Well you simply never know on the X1 do you ? The regular vehicles seemed to go into collapse mode today though.
Undoubted highlight and so remarkable that I nearly drove up the kerb when I met it, was the use of P731NVG alias 20121 on Y13. Now it was only a trip from Lynn to Peterborough and back, as 34108 had been temporarily removed with fire alarm ringing, but surprising nevertheless. To put it into context, the last time 121 worked an X1 was on September 21st last year ! That's unless you know different, in which case you are higher than me on the sad-ometer. 121 had a reputation last year for conking out with a battery charging fault, hence the preference for using 20118 when necessary. 34108 was given the OK to work forward at 14.32 to Lowestoft and 121 resumed its normal work on Hunstanton Schools contract No. 2.
37578 was in trouble again today. It did the first bit of K4 but was replaced at Lowestoft by 37563. Steve saw it at Gordon Road depot about 14.00 with two fitters in attendance. The driver who'd brought it in left in the depot van. Sounds like a recurring problem whatever it is.
It wasn't the only B9 taken off duty today as 37572 on K18 retired to Vancouver Avenue at 17.00 with an unserviceable driver's seat. B7 37158 took over for the 17.02 departure eastbound. Meanwhile, another B7 was further afield with King's Lynn based 37159 being seen by Michael in Beccles on the 14.08 X2 from Lowestoft. Sam saw 20126 in use on the 878 contract and the short X1 shuttles today.
Late running was in evidence tonight. On my way home from work I passed 37160 on (what I thought was K4) 16 late heading westbound at Walton Road on the outskirts of Wisbech, but I then passed 37563 leaving Walton Highway meaning that 37160 was actually on its regular turn, K3 but running 46 late ! 37563 on K4 was 22 late.
The advertisement men were trying to track down missing Geminis today in order to complete a new campaign which has seen most appear with driver's side dropdown ads for either 'Miss Sixty' or 'I Love You Phillip Morris'. Can I stress that the latter is not a statement from me, just another film with a silly title !
This is the unofficial blog for the Peterborough - Norwich XL bus service operated by First Group. Originally reporting the introduction of the 'Gemini' double deckers and the phasing out of coaches, the blog is now incredibly in its twelfth year and in 2021 the new fleet of state of the art double deckers enter their second year in traffic. To contact me with your observations/experiences on the XL, email gerardtcc@gmail.com .
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