Monday 12th January 2015 ~ Off the Rails

33805 on the 12.05 Norwich - Peterborough approaching Walton Highway on Sunday 11th January.

A major engineering operation to reinstate the double track junction at Haughley has resulted in an intensive rail replacement service operating over a number of weekends. Rail services affected are those between Stowmarket and Diss / Bury St. Edmunds.
Norwich and Cambridge/Ely to Ipswich services have been replaced by buses. On Sunday 4th, X1 Enviro 33805 was spare at Ely as required and yesterday (11th) 33812 did likewise. At the other end of the route Lowestoft Geminis 37569/70/71 along with tacho fitted 36180 from Norwich were drafted in on Saturday to help on the Norwich - Ipswich axis. This left a shortage of vehicles for the X2 and Michael Bryant noted Norwich Gemini 36175 on the 13.30 Norwich - Lowestoft on Friday, while  on Saturday Malcolm Hicks saw 36170 on the 11.00 Lowestoft - Norwich and 36175 on the 15.00 departure.
On the X1, the western section has run well for most of the week. Late services noted were on Monday, 33818 which although on time going west came back on the 15.15 from Peterborough running 18 late. Tuesday went well but on Wednesday there were westbound delays through Wisbech mid-morning, 33803 on the 10.05 from King's Lynn went by 20 late and the next service with 33813 was 26 late, however, some smart driving saw this return only 12 late on the 12.05 from Peterborough. Repairs to a manhole cover near Swaffham meant services were diverted via Holme Hale eastbound and Sporle westbound on Friday. Delays were fairly minimal and worst affected were the 07.20 from Norwich (33805) which left Wisbech 15 late and the 11.00 from Norwich which was 12 late with 33813. There were evening diversions for the last two westbound services from Wednesday to  Friday because of major roadworks on the A47. Services took a diversion via Whittlesea and did not serve Thorney or Guyhirn. 33808/815 remained off the road for repairs this week and 33808 is at Great Yarmouth receiving attention. 33818 is still helping out at King's Lynn as a result.
Over at Lowestoft there has been some variety and 66126 appeared on the 10.10 to Martham, while newly arrived Volvo Renown 62143 was at work on the 99, both on Saturday.