Tuesday 8th March 2011 ~ Under My Nose !

Thanks to all my regular correspondents, old and new who continue to provide sightings - some on a daily basis.  My brother-in-law has become a regular spotter of K1 on his way to work and today saw 37566 on same. Cheryl - my work colleague - sent in a sighting from Blofield at the weekend which I failed to include, "I thought you'd have mentioned it" she said "Considering how far away from Wisbech I was".

I had a bit of a surprise this morning when Y6 05.50 from Great Yarmouth was marginally early at Walpole and on time at Walton Highway (don't forget, we are using the timetable of impossibility here which allows two minutes between Walpole and Walton Highways, impossible unless you are travelling by rocket that is !). Nevertheless 37564 it was that had a remarkably impediment free journey into Wisbech where it arrived a minute early. The old analogy with rocking horse manure springs to mind. Following on from my blog of February 5th, 37564 has had its rear ad for car insurance, replaced by another, also for car insurance (above).

The Wisbech roadworks reared their ugly head again today as the local authorities decided that now would be a good time to resurface the B198. To be fair, this work comes at what is quite possibly the least busy time of year, so credit where it is due. This did mean, however, that X1 delays were increased. L10 with 37573 due off Wisbech at 10.48 was the first service to be held up. It passed me 15 late and following westbound services seen were L11 with 37571 (yes really) 9 late, L12 37579 9 late, Y13 37157 just 3 late and then just before my lunch, K14 which was 7 late with 37565. The next service, K15, I saw in a lengthy queue on Lynn Road with 37574.

K16 was not seen (I was having my sandwich), but strangely neither was it seen returning. All was explained later though, when a friend told me that K16 with 37158 had managed to reach the Wisbech Town Bridge traffic lights on the 1435 from Peterborough, where a lorry turning left had swung out and hit the B7s wing mirror, windscreen and nearside front. The bus driver stopped, but (this being Wisbech) the lorry driver continued, apparently oblivious ! Now first thing to say here is that I'm amazed that this has not happened before, such is the crazy nature of the road markings and secondly I was a few yards away from the incident and missed it all. The junction is actually just out of view of my vantage point. Finally, I now understand why some X1 drivers straddle both lanes here to prevent such an occurrence. Tonight the damage to 37158 was being repaired at King's Lynn garage - note the lack of mirror in the photo below.

 

This then left King's Lynn with the dilemma to provide a vehicle for the 16.02 to Lowestoft, but fortunately 37576 was completed from repairs in time to work K16 forward. For the second day in a row, all seven Lowestoft allocated B9s were out in service.

Des says "PETROL INCREASED TODAY - 129.9 - Tesco Low ; 129.9 - Sains Easton ; 130.9 - Tesco Lynn". I see we get the short straw at Lynn again !

Macolm writes " Rachel had 37157 on the 08.15 service to Peterborough, (and with our own Mr. Speed driving too).  I saw 37563 work Y7 14.55 service to Kings Lynn, 34158 arrived on the 13.38 X2 from Norwich, 33154 worked the 15.08 X2 service to Norwich and 37160 worked L8 15.25 service to Peterborough.

Jamie R had the pleasure of 37160 on L8 departing Peterborough at 20.10 and disembarking at Wisbech on time. Apparently the heaters were working too.