Just looking at the new Red Kite timetables. Will Riverside operate it on Sundays? Looks like it won't be interworking with the 45 and 46 on Sundays so would make sense for Riverside to operate it possibly using a couple of the TEN/TTX B9TLs. Also the 47 looks to have 20+ minutes layover at Blackhall Mill so that's great to see and will hopefully improve reliability.

Would be quite good to have a Red Kite day/week saver I think - would boost passenger numbers even more I feel if they reduced the cost from Consett which is £6.80 return or £32.50 for a week pass. Could maybe be valid on the 11 and X70/X71 too.

(04 Apr 2016, 8:46 pm)biglugs@yahoo.com wrote Driver on the 99 said the x36 is going every hour it used to be every 10 minutes

Doesn't surprise me if the X36 is going hourly, think a few people suggested that.

The X36 has never been every 10 minutes.

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(04 Apr 2016, 8:39 pm)Andreos1 wrote I am not sure who will be happy.
Some are seeing direct services cut and others are seeing journey times potentially extended.

Whilst in some cases, costing them more in the process.

Reliability is decent as it stands and the service can carry decent numbers.
Although fares to some areas are more expensive than comparible services.

If they are looking to increase its popularity, reducing links to the hospital isn't going to be the thing to fix it.

The reliabilty is quite good despite the work on the new bridge effecting its route..

(04 Apr 2016, 8:49 pm)NK53 TKT wrote If marketed correctly the X36 could be a real money spinner if advertised and given better features such as NSAs, WiFi and power sockets. It COULD challenge the metro

Even though the metro is terrible, i would still use it over the X36 and that includes if the X36 had WIFI and plugs...

(04 Apr 2016, 8:58 pm)Michael wrote Doesn't surprise me if the X36 is going hourly, think a few people suggested that.

The X36 has never been every 10 minutes.

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The reliabilty is quite good despite the work on the new bridge effecting its route..

The simplicity 36 I was referring to

(04 Apr 2016, 9:02 pm)Michael wrote Even though the metro is terrible, i would still use it over the X36 and that includes if the X36 had WIFI and plugs...

I agree, it serves too many estates on the way and the only " express " part of it is Bolden to Newcastle City Centre and even that has competition in the form of the X34 every 20 Mins

Sorry if some of the sentences don't make sense, I'm typing on my phone

(04 Apr 2016, 7:39 pm)biglugs@yahoo.com wrote Put an indigo in its place?

As Jimmi said, the X7 is often at or beyond capacity. I've caught it 3 times. First 2 times on a Saturday morning, Peterlee to 'Boro - standing and packed like sardines both times. The 3rd time, a weekday mid-late afternoon, Sunderland to Peterlee. 95% full for much of the journey and then filled up again at Peterlee.

(04 Apr 2016, 8:32 pm)Michael wrote It does and known her she'll use it for this quality contracts thing.

I have family in Castletown, lets say they aren't happy with more changes to the services....

Quality Contracts in the North East are as good as dead and buried, after the board concluded that Nexus' proposals were unaffordable and do not provide value for money. Bridget can support QCS all she likes, but it's not going to change the fact that the scheme is not the best way forward for our region.

(04 Apr 2016, 8:57 pm)Tom wrote Just looking at the new Red Kite timetables. Will Riverside operate it on Sundays? Looks like it won't be interworking with the 45 and 46 on Sundays so would make sense for Riverside to operate it possibly using a couple of the TEN/TTX B9TLs. Also the 47 looks to have 20+ minutes layover at Blackhall Mill so that's great to see and will hopefully improve reliability.

Would be quite good to have a Red Kite day/week saver I think - would boost passenger numbers even more I feel if they reduced the cost from Consett which is £6.80 return or £32.50 for a week pass. Could maybe be valid on the 11 and X70/X71 too.

Maybe so, none of the 45 / 46 boards interwork with the 47 on a Sunday by the looks of it.

By looking at the layovers though, they appear to get these amounts of time below

Monday To Saturday:
- 8 Minutes before departing to Blackhall Mill
- 9 Minutes before departing to Newcastle
- 8 Minutes before departing back to Consett

Sundays:
- 9 Minutes before departing to Blackhall Mill
- 4 Minutes before departing back to Newcastle

The total PVR of the 10A / 10B and TTX on a Sunday is 8 (5x TEN / 3x TTX) vehicles and Riverside have 14x B9TLs in total (8x TEN incl 6084 and 6x TTX) so it is a possibility that Riverside could still work the Sunday boards as you mentioned but we don't know yet.

(04 Apr 2016, 9:37 pm)BusLoverMum wrote As Jimmi said, the X7 is often at or beyond capacity. I've caught it 3 times. First 2 times on a Saturday morning, Peterlee to 'Boro - standing and packed like sardines both times. The 3rd time, a weekday mid-late afternoon, Sunderland to Peterlee. 95% full for much of the journey and then filled up again at Peterlee.

Sometimes when I've been at wingate on Saturday mornings about 10am ive seen the X7 going to boro with seats still available and operated by a indigo solo.

(05 Apr 2016, 7:02 am)cbma06 wrote Sometimes when I've been at wingate on Saturday mornings about 10am ive seen the X7 going to boro with seats still available and operated by a indigo solo.

It's like most services, sometimes you can get away with allocating a smaller bus, other times you can't. Last time I saw an IndiGo on the journey that arrives in Sunderland just after 10:33 it was dead, probably wasn't helped that it was raining a fair bit that day.

(05 Apr 2016, 7:10 am)Jimmi wrote It's like most services, sometimes you can get away with allocating a smaller bus, other times you can't. Last time I saw an IndiGo on the journey that arrives in Sunderland just after 10:33 it was dead, probably wasn't helped that it was raining a fair bit that day.

The X7 arrival at Sunderland weekdays at half 8 used to be heaving with full load, now it's practically empty.

(05 Apr 2016, 6:45 am)DaveyBowyer wrote Maybe so, none of the 45 / 46 boards interwork with the 47 on a Sunday by the looks of it.

By looking at the layovers though, they appear to get these amounts of time below

Monday To Saturday:
- 8 Minutes before departing to Blackhall Mill
- 9 Minutes before departing to Newcastle
- 8 Minutes before departing back to Consett

Sundays:
- 9 Minutes before departing to Blackhall Mill
- 4 Minutes before departing back to Newcastle

The total PVR of the 10A / 10B and TTX on a Sunday is 8 (5x TEN / 3x TTX) vehicles and Riverside have 14x B9TLs in total (8x TEN incl 6084 and 6x TTX) so it is a possibility that Riverside could still work the Sunday boards as you mentioned but we don't know yet.

Sunday will be stanley operated, at least thats what we've been told, wouldn't be surprised if its operated by streetlites with drivers doing 2 round trips then light to consett/stanley for break.

(05 Apr 2016, 7:15 am)cbma06 wrote The X7 arrival at Sunderland weekdays at half 8 used to be heaving with full load, now it's practically empty.

I wonder what's changed, then?

(05 Apr 2016, 9:14 am)BusLoverMum wrote I wonder what's changed, then?

School holidays could be having an impact on it?

May Day Bank Holiday Buses


http://www.simplygo.com/news/may-day-bank-holiday-buses

PB0003954/633 - GO NORTH EAST LIMITED, 117 QUEEN STREET, GATESHEAD, NE8 2UA
Variation Accepted by SN: Operating between Hexham Bus Station and Corbridge Hill Street given service number 687 effective from 22-May-2016. To amend Timetable.

(07 Apr 2016, 6:45 pm)Michael wrote PB0003954/633 - GO NORTH EAST LIMITED, 117 QUEEN STREET, GATESHEAD, NE8 2UA
Variation Accepted by SN: Operating between Hexham Bus Station and Corbridge Hill Street given service number 687 effective from 22-May-2016. To amend Timetable.

Oh Lordy - what are they doing next?

More? Less?

We know that there will need to be alterations when they close the railway bridge at Hexham - but that isn't due until June and July.

(07 Apr 2016, 9:59 am)Michael wrote May Day Bank Holiday Buses


http://www.simplygo.com/news/may-day-bank-holiday-buses

Thought they might have upped the X22 frequency a little.

PB0003954/493 - GO NORTH EAST LIMITED, 117 QUEEN STREET, GATESHEAD, NE8 2UA

Variation Accepted: Operating between Consett Bus Station and Hexham Haugh Lane Aldi given service number 689 effective from 05-Jun-2016. To amend Route and Timetable.


PB0003954/631 - GO NORTH EAST LIMITED, 117 QUEEN STREET, GATESHEAD, NE8 2UA

Variation Accepted: Operating between Hexham Bus Station and Bellingham Heritage Centre given service number 680 effective from 05-Jun-2016. To amend Route and Timetable.


PB0003954/661 - GO NORTH EAST LIMITED, 117 QUEEN STREET, GATESHEAD, NE8 2UA

Variation Accepted: Operating between Hexham, Highford Park and Acomb, The Pant Water Trough given service number 682/74 effective from 05-Jun-2016. To amend Route and Timetable.

(07 Apr 2016, 8:09 pm)G-CPTN wrote Oh Lordy - what are they doing next?

More? Less?

We know that there will need to be alterations when they close the railway bridge at Hexham - but that isn't due until June and July.

Looking at the other changes, is it to do with works in Hexham?
How long is the bus station off completion?

When I was there on Saturday it was just road.

(08 Apr 2016, 9:42 am)Jimmi wrote PB0003954/493 - GO NORTH EAST LIMITED, 117 QUEEN STREET, GATESHEAD, NE8 2UA

Variation Accepted: Operating between Consett Bus Station and Hexham Haugh Lane Aldi given service number 689 effective from 05-Jun-2016. To amend Route and Timetable.


PB0003954/631 - GO NORTH EAST LIMITED, 117 QUEEN STREET, GATESHEAD, NE8 2UA

Variation Accepted: Operating between Hexham Bus Station and Bellingham Heritage Centre given service number 680 effective from 05-Jun-2016. To amend Route and Timetable.


PB0003954/661 - GO NORTH EAST LIMITED, 117 QUEEN STREET, GATESHEAD, NE8 2UA

Variation Accepted: Operating between Hexham, Highford Park and Acomb, The Pant Water Trough given service number 682/74 effective from 05-Jun-2016. To amend Route and Timetable.

Why?

(08 Apr 2016, 1:10 pm)NK53 TKT wrote Why?

To early to say what the changes are.

(08 Apr 2016, 1:10 pm)NK53 TKT wrote Why?

The ones above, starting 5th June, are likely to be associated with the works to the railway bridge at Hexham Alemouth Road - which will last for six weeks and prevent traffic from the A69 at Rotary Way from accessing Central Hexham (and vice versa).

Diversions (for all traffic) will involve using the junction at Two Mile Cottages to the west of Hexham (junction to Warden).

(08 Apr 2016, 1:31 pm)G-CPTN wrote The ones above, starting 5th June, are likely to be associated with the works to the railway bridge at Hexham Alemouth Road - which will last for six weeks and prevent traffic from the A69 at Rotary Way from accessing Central Hexham (and vice versa).

Diversions (for all traffic) will involve using the junction at Two Mile Cottages to the west of Hexham (junction to Warden).

Ah thank you, just so I can warn my grandparents

PB0003954/470 - GO NORTH EAST LIMITED, 117 QUEEN STREET, GATESHEAD, NE8 2UA
Variation Accepted: Operating between Hexham Aldi and Allenheads Heritage Centre given service number 688 effective from 05-Jun-2016. To amend Timetable.

(12 Apr 2016, 10:52 am)Michael wrote PB0003954/470 - GO NORTH EAST LIMITED, 117 QUEEN STREET, GATESHEAD, NE8 2UA
Variation Accepted: Operating between Hexham Aldi and Allenheads Heritage Centre given service number 688 effective from 05-Jun-2016. To amend Timetable.

This is puzzling to me, as, although the start date corresponds with the start of the closure of Hexham railway bridge, there should be no impact - unless the road closure of Alemouth Road will affect Station Road.

There will, I suppose, inevitably be congestion due to traffic being diverted from Alemouth Road along Haugh Lane towards the West End (Two Mile Cottages) and vice versa, so, maybe the changes are in anticipation of delays?

PB0003954/551 - GO NORTH EAST LIMITED, 117 QUEEN STREET, GATESHEAD, NE8 2UA
Variation Accepted by SN: Operating between Whitley Bay Metro and Meadow Well Avon avenue given service number W3 effective from 29-May-2016. To amend Route and Timetable.

PB0003954/551 - GO NORTH EAST LIMITED, 117 QUEEN STREET, GATESHEAD, NE8 2UA
Variation Accepted by SN: Operating between Whitley Bay Metro and Meadow Well Avon avenue given service number W3 effective from 29-May-2016. To amend Route and Timetable.

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(12 Apr 2016, 2:41 pm)Michael wrote PB0003954/551 - GO NORTH EAST LIMITED, 117 QUEEN STREET, GATESHEAD, NE8 2UA
Variation Accepted by SN: Operating between Whitley Bay Metro and Meadow Well Avon avenue given service number W3 effective from 29-May-2016. To amend Route and Timetable.

Just beat me to it

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(12 Apr 2016, 2:41 pm)Michael wrote PB0003954/551 - GO NORTH EAST LIMITED, 117 QUEEN STREET, GATESHEAD, NE8 2UA
Variation Accepted by SN: Operating between Whitley Bay Metro and Meadow Well Avon avenue given service number W3 effective from 29-May-2016. To amend Route and Timetable.

Just beat me to it

UPDATE: High Handenhold roadworks

Date: 13 Apr 2016

UPDATE: These works are expected to be complete by late afternoon on Friday 15 April, with services returning to normal routes and the shuttle bus withdrawn.