Sunday 1st June 2014 ~ Friends

33803 departs Norwich on Tuesday 20th working the 10.30 Lowestoft - Peterborough. Photo : Kieran Smith

It is almost two weeks since we took a look at how the service has been running. Generally speaking buses have been running a few minutes late due to the usual problems here and there on the A47. Just as well it was only minor delays judging by the large numbers of friends of mine who seem to have taken to the new buses. Scarcely a day goes by without someone surprising me along the lines of "We took the X1 to Peterborough/Lynn /Norwich (delete as applicable) the other day, we're definitely going on it again".
Tuesday 20th saw a very rare breakdown in traffic. 33810 which had arrived in Peterborough on K5-XL11 at 18.44 failed with the oil cooler problem and the King's Lynn rescue van was sent to its aid. It wasn't out of traffic for long though as it resumed work with K19-XL06 on Friday 23rd. On election day, Thursday 22nd Malcolm saw 33806 arrive in Lowestoft 'not in service' before departing on K18-XL04 11.00 to Peterborough. While on the afternoon of Friday 23rd, K14 -XL01 was delayed and Bruce saw it go by eastbound 14 late (due past him at Walpole at 14.46 but passing by on the stroke of 3pm), 33805 was the culprit.
Peter says "I turned up for
the 17.20 departure from Peterborough railway station, but caught the 16.50 with 33813 running 15 minutes late. Very friendly driver called Alan who actually thanked people for travelling with the X1. Top marks from me. We came out of Peterborough via the Passport Office route (pictured left) which is unusual".

A funeral and election duty saw Bruce take command of sightings for a few days, all passing reasonably uneventfully. Tuesday 27th May (after the Bank Holiday) saw minor delays and Y7-XL13 was 14 late into Lowestoft during the afternoon with 33816. Neither  Wednesday or Friday last were good on the punctuality front as half term traffic took its toll. 28th saw 33810 arriving in Wisbech 15 late for the 11.55 to Lowestoft (Y9-XL15) and K18-XL05 14.58 Wisbech - Peterborough passed me 15 late with 33807. Peter reports that on Thursday 29th, some X1 services were disrupted by queueing traffic on Bourges Boulevard in Peterborough. The 08.48 from Wisbech was one of the services affected, see Peter's picture :

Friday was the worst day for a little while. It was Ok until lunchtime, but then Bruce spotted K14-XL01 12.20 King's Lynn - Peterborough sailing down the A47 bypass 26 minutes late. It was only 5 late returning into Wisbech where we discovered its identity to be 33809. Things improved momentarily with K18-XL05 being spot on time, passing me at a few seconds before 15.00, however, K19 due 30 minutes later popped up at 15.49, 19 late with 33813 and then we witnessed the very rare sight these days of two Peterborough bound X1s following each other. 33814 passed me at 16.30, exactly 30 late on K1-XL07 having been preceded by two car lengths by 33812 on K2 running on time !
On the vehicle front there have been few incidents, but 33823 has been off the road since the evening of 24th with a transmission fault and wiring problems. AD staff have been in attendance on more than one occasion as this vehicle seems to have more than its fair share of faults. It managed 4 miles on test runs during the last week, but is still currently unfit. 33811 continues to lead the way on the mileage front with 77,700 miles recorded as of the evening of Saturday May 31st.