I don't understand how your X74 would be able to serve the via points let alone be viable

(04 May 2021, 8:15 pm)Malarkey wrote I don't understand how your X74 would be able to serve the via points let alone be viable

It doesn't even serve Lambton Village or Low Fell either.

(04 May 2021, 8:47 pm)MurdnunoC wrote It doesn't even serve Lambton Village or Low Fell either.

Bloody disgusting I will have to put a complaint in with the local brass for those respective areas

(04 May 2021, 8:52 pm)Malarkey wrote Bloody disgusting I will have to put a complaint in with the local brass for those respective areas

Did the 56 extension to hexham ever get anywhere, or was that a joke.

Would there be any demand for doing something with the X39 to Blyth

(05 May 2021, 8:37 am)V514DFT wrote Would there be any demand for doing something with the X39 to Blyth

I think the X39 is more of a cobalt Express for afternoon and morning. I'd love to see the X39 extended to Blyth. Another X Lines Route

(05 May 2021, 9:42 am)Micheal Aaron wrote I think the X39 is more of a cobalt Express for afternoon and morning. I'd love to see the X39 extended to Blyth. Another X Lines Route

Don't bother with Cobalt and send it via the old Arriva 44 rout to Whitley Bay then express to Blyth.

Thats what i was thinking funnily enough,i'd even argue possibly only Key stops along the Coast Road,so Corner House,Chillingham Road Junction,Station Road,Battle Hill (around the corner from the Petrol Station), Coastway Shopping Centre (Coast Road Stop), Willington Square,Silverlink,Norham Road,Westminster Avenue,,N.T.G.H,Whitley Bay Morrisons,Whitley Bay,Whitley Bay Playhouse,Whitley Bay Cemetry,Old Hartley/Hartley,Seaton Sluice,Blyth Community Hospital,Blyth Bus Station

They could do an 'X38' calling at all 308 stops to Billy Mill then only Norham Road & Willington Sqaure to Newcastle.

(05 May 2021, 10:47 am)V514DFT wrote Thats what i was thinking funnily enough,i'd even argue possibly only Key stops along the Coast Road,so Corner House,Chillingham Road Junction,Station Road,Battle Hill (around the corner from the Petrol Station), Coastway Shopping Centre (Coast Road Stop), Willington Square,Silverlink,Norham Road,Westminster Avenue,,N.T.G.H,Whitley Bay Morrisons,Whitley Bay,Whitley Bay Playhouse,Whitley Bay Cemetry,Old Hartley/Hartley,Seaton Sluice,Blyth Community Hospital,Blyth Bus Station

Don't really see the point in it me. It's pretty much just the 308 bar it misses 4 stops or so. Also there's 9 buses an hour along Hillheads Road in Whitley yet Monkseaton 1/2 mile to the North doesn't have a bus service to Newcastle at all. Also there's no demand for another bus North of Whitley. They carry fresh air all day half the time and there's again 9 buses at the top end of Sluice already and the X7 will be quicker regardless.

The 44 then X8/X9 never remember which one it was done it for a bit aswell and was scrapped as there's no demand plus the GNE coach express for a bit X5'something I believe it was. The Metro will always be quicker on the Coast and more reliable aswell.

The problem with GNE running an express on the Coast Road is that in order to gain more loyalty, they'd need to run an evening & Sunday service. That alone is a big risk also taking into account Lynn Road & Billy Mill to Station Road is deep Arriva territory.

Arriva could give a Monday to Saturday service a go but I doubt they will.

I still reckon there will be rationalisation on the Coast Road post Covid particularly with Arriva. They could have the same if not, very similar capacity with 4-5 less vehicles and approx 20% operational cost savings. A simple 10 minute Billy Mill - Newcastle service with 306 & 308 every 20 mins each. 306 also withdrawn from Battle Hill (for reliability).

Arriva haven't brought the X6 back and the Saturday service is every 20 minutes on both routes and probably for a reason. When lack of social distancing allows, a 20 minute service would be more than enough.

Gone are the glory days of Cityzens, Smartie seat / Palatines and Screaming Cummins L10 Voith ECW Leyland Olympians.

Gone are the days arriva used to run tons of bus services. You could get from Dinnington to Whitley Bay by one bus. Newcastle to Cramlington had at least way more than 10 services going there

Now is probably the worst time to make wholesale changes to the network introduce new regular services. Passenger numbers need to be given the opportunity to return to near-normal, so that there's accurate data available for planning.

I highly doubt we will see new services or major services changes like re routes or withdraw of services till at least September when all schools go back. As that's when Go North East and Arriva do the changes

(05 May 2021, 7:57 pm)Micheal Aaron wrote Gone are the days arriva used to run tons of bus services. You could get from Dinnington to Whitley Bay by one bus. Newcastle to Cramlington had at least way more than 10 services going there

I'm not sure on that mind. I'd say now is probably the most they've ever had tbh.

X8/X9 (4 buses an hour)
X10/X11 (6 buses an hour)
43 (4 buses an hour)
52 (2 buses an hour)

Evening
X8 (1 bus an hour)
X10/X11 (2 buses an hour)
43 (2 buses an hour)
X9 (1 bus an hour until 8pm)

In 2006 it was:
42/43 (2 buses an hour)
X1/X2 (4 buses an hour)
X3/X4 (2 buses an hour)

Evening
42/43 (2 buses an hour extended to Blyth)
X5 (1 bus an hour)

(X5/X6 skirted the town 2 buses an hour)

The service now is a hell of lot better than then imo for getting to Newcastle.

Not forgetting a decent train service into Newcastle too.

Even though our work lives have changed, myself and the team of 350 I manage will not be returning to the office, I still think cobalt will warrant a decent service level with sensible ticketing options

I'm going back to when bargin bus was in. Dudley and Annitsford had tons of services. I remember the 40/41/42/43/43A/101/350/351/X42/X43 amongst others

(05 May 2021, 9:36 pm)Micheal Aaron wrote I'm going back to when bargin bus was in. Dudley and Annitsford had tons of services. I remember the 40/41/42/43/43A/101/350/351/X42/X43 amongst others

Realistically though, why would that corridor need that many services? 

To be honest, getting the SE Northumberland network to what it is now is one of the best things Arriva have done over the past decade imo.

(05 May 2021, 9:36 pm)Micheal Aaron wrote I'm going back to when bargin bus was in. Dudley and Annitsford had tons of services. I remember the 40/41/42/43/43A/101/350/351/X42/X43 amongst others

In fairness Dudley imo has too many buses for the size of the place. It's just lucky where it is that you have to pass through to get to Cramlington especially with 6 buses an hour to Newcastle at one end and 2x at the Annitsford end. Most villages (is there any other village with better?) in the North East would bite your hand to have the routes you've got.

(05 May 2021, 7:57 pm)Micheal Aaron wrote Gone are the days arriva used to run tons of bus services. You could get from Dinnington to Whitley Bay by one bus. Newcastle to Cramlington had at least way more than 10 services going there

Having lived in Hazlerigg for 30 years I cant ever remember a direct bus from Dinnington to whitley. The 44 only went as far as Hazlerigg. The 44b ran by 0k on behalf oif the PTE went to dinniginton.  I do agree with what your saying about arriva cutting back though

(05 May 2021, 4:14 pm)Storx wrote Don't really see the point in it me. It's pretty much just the 308 bar it misses 4 stops or so. Also there's 9 buses an hour along Hillheads Road in Whitley yet Monkseaton 1/2 mile to the North doesn't have a bus service to Newcastle at all. Also there's no demand for another bus North of Whitley. They carry fresh air all day half the time and there's again 9 buses at the top end of Sluice already and the X7 will be quicker regardless.

The 44 then X8/X9 never remember which one it was done it for a bit aswell and was scrapped as there's no demand plus the GNE coach express for a bit X5'something I believe it was. The Metro will always be quicker on the Coast and more reliable aswell.

The metro is no good if you live in the middle of the loop. Only the 44 Was any good the X8/X9 were a pathetic waste. lets forget about Battle Hill and Cobalt there is already enough buses serving them and re introduce the old service 44 running non stop from Norham Road to Newcastle

i have said this before about the 44. I was told it was stopped due to the fact it couldn't keep to time ( especially with having competition from OK travel who did the Newcastle to diningnton route). . Remember when it first started it came right through Newcastle serving stops at Newgate street and Percy Street. then it went Blackett Street and Percy Street then it followed the 306/308 route from jesmond and went passed the Civic centre to the haymarket. Also when i used to get the 44 from Newcastle to home the customer alighting at Newcastle was never many near the end so maybe customer in N tynside had found another way to get to the city?

Tbh running a service from Airport or Dinnington to Whitly Bay would be a decent service and to see if they can find a route where it can keep to its time

(06 May 2021, 12:02 pm)Micheal Aaron wrote Tbh running a service from Airport or Dinnington to Whitly Bay would be a decent service and to see if they can find a route where it can keep to its time

TBF i think it was the only route that Northumbria ran in to the city then out to another destination as one route. Bit like stagecaoch i suppose. Cant think of any arriva do now and cant see them doing it in the future.

[attachment=9760 wroteRob44 pid='255860' dateline='1620305237']

TBF i think it was the only route that Northumbria ran in to the city then out to another destination as one route. Bit like stagecaoch i suppose. Cant think of any arriva do now and cant see them doing it in the future.

Northumbria also ran the the 46 from Whitley Bay to Gosforth (Polwarth  Drive) via Shiremoor and Newcastle. Early on they ran the 601 or 602 from Killingworth to Hexham.

(07 May 2021, 8:02 am)RMF1254 wrote Northumbria also ran the the 46 from Whitley Bay to Gosforth (Polwarth  Drive) via Shiremoor and Newcastle. Early on they ran the 601 or 602 from Killingworth to Hexham.

Ah yes I remember the 46. Never knew about the killingworth to hexham route though. Cheers

(07 May 2021, 8:55 am)Rob44 wrote Ah yes I remember the 46. Never knew about the killingworth to hexham route though. Cheers

I can confirm that the Killingworth to Hexham service ran weekdays, every 30 minutes and was numbered 601 and 602, depending on the route it took in Hexham. Another service which you might not have known, and introduced on deregulation day was the 604/X64, again operating every 30 minutes, from North Shields - Backworth - Killingworth - Newcastle - Blaydon - Prudhoe, with variation within Prudhoe. On Sundays service 604 operated hourly, and certain journeys were extended to Stocksfield. The timetable indicated that certain Sunday journeys may continue to Hexham, although this never happened.

so basically, as with the 44 they decided torunn only part of the route into newcastle then return it to where it came, in this case back to prudhoe and hexham?

Wasnt there a 603 or did i imagine that

(07 May 2021, 11:00 am)Ex-conductor wrote I can confirm that the Killingworth to Hexham service ran weekdays, every 30 minutes and was numbered 601 and 602, depending on the route it took in Hexham. Another service which you might not have known, and introduced on deregulation day was the 604/X64, again operating every 30 minutes, from North Shields - Backworth - Killingworth - Newcastle - Blaydon - Prudhoe, with variation within Prudhoe. On Sundays service 604 operated hourly, and certain journeys were extended to Stocksfield. The timetable indicated that certain Sunday journeys may continue to Hexham, although this never happened.

Thanks, can’t remember that one.