Thursday 29th April 2010 ~ Pyromania & Politics

The conflagrations which are now occurring in Wisbech with increasing regularity claimed another victim overnight with a prominent building on the picturesque North Brink being gutted. The former White Hart Hotel - where I often played pool in my youth - more recently converted into a rather grand chinese restaurant, but which had been empty since August was ablaze around 1am. This morning the aftermath included Nene Quay being closed to traffic yet again and general paralysis in Wisbech. The X1s were for a time diverted via Churchill Road (A1101) and Weasenham Lane again. Bruce kindly offered to keep an eye on proceedings for me, but in the event Nene Quay reopened to traffic at 10.35. This didn't stop Bruce covering the day in its entirety though and producing one of his epics for us :

A PARTY POLITICAL BROADCAST ............
on behalf of the Monster Raving Loony X1 party!


Now normally I steer well clear of politics because they are all as bad as one another. BUT any candidate that can meet any of the following conditions gets my vote:
(a) another MOT for 20107 at the end of May - rumour has it that it's chassis is poorly
(b) a coat of paint for 20127 - it still seems to go on and on - thank goodness.
(c) working tachos for 34109/10 - cos if anything happens to the above two........

Also it would be nice to see the Blogmeister in the audience of the Prime Ministerial debate tonight, asking such searching questions as: if the Concessionary Free Travel goes, will the White Elephants be replaced by Solos within a fortnight? and does anyone really travel from Peterborough all the way to Yarmouth/Lowestoft on the X1 for a day trip? (other than Jamie V. and Bob Perrin)
Anyway, yet again the Blogmeister is flying blind due to yet another fire near his place of work. But a Fire Engine Blog may not have quite the same appeal - even though he is getting plenty of material for one!
So here goes:
K1 passed the house on time at 08.01 with 20127 - good start, fires or not.
K2 37569 not particularly late at 08.37
K3 37159 5 late at 09.09
K4 37576 5 late at 09.39
K5 37577 36 minutes late at 10.40 and still 18 late at 17.52
Y6 37570 8 late to PB but 32 late at 11.06
Y7 The Beast - on time at 09.04 and only 6 late at 11.10
L8 37565 4 late at 11.38
Y9 37572 on time to PB and only a couple of minutes late returning.
L10 The Beautiful Big Bus - 4 late to PB and 2 late returning.
L11 37564 8 late to PB 14 late returning
L12 37579 6 late to PB and still 6 late returning
Y13 37156 10 late to PB at 12.14
K14 37566 5 late to PB
K15 37578 passed me early so I missed it but spotted by the bus starved one in the Bus Station
K16 37160 8 late at 13.42
K17 Not seen by me as a certain lethargy strikes me every day at 14.04. Rumour has it that it was a bus with wheels, a big pink stripe and a Lancashire accent - and probably late!
K18 The lethargy continued but while typing this, 37157 passed by 10 late at 16.40
K19 Fell asleep
K1 Not 20127 anymore, but now the less appealing 37574 one minute early.

Now Sam says 37568 has reappeared on the X2 - just in time for Friday Standard Time - Hey ho!

Of course  we like to offer equal prominence to other parties and it is therefore only fair that we allow a right of reply. Sam says :
A response from the X2 Independent Party

We all feel that there should be equals amongst men and women - they all use the X2! We are fed up of the imbalance between the X1 and X2. The X1 constantly gets the better vehicles, B7TLs, B10Ms, Leyland Olympians (34921!) and this needs to stop. Our candidates believe that:

(a) 37156/7/8/9/60 and 37562 should be given to the X2 to even out the void. These should be painted and branded for the X2. The X1 can keep the other B9TLs.
(b) 20500/1 and the Royales should be painted also and kept as a reserve fleet
(c) Palatines should be banished to a dark corner where the panels can fall off in peace (a side panel was found laying on the side of the road at Hales)
(d) [Yes I have more points than you!] The remaining B10Ms should be returned to their original liveries and conditions. The sold on ones should be rescued and have the same treatment. These would then be retired and treated like veterans should be!
P.S. Yes we did have 68, will swap it for BBBB?

OK that's enough politics but here are a few other notes on today from me. 37160 made its first appearance on the X1 since 20th with 37158 being kept at Lynn for local work. K17 was indeed 37562, but rather alarmingly it left Wisbech 2 minutes early on the 14.18 to Peterborough. Normal service was resumed later when it was 8 late returning though. K19 was 37573. Sam saw 37568 on the 15.38 Lowestoft to Norwich, the first sighting of it since 20th. 37563/7 were not seen today and one of our Yarmouth correspondents reports 37575 as having a few days holiday there.