Wednesday June 9th 2010 ~ Bruce Does The Business

Yes because I am still confined to barracks as it were, the man in his observatory was again on duty today. Timekeeping was even worse than yesterday but there was a Brucey bonus as 34108 was in action on L12 replacing 37568 which was due a safety service. 568's day was not completely idle however, as it was seen by MIchael Bryant on the 13.35 Lowestoft - Norwich X2.
Y6 which started the day with 37566 was changed at Lowestoft for recent absentee 37157. This didn't actually get to Peterborough though as events conspired against it.

Peter enlarges on the situation with a tale of his own : " On my way back from Derby this afternoon, starting with the 16.34 to St. Pancras, which today was HST worked and goes via Corby. This meant I had to change at Oakham ! Whatever next, Oakham Interchange ? I hope the other six passengers on board enjoyed the views from Harringworth viaduct.
This was then supposed to lead me into a minus five for the 18.10 X1 (K4) to Wisbech. Arrived at 18.15 just in time to see the rear of a Gemini departing, so legged it over to Queensgate to find that the bus I'd just 'missed' at the station was in fact the 17.40 departure (K3) with 37158. This was now in the bus station simultaneously with 37574 on K4 and it was decided after some banter between the drivers that 37158 would go empty to Walpole (?!) and that the passengers would go on 574. We followed 158 as far as Thorney, where we took the village route and 158 made haste down the bypass. On approaching Guyhirn, we caught up 37158 and it then became apparent - due to the fleets of police and emergency vehicles - that there had been an A47 'incident' somewhere between Wisbech and Guyhirn. This meant we then went via Wisbech St. Mary in convoy with 37158. We stopped 'unofficially' in Wisbech Old Market where through passengers to destinations beyond Lynn then transferred to 37158. On arrival at Wisbech, 37157 was sat in the Horsefair with 'X1 Lowestoft' on the front, seemingly going nowhere."

Now I have to confess that Peter sent me a couple of pix to my mobile which I thought I could just bluetooth to my Pc. Wrong ! My PC does not have bluettoth, so I guess I will have to work on that one. The sight of a pair of Geminis in Wisbech St. Mary would have been quite something. In the event, neither 37158 or 37574 went through to Lowestoft and 37573 off a service inspection looks to have gone instead. 37157 on Y6 was terminated at Wisbech and then resumed its turn as the 20.00 to Lowestoft. Meanwhile there was more mayhem on the A47 this evening, both east and west of King's Lynn. 37159 on Y9 did not appear to have arrived at Lynn by 21.15 (due around 19.10), but it may have come in and gone straight back out on K4 rather than 37573 I suppose. Wisbech bypass was closed this evening and most traffic seemed to be taking a diversion via Friday Bridge.