Monday 21st October 2013 ~ The Enviro Revolution Starts Here

33819 working L12 12.35 Peterborough - Lowestoft this afternoon. Photo copyright : Roy Northcott/ENBB

Today was (as we suggested yesterday) the first weekday of an all Enviro service. This marked a significant event in the history of the X1, as it is the first time ever that such an intensive timetable has been run entirely by one batch of vehicles. This was never possible with the Geminis as only 17 were built specifically for the route, the other five B7s being drafted in to make up the numbers. 33822 which required a fault with its bus stopping sign to be fixed, was ready mid morning and it was able to re-enter service at 12.30 to take Y9-XL15 to Lowestoft, 33815 being removed from this duty.
The service ran almost without a hitch, I say almost because 33824 on its first day out disgraced itself by being unable to reverse out of Lowestoft bus station to work the 13.00 to Peterborough (K3-XL09). Moves were made to get 33815 into position to take over the duty and 33824 eventually made it back to King's Lynn.

Before its misbehaviour, 33824 is about to enter Brasenose Avenue in Gorleston today on its way to Lowestoft. Photo Copyright : Roy Northcott /ENBB

Timekeeping was good and only two duties were noted significantly late : 33816 was 10 down on the 07.30 Peterborough - Lowestoft (K2-XL08), seen at Walsoken and 33805 on L10-XL16 06.50 ex Lowestoft left Wisbech 17 late and returned 23 late. Tonight though it had regained all the lost time.
The mileages of the new fleet will differ considerably due to the staggered delivery times. As of this evening for example, 33824 had done just 398 miles, while top machine 33809 has already amassed over 8,100 miles. That said none of the rest of the new fleet had yet reached 7000 miles, but 33804/6/7/8/11/12 are all expected to pass this milestone tomorrow, as will 33810 if it is repaired following its failure on Saturday. So this evening is almost a Gemini free zone - not quite though as 37579 has arrived from the yard for an MOT which is scheduled for Thursday.
Michael Bryant, Malcolm Hicks and Syd Eade all report the first showing of new liveried 37570 on the X2 today, first seen working the 13.45 from Norwich this afternoon. Fortunately Syd was out with the camera to capture 570 on its inaugural day on its new route :

37570 at Pakefield today working the 15.15 Lowestoft - Norwich X2. Photo copyright : Syd Eade

So its farewell to the X1 Geminis for now and Andy Bunn who works at Lynn depot kindly took these pictures of 37574 after its arrival on the very last (it would seem) X1 worked by a B9 on Saturday night :