Monday July 23rd 2012 - Sunday July 29th 2012 ~ Sunshine = Delays !

A week of better weather at last, but with more congested roads as a result. Monday began with K1-XL07 failing at  Dereham at 09.30. 37565 had a water leak and 37570 was sent from Lynn off servicing to resume the turn. The first leg to Peterborough of K5-XL11 had 37578, but serviced 37566 then took over. Later Y6-XL12 also swapped buses with 37578 replacing 37572, while K15-XL02 had 37568 replaced by 37576 after its windscreen repair. Norwich bus station reopened today after yesterday's roof repairs when X1 services used stops in St. Stephens instead.
Timekeeping was fair, but at 16.34, two Geminis were seen arriving at the Southgates from the east in convoy, one was K4-XL10 with 37563 and the other either a vehicle off a test run or a very late running K3-XL09 which was 37157.
37158  has been having problems overheating recently. Today it turned up at Lowestoft on L11-XL17 - it actually came in at 16.57 when departure is due at 16.55. Lowestoft engineers attended to try and source the overheating problem, however, on departure it became apparent that the indicators weren't working and further delay ensued while the ecu was reset. Eventual arrival into King's Lynn was 20 late. I viewed this service at Hardwick Tesco and the fan on 37158 was doing overtime and sounding very loud.

All Change ! These buses were having their advertising boards changed when seen at King's Lynn garage on Tuesday evening. Going on instead were new campaigns for BT and the film 'Ted'.

Tuesday was quite chaotic. Services from the east were running sufficiently late by 08.45 for 37563 on Y7-XL13 to be replaced by 37157 westbound from Lynn. Services then stepped up at Lynn, L8-XL14 had 37575 for 37563 (off Y7), Y9-XL15 had 37159 for 37575, L10-XL16 was 37578 for 37159, L11-XL17 37564 for 37578, L12-XL18 37160 for 37564 before Y13-XL19 continued throughout with 37573. 37579 had a faulty indicator stalk and 37160 replaced it on K1-XL07 18.02 King's Lynn - GreatYarmouth. 37565 & 37572 were under repairs/maintenance at Lynn.
Even later in the evening services were still running late, L12-XL18 (37564) had such a huge influx of daytrippers returning home from Great Yarmouth at 18.30, loading took an age and it eventually arrived at King's Lynn Southgates on the inward at 20.53, about 15 late. It had recouped a little time by Walpole where it was 12 minutes behind time. At Lowestoft, Malcolm reports 37157 arriving 11 late on Y7-XL13 - Des adds that this was 6 late into Yarmouth on the return but 'on time' by Easton - and 34155 on the 101 town service. Dart 42451 failed in the bus station "Too much sun I guess ?" surmises Malcolm !

Wednesday : A nice shot of 37568 arriving at Lowestoft on K3-XL09 today (and already displaying Peterborough in preparation for its return working). The  lovely weather is apparent, a rare commodity in 2012 ! Photo : Kieran Smith

On Wednesday, 37567 was in trouble with a broken water pump belt at Norwich at 12.30 whilst working K17-XL04 westbound, King's Lynn fitters attended and although the service didn't go through to Lynn immediately, it was seen arriving at the Southgates about 20 late at 13.51. 37575 was then provided for the 13.45 to Peterborough which was 17 late passing Bruce at Walpole Highway . 37567 later took K2-XL08 over from 37578. Sandringham Flower Show caused heavy traffic  today and there were further swaps. Y6-XL12 with 37571 ended up with 37579, I suspect at 11.02. 37571 was seen arriving at the Southgates from Peterborough at 10.59 so was only a few minutes late, but maybe control foresaw mounting delays. After this the stepping up procedure began for the second consecutive day. Y7-XL13 came in from Peterborough with 37160 and 37571 worked forward, similarly L8-XL14 changed 37566 for 37160 and Y9-XL15 37156 for 37566. L10-XL16 with 37576 went forth with 37156 and L11-XL17 worked throughout with 37569 getting things back on track. In the afternoon 37572 was seen departing Wisbech on K19-XL06 and travelling via Wisbech St. Mary, it also returned by this route, but was only slightly late. Once again heavy loadings saw L12-XL18 late this evening, it was seen entering Wisbech about 10 late for the 21.22 to Peterborough.
37575 was the subject of attention from Volvo engineers on Thursday - may be trying to get rid of those noises I was talking about recently. Punctuality was sporadic today, 37564 on Y6-XL12 the 05.50 Yarmouth - Peterborough was unusually 16 late at Walpole and was later seen departing Lynn on the 11.02 to Lowestoft 25 late. L10-XL16 with 37159 departed Lynn 10 late on the 13.02 eastbound and Y13-XL19 11.45 Lynn - Peterborough was 13 late at Walton Highway. At the eastern end, Malcolm Hicks saw 34155 arriving on the 14.40 X2 from Norwich and reports successive X1s running late, firstly 37568 11 late in on Y7-XL13 and departing 5 late, next was L8-XL14 and 37579 15 x 7 late and finally 37160 came in on Y9-XL16 also arriving 15 late. Most other services ran pretty near to time it would appear. There was another breakdown though and 37565 succumbed at Narborough with a recurrence of its water leak at 12.25 whilst working L8-XL14, it was replaced by 37579.

Friday : 37576 was captured in Acle by Grahame Bessey working the 12.57 to Peterborough (K1-XL07)

After a pretty poor week for timekeeping, Friday was probably not as bad as expected, but that said, the service was in disarray early this afternoon. Y13-XL19 with 37579 arrived in Lynn 23 late from the coast and by the time it passed Bruce heading back from Peterborough its delay had increased to 46 minutes ! K14-XL01 12.15 King's Lynn - Peterborough was 46 late going to Peterborough and 37567 on K15-XL02 was sighted by Rob Brooks running the entire length of the Wisbech bypass with a full load at about 14.00 (42 late). After this an improvement was noted with K16-XL03 (37156) 15 late westbound at Walpole, 37568 on K17-XL04 9 late and K18-XL05 with 37160 12 late. Things got back to time with 37575 on K19-XL06 and this maintained time in both directions. Tonight L10-XL16 with 37564 was 19 late on the 19.50 Lynn - Peterborough. Malcolm saw 37158 on K5-XL11 departing 16 late as the 13.55 to Peterborough. Deckers 30889 & 32655 graced the 101 town service while Palatine 34156 had a romp on the 11.38 X2 !

Saturday : Ted - the advert 1.   K2-XL08 07.35 Peterborough - Lowestoft at Walpole Highway with 37567

Saturday : Ted - the advert 2.   K3-XL09 08.05 Peterborough - Lowestoft arriving at Wisbech with 37158.

Saturday was an improvement all round and with only a single swapped bus, 37578 coming off K19-XL06 to begin its MOT prep and 37579 working forward. Noted by Malcolm were 37574 arriving 16 late into Lowestoft on K4-XL10, cut to an 8 minute defecit on departure, 37157 arriving 8 late on K5-XL11 while 37576 on Y6-XL12 was right time and 37571 on Y7-XL13 10 late. Delays were also evident at the western end. 37573 on L8-XL14 10.35 Peterborough - Lowestoft was slowed by congestion around Wisbech where it was 20 late, it eventually stopped for a driver change (mr Speed off) at the Southgates at 12.22 (approx 33 late). Des then made 37160 work hard on Y10-XL16, he departed King's Lynn 19 late and was only 6 late into Great Yarmouth, which must be a record for a B7.  Sunday services were subject to delays too. 37577 working the 15.50 King's Lynn - Peterborough was 16 late at Walton Highway despite John's best efforts.