(21 Jan 2014, 8:24 am)AdamY wrote I went on another bus adventure yesterday venturing further afield using an Explorer North East ticket. I left the house at around 9:30 and got back around 20:30. My journey was as follows:
45 to Metrocentre
X66 to Gateshead
X1 to Washington
50 to Durham
7 to Darlington
X66 to Middlesbrough
1 to Hartlepool
X35 to Sunderland
Metro to Heworth
Northern Rail to Metrocentre
47 back home to Rowlands Gill
I will never get the X35 from Hartlepool to Sunderland again. It takes far too long and the buses used are not the most comfortable. When at Peterlee, I asked the driver whether there was an X9 due to Newcastle as connections between the services are apparently available. He said he didn't know, more or less forcing me to stay on the bus as I didn't really want to hang around Peterlee on the off-chance that a bus may appear. If I ever make that trip again, it's the 23 for me.
How long does the diversionary route on the 1 add onto the journey time?
I have never seen those services connect effectively...but the X35 is a long old haul...24 from P/lee is the best option to Sunderland