(15 Apr 2015, 7:45 pm)Malarkey wrote Think it would pick up some Passengers around Murton/Dalton Park, obviously if the Service and the Links it provides were Promoted by Arriva then it may help the Service grow.

As for the X23, I wasnt sure which way to have it go into Durham, but thought it would be quicker going via the A1 rather the A167 and it following the 7 too much, And good point regarding the GNEX21 actually.

(12 Apr 2015, 3:51 pm)tyresmoke wrote How would you get drivers to Morpeth for reliefs on service 33? This is exactly why the whole lot is interworked at present

(15 Apr 2015, 7:55 pm)cbma06 wrote ive done the 21 route before from Peterlee and never again, next time I get the 22 or 24 to Durham and board service 7.

(15 Apr 2015, 8:00 pm)Jimmi wrote Might I ask why you didn't like the 21 route so much?

I don't mind the 21 route so much as it makes a change to doing the 7 route all the time and is slightly faster at getting to Sunderland than changing to the 20/20A at Durham.

(15 Apr 2015, 8:04 pm)Dan wrote Takes far too long to get from Sunderland to Darlington - but as you say, faster than any of the alternative buses.

(15 Apr 2015, 8:13 pm)Jimmi wrote I'd doubt there would be much call for an express service linking Darlington and Sunderland together.

(15 Apr 2015, 8:16 pm)Dan wrote I can only agree. Perhaps if there was some through traffic on the current 21 to the X21, I'd disagree, but based on my observations, instances of this occurring are minimal.

(05 May 2015, 10:27 am)Andreos1 wrote Either interworking with a Hartlepool service or something in Stockton, I wonder if the following would be worth trying.

Stockton - North Tees Hosp - Sedgefield - Wynyard - Billingham - Greatham - Hartlepool.

(05 May 2015, 11:03 am)Jimmi wrote Don't really know the areas in question but I remember Arriva used to run the 33 Ferryhill - Hartlepool (via Bishop Middleham, Fishburn - twice , Sedgefield and Trimdon and I don't think it picked up much, the Trimdon Village - Hartlepool section was replaced by the 57A with Scarlet Band taking over the 33 between Ferryhill and Sedgefield.

The 33 also interworked with the 8A Ferryhill - Darlington.

(05 May 2015, 11:19 am)Andreos1 wrote With going via Wynyard, it wouldn't serve the Trimdons etc. They have overkill as it is.
This would go via the A689 between Sedgefield and Hartlepool.

With Hartlepool hospital on seemingly gradual shutdown and services being moved to North Tees, I think this could work.
Passengers travelling locally could add to numbers and for those waiting for an X12 (or whatever number it is going by these days), this could help that.
There is also the business park on the A19 junction, that could be a peak diversion.

(10 May 2015, 9:27 pm)Tom wrote Wonder if Arriva could extend one 6 per hour to Barnard Castle? Would be good to have a direct link from Durham!

(10 May 2015, 9:40 pm)Jimmi wrote Can't see this happening as Arriva previously ran the 85 between Bishop Auckland and Barnard Castle via Cockfield every 2 hours along with the 84 Bishop Auckland to Darlington via Cockfield every 2 hours and I think there was the 85 between Bishop Auckland and Cockfield every hour meaning a bus between Bishop Auckland - Cockfield every 30 minutes.

Arriva withdrew the 84/85 beyond Cockfield (84/85 withdrawn and 6 was extended to Cockfield) and also the 95/96 between Barnard Castle and Middleton-In-Teessdale in January 2012 due to low passenger numbers with Durham County Council stepping in to replace these services after petitions from people in Teesdale against the withdrawal of these services. Scarlet Band were given the contracts for these replacement services.

The current Scarlet Band 85 is actually commercially operated between Bishop Auckland and Cockfield.

(11 May 2015, 7:03 am)Tom wrote Ah right I never realised that. 

How do the X75/X76 do?

(11 May 2015, 11:59 am)John_R wrote Cockfield-Barnard Castle route when Arriva operated it hardly ever saw more than a handful of passengers, I normally had the top deck to myself.

(05 May 2015, 4:54 pm)tyresmoke wrote I'm not sure there'd be a lot of money in it, Sedgefield-Hartlepool was always tendered when Arriva ran it as the 33, now runs between Sedgefield and Ferryhill only of course (operated by Scarlet Band).
As for trips between the hospitals - the NHS trust currently run a roughly half hourly shuttle service between the two, whether they would be willing to convert this into funding towards a commercial bus service I'm not so sure, especially given journey times would increase.

(01 Jun 2015, 9:24 am)Racer_Experience wrote Who agrees the service 85/X85/185/685 should fall under the Sapphire brand or even Max I prefer Sapphire over max

(01 Jun 2015, 9:24 am)Racer_Experience wrote Who agrees the service 85/X85/185/685 should fall under the Sapphire brand or even Max I prefer Sapphire over max

(01 Jun 2015, 2:56 pm)Tommy_1581 wrote It won't be Max or Sapphire - a new brand will have to be agreed with Stagecoach.

(05 Jun 2015, 9:31 pm)South Tyne Lad wrote I like Northern156s idea I think that idea would work best with sapphire.
The thing is isn't the 85/685 tendered by Northumberland county council? im sure I heard that somewhere.
If they are then all this upgrading to sapphire and express services would all have to be run commercially and I don't think Arriva would do that.
 
the best types of buses for this route would be

Maybe single deckers would be Volvo B8RLE MCV or wright body Scania irazar i3
         and double deckers Scania Enviro 400MMC

as this route is very rural and demanding these would be the best but you know Arriva, probably just buy some streetlites that will be torn to pieces in 2 years!!

(05 Jun 2015, 9:31 pm)South Tyne Lad wrote I like Northern156s idea I think that idea would work best with sapphire.
The thing is isn't the 85/685 tendered by Northumberland county council? im sure I heard that somewhere.
If they are then all this upgrading to sapphire and express services would all have to be run commercially and I don't think Arriva would do that.
 
the best types of buses for this route would be

Maybe single deckers would be Volvo B8RLE MCV or wright body Scania irazar i3
         and double deckers Scania Enviro 400MMC

as this route is very rural and demanding these would be the best but you know Arriva, probably just buy some streetlites that will be torn to pieces in 2 years!!

(07 Jun 2015, 3:16 pm)Tommy_1581 wrote Can't be Sapphire, Sapphire is a frequency (or combined frequency) of at least 15 minutes. The 85/185/685 isn't that.

(07 Jun 2015, 3:19 pm)tyresmoke wrote Not always. Service 38 in Cheshire is only hourly.

(07 Jun 2015, 3:19 pm)tyresmoke wrote Not always. Service 38 in Cheshire is only hourly.