(26 Feb 2024, 8:46 pm)Storx wrote Ignoring it's bolted onto the end of the 777 currently, but is there any reason why this 415 couldn't have been bolted onto the end of the X16, having more buses between Newcastle and Alnwick not around the world on the Coast can only been seen as a positive imo even known it's slightly longer. It seems pretty direct this 415.

I think these are going to be extremely infrequent services (like once or twice a week), so probably not worth it.

(26 Feb 2024, 8:11 pm)RobinHood wrote Many, many years ago, circa 2007 maybe? and even then, they were financially supported.

Thank you. I thought it was a while ago, certainly in my head it was pre-2010 "Big Change" (or whatever it was called) as I couldn't remember them being mentioned in that or in anything since.  

(26 Feb 2024, 8:25 pm)Coastliner700 wrote The were devised in late 90s usually using Alnwick based metroriders on some days. The 515 also operated this route on some journeys too.

I'm not sure in this case then how the company are now bad for taking on a Saturday only service to serve the villages again after all these years? As above from Robin Hood, the services were subsidised even back then so surely it would be the council at fault for pulling the funding rather than Arriva? 

Generally I'd be of a similar opinion in that it's always interesting when operators throw in the towel on a commerical service and then immediately win the tender for it, but this seems to be an entirely different kettle of fish.

(26 Feb 2024, 9:00 pm)Thomas12 wrote I think these are going to be extremely infrequent services (like once or twice a week), so probably not worth it.

Aye that makes sense then, wasn't sure how frequent it was.

(26 Feb 2024, 6:48 pm)NEbushopper wrote Looks like the 415 mainly duplicates the X15 but also gives Swarland a service and at last the 460 has made a comeback after years. At least these places are being linked properly. Now it's just a wait for the timetable. Oh and what will buses will be used on this route (If anyone knows)

The 460 actually still operates with NEED (North East Equality & Diversity), one trip from Ellingham to Alnwick and back on Thursdays.

Last I was aware that Swarland & Newton on the Moor had a bus service was when PCL Travel operated an 'A1' service between Alnwick & Longframlington, initially consisting of two off peak round trips in gaps between the Wooler contracted Services 470/473 they operated at the time but was later cut to one trip each way running on/off the M1 that was pretty much just the X14 route between Morpeth and Thropton running in hours the X14 didn't - think it stopped running late 2018/early 2019.
Pic of a PCL Versa departing Alnwick for Longframlington: https://flic.kr/p/Yge1Pc
An LDV Convoy van I rode from Longframlington to Alnwick back in 2018: https://flic.kr/p/25poJNt

(26 Feb 2024, 8:46 pm)Storx wrote Ignoring it's bolted onto the end of the 777 currently, but is there any reason why this 415 couldn't have been bolted onto the end of the X16, having more buses between Newcastle and Alnwick not around the world on the Coast can only been seen as a positive imo even known it's slightly longer. It seems pretty direct this 415.

The 415 and 460 are Saturday-only services - and due to the nature of the roads, will be allocated Solos.

Changes are available

https://www.arrivabus.co.uk/latest-news/...r-march-24

43 on Sundays & Bank Holiday that finshed at Cramlington will now extend to the Hospital

Want to point out. The bustimes.org registration says Revised timetable for 43 and revised route for 306/308 yet the 43 got the revised route and the 306 got the revised timetable

(27 Feb 2024, 11:44 am)Kuyoyo wrote The 415 and 460 are Saturday-only services - and due to the nature of the roads, will be allocated Solos.

Thanks for confirming.

(20 Feb 2024, 10:58 pm)peter wrote Full Darlington service changes confirmed: https://www.arrivabus.co.uk/latest-news/...march-2024

On top of these, there will now be further timetable changes to services 5, 7, 8/8A & ED5 from March 31st owing to a road closure on the A167 at Aycliffe Interchange - junction 59 for the A1(M), which requires buses departing Darlington towards Aycliffe to divert down the A1(M) to junction 58 to turn round and head back along to J59 to rejoin the route on the other side of the closed bridge: https://www.arrivabus.co.uk/latest-news/...8a-and-ed5

An extra 8 mins is required to complete these journeys, and service 7 will drop to a 20 min frequency on weekdays during these weeks (along with Saturdays, which is already the case).

(24 Mar 2024, 1:19 am)Jimmi wrote On top of these, there will now be further timetable changes to services 5, 7, 8/8A & ED5 from March 31st owing to a road closure on the A167 at Aycliffe Interchange - junction 59 for the A1(M), which requires buses departing Darlington towards Aycliffe to divert down the A1(M) to junction 58 to turn round and head back along to J59 to rejoin the route on the other side of the closed bridge: https://www.arrivabus.co.uk/latest-news/...8a-and-ed5

An extra 8 mins is required to complete these journeys, and service 7 will drop to a 20 min frequency on weekdays during these weeks (along with Saturdays, which is already the case).

It's a shame someone couldn't use their brain and make Brafferton Lane, one way towards Aycliffe so there wouldn't be any time penalty at all...

No doubt everyone else, will be rat running along there regardless.

(24 Mar 2024, 12:07 pm)Storx wrote It's a shame someone couldn't use their brain and make Brafferton Lane, one way towards Aycliffe so there wouldn't be any time penalty at all...

No doubt everyone else, will be rat running along there regardless.

No doubt that will happen, be a nightmare trying to get round there as parts of that route ain't the widest either.

Buses aside, anyone with a brain and knowledge of the area would take alternative routes anyway to completely dodge it although this has been suddenly sprung on us with little to no communication, despite the bridge being coned off down to one lane for about 2 years now.

(24 Mar 2024, 1:21 pm)Jimmi wrote No doubt that will happen, be a nightmare trying to get round there as parts of that route ain't the widest either.

Buses aside, anyone with a brain and knowledge of the area would take alternative routes anyway to completely dodge it although this has been suddenly sprung on us with little to no communication, despite the bridge being coned off down to one lane for about 2 years now.

Yeah you're right there mind, I haven't seen it mentioned it anywhere and it's quite a big closure aswell considering it's the main route out of Darlington North and also to large parts of Teesside aswell without using the Sadberge / Great Stainton rat run.

(24 Mar 2024, 2:17 pm)Storx wrote Yeah you're right there mind, I haven't seen it mentioned it anywhere and it's quite a big closure aswell considering it's the main route out of Darlington North and also to large parts of Teesside aswell without using the Sadberge / Great Stainton rat run.

Brafferton was considered as a diversion but the residents and Darlington borough council didn't want buses and hgvs going through especially if u meet on the little bridge then your stuck

(24 Mar 2024, 6:01 pm)ross13 wrote Brafferton was considered as a diversion but the residents and Darlington borough council didn't want buses and hgvs going through especially if u meet on the little bridge then your stuck

Aye it's a shame they couldn't have made it one way tbh and banned HGV's along it or even everyone 'except for access' like they've done in other areas so the Brafferton lot can still get along.

It's going to be a nightmare because, let's be honest, anyone local will be going along it anyway tbh.

https://www.northumberlandgazette.co.uk/...1711360896

More on the new Saturday services

(25 Mar 2024, 5:57 pm)Andreos1 wrote https://www.northumberlandgazette.co.uk/...1711360896

More on the new Saturday services

Dropping countless runs per day on all their other services but can find the staff for this. Should be stripped of all recent contract awards given they can't run any of them without decimating their other services.

Quote from Head of Commercial Richard McGowan just over a year ago: "We are not going to try and achieve something we know we cannot do, we have learned our lessons from that." (https://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/tran...es-3986555).  Evidently they have not learned their lessons.

(25 Mar 2024, 6:43 pm)mb134 wrote Dropping countless runs per day on all their other services but can find the staff for this. Should be stripped of all recent contract awards given they can't run any of them without decimating their other services.

Thing is, if they're running all the contracted services, but dumping the commercial stuff to do it, the folks overseeing the contracts will have nothing to complain about, as the work is being correctly done.  The "passengers" on the commercial routes are well stuffed, but nothing's going to happen about that unless the Traffic Commissioner gets involved, which could take some time.

(26 Mar 2024, 7:39 am)Ianthegoon wrote Thing is, if they're running all the contracted services, but dumping the commercial stuff to do it, the folks overseeing the contracts will have nothing to complain about, as the work is being correctly done.  The "passengers" on the commercial routes are well stuffed, but nothing's going to happen about that unless the Traffic Commissioner gets involved, which could take some time.

The worst part is they're not even running all of the contracted services. Countless Morpeth 43 extensions (BSIP funded) and 57A extensions (BSIP funded) have been dropped over the past few weeks.

(26 Mar 2024, 9:19 am)mb134 wrote The worst part is they're not even running all of the contracted services. Countless Morpeth 43 extensions (BSIP funded) and 57A extensions (BSIP funded) have been dropped over the past few weeks.

Happy to be corrected but apart from a breakdown the other week, I don't believe there's been any cancellations on the 57A. Some of the buses, especially 1538, are just a bit dodgy on the tracking.

It's a bit of a mess today with multiple buses tracking on multiple routes, namely 1538 and 1574 plus two spare machines.

(26 Mar 2024, 9:27 am)Storx wrote Happy to be corrected but apart from a breakdown the other week, I don't believe there's been any cancellations on the 57A. Some of the buses, especially 1538, are just a bit dodgy on the tracking.

It's a bit of a mess today with multiple buses tracking on multiple routes, namely 1538 and 1574 plus two spare machines.

From memory the other Saturday was particularly bad on the 57/A, with multiple 2 hour gaps. It's certainly nowhere near as bad as the 43s, which got to the point that the same evening (contracted) trip was cancelled virtually daily. Agreed that it's not been as bad recently, but they certainly have dropped them.

(26 Mar 2024, 9:49 am)mb134 wrote From memory the other Saturday was particularly bad on the 57/A, with multiple 2 hour gaps. It's certainly nowhere near as bad as the 43s, which got to the point that the same evening (contracted) trip was cancelled virtually daily. Agreed that it's not been as bad recently, but they certainly have dropped them.

Must've missed that day, I know it's generally been alright, which can't be said about the X7, the alternative round here. Seen there's an 90 minute gap at rush hour, again, tonight.

The 43 is a bit of a mess though mind, like everything else to be honest.

Arriva are consulting on a route change to the X12, which would see it serve Fishburn but omit Teesside Park.

Quote of the Facebook post, and a link to the survey, below:

"Proposed changes to Service X12 in the Sedgefield/Fishburn Area.

We are proposing to make changes to the X12 that subject to feedback may come into effect from October this year.

? For full info and to provide feedback on the proposed changes visit bit.ly/3QJAD5E"

(13 May 2024, 1:54 pm)mb134 wrote Arriva are consulting on a route change to the X12, which would see it serve Fishburn but omit Teesside Park.

Quote of the Facebook post, and a link to the survey, below:

"Proposed changes to Service X12 in the Sedgefield/Fishburn Area.

We are proposing to make changes to the X12 that subject to feedback may come into effect from October this year.

? For full info and to provide feedback on the proposed changes visit bit.ly/3QJAD5E"

That's an interesting one. 
Bit of a gamble too, assuming there is a greater demand for travel to/from Fisburn, than there is people inconvenienced travelling to/from Teesside Park or the extended journey for Sedgefield punters.

(13 May 2024, 3:40 pm)Andreos1 wrote That's an interesting one. 
Bit of a gamble too, assuming there is a greater demand for travel to/from Fisburn, than there is people inconvenienced travelling to/from Teesside Park or the extended journey for Sedgefield punters.

This is wild speculation, but it seems like they're covering the X22, in areas without a service. Future withdrawal coming soon or more cutting it short somewhere, ie Peterlee to Trimdon only and working with the 22B/23? It seems to be struggling as an understatement with the recent cuts.

(13 May 2024, 6:19 pm)Storx wrote This is wild speculation, but it seems like they're covering the X22, in areas without a service. Future withdrawal coming soon or more cutting it short somewhere, ie Peterlee to Trimdon only and working with the 22B/23? It seems to be struggling as an understatement with the recent cuts.

Seeing that plan for the X12 did raise the cynicism in me to think X22 could be getting scaled back, hourly Peterlee to Trimdon Village running off 22B is certainly plausible, I would say it would almost entirely eliminate a direct bus from Trimdons towards Sedgefield but doubt that bothers Arriva too much.

Unsure if there's ang contractual requirements on any portion of the X22 in the daytime? Evenings are, so could wind up like the 35A which serves areas which doesn't even have a daytime service/links.

(13 May 2024, 7:37 pm)Jimmi wrote Seeing that plan for the X12 did raise the cynicism in me to think X22 could be getting scaled back, hourly Peterlee to Trimdon Village running off 22B is certainly plausible, I would say it would almost entirely eliminate a direct bus from Trimdons towards Sedgefield but doubt that bothers Arriva too much.

Unsure if there's ang contractual requirements on any portion of the X22 in the daytime? Evenings are, so could wind up like the 35A which serves areas which doesn't even have a daytime service/links.

Yeah that was my thoughts aswell, mind I was more thinking they'd keep it fully 30 minutes, didn't realise the 22B was standalone so maybe it could be:

22B -> X22 -> X22 -> X22 -> X22 -> 22B. Would still a bus off the PVR if I worked it out right ie.

22B, 11:53 DUR -> 12:45 PTL
X22: 12:50 PTL -> 13:32 SDG
X22: 13:33 SDG -> 14:15 PTL
X22: 14:20 PTL -> 15:02 SDG
X22: 15:03 SDG -> 15:45 PTL
22B: 15:55 PTL -> 16:45 DUR

Nice hours for a driver shift and there's no timetable changes either as the 22B / X22 connect anyway.

quite tight timing

(13 May 2024, 8:45 pm)Unber43 wrote quite tight timing

Aye I made a mistake, fixed it now. I didn't change any times there though, it's basically just the current timetable with the Stockton X22 curtailed.

Apart from the Trimdons to Stockton, there's not really any lost links, well and the villages between Sedgefield and Stockton being unserved but I'd doubt they'd care about them.

They could quite easily withdraw the northern route of the X12 past Durham.

It’s so lightly loaded aside a match day or if GNE has one of its 21 melt downs

That would help timings

(13 May 2024, 11:36 pm)Ambassador wrote They could quite easily withdraw the northern route of the X12 past Durham.

It’s so lightly loaded aside a match day or if GNE has one of its 21 melt downs

That would help timings

It's always been fairly busy when I've used it, even yesterday, when it sailed through Chester le Street because the X21 and 21s had already cleared the stands.