Monday May 14th - Wednesday May 23rd 2012 ~ Snoozy Blog

37576 with new side advert for Belvita breakfast biscuits

The X1 has really been behaving itself lately, hence the infrequent blog entries. The same 22 vehicles have been travelling east and west with only minor hitches, this must be a tribute to the mechanical care these buses receive and casualties seem very infrequent.
Probably the most unusual sighting over this period was not on the X1 at all, but that of Wright Eclipse bodied single decker 66165 on the 13.38 Lowestoft - Norwich X2 on Monday 14th.

On Monday 14th John Phillips gives a cheery wave from the upper deck of 37159 working K18 10.55 Lowestoft - Peterborough.

Wednesday 16th saw an overtaking move when 37576 on K17 and 37159 on K18 managed to swap turns. During the morning Malcolm saw 37159 arrive in Lowestoft 'not in service' at 10.40 with 37576 arriving ten minutes later, 37159 then departed as K18 at 10.55 only for it eventually to get overtaken by 37576 at some point. 37575 had its MOT completed on Thursday 17th and it was immediately returned to traffic replacing 37160 on K18 which had been involved in a minor skirmish damaging some side panels.

37564 heads into Wisbech running 7 late on Y13 11.45 King's Lynn - Peterborough on Thursday 17th May.
[Photo : Ros McLean]

 Friday 18th seemed to pass without incident, but on Saturday 19th, 37574 expired on K16 during the afternoon with a coolant leak. 37160 freshly repaired took up its turn.

37565 is one of a number of Geminis exhibiting an advert for Milk featuring a rather threatening looking Vinnie Jones ! Photographed by Kieran Smith on Saturday it was working L8 10.35 Peterborough - Lowestoft seen passing the Coachmakers Arms in Norwich.

 Another unscheduled swap occurred on Sunday 20th when the first bus from Lowestoft only reached Great Yarmouth before it had to be changed due to passenger illness. 37563 was taken off and replaced by 37572. On Monday 37577 was taken off K2 for unknown reasons, 37564 replaced that one. 37579 remained out of service at King's Lynn having last worked on Thursday.
K2 was again the subject of a swap on Tuesday with 37578 being replaced by 37577, but at Thorney of all places. It is not known whether this was a morning or afternoon event. Finally Wednesday 23rd saw K4 encounter a major delay - it was viewed at Walpole Highway at 10.06 with 37563 leading me to think it was K5. I was soon proved wrong when I met 37156 near Walton Highway running 5 late on the real K5. 37563 was of course K4 running 30 late. 37160 was available to take K4 forward from Lynn at 10.02. This was about the only big delay noticed in the period under review and most other services ran near to time today.
Thanks to all the usual suspects for keeping me informed of events during this prolonged period where the X1 is diverted from passing my window. The road reopens at the end of June, but is at the moment only passable in the westbound direction, though X1 drivers seem to be quite content with the diversion via the A1101. Finally Des Speed has returned refreshed form a walking holiday in Cumbria - well refreshed was not the word he used ! - and has sent me this picture of a reliveried Bristol to Weston X1 ...