Firstly my laptop crisis has been sorted. Thank you, you know who you are. I'm eternally grateful. Sadly though, it won't mean too many extra posts just yet as an elderly friend, without whom I wouldn't be here, needs me more than the transport industry right now. When she is on her feet and back to her indomitable self hopefully output will increase. I'm missing it but friends come first.
Ok onto what's been going on. As you may have read locally Stagecoach are pulling out of Kings Lynn from the end of April. Thankfully most of the routes have been saved but as usual it will be fare payers who suffer, having to pay 2 or 3 different operators to complete a journey that a single Stagecoach ticket would have covered. The only exception to this is the Coasthopper service which will be operated by Lynx between Kings Lynn and Wells, with Sanders then carrying on to Holt, Sheringham and Cromer. Through tickets, issued and accepted by both operators will be accepted. Stagecoach will continue to operate some services, including the popular 505 to Spalding, however the frequency will be reduced from 3 to 2 buses an hour. You can click here to see the full list of changes.
Part of the changes sees First Norwich taking over the X29 between Norwich and Fakenham, which is becoming part of the Yellow Line. As a result 4 ex Leeds Volvo B9tl Gemini2's are being absorbed into the Yellow Line fleet and are currently being repainted at Simon Morris in Ipswich. I'm grateful to Paul Bennett for sending me pictures taken by Rob Freeman at Simon Morris of the first bus to receive the yellow treatment, 36265.
36265 at Simon Morris pic (p) Rob Freeman |
The Std seats on the new Class 800's |
Finally a couple of videos featuring Class 37's. First up is the first ever trip down the East Suffolk Line of te loco hauled Short Set. The line had been closed for 6 days due to the snow in late Feb/early March and the set was sent down to check the line A gleaming 37407 takes it carefully pulling out of Darsham with 37419 on the rear.
Secondly is a Network Rail test train passing through Diss with Colas Rail all blue 37607 on the rear, the first tie 607 has been noted in the area.
That's all I can think of right now. Back with Reading part two soon. In the meantime thanks for your patience with the lack of posts, and I hope normal service will resume asap.
Stop posting class 37 videos, nobody cares.
ReplyDeleteNo. I have around 18,000 hits a month on this blog so I won't miss yours, so kindly go forth and multiply and never read this blog again. Thank you. Who are you btw - obviously as yellow as those B9's above to courageously hide behind anonymity. Thank God I know 99.9% of my readers are some of the most decent people in the land. Assholes like you mean nothing.
DeleteI'm your dead dad.
DeleteI doubt it - he always got mum to do all his correspondence, and he'd have loved the 37's! Do they know you have escaped from the asylum?
DeleteKeep posting any pics and videos of the Class 37.
DeletePeople still love the Class 37, you've only got to see how many are window hanging when the short set is on service in the area.
Hi Des - long time no see! Don't worry mate - I was very close to changing the name of the blog to Steve's Bus & Class 37 Page! It's my blog, I adore the 37's so will post about them. The end!
DeleteHowever, I'm prepared to make a full refund of the subscription price of the blog to anyone who doesn't like them. Can't be fairer than that now!
Glad your laptop problem has been solved.
ReplyDeleteI hope your friend gets better soon.
I always say family and friends first everything else can wait, so take as much time as you need.
Thanks, Stephen. Hopefully won't be too long but I drop everything for this lady who literally saved my life. I'll do what I can when I can but she is top priority right now.
DeleteMEGABUS ADD BANNED
ReplyDeleteMegabus have been banned from advertising seats from £1. The ASA found hardly any seats are £1 and that the advert was therefore misleading
Ipswich bus are changing several timetables in May. I assume they are only minor tweaks
ReplyDeleteGalloway are giving up the 456,457,459. The 456 is an SCC contract the 459 is commercial. I can fin no trace of a 457
Whether SSC will seek another operator I don't know. It could of course have been cancelled by SCC but the expiry date of the Contract is shown as 2020
I suspect it is the usual issue of lack of patronage. Never like to see a route pulled all the same. Will free up a bus or two for other routes which are suffering with frequent breakdowns, late running or non appearance.
Delete