Friday April 5th 2013 ~ Remember the X1 Blog ?

Yes it is two weeks since my last blog entry and I apologise to regular readers for the delay in updating, due to the reasons I have given previously.
Knowing that we occasionally feature blasts from the past, my friend of many years, Richard Adderson wrote to me enclosing a couple of pictures of a forerunner to the X94 and X1, the 794 service. Here the Sunday 11.15 Norwich to Peterborough is seen before departure from Surrey Street on February 27th 1983 with old faithful Alexander T type Leyland Leopard MCL934P, which was new in 1976.

To more recent times now and coaches 20514 & 20515 are regulars on the shuttles, but in times of shortage they can get used on the longer Peterborough runs.

20515 looking rather smart on a Norwich - Yarmouth shuttle when pictured on Tuesday April 2nd. [Photo copyright Grahame Bessey]

Not quite so dapper is 20514 which is seen here departing from King's Lynn on XL01-K14 15.02 King's Lynn - Lowestoft also on April 2nd. 37568 had worked the service from Peterborough, but the coach which had arrived earlier from Lowestoft was sent back home instead. [Photo copyright : Andy James]

Thanks to everyone for keeping me informed of events during this period where I have been otherwise engaged, especially to Bruce. Des and Malcolm and to all those who have sent me pictures to brighten up the blog. The Geminis have done reasonably well over the last fortnight, but squeezing the scheduled safety services into the Easter period is always a bit of a challenge for the engineering staff. Good Friday ended up being a bit of a nightmare for the timetable with many services running 20+ late. Bruce noted 37577 leaving King's Lynn on the 12.50 to Peterborough near the Ouse bridge at 13.26 and it came back through Walpole at 15.37, 27 late. Malcolm reports K5 and K6 not arriving in Lowestoft due to a six vehicle accident in Great Yarmouth . 

Over the Easter weekend, 37564 returned from Volvo at Norwich after rear axle repairs and it returned to traffic on Tuesday (2nd). 37567 is believed to have been the bus which was unavailable on Tuesday for 20514 to work (see above) and overall Tuesday was a bad day, as in the evening 37156 was failed at Peterborough before working L10-XL16 21.10 back to King's Lynn with an air fault. This resulted in it having to be towed back to Lynn. On Wednesday night L12 20.50 King's Lynn - Peterborough was noted departing 25 late with 37569, reasons unknown while in Lowestoft, Matthew saw 20514 heading out of the town on the 17.25 X1 short to Yarmouth and also on Wednesday, Peter says "Full marks to my lady driver tonight on the 16.05 ex Peterborough for telling an inconsiderate man to turn his music off which would have meant a hellish journey for the rest of us"
On Thursday evening, 37572 was failed at Yarmouth on arrival and despite attempts to repair it, firstly to work today's Y6-XL12 and then a second attempt on Y13-XL19, it only reached Lowestoft on the latter before expiring. 36180 was hastily summoned from its city work in Norwich and worked Y13 forward 20 late.  Punctuality monitored by Bruce this afternoon was poor. K14-XL01 came back from Peterborough about 75 late with 37564, K15-XL02 and 37568 followed it 43 late and then next seen was K17-XL04 with 37573 just 2 late, More details in the next update, but in the meantime some pictures for you....

37563 arriving in Norwich on Wednesday as the 08.15 Lowestoft - Peterborough (Y13-XL19) and below in the bus station joined by 37568 working the 07.21 Wisbech - Lowestoft (K19-XL06). Both photographs copyright Sam Larke

37572 arriving in Norwich on K15 09.25 Lowestoft - Peterborough on Wednesday. The highest mileage Gemini had a bad week and was taken off this duty at King's Lynn in favour of 37570. [Photo copyright : Sam Larke]

At least there was some sunshine on Tuesday when 37575 was captured in Norwich on K18 10.55 Lowestoft - Peterborough. [Photo Copyright : Grahame Bessey]