Tuesday 15th March 2011 ~ Invisible Buses

Now it goes without saying that with me actually having to do some work for a living, it is impossible for me to view every X1 in the working day. That said, it is disappointing to add that there are occasions (increasingly frequent), where services to Peterborough from Wisbech do not run. This is explained by the fact that the missing buses do a bypass job and run direct from Lynn to Peterborough empty, in order to resume their diagram there. This situation is inevitably caused by delays earlier in the journey, but doesn't help passengers waiting at Wisbech and other locations affected. The corresponding eastbound services always seem to appear compounding my theory.
Today the missing service was K16 13.15 ex Lynn which failed to appear (unless I was asleep), but then turned up just 2 late on the 14.35 from Peterborough with 37159.
At King's Lynn, 37566 may have been unwell at the start of the day, because 37575 started on K4 but came off at 10.00 and was replaced by the aforementioned 566 for the 10.02 to Lowestoft. Coach 20126 was once again sent out by Lowestoft, this time on L10. New adverts for the film 'Source Code' were fitted to Geminis last night and one or two have an alternative ad for another film, 'Limitless'.
Punctuality began well, but dipped in the middle of the day. First Peterborough bound service delayed from Wisbech was the 11.18 with 37160 (L11) which was 8 late, L12 followed with 37578 6 late, then things worsened with Y13 turning up 15 late with B7 37158. K14 was 14 late with 'roadsweeper' 37569 but after this normal times resumed.
At the other end there was another maintenance swap. Malcolm says "Rachel had 37158 on Y13 08.15 to Peterborough this morning. I saw 37577 work K17, the 10.25 service and 37563 arrived on K18 06.51 from Wisbech but was replaced in the bus station by 37564 on the 10.55 service to Peterborough. 37563 went out not in service, to the garage. I went down to the bus garage this afternoon and on my way I saw 37573 working K5 13.55 to Peterborough. At the rear of the garage were the Beast, 37156 and 32214. There were also Darts 42447 and 43462 which have been there for a few weeks now.
Back at the bus station I saw 37157 work Y6 14.25 service to Peterborough, 37568 arrived on Y7 10.05 service from Peterborough and 33154 arrived on the 13.08 from Norwich X2 service. 42448 worked the 14.38 X2 to Beccles".
Paul had a day out today and reports "I used a day network ticket for £13 and had a excellent day out -even saw Bruce in his garden at 1520 as we were heading Lowestoft bound on 37569.

I had L11 from Lowestoft-Kings Lynn 37160, L12 from Kings Lynn-Peterboro 37578, K14 13.35 from Peterboro- Lowestoft 37569 [it left Peterboro at 1350hrs}".
The starter motor on 37160 which has been a cause for concern for some weeks, finally gave up the ghost tonight and a replacement was fitted.