Tuesday 1st December 2009 ~ Santa & St. Trinians !

37573 on Weasenham Lane in Wisbech today working Y9. Tonight it lost the Kenco advert shown in favour of yet another campaign for T Mobile. Photo : Rob Brooks

37563 with ad for 'Paranormal Activity' which is presumably a reference to it being driven by a visitor from Lapland. Rob Brooks who took the picture assures me that it really was going to Lowestoft and not Lapland when photographed at Wisbech at lunchtime.

Even though today heralded the start of December it was nevertheless as surprise to find Rob Brooks reporting K16 and 37563 with Santa at the wheel. He always appears on the X1 every Christmas, but this seemed early by any standards. Meanwhile this evening, the billposter was on the prowl trying to seek out every errant B9 to plaster with new advertising for the latest T Mobile text offer and on the passenger sides publicity for the new sequel, 'St. Trinians 2'.

Yesterday we mentioned 37562 having been programmed to display X1 and the destinations properly, but one thing we missed recently was 37565 having also received the revised larger destination style.

Observation of daytime services today was minimal, but Bruce saw 37159 on K5 running 14 late from Peterborough this morning and this evening on the 18.35 from there it was still 7 late. Rob Brooks reports the following sightings :

37573 Y9 1156 Wisbech - Lowestoft at Weasenham Lane 1154 (7 late)

37569 L12 1148 Wisbech - Peterborough at Weasenham Lane 1156 (4 late) but on time returning

37564 L11 1256 Wisbech - Lowestoft arrived 1256 dep 1258

37575 K15 1318 Wisbech - Peterborough arr 1314 dep 1318

37563 K16 1348 Wisbech - Peterborough arr 1349 dep 1350

20107 Y13 1356 Wisbech - Lowestoft arr 1405

The above might not seem very impressive, but when one takes into account the delays still being encountered at the B198 roundabout works at Walton Highway - this can cost up to 4 minutes - and the longer diversionary route out of Wisbech, all in all punctuality was commendable.

Interesting to see 'the Beast' 20107 in action on Y13 having replaced 20126 which was out yesterday.

37570 was taken off Y6 tonight - reasons unknown and the 20.35 to Lowestoft left with 37564 which had arrived at 20.00 on L11.