(26 Oct 2021, 4:03 pm)Keeiajs wrote X4 Double Decker Possible extend it to Sunderland - Houghton - Fatfield (just before the bridge) - Non Stop Washington - Concord - Heworth - gateshead - Eldon Square every 30 mins. Could be a possible route for the X56, as that has been brought up. 

16X wouldn't really be needed, as if there was a fast Country Ranger route that would go between Consett and Stanley.

To follow on from your point.

Ideas for County Ranger Express

• Old X30 Route Between Consett & Stanley
  
• Non-Stop from Thatchers Foot to Newfield
  
• Would Replace 703D Between Newfield & CLS
  
• Would Run via Lambton & Ayton Between CLS & Washington
  
• Would Skip A1231 Barmston Sliproad Stop
  
• Would Run Non-Stop from Waterview Park to Pallion via Spire Bridge
  
• Via Go 135/136 Route Past Royal Hospital into Sunderland
  

If nexus extend the 37 via Burdon road and Burdon Lane and run it to Seaham via 71 route, with the Houghton to Chester linked into the Chester locals as 704.

or

If the Houghton to Seaham connection is still needed then below

Have the hourly 65 as the same, but run the other half as a 66 on the 71 route from Seaham to chilton moor then left past rainton business park then B1260 then right turn on A182 Hetton road then via Hetton downs into Hetton interchange joining back up with the 65 to Durham, (but I think the 66 if branded the same as 65 will have to be solo operation than a streetlite due to the Seaham section via the estate?).


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(26 Oct 2021, 4:34 pm)54APhotography wrote People know the difference between a 'X' and a standard bus, the selected stops would omit one on Southwick Road, one on Hylton Road North, and one on Washington Road. After that the bus would stop Nissan, Seven Houses then straightline to Concord omitting Sulgrave.

Personally if I was going to go for some form of express 56 I'd go for the following route with the aim for it eventually go down Follingsby Lane after Nissan when it finally opens (run it express between Follingsby Park and Nissan for now) - click here

You'd be providing a much quicker service from Sunderland to Newcastle but at the same time opening new links from Newcastle -> Follingsby direct and a much quicker service to Nissan rather than meandering around the world and replacing the extra 4's which are currently running and opening a new link from Sunderland to Amazon which is a bit of a pain atm.

I'd be even tempted to say run it all day every 30 minutes and terminate 2 56's at Concord. There's no real loss to the Sunderland end and if you timed the X56 and 56 to run as it's current 15 minute interval and timed the 50 to work with the 56 at Concord to keep the 15 minute service from there to Nissan there's no real losses than Sulgrave.

The fact the only GNE bus between Newcastle and Sunderland is all stops is a bit rubbish, but haven’t they tried various things in the past that have never worked?

FastCats X36 wasn’t it? And wasn’t there a Red Arrows X2 or X3 at some point before that?

Presumably most people just catch the Metro

(26 Oct 2021, 5:59 pm)Wybus wrote The fact the only GNE bus between Newcastle and Sunderland is all stops is a bit rubbish, but haven’t they tried various things in the past that have never worked?

FastCats X36 wasn’t it? And wasn’t there a Red Arrows X2 or X3 at some point before that?

Presumably most people just catch the Metro

The problem is GNE don't have a network in Newcastle and a small one in Sunderland, whereas Stagecoach do have big networks in both, hence why the X24 still runs to this day. .GNE should have really went big on Network One tickets when promoting the services they had instead of just trying to sell GNE tickets, which are next to useless to most folk in Newcastle!

(26 Oct 2021, 5:59 pm)Wybus wrote The fact the only GNE bus between Newcastle and Sunderland is all stops is a bit rubbish, but haven’t they tried various things in the past that have never worked?

FastCats X36 wasn’t it? And wasn’t there a Red Arrows X2 or X3 at some point before that?

Presumably most people just catch the Metro

I think it says it all about the demand that the 56 is a frequent double decker service that runs 24/7 and that the expresses used to just carry fresh air after the metro was extended to Sunderland. The X24 was the bus that GNE probably should have come up with.

Remove the 71 in its current form.

Reintroduce a Chester to Houghton service leaving Chester every 30 mins at 07/37 (78 goes at 22/52). Then it departs Houghton 08/28 combining with the 78 at Lumley approximately 14/24/44/54 mins past each hour towards Chester. Thats the two 71 buses but with a more coordinated and more frequent timetable where the route is shared with the 78, making it more appealing with the same resource.

That leaves Seaham/Houghton...
One of the 55s follows the X1 to Peterlee (September, pre emergency timetable), so send that over once an hour to Seaham instead. It's being paid for by DCC, so at least won't be ghosting an X1 while it takes all the revenue!

I did have a other idea for the Seaham problem which involves the X1 instead of the 55, but would be too controversial...

(26 Oct 2021, 6:24 pm)DeltaMan wrote Remove the 71 in its current form.

Reintroduce a Chester to Houghton service leaving Chester every 30 mins at 07/37 (78 goes at 22/52). Then it departs Houghton 08/28 combining with the 78 at Lumley approximately 14/24/44/54 mins past each hour towards Chester. Thats the two 71 buses but with a more coordinated and more frequent timetable where the route is shared with the 78, making it more appealing with the same resource.

That leaves Seaham/Houghton...
One of the 55s follows the X1 to Peterlee (September, pre emergency timetable), so send that over once an hour to Seaham instead. It's being paid for by DCC, so at least won't be ghosting an X1 while it takes all the revenue!

I did have a other idea for the Seaham problem which involves the X1 instead of the 55, but would be too controversial...

Extend one 33 a hour from Silksworth to Houghton then Chester-Le-Street.
I would also extend another to replace the 37.
You would then have the 33, 33A & 33B.

Not sure about Seaham - Houghton though.

(26 Oct 2021, 5:59 pm)Wybus wrote The fact the only GNE bus between Newcastle and Sunderland is all stops is a bit rubbish, but haven’t they tried various things in the past that have never worked?

FastCats X36 wasn’t it? And wasn’t there a Red Arrows X2 or X3 at some point before that?

Presumably most people just catch the Metro

Certainly was with X2 being the more successful but was then withdrawn in 2008 following the introduction of what was then the "Silver Arrows 2A/2C" which now the "Sunderland District Berries", I personally feel an X2 could still work if Go North East were to withdraw the 2A as not many use the service between Washington Galleries and Fatfield in it's current format after it stopped serving Fallowfield Way a few years back, I would then make the 2 a standalone service operating Every 20 Minutes with the X2 operating Every 30 Minutes giving a service between Sunderland and Washington via Chester Road up to Every 12 Minutes.

As for the X3/X36 they operated through core of the Stagecoach Sunderland Network so were never going to be successful however I do think if the shoe was on the other foot and latter were operated by Stagecoach then they'd be potentially still around today.

I would extend the 4 to Seaham hourly replacing the 71 section and also maybe Low Moorsley hourly.

(30 Oct 2021, 5:34 pm)ASX_Terranova wrote I would extend the 4 to Seaham hourly replacing the 71 section and also maybe Low Moorsley hourly.

What you could do is Send the 4/X1 to Seaham or Parkside every 30 mins between them, so 4/X1 every hour.

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(30 Oct 2021, 5:34 pm)ASX_Terranova wrote I would extend the 4 to Seaham hourly replacing the 71 section and also maybe Low Moorsley hourly.

What you could do is Send the 4/X1 to Seaham or Parkside every 30 mins between them, so 4 Seaham - Spectrum (all the time) - Parkside via Dawdon./X1 (extend from Dalton Park via A182 Seaham, upto Parkside as a terminus) every hour.

Maybe with them being branded and **Advertised** theyh might get used

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(30 Oct 2021, 5:34 pm)ASX_Terranova wrote I would extend the 4 to Seaham hourly replacing the 71 section and also maybe Low Moorsley hourly.

Low Moorsley, would be good spot, however you would send the X1 down there rather than the 4. 

Also I must say 35/65 come exactly the same time through low moorsley would be best to retime one to do a 15 min frequency.

Here's an idea I had yesterday 

seeing as the 9 and 35/35A both go between sunderland and boldon albeit different routes, aswell as the 35/35A and 55 south of sunderland. You could merge the 9/55 and create a 36 which goes from jarrow - boldon - sunderland - durham rd - doxford park - houghton-le-spring - easington lane - peterlee

run it at 30 min freq, just like the 9 and 55 anyways. Make the 35/35A/36 use the same stand in park lane. 


let me know your thoughts on this.....?

Whilst we’re talking about Boldon/35 route, why does the 35 only serve Heworth during early morning/evenings and Sundays? During the day, Monday to Saturday, it terminates at Boldon Asda.

(02 Nov 2021, 4:53 pm)Drifter60 wrote Whilst we’re talking about Boldon/35 route, why does the 35 only serve Heworth during early morning/evenings and Sundays? During the day, Monday to Saturday, it terminates at Boldon Asda.

Secured journeys to heworth?


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I think the secured journeys to Heworth are only ran after the 558 is finished for the day? A service that calls into Follingsby and works throughout the day on the end of the 35 might be an idea, take a bit of pressure off the 4 too.

Here's some Ideas I've Had About Merging Several of the big three's services.

Merge GNE 5 & 50 with SNE Shields 17

• Increase 5 & 50 to a Combined Frequency of Every 10 Mins (3x5, 3x50). 
  
• Divert 50 via Laygate & Whiteleas Shops .
  
• Renumber 5 to 50A.
  

Merge GNE 26 & SNE Shields 18

• Increase 26 to Every 15 Mins (26 via York Avenue, New 26A Via Hill Park)
  
• New 26B would Replace SNE 18 also serving Low Simonside (Every 15 Mins)
  
• Combined Frequency of 8BPH Between Edinburgh Road, Brockley Whins, Simonside, Chichester & South Shields
  

Making GNE 2/2A Compete with SNE Sunderland 16

• Increase 2 & 2A to Every 10 Mins (Creating New Service 2B via Glebe, Biddick Woods & Shiney Row Co-Op)
  
• Divert 2, 2A & 2B via Sevenoaks Drive, Gartland Road & Greenwood Road.
  

Merge GNE Q3 with ANE 44/45 and SNE Newcastle 32/32A

• New Services Q4 & Q5 (Dinnington (Q4), Hazelrigg (Q5), Regent Centre, Gosforth, Newcastle, Quayside, Byker, Heaton, High Heaton, Freeman Hospital.
  

• Every 15 Mins Combined (2x Q4 & 2x Q5.
  

Merge ANE 306/308 with GNE 309/310/311

• Extend 311 to Wallsend via Holy Cross & Howdon
  
• Extend 310 to Whitley Bay via Tynemouth.
  
• Would Give a PVR of 12 Bph Along Coast Road (3x 308, 3x 309, 3x 310 & 3x 311)
  

Merge GNE X21 & ANE Durham 6 & 7

• New Service 23 Every 15 Mins Between Darlington & Durham
  
• 2 Journeys an Hour Continue to Newcastle as 23X.
  
• New Service 24 Every 15 Mins Between Cockfield, West Auckland, Bishop Auckland & Durham.
  
• 2 Journeys an Hour Continue to Newcastle as 24X.
  

(05 Nov 2021, 12:56 pm)ASX_Terranova wrote Here's some Ideas I've Had About Merging Several of the big three's services.

Merge GNE 5 & 50 with SNE Shields 17

• Increase 5 & 50 to a Combined Frequency of Every 10 Mins (3x5, 3x50). 
  
• Divert 50 via Laygate & Whiteleas Shops .
  
• Renumber 5 to 50A.
  

Merge GNE 26 & SNE Shields 18

• Increase 26 to Every 15 Mins (26 via York Avenue, New 26A Via Hill Park)
  
• New 26B would Replace SNE 18 also serving Low Simonside (Every 15 Mins)
  
• Combined Frequency of 8BPH Between Edinburgh Road, Brockley Whins, Simonside, Chichester & South Shields
  

Making GNE 2/2A Compete with SNE Sunderland 16

• Increase 2 & 2A to Every 10 Mins (Creating New Service 2B via Glebe, Biddick Woods & Shiney Row Co-Op)
  
• Divert 2, 2A & 2B via Sevenoaks Drive, Gartland Road & Greenwood Road.
  

Merge GNE Q3 with ANE 44/45 and SNE Newcastle 32/32A

• New Services Q4 & Q5 (Dinnington (Q4), Hazelrigg (Q5), Regent Centre, Gosforth, Newcastle, Quayside, Byker, Heaton, High Heaton, Freeman Hospital.
  

• Every 15 Mins Combined (2x Q4 & 2x Q5.
  

Merge ANE 306/308 with GNE 309/310/311

• Extend 311 to Wallsend via Holy Cross & Howdon
  
• Extend 310 to Whitley Bay via Tynemouth.
  
• Would Give a PVR of 12 Bph Along Coast Road (3x 308, 3x 309, 3x 310 & 3x 311)
  

Merge GNE X21 & ANE Durham 6 & 7

• New Service 23 Every 15 Mins Between Darlington & Durham
  
• 2 Journeys an Hour Continue to Newcastle as 23X.
  
• New Service 24 Every 15 Mins Between Cockfield, West Auckland, Bishop Auckland & Durham.
  
• 2 Journeys an Hour Continue to Newcastle as 24X.
  

I actually really like them two ideas

Rather than merging these services together giving them a decent headway from each other and not running one 2 minutes in front of the other would be a start. Lost count of the amount of times I'm driving along on an infrequent service and another infrequent service from another operator pulls out from a side street in front of me, especially in South Tyneside. It's stupid, and I'm convinced it's intentional.

(05 Nov 2021, 12:56 pm)ASX_Terranova wrote Here's some Ideas I've Had About Merging Several of the big three's services.

Merge GNE 5 & 50 with SNE Shields 17

• Increase 5 & 50 to a Combined Frequency of Every 10 Mins (3x5, 3x50). 
  
• Divert 50 via Laygate & Whiteleas Shops .
  
• Renumber 5 to 50A.
  

Merge GNE 26 & SNE Shields 18

• Increase 26 to Every 15 Mins (26 via York Avenue, New 26A Via Hill Park)
  
• New 26B would Replace SNE 18 also serving Low Simonside (Every 15 Mins)
  
• Combined Frequency of 8BPH Between Edinburgh Road, Brockley Whins, Simonside, Chichester & South Shields
  

Making GNE 2/2A Compete with SNE Sunderland 16

• Increase 2 & 2A to Every 10 Mins (Creating New Service 2B via Glebe, Biddick Woods & Shiney Row Co-Op)
  
• Divert 2, 2A & 2B via Sevenoaks Drive, Gartland Road & Greenwood Road.
  

Merge GNE Q3 with ANE 44/45 and SNE Newcastle 32/32A

• New Services Q4 & Q5 (Dinnington (Q4), Hazelrigg (Q5), Regent Centre, Gosforth, Newcastle, Quayside, Byker, Heaton, High Heaton, Freeman Hospital.
  

• Every 15 Mins Combined (2x Q4 & 2x Q5.
  

Merge ANE 306/308 with GNE 309/310/311

• Extend 311 to Wallsend via Holy Cross & Howdon
  
• Extend 310 to Whitley Bay via Tynemouth.
  
• Would Give a PVR of 12 Bph Along Coast Road (3x 308, 3x 309, 3x 310 & 3x 311)
  

Merge GNE X21 & ANE Durham 6 & 7

• New Service 23 Every 15 Mins Between Darlington & Durham
  
• 2 Journeys an Hour Continue to Newcastle as 23X.
  
• New Service 24 Every 15 Mins Between Cockfield, West Auckland, Bishop Auckland & Durham.
  
• 2 Journeys an Hour Continue to Newcastle as 24X.
  

I respect this is a GNE thread but the 6/7, 43/44/45/46, 306/308, 17/18 are the principal routes. If anything is being merged they need to be into them routes not the other way round.

The Q3, 309/310, X21, 5, 50 aren't that popular services and have no history to the areas which they serve. You've also left large areas unserved outright with the 306/308 merge. There's a reason why the GNE services have been chopped numerous times whereas the Arriva / Stagecoach routes have barely changed in a decade.

The Q3 should be merged into the 46 anyway.

(05 Nov 2021, 2:46 pm)Storx wrote The Q3, 309/310, X21, 5, 50 aren't that popular services and have no history to the areas which they serve.

The 309/310 are miles ahead from the "Micky mouse" underdogs they were 10 year back. Investment in Volvo B9TLs back in 2013 followed by an extensive refurbishment and now a potential pending EV order.

Yes they're now every 20 mins but that is a sensible decision. Arriva ideally should do the same (including keeping the 306 out of Battle Hill) as they'd maintain the same capacity between Billy Mill and Newcastle. The loads would be better distributed as there'd be even 10 minute gaps as opposed to 5/15/5/15.

(05 Nov 2021, 4:42 pm)L469 YVK wrote The 309/310 are miles ahead from the "Micky mouse" underdogs they were 10 year back. Investment in Volvo B9TLs back in 2013 followed by an extensive refurbishment and now a potential pending EV order.

Yes they're now every 20 mins but that is a sensible decision. Arriva ideally should do the same (including keeping the 306 out of Battle Hill) as they'd maintain the same capacity between Billy Mill and Newcastle. The loads would be better distributed as there'd be even 10 minute gaps as opposed to 5/15/5/15.

The 306/308 is still the flagship route along there though, it's been around for decades literally. If anything was renumbered then personally it should be:

305: Every 20 minutes current 310 additionally serving Hadrian Park extended to Tynemouth via 306 route.
306: Every 20 minutes current route serving Battle Hill and additionally serving Verne Road and Norham Road, terminate at Long Sands.
307: Every 20 minutes, same as below to St Thomas Moor then do the following route - https://www.google.com/maps/dir/55.01537...81!1m0!3e0
308: Every 20 minutes, current route also serves Silverlink by going up to Osprey Drive and turning around, limited stop after Holy Cross so timings are similar.
309: Every 20 minutes, current route.
311: Withdrawn

Apart from Queen Alexander Road and Meadowell no-one really loses out. The 308 is the flagship route along there and deserves the additional frequency imo with the 307. Verne Road would get a quicker service in the process aswell and Tynemouth would get an upto 10 minute service, could push the beach links and you're also giving Marden it's faster bus back to Newcastle plus new links through the estates and sorting the Morrison's link out in the process. The 306 going that route wouldn't be too much longer at peak times as it'd avoid Billy Mill.

If the buses are then too quiet then just bin off the 307 but might aswell give Marden a chance with a proper quick bus route.

(05 Nov 2021, 2:02 pm)deanmachine wrote Rather than merging these services together giving them a decent headway from each other and not running one 2 minutes in front of the other would be a start. Lost count of the amount of times I'm driving along on an infrequent service and another infrequent service from another operator pulls out from a side street in front of me, especially in South Tyneside. It's stupid, and I'm convinced it's intentional.

That is exactly what happens with the X6/62 from Sunderland - Dalton park. THey leave Sunderland 15 mins between, 2 mins Seaham, 2 mins Dalton park

(05 Nov 2021, 10:39 pm)Keeiajs wrote That is exactly what happens with the X6/62 from Sunderland - Dalton park. THey leave Sunderland 15 mins between, 2 mins Seaham, 2 mins Dalton park

That's just poor planning within the same operator though.
It's the same with the 62, 55 and X1 between Easington Lane and Peterlee. Seemingly no joined up thinking at all. 

Deanmachine was on about two different operators deliberately timing different services to run alongside each other at certain points.

(05 Nov 2021, 11:12 pm)Andreos1 wrote That's just poor planning within the same operator though.
It's the same with the 62, 55 and X1 between Easington Lane and Peterlee. Seemingly no joined up thinking at all. 

Deanmachine was on about two different operators deliberately timing different services to run alongside each other at certain points.

Agreed. Poor planning from the same operator should have been dealt with before it even made it onto the road. But it's just silly when the 30 pulls out from Blacks Cornerin East Boldon 1 minute in front of the 9 when it runs every 2 hours(!) on an evening. It happens elsewhere too, but I think that's probably the most ridiculous example I'm aware of, it's absolutely no help to passengers at all, and just makes the 30 look even worse when the 9 inevitably gets there first.

(05 Nov 2021, 11:12 pm)Andreos1 wrote That's just poor planning within the same operator though.
It's the same with the 62, 55 and X1 between Easington Lane and Peterlee. Seemingly no joined up thinking at all. 

Deanmachine was on about two different operators deliberately timing different services to run alongside each other at certain points.

Also to Newcastle, X1 and X10 come 4 mins in between each other.

I know, but I think the same operator is much worse.

Bit of a small suggestion here. But would keeping the Coaster 1 serve the route it is currently doing now due to Church bank being closed. Would it work better going on the diversion route full time

(06 Nov 2021, 6:34 am)Train8261 wrote Bit of a small suggestion here. But would keeping the Coaster 1 serve the route it is currently doing now due to Church bank being closed. Would it work better going on the diversion route full time

I reckon the 11 would be better off going along there

(05 Nov 2021, 5:50 pm)Storx wrote The 306/308 is still the flagship route along there though, it's been around for decades literally. If anything was renumbered then personally it should be:

305: Every 20 minutes current 310 additionally serving Hadrian Park extended to Tynemouth via 306 route.
306: Every 20 minutes current route serving Battle Hill and additionally serving Verne Road and Norham Road, terminate at Long Sands.
307: Every 20 minutes, same as below to St Thomas Moor then do the following route - https://www.google.com/maps/dir/55.01537...81!1m0!3e0
308: Every 20 minutes, current route also serves Silverlink by going up to Osprey Drive and turning around, limited stop after Holy Cross so timings are similar.
309: Every 20 minutes, current route.
311: Withdrawn

Apart from Queen Alexander Road and Meadowell no-one really loses out. The 308 is the flagship route along there and deserves the additional frequency imo with the 307. Verne Road would get a quicker service in the process aswell and Tynemouth would get an upto 10 minute service, could push the beach links and you're also giving Marden it's faster bus back to Newcastle plus new links through the estates and sorting the Morrison's link out in the process. The 306 going that route wouldn't be too much longer at peak times as it'd avoid Billy Mill.

If the buses are then too quiet then just bin off the 307 but might aswell give Marden a chance with a proper quick bus route.

no way 308 is the only service along the coast road even though it,s all stops. re introduce the 44  and withdraw the 306 between Tynemouth and Whitley Bay. There are already far too many buses serving Battle Hill and Silverlink.

(07 Nov 2021, 3:52 pm)ian foster wrote no way 308 is the only service along the coast road even though it,s all stops. re introduce the 44  and withdraw the 306 between Tynemouth and Whitley Bay. There are already far too many buses serving Battle Hill and Silverlink.

An express mirroring the 308 route (with a reduction of the 306/308 to every 20 mins each) would be the most sensible idea.

Maybe an opportunity for GNE should older decent vehicles become available if the EV bids are successful. Only issue I can foresee regarding timings would be driver changeovers at Billy Mill or Norham Road. Other issue would be "leisure" custom for passengers on Lynn Road & Billy Mill / Norham Road areas as an evening & Sunday service would be tricky from a cost POV.

(07 Nov 2021, 3:52 pm)ian foster wrote no way 308 is the only service along the coast road even though it,s all stops. re introduce the 44  and withdraw the 306 between Tynemouth and Whitley Bay. There are already far too many buses serving Battle Hill and Silverlink.

The 307 would be along the Coast Road aswell working with the 308 there btw. Not sure most people in Marden would mind the stop at Silverlink since it's arguably somewhere they might actually want to be. It wouldn't serve any of the slip roads though other than Tyne Met as it's a right pain in the arse going up and down so it's not too dissimilar to the 44 really bar serving the estate behind Rake Lane other than Rake Lane itself which already has 6/7 buses an hour to Newcastle anyway.