Sorry for posting so much rail posts the past week, Both Buses and Trains are my favourites.
Anyways Regarding the routing of the " Northern Connect " service between Newcastle Central and Middlesbourgh has been confirmed.....and its not the Durham Coast.
Richard Myers from Arriva Northern at a Transport Forum in Teeside the other day confirmed the following:
Most Northern Connect services will run via the ECML and Stillington Branch to reach Stockton and then Thornaby and Middlesbourgh.
The rest of the Northern Connect services are expected to be run via Darlington.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chester-Le-Street and Durham will have Direct Services to Middlesbourgh and Teeside with the service running on a Hourly Frequency.
The Durham Coast Line beyond Sunderland in the Middlesbourgh direction will remain Hourly, complemented by a few Grand Centrals a day between Hartlepool and Sunderland.
Between Sunderland and Newcastle Central services will be increased to Half-Hourly with extras in the peaks, 1 service runs through to the Metrocentre and one will terminate at Newcastle Central.
2 Trains a Hour between Newcastle and Middlesbrough
2 Trains a Hour between Newcastle and Sunderland
1 Train a Hour between Sunderland and Middlesbrough
RE: Northern Rail