Polling a few passengers waiting in Corbridge for buses to Newcastle, they said that the GNE buses were quicker as well as being more frequent and more reliable, so it looks like GNE are winning customers from Arriva/Stagecoach.

From Corbridge to Hexham it depends on punctuality. The Arriva/Stagecoach service is scheduled first (28 minutes past) then X84 at 32 minutes past and then X85 at 49 minutes past. Most passengers (especially those with free passes) take the first one to arrive frequently being the X84 (unless they are going further on through Hexham towards Haydon Bridge and Carlisle).