Wednesday 22nd April 2009 ~ Dedication

This was the scene from my car window while stationary in a queue entering Wisbech this morning with 37564 approaching on K1 and a late running K6 with 37567 visible in the background.

"Well" said Bruce, "Today I'm going to paint the wrought iron gates at the top of my drive so I should see everything". Such dedication - but we are talking about the X1 here, so nothing is for certain. Having seen 37569 heading east on K4 passing at 09.48, Bruce carried on painting and watched for K6 due at 10.18 and Y8 at 10.48. it was quite surprising therefore when the next eastbound service viewed was at 11.23 ! This was 20104 running 5 late on L9. Now to be fair I could have told Bruce that he might not see K6, this was because earlier it had been 18 late entering Wisbech and by the time it had negotiated the rush hour queue, arrived at the Horsefair 27 minutes late on its way to Peterborough. I know because I was behind it going to work (see pic above). The vehicle was 37567 incidentally, so it would come as no surprise if on the return 09.18 from Peterborough, it took the A47 bypass to regain some lost time. What was distinctly odd though was that Y8 which was seen leaving Wisbech dead on time westbound at 09.01 with 37571 (in fact only 5 minutes behind 567) took the bypass route too on its way back east on the 09.48 ex Peterborough giving a big gap in the morning service for the villages of Walton Highway, Walpole Highway, Terrington St. John and Tilney All Saints.

Having seen 104 on L9, the other Lowestoft originating services produced 20105 (L11), 20127 (L12) and 37570 (L13). 105 was 17 late going west but this had reduced to a 6 minute deficit returning. In addition to 37571 mentioned above, the Yarmouth turns were 37578 (Y10) and 20103 (Y14) leaving 37566 spare to do Y21 it would seem.

With all the B10Ms for the X1 being at the east end this morning, this meant a rare occasion where King's Lynn were able to send out eleven Geminis and the two available B7 Profiles without resorting to using B10Ms. Instead of sending a Gemini east to spend the day on the X2 (K19) though, Profile 20351 was sent instead and as a result 37576 found itself on K17 with 20352 on K3. Timekeeping had some shoddy moments today, 37573 on K2 16.31 Wisbech - Peterborough was almost 20 late departing and 37579 on the 15.31 westbound was 10 late.

Michael reports both 20107 & 20109 active on the X2 today, while Sam viewed 20126 on the 878 contract.

Rob Brooks reports that the reason for three consecutive services commencing with the 19.18 not reaching Peterborough rail station on Monday evening was a suicide attempt on the roof of Perkins car park.

Bruce is now running out of jobs at the front of his house. On Monday he weeded the drive, on Tuesday he mowed the lawn and today he painted the gates - how much longer before Tina realises the jobs at the back of the house are being neglected and come to that, will she guess the reason why ? Tune in tomorrow for another exciting episode !