Thursday 4th June 2009 ~ Election Time

As previously mentioned I was absent today covering as a polling clerk off route, so Bruce has provided a pretty comprehensive log of today's activity :
Well Gerard handed the blog over to me today - something similar to putting Paul Merton in charge of a monastery, while he disappeared off to the Welney Marsh to act as invigilator for the European elections - first four customers: 3 moorhens and a cuckoo that had got lost. I was deprived of a vote as there was no local candidate for the 'Monster Raving Refurbish a B10M' party.
So, at 07.31 I awoke to admire 37567 waddling by on K18. I missed the 08.01 pair but noted 37575 on Y6, K2 apparently running early.
At 09.02 Y7 was B7 20351 2 minutes early and then K3 passed by 5 minutes late with a B10M.
At 09.34 Y8 was on time with 37565, followed by K4 at 09.48 yes its 14 late - its 568!
37579 was on time at 10.04 but K5 had not arrived by 10.22. I had to pop over to Spalding but at Sutton Bridge power station realised I had left the pond filling. An abrupt about turn, scrupulously abiding by the speed limit past Gerards abode in case his Mum has a speed gun beside her chair and then back into the village. Rather a lot of people at our stop for mid morning and here comes 37575 on Y6 only 8 late. Except it wasn't Y6 or 37575 even - but K5 with 37576 no less than 38 minutes late!

Back on duty at 13.45 , K17 with 20352 and Y13 with 37574 were both on time at 14.04.
Similarly 37567 on K18 and 37564 on K14 were also on time at 14.34. 37573 was as good as gold on K19 at 15.04 but coming over the flyover 11 minutes late at 15.15 was 20118 plus gaffer tape on K15.
37569 was on time at 15.34 with K1 and 20104 only 3 late with K16, henceforth known as the 'Gorleston'. I later learn from Gerard that K16 must have started out with something else as 104 was over at Lowestoft. 37577 was 5 late with K2 at 16.09 but K17 and 20352 even later and not seen. (However, Judith did see it Bruce in the region of 15 late, G)
16.39 saw K3 return and with 20105 as suspected and only 5 late. Not seen were L10, L11, and L12. Well I have missed L10 while typing this but it will be back at 22.08, L11 won't come anywhere near again tonight and L12 is due at 21.08 (it was 37570 !).
Post script: I once bought some boiler tubes for the Thompson B1 Society's loco 61264. Would Richard let us sponsor a new panel or two for 20118 in its time of need?

With voting completed at Lakesend, I hastened over to Lynn with the ballot box and after delivering it had a quick look in at Vancouver Avenue. 37563 was present so almost certainly L11 today, 37575 had just arrived and had obviously 'jumped' from Y6 to L10 and also seen were 20105, 20351, 37579 and a very dumped looking 20353. At Rowan Road, 20106 at last looked repaired and mysteriously 20103 was present having done school contract No. 5 this afternoon. 37578 was back awaiting inspection, but 37572 had gone to Volvo. It would all be rather convenient if 37566 did the first leg of K16 and then switched to Y6, but who knows ?