouth, but has decided to keep them after all. This is probably because they are proving so useful. Today Malcolm Hicks saw 30889 on the 101 town service, 30887 on the 11.08  and later 30886 on the 14.38 X2s to Norwich.
Des explains more on the Southgates stopping situation following my comments last time : "The Southgates is an official X1 stop. Outward is the usual place to change drivers as five minutes from the bus station is a lot easier to judge than 10/15 minutes from Terrington. Shorter turn rounds at weekends mean that some turns do swap drivers on the inward, but getting across the busy road can be a problem.

Tuesday
37572 was back on the road on K2 (XL08) but 37564 wasn't ready for K4 (XL10) first thing, so 37159 took the turn to Peterborough and back and 37564 went forward to Lowestoft at 10.02. Services seemed to run very much to time today apart from K14 (XL01), this passed Bruce at Walpole at 12.42, so about 9 late. Looking out for it returning, it didn't appear and K15 (XL02) sauntered by with 37565 at 15.06 with just a couple of people on board, then at 15.12 37158 reappeared with a full load, now running 37 late ! King's Lynn control acted quickly and sent freshly serviced 37159 down to the bus station to work the 15.02 to Lowestoft and 37158 on arrival then retired to the garage.