(01 Jun 2015, 9:24 am)Racer_Experience wrote Who agrees the service 85/X85/185/685 should fall under the Sapphire brand or even Max I prefer Sapphire over max

Yes! (Although I may be slightly biased.... )

Can't see 185 lasting much longer, to be honest I wasn't expecting it to last as long as it has now!
It would be great to have it under decker operation too (even a mix of single and double like the 7) even if a few changes would have to be made, such as:

685A/85A- Single Deck operation - 1 bus every 2 hours

Newcastle Eldon Square - Brighton Grove - General Hospital - Denton Burn - fast (A69) to Heddon & Horsley - Corbridge (back roads from Styford roundabout) - fast (A69) to Hexham Rail Station - Hexham Bus Station - Haydon Bridge - fast (A69) to Haltwhistle Town Centre - Brampton (either Moot Hall [as currently] or on Front Street) - Brampton Townfoot Ind Estate - fast (A689) to Carlisle, Brampton Road - Carlisle Bus Station via Eden Bridges and Hardwicke Circus.

685B/85B - Double Deck operation - 1 bus every 2 hours

Newcastle Eldon Square - West Road - General Hospital - Denton Burn - Lemington Road Ends - Throckley - Heddon & Horsley - Corbridge Hill Street (fast on A69 past Styford roundabout) - Dilston - Hexham Bus Station - fast (A69) to Bardon Mill & Henshaw - *usage dependent* back roads to Haltwhistle via Melkridge - Brampton Town Centre - Warwick Bridge - Carlisle via Warwick Road (as currently).

X85 - Double Deck operation - peak times or 1 bus every 3-4 hours

Newcastle Eldon Square - A167 (around the top) - *traffic dependent* A191 to Denton or A167 to A1 junction - non-stop to Corbridge, Hill Street (via A69) and around Corbridge on Watling Street - non-stop to Hexham, Rail Station (via A69) - Hexham Bus Station.
One or two buses per day could then continue to Carlisle as follows:
Hexham Bus Station - Hexham Rail Station - non-stop (A69) to Haltwhistle, Rail Station - non-stop (via Brampton Bypass [A69]) to Carlisle, Bus Station via A689, Brampton Road and Eden Bridges.

185s could be formed of a smaller-sized vehicle which serves the current route:
Haltwhistle, Rail Station - Military Road - (Summer Only) Walltown Quarry - Greenhead - Longbyre - Gilsland - Low Row - Brampton Town Centre - Warwick Bridge - Carlisle.


Notes:
685A and X85 using the A689 and Brampton Road will be beneficial as not only does it have the horrible traffic jams that Warwick Road does (the current route) but both services can also serve Carlisle Airport which is currently under construction to open in the next year or two (this could be used as a great marketing tool if advertised as no railway will run direct to the airport for a good while).

I chose double deckers for 685B as they do not serve Styford Roundabout - Corbridge via the road with lots of low-hanging trees (imo the only restriction to decker usage on 85?)
With the 'leapfrog' method also of alternate services serving alternate places this mitigates against long journey times, however some places lose their hourly service to be 2-hourly.

185 must be formed from 685A vehicles due to the general unsuitability of deckers on this route (most notably a low bridge at Gilsland)

I chose the A167 for X85 to go 'round the top' as I'd say it'll be slightly quicker, less mundane and it's more non-stop than West Road (traffic lights etc).

Finally, the reason I give for the X85 continuing to Carlisle is that it would be in direct competition with the rail service, taking a somewhat similar time to the train.


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(01 Jun 2015, 2:56 pm)Tommy_1581 wrote It won't be Max or Sapphire - a new brand will have to be agreed with Stagecoach.

I doubt it. If anything, Stagecoach would probably launch it as a premium service in reaction to Arriva so as not to lose custom. Stagecoach's E300s have free Wifi and seatbelts whereas Arriva's Omnicities do not - Wifi being the main difference between a premium brand and not.