I've driven back from Newcastle during Friday and Saturday nights, the Spine Road is heaving with taxis until around 3am...
Definitely a case for some after midnight departures as that's when those in Newcastle are prepared to leave, not 20 mins after the traditional departure. GNE may have seen this trend on the N21 and 56?
I was thinking of separate night bus routes that merge daytime ones together, so starting from Central Station, pick up at the Gate, and again at Barras Bridge before running X11 route up to Shankhouse, running to Bedlington then doing the X22 through to Ashington then X21 route to the Elephant. Perhaps continue to drop people off until North Seaton roundabout before running dead back to Newcastle to do it again...
I believe the local authorities want the 308 to run all night in the future too.
(28 May 2022, 11:52 pm)omnicity4659 wrote [ -> ]I've driven back from Newcastle during Friday and Saturday nights, the Spine Road is heaving with taxis until around 3am...
Definitely a case for some after midnight departures as that's when those in Newcastle are prepared to leave, not 20 mins after the traditional departure. GNE may have seen this trend on the N21 and 56?
I was thinking of separate night bus routes that merge daytime ones together, so starting from Central Station, pick up at the Gate, and again at Barras Bridge before running X11 route up to Shankhouse, running to Bedlington then doing the X22 through to Ashington then X21 route to the Elephant. Perhaps continue to drop people off until North Seaton roundabout before running dead back to Newcastle to do it again...
I believe the local authorities want the 308 to run all night in the future too.
The problem with those routes is there's nothing in between and nothing at the other end so they'll have to run empty.
The 56 and N21 are different as they both have cities at both ends which get loads then with the 56, Concord in the middle which is a drinking spot and Nissan with some workers and with the N21 has the Fell and CLS which both are popular drinking spots.
When you're pissed at 3am the last thing anyone will want to do is go trail onto a bus, it's much easier to get into the nearest taxi and get home. When your pissed money means nothing hence why the Stagecoach N1 and the one via Jesmond failed miserably.
The night buses which are badly needed North of the Tyne are routes which follow the route of the Metro imo. I know the 22 was a planned extended to Tynemouth but there's nothing for Whitley Bay to Newcastle via Four Lane Ends and it's the busiest part of the Metro.
Imo there should be a route something like:
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/54.977...59!1m0!3e0
which serves the core of the Yellow Line.
The 43 to Blyth as an extension from Cramlington maybe would have a chance aswell additionally serving Jesmond but I'm not sure how well it would do, the X10 skipping the Great North Road doesn't make sense though so there's a semi frequent route to Jesmond for students.
(28 May 2022, 10:02 pm)Driver9*** wrote [ -> ]Why? So the drinkers get an extra 20 minutes in the pub? They tried an extra X10/11 leaving at 2340 a few years ago and it picked up next to nobody.
Well it would still be the same number of actual buses, just running later than now (a bit like the X18 which now departs at xx:28)
So X10/X11 would be
Ex Blyth (after 19:30): 19:43, 20:16, 20:48, 21:21, 21:53, 22:21, 22:53#, 23:21#
Ex Newcastle (after 20:30): 20:45, 21:15, 21:50, 22:20, 22:55, 23:25
X21 would be:
Ex Newcastle (after 22:00): 22:20, 23:25 (last short 35 from Newbiggin would depart at 23:36)
X22 would be:
Ex Newcastle (after 21:30): 21:50, 22:55
308 would be:
Ex Newcastle (after 22:00): 22:15, 23:20
Ex Blyth (after 23:00): 23:16#
306 would be:
Ex Newcastle: 22:45, 23:45
# = Short journey such as Blyth to Cramlington or Silverlink
I used the 44 to get to hazlerigg yesterday. QA the 1820 journey. Used this most of the time including before covid and was never as busy as it was yesterday. In fact the whole haymarket bus station had queues and I dont think there were any incidents. The only thing I notice was the 46 looks like it's been reduced and the number of customer that got off the bus from high street to top of polwarth drive confirmed this. Still a good load on when I got off in hazlerigg though
(08 Jun 2022, 8:15 pm)Rob44 wrote [ -> ]I used the 44 to get to hazlerigg yesterday. QA the 1820 journey. Used this most of the time including before covid and was never as busy as it was yesterday. In fact the whole haymarket bus station had queues and I dont think there were any incidents. The only thing I notice was the 46 looks like it's been reduced and the number of customer that got off the bus from high street to top of polwarth drive confirmed this. Still a good load on when I got off in hazlerigg though
The 46 has not been reduced from 5th June, it continues to run hourly alongside the 46A providing a half hourly service. It was reduced from every 20 to every 30 minutes many months ago now.
According to Bustimes and VOSA, ANE are running a new 193 between Egton and Whitby. Weirdly though bustimes has it operating on the 24th Aug only. Is there a special event on in Whitby that wednesday.
(23 Jun 2022, 11:58 am)ASX_Terranova wrote [ -> ]According to Bustimes and VOSA, ANE are running a new 193 between Egton and Whitby. Weirdly though bustimes has it operating on the 24th Aug only. Is there a special event on in Whitby that wednesday.
It's a special service that runs every year for Egton Show (though hasn't since 2019 due to COVID presumably)
(23 Jun 2022, 12:04 pm)peter wrote [ -> ]It's a special service that runs every year for Egton Show (though hasn't since 2019 due to COVID presumably)
What type of vehicle would normally be allocated to this.
(23 Jun 2022, 1:41 pm)ASX_Terranova wrote [ -> ]What type of vehicle would normally be allocated to this.
In the past it's been allocated a Scania Omnicity, in later years would be one loaned from Darlington as think it was because they had a Ferry lift at the front.
(23 Jun 2022, 1:53 pm)Jimmi wrote [ -> ]In the past it's been allocated a Scania Omnicity, in later years would be one loaned from Darlington as think it was because they had a Ferry lift at the front.
Wasn't it something to do with the ground?
Could be the same again as 4654 is reinstated at Darlington, so if it’s till around then maybe it will be that, although I’m sure 760-762 all have ferry lifts aswell so could borrow one of them providing there all fixed
Sure they used Streetlites last time?
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According to BusTimes, revised timetables on both the 685 and 63 from 4th September
(27 Jul 2022, 12:07 pm)peter wrote [ -> ]According to BusTimes, revised timetables on both the 685 and 63 from 4th September
New timetable online for the 63, nothing major, journeys in the morning and afternoon revised by up to 5 minutes.
(01 Aug 2022, 11:32 pm)peter wrote [ -> ]New timetable online for the 63, nothing major, journeys in the morning and afternoon revised by up to 5 minutes.
Another minor change from 4th September, the afternoon timetable on the X75/76 will see journeys retimed by up to 10 minutes.
(16 Aug 2022, 12:48 am)deanmachine wrote [ -> ]Only 4 buses an hour in total (Arriva and GNE) between Peterlee and Sunderland. Quite mad really.
That's if they run. No evening 22s last night from Sunderland for a couple of hours.
Had to drive my friend back to Peterlee, before doubling back and onwards home to Northumberland.
I don’t know if it was driver putting wrong destination up but at Asda Hartlepool earlier the 24 had Peterlee and not Durham as the destination so not sure what’s happened there. It won’t be good if some 24s have been cut back as well.
(16 Aug 2022, 10:45 pm)col87 wrote [ -> ]I don’t know if it was driver putting wrong destination up but at Asda Hartlepool earlier the 24 had Peterlee and not Durham as the destination so not sure what’s happened there. It won’t be good if some 24s have been cut back as well.
If this was the 22:51, it continued beyond Peterlee to Durham as scheduled. Not sure why it appears as a split journey at Peterlee though.
(17 Aug 2022, 12:16 am)omnicity4659 wrote [ -> ]If this was the 22:51, it continued beyond Peterlee to Durham as scheduled. Not sure why it appears as a split journey at Peterlee though.
No this was afternoon around half 1 I seen it.
(17 Aug 2022, 1:09 am)col87 wrote [ -> ]No this was afternoon around half 1 I seen it.
Ah okay - the 13:24 was delayed to 13:46, but did continue to Durham
(16 Aug 2022, 12:48 am)deanmachine wrote [ -> ]Only 4 buses an hour in total (Arriva and GNE) between Peterlee and Sunderland. Quite mad really.
Wonder if the train might have had an impact on numbers, if you live to the East of Peterlee, it would be much quicker and easier especially with all the cancellations etc.
(17 Aug 2022, 6:07 am)Storx wrote [ -> ]Wonder if the train might have had an impact on numbers, if you live to the East of Peterlee, it would be much quicker and easier especially with all the cancellations etc.
Very much doubt it, it’s the only way to save a couple of buses (and also up to 4 drivers?) as short on drivers.
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(17 Aug 2022, 6:07 am)Storx wrote [ -> ]Wonder if the train might have had an impact on numbers, if you live to the East of Peterlee, it would be much quicker and easier especially with all the cancellations etc.
Trains are noticeably busier since Horden station opened and the covid restrictions were lifted. Are they all people who got on at Horden though? No idea.
(17 Aug 2022, 2:40 pm)F114TML wrote [ -> ]Trains are noticeably busier since Horden station opened and the covid restrictions were lifted. Are they all people who got on at Horden though? No idea.
Aye, I've heard that aswell. No doubt it's where some of the X10 passengers have moved to aswell not that I'm really complaining. More passengers along there might push a 30 minute service as it's a shockingly bad frequency for a line that connects 2 major metropolitan areas and some large towns on route aswell (Peterlee, Seaham and Hartlepool)
(17 Aug 2022, 3:52 pm)Storx wrote [ -> ]Aye, I've heard that aswell. No doubt it's where some of the X10 passengers have moved to aswell not that I'm really complaining. More passengers along there might push a 30 minute service as it's a shockingly bad frequency for a line that connects 2 major metropolitan areas and some large towns on route aswell (Peterlee, Seaham and Hartlepool)
Once the second platform is sorted at Hartlepool, I reckon it will free up a bit more space on that line.