Thursday 19th September 2013 ~ Late Running

Late running in more ways than one. The new X1 timetable has so far failed to materialise on the First website where it was due to appear on Monday. The timetables have though turned up to day in one or two places.

Photo : NBP

Thanks to NBP we can have a crafty sneak at a page from it ! The main groan I have heard is that the last bus of the evening is now retimed to run into King's Lynn from the East about 20 minutes later than at present - currently it is due in about 00.45.
The new buses are due to arrive at King's Lynn in a revised schedule commencing on Monday when the first three are expected. This will be followed by  further trios on Tuesday and Wednesday if all goes according to plan and two more at the end of the week,which, if it comes to fruition will mean half the order delivered next week, with possibly the remainder the following week. It is likely that the new vehicles will take around a week to be commissioned before being phased into service. As expected, a location has been found in the area to temporarily house buses while the transition takes place. There will, as before with a brand new fleet, be official press launches in due course.

37158, 37156 and 37574 at Vancouver Avenue garage.

Meanwhile of course, the service continues to run relatively well. 37156 is the latest B7 to return from repainting, leaving just 37159 to come. Drivers' reaction to Enviro 33423 seems very favourable and if the new buses are anything like as reliable, then passengers should be assured of a smoother introduction than was possible with the Geminis.
33423 has continued working K3-XL09 this week, while 36180 has also been in use working K17-XL04 diagram since Tuesday. Timekeeping during Tuesday daylight hours was excellent and only 37578 on L10-XL16 10.49 Wisbech - Peterborough suffered delay and then by only ten minutes. In contrast, 37575 on K4-XL10 came running into Wisbech 3 minutes early past me at 09.17. 37579 returned to traffic working K5-XL11. The evening peak service was delayed by an accident at Hockering and 37570 which was due to be the first bus garaged at Lynn (due 18.07) had only reached Toftwood by 17.58, 37574 on L8-XL14 was only 6 minutes behind it and then 37577 just 10 minutes behind that. The X2 was also disrupted on Tuesday by an accident at Hales reports Malcolm.
A collapsed manhole near the Sporle turn caused delays on Wednesday. Y7-XL13 with 37574 was badly affected and its 09.19 departure from Wisbech was delayed by 16 minutes. L11-XL17 fared worse with 37160 which departed 25 late on the 11.19  westbound. The rest of the day was better, but 37566 had a hiccup at Tilney while working K5-XL11 with a water leak around 10.10. After fitters attention though, it was able to continue.

37572 at King's Lynn garage. The advert says 'Happy Days'. Hopefully the new fleet will be as reliable.

Today saw another remarkable feat. Y7-XL13 with 37579 left Wisbech 4 late, but returned from Peterborough 3 minutes early. The Swaffham manhole cover incident delayed some services, but it looks this evening as though the A47 is now open on both carriageways again. 37563 had its MOT this morning and was back on the road this afternoon replacing 37567 on K4-XL10.