(17 Dec 2022, 5:16 am)Dan wrote [ -> ]I note that a styled PDF timetable is available on the GNE website for the new 682 service being provided in Hexham in the new year.Good news!
Perhaps indicates something is on its way.
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(03 Aug 2023, 7:26 pm)Storx wrote [ -> ]Seen someone mention something before and it's always been the general message that Arriva chose to leave Jesmond but curious was this actually ever the case or was it more so they had to leave the place since the lease was up and they had no intention of letting them be there long term so had to no choice?
Obviously beyond that Walkergate became uneconomical to open and then something went wrong at Ashington, anyway know the story there? As it's not been mentioned much either.
(03 Aug 2023, 8:27 pm)Andreos1 wrote [ -> ]On a slightly connected note, I noticed the old Loftus depot has a 'to let' sign on the security fencing.
Think it's a fairly new addition.
(03 Aug 2023, 8:50 pm)Storx wrote [ -> ]Not sure why you'd want to let that. Isn't it effectively wasteland unless it's changed since the last time I've been up there.
(03 Aug 2023, 9:01 pm)Andreos1 wrote [ -> ]Nope, still exactly the same as it has been for, well ages.
(03 Aug 2023, 9:06 pm)Storx wrote [ -> ]Just had a look on Google Maps, looks like it's been tidied up. Still had the old frame up with a temporary fence last time I was there, admit I'm rarely along there as there's no real reason to be there.
Mind I'm really surpised houses haven't been built on it seems an ideal spot.
Totally off topic but the pub next door has a right sad timeline. Nice open pub -> removal men -> abandoned -> more abandoned -> falling apart.
(01 Apr 2025, 11:21 am)Rob44 wrote [ -> ]https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj0z4eg7r3qo
flats and shops for old jesmond depot
(15 Apr 2025, 10:13 am)logidoodah wrote [ -> ]I was sorting through some old stuff yesterday and came across some paper timetables from like 2015 - 2021. I saw the Arriva Jesmond services 51/51A/52/53/54/55 and I was quite nostalgic about them. So it got me thinking when they closed Jesmond Depot why did they not at least try to make them operate from Blyth & Ashington. There would've been people more outraged if GNE/SNE didn't step in with Nexus support on Evenings.
There were loads of ways you could've done it without majorly changing routes or having a lot of dead mileage for buses and driver changeovers...
Some ways could've been
X7 - No Change to route but interworks with X9
X8 - No Change to route but interworks with the X10
X9 - Divert via Brunton Park
X10 - Divert via Brunton Park
43 - Extend to Blyth following the X11 route. Longer journey to Newcastle but improves overall connections and doubles the freq. Map
44 - Divert via Hollywood Avenue.
45 - Divert through Jesmond to help with economic viability. Map
46 - Cancel this route. This route can mostly be covered by changing the X9 through Brunton Park
52 - Extend this to Ashington from Cramlington and slightly change the routing after the Freeman Hospital. Map
53 - Extend this to Morpeth in place of the 43, this will then interwork with the 2. Kirkhill would be served by the 35 instead. Map
54 - Minor changes to routing. But interworks with the X7. Map
55 - Reduce the frequency to every 30 mins but upgrade the route from solos to singles (this could be interworked with X7/X8) Map
56 - renumber the 57A to better fit with the numbering
57 - extend both the 56/57 to North Shields via Marden covering the lost links from the 306. (But it is not essential, as the 1 also does this.)
306 - Terminate and do a loop of Tynemouth. There is no need for this service to go through to Whitley Bay just duplicates everything. Map
308 - Turn right after NT Hospital and divert through Marden to give better buses for this estate. Also differentiates it from the 309 better.
Below is a rough overview of the routes, I did not include everything mentioned such as the small changes to 306/308.
(15 Apr 2025, 4:33 pm)Shrek wrote [ -> ]I think a big part of it was that the company was a mess at the time. They were struggling badly for drivers to cover routes from Blyth and Ashington, nevermind having to cover the 50 routes as well.
As for the ideas you've put together for other routes. Diverting the 44 via Holywood Avenue and 45 via Jesmond wouldn't have been something they'd have been interested in. Those services return a profit for them in general, so making them longer and taking them through Jesmond which is a traffic nightmare could have been a risk to those services.
Realistically, they made some huge mistakes around the time, along with some huge misfortune with prices of materials rising due to the war in Ukraine as they looked to build a new depot in Newcastle. The actions they took made sense and they gave commercial data to other companies who then filled the gaps.
(15 Apr 2025, 10:13 am)logidoodah wrote [ -> ]I was sorting through some old stuff yesterday and came across some paper timetables from like 2015 - 2021. I saw the Arriva Jesmond services 51/51A/52/53/54/55 and I was quite nostalgic about them. So it got me thinking when they closed Jesmond Depot why did they not at least try to make them operate from Blyth & Ashington. There would've been people more outraged if GNE/SNE didn't step in with Nexus support on Evenings.
There were loads of ways you could've done it without majorly changing routes or having a lot of dead mileage for buses and driver changeovers...
Some ways could've been
X7 - No Change to route but interworks with X9
X8 - No Change to route but interworks with the X10
X9 - Divert via Brunton Park
X10 - Divert via Brunton Park
43 - Extend to Blyth following the X11 route. Longer journey to Newcastle but improves overall connections and doubles the freq. Map
44 - Divert via Hollywood Avenue.
45 - Divert through Jesmond to help with economic viability. Map
46 - Cancel this route. This route can mostly be covered by changing the X9 through Brunton Park
52 - Extend this to Ashington from Cramlington and slightly change the routing after the Freeman Hospital. Map
53 - Extend this to Morpeth in place of the 43, this will then interwork with the 2. Kirkhill would be served by the 35 instead. Map
54 - Minor changes to routing. But interworks with the X7. Map
55 - Reduce the frequency to every 30 mins but upgrade the route from solos to singles (this could be interworked with X7/X8) Map
56 - renumber the 57A to better fit with the numbering
57 - extend both the 56/57 to North Shields via Marden covering the lost links from the 306. (But it is not essential, as the 1 also does this.)
306 - Terminate and do a loop of Tynemouth. There is no need for this service to go through to Whitley Bay just duplicates everything. Map
308 - Turn right after NT Hospital and divert through Marden to give better buses for this estate. Also differentiates it from the 309 better.
Below is a rough overview of the routes, I did not include everything mentioned such as the small changes to 306/308.
(15 Apr 2025, 7:38 pm)Superman wrote [ -> ]Simple answer to this one. They didn't have enough space to keep everything. Both Blyth and Ashington are rammed full. They kept the stuff that made the most money.
(15 Apr 2025, 7:55 pm)PH - BQA wrote [ -> ]Precisely this, and it wasn't like they didn't try! There were visible plans drawn up by an external company of the proposed site on Shields Road, and there were also heavy rumours of them looking into purchasing land to expand Ashington. However, from memory, massive cost increases (it was around the time of the Truss budget I think?) saw both of those ruled out in the end.
I've not seen Blyth since the redevelopment, but I do know that the Ashington yard is full to the brim when all vehicles are back - I think the only way they'd see any further services would be for more boards to go to Alnwick? Although it's likely got a bit of breathing room now that the 43 boards moved over to Blyth.
(16 Apr 2025, 7:05 am)Storx wrote [ -> ]No arguments about lack of space but there must have always been some space.
You have to remember they've took on the 434, X16, 777, X30, an extra bus on the 57A and recently just 4 vehicles to Blyth from Ashington.
There's at least 6 PVR there plus the 4 vehicles recently moved out. More than enough for at least just the 53 which is the one which gave most space to the competition at both ends of the route.
(16 Apr 2025, 8:13 am)Superman wrote [ -> ]Ashington was, until recently, over capacity.
(16 Apr 2025, 7:17 pm)V514DFT wrote [ -> ]2022/2023 was a wonky time, there's a few factors involved, the big depot which just sort of phased out, the driver shortages which would regularly see the 50 services cancelled anyway, closure of Jesmond, the sharing of Walkergate which just wasnt practical, these group of services never quite got back to pre-covid levels, I mean here we are 5 years on and bus companies are still somewhat recovering, I mean we could argue did GNE ever really want the 351-355, to mean it was just a token "hey we know we screwed over North Tyneside, but here are these new services we're going to run" just always seemed half arsed, with only the 355 being half hourly (now hourly with the 356), and even then it doesnt run til late or on Sundays, the 352-355 all had potential in some way, but give it 12 months and the 352 and 354 will both be gone, probably the 54 also, can you see Nexus wanting to keep the 54 going long term, cus I can't, but it was mentioned in another thread, that this new 356 is probably a way of seeing off the 54/354, but if anything were to happen, is can see it going back to Arrivas 2010 "big chop", 356 will do its old routing, the 353 will become what was the 343 to Whitley Bay, the real mystery is the 355, maybe that will do somewhat its old routing to Shiremoor then divert to Shields, who knows
(16 Apr 2025, 7:37 pm)Storx wrote [ -> ]Aye that's fair, wasn't aware of that.
imo North Tyneside badly needs more local services with forced integration with Metro. I know some will whine on about that like it's some obscure idea but stuff like the 351 shouldn't exist in it's entirity. (Should be Northumberland Park to Newcastle only)
They'd be much better extending the likes of the W1/W2 to Northumberland Park at least every 30 minutes and forcing an interchange. It's not like there's not a good service, in the near future, there's going to be 6 TPH on the Metro and 2 TPH direct to Central via National Rail and the current 350/351 at the Whitley side are very quiet as an understatement (1/2 passengers territory bar peaks).
It'll need a refurbishment but Northumberland Park should be what Four Lane Ends used to be before privitation. It's in a good spot to do it aswell as the services mostly already exist or are very nearby with short extensions ie. the 22 and there's not much doubling back, unlike North Shields.
(17 Apr 2025, 7:52 am)V514DFT wrote [ -> ]I always thought imo that a "tree" method might work, i.e keep the trunk routes so the likes of the 10, 21 and stuff then have your branches, i.e local routes