Thursday February 18th 2010 ~ Tricky Beast

Comparison of fleet number sizes between 37578 and 37565 shows the smaller font now affixed to 578 after slight accident damage repairs.


As expected, 'The Beast' was on Y6 this morning. It was a few minutes behind me in the dense fog we experienced here this morning, however, it took the alternative route via the Wisbech eastern bypass and Churchill Road to arrive at the bus station just in front of me ! Clever move by its driver who was able to depart close to the scheduled time of 08.48. With Geminis spare at Lowestoft, it was predictable that 107 would come off this duty and sure enough 37156 took over. This B7 had been out on the X2 during the morning on the 10.08 ex Lowestoft incidentally and a B9 was on the route too with Michael B reporting an appearance by 37569 on the 12.08.
I was sent to our South Lincs branch this morning and Bruce kindly monitored events for me. Both K4 and K5, the 08.35 and 09.05 from Peterborough were 24 minutes late at Walpole Highway with Geminis 37566 & 37574 and punctuality in the early/mid afternoon was pretty awful too, noted were K14 with 37564 on the 13.35 ex Peterborough 26 late and K15 scooting down the bypass with 37577 about 14 late - no doubt routed this way because 37564 had picked up all its passengers. 37573 was only 8 late going to Peterborough on K16, but this had increased to a 28 minute defecit on its return. Later K1 with 37567 passed Bruce 17 late on its way west.
There was some quite heavy snowfall in the west after dusk and Peterborough was worst affected. X1 delays resulting saw 37574 on K5 arriving at King's Lynn garage minus passengers at 20.35 (around 40 late). 37156 on Y6 was about 20 late arriving, but any through passengers were bowled as 37579 was pinched off Y9 terminator and left for Lowestoft on time at 20.35 !
Other items of note were Paragon 20500 doing K3 for a third consecutive day and Royale 34108 working K18 on which it was 43 late heading for Peterborough this afternoon. K19 with 37572 being a mere 4 minutes behind it and of course with very few passengers.

K15 had a couple of vehicle swaps today, 37577 was taken off it for servicing and 37158 looks to have gone forward at 15.32 to Lowestoft, however, 37565 then replaced this at Lowestoft.
Loan vehicle 37562 has worked K17 every day now since last Friday, 12th (Sunday excepted of course, when it worked Sunday turn K7).