July 10th 2013 ~ Ten Days In July

33423 at Caister Road garage on 29th June, before the application of vinyls. Photo : Grahame Bessey.

Well I couldn't think of an appropriate title for this late post - sorry ! So a recap of events so far this month, beginning on Monday July 1st. I had a day out researching at the NRM in York and was able to use the X1 to transport me from Walpole Highway to the Rail Station at Peterborough. The outward journey was with 37566 - yes having avoided me for years, it is now turning up for me everywhere ! This morning it worked Y6 05.50 from Yarmouth and it arrived 6 late at Walpole with Mr. Parry in charge, This was cut to a 4 minute deficit on arrival at Peterborough bus station and we were just one minute late departing as the 09.38 to Lowestoft. I alighted at the station and later came back from there with JD driving the 37160 on the 17.42 Peterborough - King's Lynn. This left the rail station bang on time and fighting our way through the evening traffic, we were just 2 late into Wisbech, departing from there on time. All in all a couple of very pleasant journeys. During the day 37570 developed a fault whilst working Y13-X:19 and it was replaced by 37564.
Tuesday 2nd ran smoothly with one exception, 37579 failed on the A47 at Dereham with a coolant leak - it was working XL13 -Y7 14.55 Lowestoft - King's Lynn. 

On Tuesday, Joe Leathers photographed 20515 in company with an Anglian rival in Norwich bus station. 

Resurfacing work in Swaffham caused a few delays on Wednesday. The day began with 37568 expiring in the town while on XL13-Y7 06.10 from Great Yarmouth, it was overheating and King's Lynn supplied 37160 as a replacement. Malcolm later saw 37160 arriving 14 late and departing 10 late on the 14.55 to Lynn. Des Speed comments that he was on time with 37572 on the 08.15 from Lowestoft until encountering the Swaffham congestion. On time arriving, he was 7 late departing and then only because a car kindly let him out. It always annoys me how car drivers in the main totally ignore buses signalling to pull out from a stop, which is probably why bus drivers always seem amazed when I flash them to pull out ! 37570 was off the road at King's Lynn with a gearbox/data link fault. 
By Thursday, the resurfacing work in Swaffham had moved away from the route and timekeeping was good. K17-XL04 swapped 37565 for 37576 at lunchtime.

Here's a former X1 favourite which still sees work on the 'shorts', 34108 seen here in two photographs kindly supplied by Joe Leathers

Friday was a bit hit and miss with morning services generally fairing ok with the exception of L10-XL16 with 37567 which was 15 late from Wisbech westbound. , but as often is the case, it was XL01 -K14 onwards which saw delays. K14 itself with 37579 was 14 late from Wisbech on the 12.49 to Peterborough, but then lost more time coming back 31 late. Des reports : "I was driving XL05-K18 14.12 King's Lynn - Peterborough forward from the Southgates where it is due to depart at 14.17. 37160 was late arriving, so I relieved the driver on the inbound working at 14.32. Departure from the bus station was 31 late at 14.43. Peterborough arrival was at 16.04, 33 late". (I saw Des passing by me at 15.25 with 37160 and 37563 on K19 was just 90 seconds behind !!). In order to streamline things, Des then left Peterborough 27 late with passengers for King's Lynn only. Staff were ready at the Southgates to escort passengers over the road to a connecting service to Lowestoft and King's Lynn bus station was reached 30 late. 37160 then went to the depot for a breather before working the 18.00 to Yarmouth (K1-XL07). Its departure was delayed due to displacement of drivers and it left at 18.18, but was only 8 late into Yarmouth.
Meanwhile the Norwich Bus Page report the first working by 37562 in its new livery from Yarmouth depot.
The Saturday service on 6th July was always going to be likely to suffer delays as it was the Lord Mayors Parade in Norwich and the Wisbech Rose Fair float procession. For the latter buses avoided the area by using the Wisbech St. Mary route or the A1101 up to Elme Hall. Doreen was a passenger on K14 13.38 from Peterborough with 37563 and reports coming to a halt outside PC World on Bourges Boulevard to rescue passengers on the previous service (Y13-XL19) on which 37572 had failed with a burst water pipe. Packed to the gunwales 37563 continued eastbound using the Wisbech St. Mary route. 37158 took Y13 forward from King's Lynn. 
37570 was let out for the second day running on K3-XL09, but didn't complete the turn with 37565 working the 16.15 Lynn - Peterborough. This was seen returning on the 18.42 running 6 late at Walpole and having made up a considerable amount of time as it was very late going over. During the afternoon, 37571 was inserted into the 14.17 westbound from Lynn as 37567 was late arriving and this then worked the 14.47 departure (K19-XL06)
Sunday saw 37571 come into Lynn with a cracked upper screen at 11.45 and 37569 replaced it. Later 37574 was seen marooned in a queue of returning daytrippers on the King's Lynn Bypass at 19.15 - approximately 14 late on the 15.50 from Lowestoft (XL07).
Evening diversions via Wisbech St.Mary are currently in operation from 20.00 due to roadworks on Guyhirn Bank. Monday saw 37562 arrive in Lowestoft, it was viewed by Malcolm Hicks on the 14.40 Service 1 to Martham. An accident on the Acle Straight caused some delays. Matthew was at Lowestoft to view the 11.25 X1 departure (K19-XL06) which was formed by 37569 which didn't arrive until 11.29 and it then left 14 late.
Des Speed says " On 37567 working the 09.25 ex Lowestoft (K15-XL02) and on time until the l RTA closed Acle Straight. I was approximately 6 miles towards Acle and had to do a 5 point turn, return to Yarmouth and then go via Filby. Acle was reached  -47 (11.14), Norwich -39 (11.34) I transferred Dereham passengers to bus behind (who was just 10 late because of the diversion). Resumed service at Little Fransham, Swaffham -18 (12.25) Arrive Lynn 12.54, large load, depart -19 (13.01)". Later on I was in Wisbech at 17.00 and viewed 37569 - seen by Matthew earlier - now 16 late on K19-XL06 and going westbound K3-XL09 was 37576, 10 late.
Nothing too untoward to report for Tuesday and Wednesday this week, but 37566 is reported to be required at Volvo for a new rear axle shortly.

This looks like Mr Foley at the controls of 37157 seen arriving in Norwich on Thursday 4th while working K16-XL03 06.17 King's Lynn - Lowestoft. Photo : Joe Leathers