(20 Sep 2020, 12:03 pm)OrangeArrow49 wrote 93/94 serves Gateshead Quays, Newcastle is a short walk away or a short bus ride on the Q1/Q2 services.  No reason to extend the 93/94. Workers service 941 links Newcastle and Team Valley via the Metrocentre. GNE should operate a service Newcastle - Metrocentre - Team Valley, but not via the West End of Newcastle like the 941 service.

Only at peak times does the 941 operate, though. With the Team Valley bring such a large area of employment, not everyone there works 9-5 Monday to Friday. There's loads of factories, warehouses etc that are open all hours. Those who don't do traditional office hours on the Valley aren't very well served by bus. Also why not make Retail World easier to get to directly from Newcastle?

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(20 Sep 2020, 1:07 pm)big mac wrote Only at peak times does the 941 operate, though.  With the Team Valley bring such a large area of employment, not everyone there works 9-5 Monday to Friday.  There's loads of factories, warehouses etc that are open all hours.  Those who don't do traditional office hours on the Valley aren't very well served by bus.

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Few years back Nexus did contract an hourly daily service from South Shields to Metrocentre via the Team Valley  591 operated by Classic.  With Classic also covering dead mileage in the opposite directions with a commercial X91.  The service was quite well used but as usual they removed funding.  The services if incan remember used to operate from about 0900 in the morning til approx 2200 in the evening  so Team Valley to Metrocentre did have a good service., along with the OK 809 also operating Team Valley to Metrocentre

Dont GNE still run the 91? which runs Newcastle-Team Valley

(20 Sep 2020, 11:30 am)ASX_Terranova wrote New Services X3/X3A: Sunderland - Southwick - Enterprise Park - Castletown - Waterview Park - Teal Farm - Peel Retail Park - Suglrave - Concord - Washington Galleries - Team Valley (X3A) - Metrocentre - Newcastle

Revised Service 29: Newcastle - Gateshead - Bensham - Saltwell Park - Low Fell - Kibblesworth - Birtley

New Service 29A :Newcasstle - Gateshead - Q.E Hospital - Wrekenton - Birtley  - Barley Mow - Portobello]

Revised Service 33: Increase to 15 Minutes, Merge with Nexus 37 (33A) & 35 Between East Herrington & Houghton (33B, Giving 3 bph along with 35/35A). If you look at it Section between sunderland and houghton has gone down from 6 GNE buses to just 2

There's a reason why New Herrington only has 2 buses an hour now. The 35 is plenty for that section.

Is there really that much of a demand for a Newcastle to Team Valley service? When I travel to/from the Team Valley, it's rare to see anyone change onto a Newcastle bound bus, they usually either go east or west.
Pretty much everyone I see has at least a day ticket, so it'd be easy for them to work out travel patterns, and introduce a direct service if the demand was there

I'm less than a mile away and the only reason I ever go to Team Valley is to go to Toolstation or Screwfix, and even then it's only because it's easier by bus compared to the Scotswood branches, which is actually slightly quicker by car.

(20 Sep 2020, 8:10 pm)streetdeckfan wrote Is there really that much of a demand for a Newcastle to Team Valley service? When I travel to/from the Team Valley, it's rare to see anyone change onto a Newcastle bound bus, they usually either go east or west.
Pretty much everyone I see has at least a day ticket, so it'd be easy for them to work out travel patterns, and introduce a direct service if the demand was there

I'm less than a mile away and the only reason I ever go to Team Valley is to go to Toolstation or Screwfix, and even then it's only because it's easier by bus compared to the Scotswood branches, which is actually slightly quicker by car.

Not really a suggestion, but does anyone have a drawing of a Solo SR in apple green I could borrow. 
This is though: Renumber X6/X7 to 62/63 (If their no longer xlines anymore)

(19 Sep 2020, 5:05 pm)ASX_Terranova wrote Hexham to Stanhope/Crook

This isn't any malace but I've been watching your service suggestions for awhile and there's something you should do and it might give you new ideas and better suggestions.

What you should do is get a map up and make some lists of places or even mark the map which are the following:

1. Super destinations: The main places city centres / shopping centres; Washington, Chester Le Street, Newcastle, Gateshead, Metro Centre, QE Hospital etc.
   
2. Secondary destinations: Important hubs for work or local shopping but not regional importance: Birtley, Wrekenton, Low Fell, Whickham, Team Valley etc.
   
3. Local destinations: Supermarkets, doctors, Teal Farm, Harlow Green etc.
   

From the 3 new lists you've made, you now need to try and connect them together with routes which then take into account the local destinations for each of the places you pass and which secondary destinations apply for them and try and at least connect them to 1 super destination (ideally 2 at both ends). Ideally if you can, all routes shouldn't intersect each other outside of destinations so for example if you wanted a Wrekenton to Metro Centre and CLS to Newcastle service then they should cross each other at a destination ie. Low Fell rather than just randomly say at Harlow Green and any end to end routes should ideally be the quickest way otherwise you may aswell split them or they're probably not the right route (I was looking at your X7 on your blog) to take or could service a better place. Oh and any express services ideally should be only stopping at the 3 lists you've made above bit like the X1 does now between Shiney Row and Newcastle.

If you ever look at a network map it's basically what happens anyway but I can guarantee if you done it you'll find gaps in the current services between important places

(21 Sep 2020, 12:20 pm)Storx wrote This isn't any malace but I've been watching your service suggestions for awhile and there's something you should do and it might give you new ideas and better suggestions.

What you should do is get a map up and make some lists of places or even mark the map which are the following:

1. Super destinations: The main places city centres / shopping centres; Washington, Chester Le Street, Newcastle, Gateshead, Metro Centre, QE Hospital etc.
   
2. Secondary destinations: Important hubs for work or local shopping but not regional importance: Birtley, Wrekenton, Low Fell, Whickham, Team Valley etc.
   
3. Local destinations: Supermarkets, doctors, Teal Farm, Harlow Green etc.
   

From the 3 new lists you've made, you now need to try and connect them together with routes which then take into account the local destinations for each of the places you pass and which secondary destinations apply for them and try and at least connect them to 1 super destination (ideally 2 at both ends). Ideally if you can, all routes shouldn't intersect each other outside of destinations so for example if you wanted a Wrekenton to Metro Centre and CLS to Newcastle service then they should cross each other at a destination ie. Low Fell rather than just randomly say at Harlow Green and any end to end routes should ideally be the quickest way otherwise you may aswell split them or they're probably not the right route (I was looking at your X7 on your blog) to take or could service a better place. Oh and any express services ideally should be only stopping at the 3 lists you've made above bit like the X1 does now between Shiney Row and Newcastle.

If you ever look at a network map it's basically what happens anyway but I can guarantee if you done it you'll find gaps in the current services between important places

thanks for the advice, here is my newest suggestion.  
H1: Was originally 3 different services but merged together to save vehicle mileage and pvr. (If I ever get a bit of money, might try and run this commercially myself)

(21 Sep 2020, 12:33 pm)ASX_Terranova wrote thanks for the advice, here is my newest suggestion.  
H1: Was originally 3 different services but merged together to save vehicle mileage and pvr. (If I ever get a bit of money, might try and run this commercially myself)

What 3 services were merged and what’s the business case for the suggested H1 service?

I’ve already suggested to GNE by email renumbering X6/ 7 to 62/63 a few months ago, but there are no definite plans at the moment for X6/X7


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(21 Sep 2020, 1:01 pm)cbma06 wrote What 3 services were merged and what’s the business case for the suggested H1 service?

I’ve already suggested to GNE by email renumbering X6/ 7 to 62/63 a few months ago, but there are no definite plans at the moment for X6/X7


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The Nexus 68, Another suggesrition (T1, Washington to Barnwell 493-esque) and a competing service for the 4.

(20 Sep 2020, 8:10 pm)streetdeckfan wrote Is there really that much of a demand for a Newcastle to Team Valley service? When I travel to/from the Team Valley, it's rare to see anyone change onto a Newcastle bound bus, they usually either go east or west.
Pretty much everyone I see has at least a day ticket, so it'd be easy for them to work out travel patterns, and introduce a direct service if the demand was there

I'm less than a mile away and the only reason I ever go to Team Valley is to go to Toolstation or Screwfix, and even then it's only because it's easier by bus compared to the Scotswood branches, which is actually slightly quicker by car.

Pre covid, the 91 between Newcastle and Team Valley always seemed to have decent passenger numbers on it. So, there is obviously people travelling to and from there. Although I know that's a peak time service so hard to know what it would be like outside peak hours.

I'd also suggest sending the 93 and 94 over to Newcastle as much for the Allerdene area to have a more frequent service to Newcastle as well as for the Team Valley.

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(21 Sep 2020, 5:31 pm)big mac wrote Pre covid, the 91 between Newcastle and Team Valley always seemed to have decent passenger numbers on it.  So, there is obviously people travelling to and from there.  Although I know that's a peak time service so hard to know what it would be like outside peak hours.

I'd also suggest sending the 93 and 94 over to Newcastle as much for the Allerdene area to have a more frequent service to Newcastle as well as for the Team Valley.

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I would imagine the big off-peak demand would be to and from Retail World, as opposed to the more industrial central/northern parts of the Team Valley (the latter has a number of alternative services anyway). Would it add much time to send the 28A up to Retail World before it stops at Sainsbury's? That could be a useful trial, to see if demand is there.

(21 Sep 2020, 7:24 pm)BoroLad wrote I would imagine the big off-peak demand would be to and from Retail World, as opposed to the more industrial central/northern parts of the Team Valley (the latter has a number of alternative services anyway). Would it add much time to send the 28A up to Retail World before it stops at Sainsbury's? That could be a useful trial, to see if demand is there.

I would imagine sending the 28a through Retail World would probably wind up those travelling from Ouston and Pelton etc who already face a long enough journey as it is to get to Newcastle what with it going through Kibblesworth.

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I'd suggest introducing the X32 as a full daytime route but slightly amend the route to observe Kibblesworth and operate full length of Team Valley. Operating once an hour both directions.
This could possibly allow for review of services 28A and 29,

(21 Sep 2020, 8:15 pm)ifm001 wrote I'd suggest introducing the X32 as a full daytime route but slightly amend the route to observe Kibblesworth and operate full length of Team Valley. Operating once an hour both directions.
This could possibly allow for review of services 28A and 29,

As soon as i read this the 709/728 came to mind.

(21 Sep 2020, 8:15 pm)ifm001 wrote I'd suggest introducing the X32 as a full daytime route but slightly amend the route to observe Kibblesworth and operate full length of Team Valley. Operating once an hour both directions.
This could possibly allow for review of services 28A and 29,

It's a few years back now, but I made a similar suggestion on here.
However, rather than it operate via Ouston, it continued up towards Sunniside/Tanfield Railway from Kibblesworth.
This would mean the 28a could omit Kibblesworth and obviously save from the journey time.

(22 Sep 2020, 8:35 am)Andreos1 wrote It's a few years back now, but I made a similar suggestion on here.
However, rather than it operate via Ouston, it continued up towards Sunniside/Tanfield Railway from Kibblesworth.
This would mean the 28a could omit Kibblesworth and obviously save from the journey time.

I had idea for an service exactly the same think it was the X5
Also Here is my updated H1 (replaces part of nexus 68) with H2 (replaces nexus 93A and TB29)

(21 Sep 2020, 1:01 pm)cbma06 wrote What 3 services were merged and what’s the business case for the suggested H1 service?

I’ve already suggested to GNE by email renumbering X6/ 7 to 62/63 a few months ago, but there are no definite plans at the moment for X6/X7


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I’m not really understanding the reasoning behind renumbering the X6/X7? They’re still much faster than other GNE services on all sections of the route. 

• Sunderland-Seaham, 15 mins on X6/X7 vs 29 mins on 60
  
• Sunderland-Peterlee, 35 mins on X6 or 30 mins on X7 vs 56 mins on 55 
  
• Peterlee-Seaham, 20 mins on X6 or 15 mins on X7 vs 48 mins on 202
  
• Dalton Park-Seaham, 8 mins on X6 vs 15 mins on 202/265 
  
• Dalton Park-Sunderland, 24 mins on X6 vs 27 mins on 61 daytime route. 
  

Take away the ‘X’ then you lose that appeal of it being a much quicker service compared to local routes. In my view the X6/X7 are what XLINES is all about, faster buses connecting the major centres of Sunderland, Seaham & Peterlee. In Peterlee, they’re limited stop still, in Seaham they now serve all stops after Byron Place, but they aren’t exactly major or well used bus stops, quite the opposite in fact and that was only as very easy painless way to compensate for the loss of the 238.

The only change I’d make to the services is to have it half hourly through Dalton Park especially as it’s standalone now so there’s lots of layover in the timetable?

(22 Sep 2020, 12:56 pm)ASX_Terranova wrote I had idea for an service exactly the same think it was the X5
Also Here is my updated H1 (replaces part of nexus 68) with H2 (replaces nexus 93A and TB29)

Great minds! 

(22 Sep 2020, 3:11 pm)Andreos1 wrote Great minds! 

Since I made that post i've added an H3, also could it be worth extending 29 to Stanley

(22 Sep 2020, 2:54 pm)Drifter60 wrote I’m not really understanding the reasoning behind renumbering the X6/X7? They’re still much faster than other GNE services on all sections of the route. 

• Sunderland-Seaham, 15 mins on X6/X7 vs 29 mins on 60
  
• Sunderland-Peterlee, 35 mins on X6 or 30 mins on X7 vs 56 mins on 55 
  
• Peterlee-Seaham, 20 mins on X6 or 15 mins on X7 vs 48 mins on 202
  
• Dalton Park-Seaham, 8 mins on X6 vs 15 mins on 202/265 
  
• Dalton Park-Sunderland, 24 mins on X6 vs 27 mins on 61 daytime route. 
  

Take away the ‘X’ then you lose that appeal of it being a much quicker service compared to local routes. In my view the X6/X7 are what XLINES is all about, faster buses connecting the major centres of Sunderland, Seaham & Peterlee. In Peterlee, they’re limited stop still, in Seaham they now serve all stops after Byron Place, but they aren’t exactly major or well used bus stops, quite the opposite in fact and that was only as very easy painless way to compensate for the loss of the 238.

The only change I’d make to the services is to have it half hourly through Dalton Park especially as it’s standalone now so there’s lots of layover in the timetable?

X6/X7 or all stops in Peterlee

X6/X7 are not part of the xlines brand anymore.

Should extend the 60 to shields ( been done before) to replace the 20 between Sunderland and shields.


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(22 Sep 2020, 5:02 pm)cbma06 wrote X6/X7 or all stops in Peterlee

X6/X7 are not part of the xlines brand anymore.

Should extend the 60 to shields ( been done before) to replace the 20 between Sunderland and shields.


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Apologies, I thought they were still limited stop in Peterlee but even then that’s just Little Thorpe & Essington Way, so not a great deal of stops. 
My point, X6/X7 should be XLINES in my opinion and allocations now seem to be XLINES solos again (bustimes today) 
I do think the 60 to South Shields is a good idea. Fits with Drifter nicely and would save the 20 being quite a long route.

(22 Sep 2020, 5:15 pm)Drifter60 wrote Apologies, I thought they were still limited stop in Peterlee but even then that’s just Little Thorpe & Essington Way, so not a great deal of stops. 
My point, X6/X7 should be XLINES in my opinion and allocations now seem to be XLINES solos again (bustimes today) 
I do think the 60 to South Shields is a good idea. Fits with Drifter nicely and would save the 20 being quite a long route.

The X-lines Solos which were used on service X6/X7 were taken off as service X20 was extended to Langley Park.

The X20 is now being operated by larger vehicles (the former Red Kite Streetlite) temporarily, to allow better social distancing. Obviously this is a short-term measure, as social distancing won't be with us forever (hopefully not, anyway!)

This means that Deptford have two spare Solo (the others have transferred out), which should be used on the staff shuttle. Clearly they have gone on walkabout onto the X6/X7.

(22 Sep 2020, 5:15 pm)Drifter60 wrote Apologies, I thought they were still limited stop in Peterlee but even then that’s just Little Thorpe & Essington Way, so not a great deal of stops. 
My point, X6/X7 should be XLINES in my opinion and allocations now seem to be XLINES solos again (bustimes today) 
I do think the 60 to South Shields is a good idea. Fits with Drifter nicely and would save the 20 being quite a long route.

The allocations are all over the place due to COVID, I think one of the xline solos gone to north Tyneside, the 20 is to long and can cause problems along the route if something happens either end, would like to see the 20 run every 15 minutes with double deckers between Sunderland and Durham


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(22 Sep 2020, 6:07 pm)Dan wrote The X-lines Solos which were used on service X6/X7 were taken off as service X20 was extended to Langley Park.

The X20 is now being operated by larger vehicles (the former Red Kite Streetlite) temporarily, to allow better social distancing. Obviously this is a short-term measure, as social distancing won't be with us forever (hopefully not, anyway!)

This means that Deptford have two spare Solo (the others have transferred out), which should be used on the staff shuttle. Clearly they have gone on walkabout onto the X6/X7.

So long term you expect solos back on the X20? And the X6/X7 remain unbranded?

(22 Sep 2020, 11:26 pm)Drifter60 wrote So long term you expect solos back on the X20? And the X6/X7 remain unbranded?

Yes, that’s been the case since the service changes in June.


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(23 Sep 2020, 5:50 am)Dan wrote Yes, that’s been the case since the service changes in June.


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Is there a plan for the X6/X7 to go back to X-Lines in the future once things are a bit more certain, or are they going to be left as corporate like the X22

(23 Sep 2020, 8:08 am)streetdeckfan wrote Is there a plan for the X6/X7 to go back to X-Lines in the future once things are a bit more certain, or are they going to be left as corporate like the X22

No plans for them to return to X-lines. 6376’s X-lines map has had the Sunderland to Peterlee line removed.


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Social distancing and covid aside, is the X20 not well used enough to warrant full sized single deckers?

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(23 Sep 2020, 8:34 am)big mac wrote Social distancing and covid aside, is the X20 not well used enough to warrant full sized single deckers?

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From experience, the Eastern section of the route is. Haven't been beyond Durham on the western portion. 
To be honest, it surprised me when the frequency and capacity was reduced from the days of the purple streetlites.

3942 is one of the vehicles allocated to the X20 today.