Friday 15th May 2009 ~ Traffic Traumas

It was a classic Friday today, accidents, diversions and consequent late running plus a dose of swaps for maintenance. Since the new timetable started as regular readers will know, the booked safety inspections and services often mean the changing of vehicles mid-diagram.
King's Lynn would previously have used K20 for this or done an early shift service enabling the bus to work the final starting turn, previously the 07.59 Lynn - Peterborough. With the new timetable, the last turn off Lynn in the morning is now K5 07.45 westbound from Lynn and this quite often still gets a freshly serviced vehicle, however, the demise of K20 means that swaps are now an almost daily event.
An accident near Wisbech caused delays mid morning and then the A17 from Lynn into Lincolnshire was closed from 09.30 until about 15.00 due to a fatal accident at Walpole Cross Keys. This lead to a build up of traffic taking the obvious diversionary route via Wisbech. The town was then gridlocked at various points of the day.
First thing though it was quite different and the 07.30 from Peterborough (K2) with 37563 was slightly early at Walpole as was Y6 05.50 from Yarmouth with 37571. Profile 20353 came across on Y9 06.45 from Gorleston having gone over last night on L8. 20351 was employed on K3 today while 20352 had an interesting day which began with a service at Lynn garage. It then took Y13 11.45 Lynn - Peterborough and back replacing a Gemini (this had been 37569 I believe). After this it replaced 37573 on K19, working to Peterborough again at 14.45 having arrived back at 14.24. Other changes involved K1 on which 37570 worked until 17.54 when it came off at Lynn and retired to the garage. K5 was also swapped at Lynn as 37577 required a service. This all begs the question what did K1, K5 and Y13 this afternoon? The answer would appear to be 37569/573 and 20105, but in what order only tomorrow's sightings will reveal.
B10Ms on duty today were 20107 on L11 and 20104 on K16.
Punctuality has been very good this week overall, but today Bruce saw 37578 departing Lynn about 30 late on K14 with 37576 in hot pursuit on K15. 578 travelled via Wisbech bypass to get to Peterborough and thus make up time. It was seen entering Wisbech on the return at 14.29, having made up all but 9 minutes. Congestion saw 20104 arriving at Wisbech eastbound at 16.09 on K16 (due 15.20 !). Neil reported seeing it at Guyhirn at 15.54 passing 20352 on K19. It didn't pass Bruce however and must have been sent on the bypass avoiding Walpole and Terrington to recover time. This left a huge gap in the timetable for anyone wishing to travel from Wisbech and west thereof to the aforementioned villages. At 16.44 Bruce witnessed 37575 on K17 going east at Walpole 39 minutes late, the first eastbound service he'd seen in 71 minutes observation ! Badly affected by the delays too was K18 with 37567 which was 33 late going west. By 17.00 westbound services were back to time thankfully. 37574 remained out of use at Rowan Road today, it needs a seatbelt inspection and service. 37564 was in service on L10 tonight and the 'New In Town' ad remains in situ !