This blog has touched upon the plight of would be X1 passengers at the Weasenham Lane stop, west of Wisbech several times before. A series of incidents have meant that over the past 18 months or so, the stop has found itself bereft of a service due to diversions, usually without any notice to warn prospective passengers. A driver who was on the route today says : "Taking the correct route out of Wisbech today, as always, I approached Weasenham Lane and an elderly lady was frantically waving to me while crossing the road from the Wisbech bound bus stop. This is what she told me - She had been dropped off at the proper bus stop for the Peterborough bound service, only to see it come from Weasenham Lane and disappear away from her. She then decided to cross the road and catch the next bus into Wisbech,only to see that turn into Weasenham Lane ! At the same time, I was coming the opposite way from Wisbech. She was very pleased that I stopped and waited for her. The official line is that 'The Council' has not provided temporary bus stops for the diverted route, so 'The Company' has informed drivers not to use the stop! In olden days, 'The Company' would have put out temp dolly stops themselves!!!"
Well thanks to our man there for an explanation at last - all a matter of "that's not my job" by the sounds of things. To those who are unfamiliar with the stop we are referring to, it is on Cromwell Road, just before the Weasenham Lane junction. This junction is where buses using the unofficial diversion via the A1101 Churchill Road and then Weasenham Lane rejoin Cromwell Road and then head for Peterborough to the dismay of any poor soul standing waiting. As I have mentioned on recent days, the number of services using the correct route westbound varies dramatically from day to day. Out of a possible 14 services I viewed today, only five travelled this way.
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| 37565 unexpectedly berthed at Yarmouth for the night (see below) |
Up until lunchtime today, things seemed to run fairly smoothly. K14 with 37565 was then involved in an incident at Terrington St. John at about 12.30 when its driver clipped the wing mirror against the bus shelter and it slammed back into the doors breaking some glass. This meant that the onward service to Peterborough was curtailed and the return journey at 13.35 ex P'boro to Lowestoft (where the bus is garaged overnight) did not operate in its' entirety. After repairs back at Lynn, a familiar face took 565 back to Yarmouth empty, thus giving them an extra vehicle tonight. This is not the first time this has happened recently and Doreen reported a similar wing mirror incident a couple of weeks back.
Afternoon punctuality went out of the window (sorry !) and 37160 was seen scuffling through Walpole Highway on K18 at 17.16, 40 minutes late. Going the other way 37564 on K4 hadn't appeared by 17.30 (due 17.03) and it may have terminated at Wisbech, before returning to Yarmouth. L8 had 37567 for the first return trip, but 37569 was substituted at Lowestoft. this was 15 late on the 18.50 westbound from Lynn.
Y13 had three Geminis on it today, 37572 to Lynn, 37570 forward and later 37156 out of Lowestoft.
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| 37571 photographed inside King's Lynn garage today and ready for Thursday's MOT. Pic by DS |
Stan says " I was waiting in Norwich for the 10.50 X1 to Tesco at Gunton. One of those horrible coaches turned up !! I didn't get on as I have a little problem climbing the steps. I returned to the bus station to catch the 11.20 X1 and (you've guessed it !) another coach with steps appeared". Des also remarks that passengers waiting for a low floor service would have been frustrated by the use of 20126 on K2 (horrible ? oooerrr Stan !) and then 20514 on K3. Stan finishes by saying "I ended up getting the 11.40 X2 to Lowestoft and then an Anglian 601 to Gunton Tesco".
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