Tuesday July 12th 2011 ~ Maintaining the Maintenance

Running a bus fleet might sound an easy job, but with something like the X1 it must be a major challenge. At the moment availability is being affected by MOTs, gearbox modifications, regular planned maintenance and issues with individual vehicles. With the loan coach having been off the road for a few days, this afternoon a Volvo loan vehicle arrived at King's Lynn to assist - just as 20352 was pronounced fit and well to continue its duties.
The visitor numbered 32000 is a Volvo B7 with Alexander ALX400 body, V143LGC. It has a centre staircase but is not dual doored and has prominent yellow schools vinyls. The most noticeable thing about the bus though was its awful condition, both internally and externally. A major cleaning programme will have to be instigated if 32000 is to do any work locally !
Today 37576 was used on K14 but was taken off after a trip from Lynn to Lowestoft and back, as it is required for an MOT on Thursday. 37570 was off the road first thing with an adblue fault, but this was remedied and it was able to relieve 37569 on L12. Whatever the matter was with 569, it was quickly sorted and this then replaced 576 on K14.
Malcolm reports "Down at Lowestoft bus station this morning I saw 37157 arrive working K18. 37160 was working on X2 services and it worked the 1108 & 1408 services from Lowestoft. 37566 arrived on K19 this morning and this afternoon 37572 worked Y6 & 37156 Y7.
Timekeeping was a bit hit and miss today, I saw all diagrams apart from K16 & K17 and these were confirmed by Matthew as 37158 and 37571. Y7 with 37156 was 11 late to Peterborough this morning, so it came as a surprise when 37157 on K18 turned up 2 minutes early.
Peter says "37564 on K3 to Peterborough this morning. We went in via Bourges Boulevard and this was at least 5 minutes quicker than my previous two journeys via Frank Perkins Parkway".