(30 Jan 2015, 6:11 pm)DaveyBowyer wrote I
With a bit of TLC, 7453 - 7456 could just about handle Sutton Bank. Will they be bringing Pulsar Gemini's down from Blyth as summer extras?

(30 Jan 2015, 6:36 pm)Kuyoyo wrote So far, it seems the summer extras will be at least 3 of 7618-20/6/7 from Durham whille the University holidays are on.

(30 Jan 2015, 6:49 pm)DaveyBowyer wrote Or, with the X93 being a longer route, Durham swap Blyth with 2 Max Gemini's then they go in the X93.

(30 Jan 2015, 6:11 pm)DaveyBowyer wrote I
With a bit of TLC, 7453 - 7456 could just about handle Sutton Bank. Will they be bringing Pulsar Gemini's down from Blyth as summer extras?

(30 Jan 2015, 7:37 pm)Tommy_1581 wrote ARRIVA Route 1:
Changes Summary: All journeys Mon-Sat terminate at Wansbeck Hospital.
Monday-Saturday Daytimes: PVR 3

(30 Jan 2015, 7:45 pm)mb134 wrote I'd suggest increasing the frequency Monday to Saturday, every time I've seen one it's been busy. 
Last night I saw a Quorum Commander on there, and there was a fair load.

I think both the 1 and 2 should run every 15 minutes Monday to Saturday, or use larger vehicles.
Edit: Trimmed the quote, as it's pretty big.

(30 Jan 2015, 3:34 pm)Malarkey wrote Well there was the Vosa Cancellation of the X93, So depending on what the crack is there then you could have 6 B9TLs Free.

In its current form is there any need for the X93 to be Hourly during the Winter/Early Spring, do many people use the Service during this time to travel to Whitby and Scarborough from Middlesbrough, and would it be worth reducing it to Every 2 Hours during this time of Year maybe, Never used the Service before so im thinking outside the box here.

Just thinking here, you could have the X93/X94 running Every 2 Hours, Maintaining the current Hourly Service between Middlesbrough and Scarborough, PVR would then be split to 3 Vehicles each.

(30 Jan 2015, 4:37 pm)Andreos1 wrote Or, rather than 'for' or 'then', they fit the tachos and (however daft the rules may be), follow the EU legislation - rather than look for loopholes.

No confusion for passengers. Jobs a good un.

I appreciate why operators look for these loopholes, after all it gives them flexibility and saves money - but it won't be long before the beaurocrats in Brussells catch on to it and outlaw it.

(30 Jan 2015, 6:40 pm)tyresmoke wrote Don't think anything has been decided for certain yet but if so I'd think it will only be 2 deckers transferring, not "at least 3"

(30 Jan 2015, 8:08 pm)Tommy_1581 wrote ARRIVA Route 1:
Changes Summary: All journeys Mon-Sat terminate at Wansbeck Hospital. Updated 15 minute frequency, 12 minutes layover at Blyth.
Monday-Saturday Daytimes: PVR 4

Blyth Bus Station... 00..15..30..45
North Farm............ 04..19..34..49
Cowpen Shops...... 08..23..38..53
Bebside ASDA...... 13..28..43..58
B'lington Stn Cafe.. 19..34..49..04
S'ford Half Moon.... 25..40..55..10
N Seaton Elephant 28..43..58..13
Ashington Bus Stn. 34..49..04..19
Wansbeck Hospital 38..53..08..23

Wansbeck Hospital 40..55..10..25
Ashington Bus Stn. 44..59..14..29
N Seaton Elephant 50..05..20..35
S'ford Half Moon.... 53..08..23..38
B'lington Stn Cafe.. 59..14..29..44
Bebside ASDA....... 05..20..35..50
Cowpen Shops....... 10..25..40..55
North Farm............. 14..29..44..59
Blyth Bus Station.... 18..33..48..03

_________________________________

Sunday: PVR 1

Blyth Bus Station... 00
North Farm............ 03
Cowpen Shops...... 07
Bebside ASDA...... 11
B'lington Stn Cafe.. 14
S'ford Half Moon.... 20
N Seaton Elephant 23
Ashington Bus Stn. 27

Ashington Bus Stn. 30
N Seaton Elephant 34
S'ford Half Moon.... 37
B'lington Stn Cafe.. 43
Bebside ASDA....... 46
Cowpen Shops....... 50
North Farm............. 54
Blyth Bus Station.... 57

(31 Jan 2015, 2:38 pm)Cock Robin wrote Of course since the changes last year the X93 is the only service from Guisborogh to Whitby.

(31 Jan 2015, 2:51 pm)mb134 wrote Been thinking today, if there are a lot of passengers using it from Ashington to Blyth, which I imagine there will be, maybe a X1 could work, something like this.
Blyth Bus Station 
Bebside ASDA 
(Spine Road)
Wansbeck Hospital 
Ashington Bus Station 

Will try and look at times etc later if I get time, but they could maybe look at doing the normal 1 every 30 mins, with an X1 running at the same frequency. Meaning that there is still a combined 15 minute frequency

(31 Jan 2015, 3:24 pm)Cock Robin wrote There used to be a half hourly 5 M'bro- Guisborough -Whitby but the Easington to Whtby section was put on the X4 instead last year, so going via Redcar instead of Guisborough.

(31 Jan 2015, 4:34 pm)Malarkey wrote Could still be potential in that link though between Guisborough and Whitby, im actually amazed that people living in Guisborough have went from having 3 Buses an Hour to just one, obviously the link is maintained through Service 4 from Easington onwards to Whitby, would actually love to know roughly how many Passengers make that connection using Services 4 and 5 to/from Whitby on a Daily Basis, I cant see any reason why that direct link couldnt be maintained, you could always Interwork Services 4/5, Bringing the 4 into the Sapphire Network and thus potentially creating more Profit/Growth for those Services.

(31 Jan 2015, 5:03 pm)Jimmi wrote Not sure how the 5 turns round in Easington or where exactly the terminus is but it could maybe continue to Whitby maybe as the 4A or another number which would provide a service between Brotton and Whitby roughly every 15 minutes.

I'd probably leave the 4/X4 alone as it looks to be proving to be pretty popular.

I have no idea how many people actually used to travel to/from Guisborough to these places on the way to Whitby and you'd think anyone from Guisborough heading to Whitby would get the X93.

(31 Jan 2015, 8:36 pm)Kuyoyo wrote The 5s turn down Grinkle Lane at Easington Church to reach Twizziegill View before carrying on out of Easington to a small turning circle just outside (as seen here (photo @ Alex Kennedy)) - the same location is also where the peak X4s terminate.

Loadings from Guisborough to Whitby via Loftus were never high hence the decision to put the Loftus-Whitby section on the X4. Most journeys from Guisborough were for destinations along the coast rather than to Whitby.

(31 Jan 2015, 9:01 pm)Malarkey wrote That looks like a nice spot on a Sunny Day for Photographs, and thanks for the further info in regards to the 4/5 Kuyoyo, I certainly though more people may of used Guisborough to Whitby more directly, rather than hopping on/off along the coast.

(11 Feb 2015, 5:28 pm)Tommy_1581 wrote ARRIVA Sapphire Routes X21/X22/X23
Newbiggin and Ashington to Bedlington and Newcastle


X21 Newbiggin Sea Crest Road, Cresswell Arms, Front Street, Wansbeck Hospital, (A197), Ashington Bus Station, Laburnum Terrace, Milburn Road, The Elephant, North Seaton Crossing, Stakeford Half Moon, Ashington Drive, Guide Post Clinic, Bedlington Police Station, Bedlington Front Street, Red Lion, Hartford Road, Plessey Checks, (A1), non-stop along Great North Road, Regent Centre, Barras Bridge, Newcastle Haymarket

X22 Ashington Bus Station, Duke Street, Park Road, usual X22 route to, Stakeford Half Moon, Bomarsand, Bedlington Station, Bedlington Front Street, Red Lion, Hartford Road, Plessey Checks, (A1), non-stop along Great North Road, Regent Centre, Barras Bridge, Newcastle Haymarket.

New X23 Newbiggin Cresswell Arms, Front Street, Wansbeck Hospital, Woodhorn Road, Ashington Bus Station, High Market, Rotary Parkway, Ashington Bus Station, Laburnum Terrace, Milburn Road, The Elephant, North Seaton Crossing, Stakeford Half Moon, Bomarsund, Bedlington Station, Bedlington Front Street, Red Lion, Nedderton, Hartford Bridge, Plessey Checks, (A1), non-stop along Great North Road, Regent Centre, Newcastle Haymarket 


Places in bold are variations to the route.
This suggestion is based around the future new bus station in Ashington.
All services run every 30 minutes.

(13 Feb 2015, 7:00 pm)mb134 wrote Future new bus station?

(13 Feb 2015, 7:12 pm)mb134 wrote I've been thinking tonight about some changes to Blyth's 2 service, as follows:

2- Current route, running every 30 minutes, instead of the current 20.

2A- Blyth Bus Station- Cowpen Shops- Bebside ASDA - Bebside Road (A193) - Bedlington Front Street- Red House Farm- Nedderton- A192- Morpeth- Kirkhill

The 2A would also run every 30 minutes, so with the 2 there would be a combined 15 minute frequency between Morpeth, Bedlington and Blyth.
The 2A could cut nearly 10 minutes off journey times, if I've done the maths right. It would also provide a better service to Morpeth to those in Nedderton and those living on the A193 (the road the X5 uses). I'll have a look at doing a timetable later, but what are peoples thoughts?

(13 Feb 2015, 7:18 pm)Tommy_1581 wrote The Nedderton part sounds good, as my proposed X21/22/23 can now go down Hartford Road, as there will be connections at Red Lion for Newcastle and Ashington services.

(13 Feb 2015, 7:23 pm)mb134 wrote I still think you need to send at least one of the X21/22 through Nedderton, and that side of Bedlington. There is one massive estate, and the estate that the current 2 goes around. Also, going off what I was told by my friend (who lives in Bedlington) there is going to be a new housing estate built adjacent to the current big one, I'll try and sort out a Google Maps link.

Also, with regard to the Ashington Bus Station can't find it anywhere, are there any impression diagrams/ maps?

(13 Feb 2015, 7:23 pm)mb134 wrote I still think you need to send at least one of the X21/22 through Nedderton, and that side of Bedlington. There is one massive estate, and the estate that the current 2 goes around. Also, going off what I was told by my friend (who lives in Bedlington) there is going to be a new housing estate built adjacent to the current big one, I'll try and sort out a Google Maps link.

Hope this works, the dark green field: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@55.1340605,-1.6180956,456m/data=!3m1!1e3

Also, with regard to the Ashington Bus Station can't find it anywhere, are there any impression diagrams/ maps?