(13 Feb 2015, 7:29 pm)Tommy_1581 wrote Ah, might keep the X23 going past, possibly serving if the estate is "bus friendly".

Would imagine it would be, I had a look at the proposal, because I'm nosy like that, and one of the main "points" was that there would be convenient bus services.

(13 Feb 2015, 7:32 pm)mb134 wrote Would imagine it would be, I had a look at the proposal, because I'm nosy like that, and one of the main "points" was that there would be convenient bus services.

Yeah, the current X22 would go up past the new county hall, turn down the south entrance road to Asda , then park in a north-facing stand. 

It will knock a few minutes of the journey, possibly the X22 PVR could be reduced, as at the current ABS, once a X22 leaves, another arrives.

Also, it'll stop the OAPs moaning about walking to Sports Direct to get their Morpeth 35/a.

Edit: Whoops, I thought you were looking at the Ashington proposals! 

(13 Feb 2015, 7:37 pm)Tommy_1581 wrote Yeah, the current X22 would go up past the new county hall, turn down the south entrance road to Asda , then park in a north-facing stand. 

It will knock a few minutes of the journey, possibly the X22 PVR could be reduced, as at the current ABS, once a X22 leaves, another arrives.

Also, it'll stop the OAPs moaning about walking to Sports Direct to get their Morpeth 35/a.

Edit: Whoops, I thought you were looking at the Ashington proposals! 

Just had a look through the proposal (Ashington) and I don't really understand how it'll work, will they have to change the current routes?

(13 Feb 2015, 7:57 pm)mb134 wrote Just had a look through the proposal (Ashington) and I don't really understand how it'll work, will they have to change the current routes?

I had a conversation with a supervisor at ABS, and he isn't even aware of the new plans, I've told him that they'll be nowhere for him and the drivers to be, if them shelters haven't got an office inside!

Just been thinking, could Arriva launch a route to compete with GNE's 19? 

As Arriva dominate the area that the long 19's go into would it not be wise to gain more custom by expanding to more places?

(17 Feb 2015, 11:48 am)mb134 wrote Just been thinking, could Arriva launch a route to compete with GNE's 19? 

As Arriva dominate the area that the long 19's go into would it not be wise to gain more custom by expanding to more places?

Not sure, but I think they need to do something to up their game.

I had been wondering if they could extend some of their services over the river into Gateshead.
Apart from the X2, the last regular service in there may have been the Clara Vale route way back when.

If they extend into Gateshead, it may assist the X2 and add numbers in the way of punters who hop on any service over the river.
Depending which services they extend, it 'may' take passengers off the Metro

So it could be a route which competes with the 19, but extends into Gateshead, either as a new service or amalgamation of an existing one.

Not sure we will see anything to the Metrocentre very soon like.

(17 Feb 2015, 11:48 am)mb134 wrote Just been thinking, could Arriva launch a route to compete with GNE's 19? 

As Arriva dominate the area that the long 19's go into would it not be wise to gain more custom by expanding to more places?

I've always believed that there's a bit of tension between GNE and ANE in Ashington.

Arriva retimed the X22 to the same time as GNE 19, possibly to attract passengers onto the X22 to Bedlington.

(17 Feb 2015, 4:17 pm)Andreos1 wrote Not sure, but I think they need to do something to up their game.

I had been wondering if they could extend some of their services over the river into Gateshead.
Apart from the X2, the last regular service in there may have been the Clara Vale route way back when.

If they extend into Gateshead, it may assist the X2 and add numbers in the way of punters who hop on any service over the river.
Depending which services they extend, it 'may' take passengers off the Metro

So it could be a route which competes with the 19, but extends into Gateshead, either as a new service or amalgamation of an existing one.

Not sure we will see anything to the Metrocentre very soon like.

I'd like to see an Arriva expansion. As I live somewhere with no GNE service, if I wanted to go to most places south of the Tyne I'd need to buy two Teencard singles then maybe a GNE day ticket then use my Teencard to get home, costing quite a bit for something that if Arriva operated the services, would cost far less.

Edit: I also don't see what the problem would be in trying, they've got cascades coming from London every year and if there was expansion up here I'm sure they would be able to source additional vehicles, in order to run competing services. This is a massive company we're talking about, I'm sure they wouldn't miss the money if it did fail, but surely there is a lot more to gain?

Here's a few suggestions, following on from earlier:
Operating from Jesmond:
Service 311: Newcastle-Coast Road- Silverlink Roundabout- Tyne Tunnel- Jarrow- South Shields
Service 312: South Shields- Cleadon- Monkwearmouth- Sunderland Park Lane
Service X3: Newcastle- Gateshead- A184- A19- Stadium Of Light- Sunderland Park Lane

Operating from Belmont:
Service 2:Newcastle- Gateshead- Team Valley- Sunniside- Marley Hill- Hobson- Dipton- Consett- Shotley Bridge (Hospital)
Service 3: Durham Bus Station- Lanchester- Consett
Service 4: Consett- Stanley- Beamish- Chester-le-Street

Thoughts?

(17 Feb 2015, 6:56 pm)mb134 wrote Here's a few suggestions, following on from earlier:
Operating from Jesmond:
Service 311: Newcastle-Coast Road- Silverlink Roundabout- Tyne Tunnel- Jarrow- South Shields
Service 312: South Shields- Cleadon- Monkwearmouth- Sunderland Park Lane
Service X3: Newcastle- Gateshead- A184- A19- Stadium Of Light- Sunderland Park Lane

Operating from Belmont:
Service 2:Newcastle- Gateshead- Team Valley- Sunniside- Marley Hill- Hobson- Dipton- Consett- Shotley Bridge (Hospital)
Service 3: Durham Bus Station- Lanchester- Consett
Service 4: Consett- Stanley- Beamish- Chester-le-Street

Thoughts?

I don't think GNE will be happy if Arriva start running on there "turf".
If Arriva do start, at least the places it'll serve will be getting new buses from GNE!

(17 Feb 2015, 7:04 pm)Tommy_1581 wrote I don't think GNE will be happy if Arriva start running on there "turf".
If Arriva do start, at least the places it'll serve will be getting new buses from GNE!

GNE may not be happy, but passengers would be. 

I imagine if Arriva did invade, they would use half decent buses, and use London cascades on services in areas that they already have a monopoly on.

(17 Feb 2015, 6:56 pm)mb134 wrote Here's a few suggestions, following on from earlier:
Operating from Jesmond:
Service 311: Newcastle-Coast Road- Silverlink Roundabout- Tyne Tunnel- Jarrow- South Shields
Service 312: South Shields- Cleadon- Monkwearmouth- Sunderland Park Lane
Service X3: Newcastle- Gateshead- A184- A19- Stadium Of Light- Sunderland Park Lane

Operating from Belmont:
Service 2:Newcastle- Gateshead- Team Valley- Sunniside- Marley Hill- Hobson- Dipton- Consett- Shotley Bridge (Hospital)
Service 3: Durham Bus Station- Lanchester- Consett
Service 4: Consett- Stanley- Beamish- Chester-le-Street

Thoughts?

I think anything that runs in direct competition, between the same places and taking the same route, will only cause trouble.
After all, the ANE guys might be fed raw meat again .

If it is subtle and offers competition in parts, it may be perceived to be less of a threat.

(17 Feb 2015, 7:18 pm)mb134 wrote GNE may not be happy, but passengers would be. 

I imagine if Arriva did invade, they would use half decent buses, and use London cascades on services in areas that they already have a monopoly on.

They'd probably forefit 7522-7528 for the competitive routes and refurbish a load of ex London cascades to Sapphire spec!

(17 Feb 2015, 7:48 pm)DaveyBowyer wrote They'd probably forefit 7522-7528 for the competitive routes and refurbish a load of ex London cascades to Sapphire spec!

Gee, you taking the piss? 

They'll buy the LTs off Boris, transfer them to Ashington then the new routes can have DAFs!!!!!!! 

(17 Feb 2015, 6:56 pm)mb134 wrote Here's a few suggestions, following on from earlier:

Operating from Jesmond:

Service 311: Newcastle-Coast Road- Silverlink Roundabout- Tyne Tunnel- Jarrow- South Shields

Service 312: South Shields- Cleadon- Monkwearmouth- Sunderland Park Lane

Service X3: Newcastle- Gateshead- A184- A19- Stadium Of Light- Sunderland Park Lane



Operating from Belmont:

Service 2:Newcastle- Gateshead- Team Valley- Sunniside- Marley Hill- Hobson- Dipton- Consett- Shotley Bridge (Hospital)

Service 3: Durham Bus Station- Lanchester- Consett

Service 4: Consett- Stanley- Beamish- Chester-le-Street



Thoughts?

Not sure about Tyne & Wear suggestions as I don't really know the area.

Doubt Arriva would do well in Consett as GNE has the monopoly there also I remember when Arriva tried to take on Langley Park before with the 726 Langley Park - Chester and 754 Langley Park - Durham, the 726 went to Chester via Plawsworth and this didn't last very long only a few months I think and the 754 was pretty much the exact same route as the 14 which lasted longer than the 726 did although it really shouldn't of as the passenger numbers were woeful often saw it heading down Framwellgate Moor Front Street with on-one on it or if there was actually anyone onboard it was only OAPS and New College students heading into Durham.

The reasons I think these two failed was because GNE operated two buses an hour to Chester/Durham while Arriva's were hourly and they also had gaps at peaks to allow the buses to drop off for school runs.

(17 Feb 2015, 7:22 pm)Andreos1 wrote I think anything that runs in direct competition, between the same places and taking the same route, will only cause trouble.
After all, the ANE guys might be fed raw meat again .

If it is subtle and offers competition in parts, it may be perceived to be less of a threat.

So maybe 3 of the routes may work?
I think my Newcastle- Consett/Shotley Bridge avoided the equivalent GNE route for sections, as did my South Shields and Sunderland to Newcastle ones

(17 Feb 2015, 7:48 pm)DaveyBowyer wrote They'd probably forefit 7522-7528 for the competitive routes and refurbish a load of ex London cascades to Sapphire spec!

I'd reckon that with my suggestions they would need to find about 10 for the Sunderland/South Shields- Newcastle routes, and maybe around the same for the Durham based ones. 

They could do something like this:
The 311 would take approx 35 minutes to complete, so if it operates every 20 minutes it would require 4 vehicles.
The 312 would take approx 30 minutes to complete, so if it operates every 20 minutes it would also require 4 vehicles.
The X3 would take approx 35 minutes to complete also, so if it operates every 30 minutes, interworking with the 312 it would require 2 vehicles, as the 312 would have a large amount of layover.

If the 311 used 4 Streetlites (continuing with the Coastliner Green theme), they would need to buy one brand new and use 1579-81, while Ashington would receive three ex-London deckers for the 35.

The 312/X3 could operate with 6 Pulsars, from different depots, they will also receive London cascades, or single deckers from elsewhere (if the depot couldn't use double deckers)

The Durham based routes:
Service 2 would take 50 minutes to complete, if there was a frequency of every 30 minutes 7453-6 could be used?
Service 3 would take approximately 25 minutes, again with a frequency of every 30 minutes, 2 vehicles would be needed.
Service 4 would be identical to service 3.

4 Pulsars could potentially be sourced?

Edit: Hope I've worked out journey times and vehicle requirements correctly! Going to look like a complete fool if they're wrong 

Don't think you could do the service 3 suggestion in 25 minutes the 15/15A takes 22 minutes just to get to Lanchester.

(17 Feb 2015, 8:42 pm)Jimmi wrote Don't think you could do the service 3 suggestion in 25 minutes the 15/15A takes 22 minutes just to get to Lanchester.

Aha, that may be the one where I plucked the timing straight from Google, without taking into account bus stops, so I think the service 4 suggestion may be similarly over-ambitious, say 30-35 minutes per journey for both services then? Think if you then let them interwork, you would need a PVR of 5, if it was still operated at a half hourly frequency.

Edit: Just saw your original post now, sorry. Do you think with increased frequency, Arriva may have a chance?

(08 Sep 2014, 10:50 am)Kuyoyo wrote Amended as said - down to just the full journeys here (requiring 4 buses rather than the 5 of the original proposal timetable). Going northwards, the 20 and X18 combined to give a half hourly service between Amble and Alnwick but coming back from Alnwick, the 20 runs 20 minutes behind the X18.

(08 Sep 2014, 2:24 pm)Kuyoyo wrote And, as another one, from an issue raised yesterday as well:


In a bid to improve reliability on the 1 and additionally to allow extra journeys to run on the X20, the Ashington-Widdrington Estate secition of the 1 would instead link onto the 'new' X20 trips as the 20A.

Was just looking back through the thread and found these, and I was wondering if you ever got these to Arriva?

They're all definite improvements over the current services, and the MAX Solo you created was top drawer! 

(17 Feb 2015, 8:48 pm)mb134 wrote Aha, that may be the one where I plucked the timing straight from Google, without taking into account bus stops, so I think the service 4 suggestion may be similarly over-ambitious, say 30-35 minutes per journey for both services then? Think if you then let them interwork, you would need a PVR of 5, if it was still operated at a half hourly frequency.

Edit: Just saw your original post now, sorry. Do you think with increased frequency, Arriva may have a chance?

I've typed Durham - Consett Bus Stations and it said 23 minutes without stopping anywhere but I added going past Durham University Hospital plus Witton Gilbert and Lanchester and it came back with a journey time of 28 minutes so maybe add a few minutes onto that to allow time for passenger boarding times. It would also depend on the route it took to Consett.

Not sure if more frequent service with help, doubt it would have helped the old 726/754 as it had gaps for school services and Arriva mainly used old step entrance double deckers on these services some with very steep steps too.

Still doubt Arriva would have much chance in these areas as GNE have many more services in the area especially Consett where they have all the Venture local services so I'd imagine it would end badly for Arriva.

I sincerely hope that Arriva consider a supplementary express service to the 308 (like Pronto / Angel) by September because roadworks will be happening from July for 9 months at the Norham Rd junction. Term time and rush hour will be bad but it will bring havoc nearer Chrstmas with all the traffic from the likes of Tesco for Christmas shopping. Be assured however that in great Blyth depot spirit, the comfort of the delays will well and truly be MAXimised.

Here's my suggestion: https://tommystransportsite.files.wordpr...-2015.xlsx

If link doesn't work go to https://tommystransportsite.wordpress.com find post titled "Password Protected:." and enter password "Timetable142"

So here's my suggestions... again.

Ashington Depot


34: Scrapped or contract returned to council, this service is not as busy as predicted as passenger levels are very low.

35/35A: Combined frequency upgraded to every 10 minutes. Meaning that the 35 runs every 20, and the 35A runs every 20 minutes too.

X21: Morning journeys and evening journeys that start and end at Ashington bus station, start at High Market instead. 

X22: All journeys to stop serving High Market but follows 35 route from the old police station to the bus station. This allows for one vehicle to be used elsewhere.

X20: Revised to run at 30 past each hour from Ashington to Newcastle, to give passengers a choice between the X22 and X20.


Blyth Depot

S1: If the Cowpen station reopens, the S1 will provide links from Blyth Bus Station and Town Centre to the Cowpen Railway Station.

1/X1: New trial service X1 launched, providing journey times of 15-20 minutes from Ashington to Blyth, peak times only.

The X18.

Between Alnmouth and Lesbury/Longhoughton, it goes via Alnwick in both directions - meaning a trip of just a few mile, takes approx 40mins.

To improve connections for these villages, would it make sense to call via Alnmouth and/or the station in both directions, prior to Alnwick, rather than after when travelling south and prior when going north?

(10 Mar 2015, 12:12 pm)Andreos1 wrote The X18.

Between Alnmouth and Lesbury/Longhoughton, it goes via Alnwick in both directions - meaning a trip of just a few mile, takes approx 40mins.

To improve connections for these villages, would it make sense to call via Alnmouth and/or the station in both directions, prior to Alnwick, rather than after when travelling south and prior when going north?

It does that to link Alnwick with the Alnmouth (for Alnwick) station.

(10 Mar 2015, 1:56 pm)Tommy_1581 wrote It does that to link Alnwick with the Alnmouth (for Alnwick) station.

Not sure what you mean?

Get the whole 'Alnmouth for Alnwick' thing, but can't work out why it only calls at the station (or Alnmouth) southbound, after Alnwick.

If you're in Longhoughton (or anywhere north of there) and are looking to catch a train, then unless you fancy a walk from Lesbury, it means sitting on the bus for 40mins.

(10 Mar 2015, 2:21 pm)Andreos1 wrote Not sure what you mean?

Get the whole 'Alnmouth for Alnwick' thing, but can't work out why it only calls at the station (or Alnmouth) southbound, after Alnwick.

If you're in Longhoughton (or anywhere north of there) and are looking to catch a train, then unless you fancy a walk from Lesbury, it means sitting on the bus for 40mins.

This is getting too confusing for me. 

(10 Mar 2015, 12:12 pm)Andreos1 wrote The X18.

Between Alnmouth and Lesbury/Longhoughton, it goes via Alnwick in both directions - meaning a trip of just a few mile, takes approx 40mins.

To improve connections for these villages, would it make sense to call via Alnmouth and/or the station in both directions, prior to Alnwick, rather than after when travelling south and prior when going north?

Going into Hipsburn to stop at the station would probably add a few minutes in each direction. Going down to Alnmouth would add 7 or 8 minutes in each direction I would have thought, and there isn't space in the timetable to do that without missing something else out such as North Sunderland or Belford. It is only just over half a mile from Lesbury to Alnmouth Station anyway... 

(10 Mar 2015, 7:32 pm)passenger_10 wrote Going into Hipsburn to stop at the station would probably add a few minutes in each direction. Going down to Alnmouth would add 7 or 8 minutes in each direction I would have thought, and there isn't space in the timetable to do that without missing something else out such as North Sunderland or Belford. It is only just over half a mile from Lesbury to Alnmouth Station anyway... 

That's what I was getting at. Not far at all, yet for the sake of a few mins, anyone unable to make that short journey by foot (in either direction), needs to go sit on the bus for 40mins.

Appreciate going into Alnmouth may not be feasible, but looking at the timetable, calling at the station may be.

Does anyone know when the summer timetable is introduced?

(30 Jan 2015, 4:26 pm)tyresmoke wrote I'd like to see us use "then" rather than "for" - I think this would work well on the X93 where there are very few notable via points...

I know I'm bringing back an old topic, but Arriva could use "Onwards to...", rather than "for" or "then"? It's different to what's traditionally used, but it makes sense. I'm not sure the current way of displaying the destination on the X93 will be able to be used without scrolling or coming across as two messages, especially with something like "Whitby for Guisborough and Middlesbrough".

Photo by Andrew Stopford
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