Sunday April 23rd 2017 ~ Post Easter

After much nagging from my deprived readers I have at last got round to updating the blog. Someone said "When you titled your last post 'Final Update', I didn't think you actually meant it !!".

Photo copyright : Matthew Holland

Time is perhaps opportune to look at the year so far. MOT's on the Enviro 400s at the western end of the route have been proceeding apace, 33803-807, 33809, 33812-815 have been done so far leaving five King's Lynn vehicles outstanding. This figure includes the accident damaged 33808 which came to grief on February 23rd.
The usual crop of unscheduled repairs have also seen buses out of service, so far these are summarised as follows :

33803 14th - 21st Feb : Powertrain : Gearbox

33804 14th Jan - 2nd Feb : Full Circle : Bodywork repairs
            8th - 14th Feb : Powertrain ; Flexplates modification
           2nd - 12th April : Rear axle replaced at First Norwich

33805 has suffered with an intermittant gear selector fault which has seen it removed from service on several occasions.

33806 4th-11th Jan ; Powertrain : Flexplates modification

33808 Full Circle for assessment since Feb 25th

33809 24th Jan - Feb 8th : Powertrain ; gearbox mod and fuel fault
            9th - 19th March : Cummins : Engine failure (broken valve)

33812 Jan 10th - 23rd : Powertrain : Flexplates modification

33815  18th - 26th March : rear axle fault

33816 21st - 24th Feb : gearbox mod at Powertrain

The Scania demonstrator in Wisbech on March 2nd

The Scania demonstrator has been fairly reliable with just two periods out of traffic, namely 16th - 20th February (starter motor) and 7th - 11th April (electrical fault). It currently is having an issue with its handbrake sorted.

This has at times led to a full vehicle run out being impossible without assistance, meaning that Yarmouth's 33821 which originally arrived on October 12th last year remained on loan to King's Lynn until 23rd February. The failure of 33809 and MOT work then meant it returned for a further fortnight between 13th & 27th March. In addition, the replacement of the back axle on 33804 saw the loan of Norwich green liveried 36171 and this was in service on the X1 from 7th to 13th April.

Gemini 36171 at Walpole Highway while working the 14.45 Peterborough - Norwich on April 10th

I'm delighted to be able to include some photographs from the eastern end of the route thanks to Matthew Holland. The pictures below were all taken on March 17th

33824 working the 10.45 Norwich - Lowestoft

33823 on 11.15 Norwich - Lowestoft

Now restricted to the Eastern end of the route here is 37575 on the 12.00 Lowestoft - Norwich

Malcolm Hicks reports visits of ex Leeds based Geminis on the Eastern X1 fairly frequently, but 33423 is less seen these days. 37274/5 also appear and Matthew Holland photographed 32348 working on March 21st, it is seen below at Lowestoft before working the 15.00 to Norwich

Photos copyright Matthew Holland