(21 May 2023, 5:20 pm)Storx wrote See personally, I'd be tempted to do this with the 51:Yeah, I can see where you're coming from with the 51 although commercially, I do think the 307 would be a success via Wiltshire Drive with strong points of the route either side supporting it.
50 - Newcastle to Backworth (Hourly) - https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Newcastl...77!1m0!3e0
51 - Newcastle to Whitley Bay (Hourly) - https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Newcastl...5b!1m0!3e0
19 - North Shields to Cramlington via Seaton Delaval (Hourly) - Current route bar serving main road rather than estate in Backworth
20 - North Shields to Cramlington via Killingworth (Hourly) - https://www.google.com/maps/dir/55.08424...c0!1m0!3e0
53 - Curtailed at Killingworth
54 - Withdrawn
The 54, is the basket case bus route, you'd be better pushing that traffic towards the 51 corridor and the quicker route to Newcastle rather than a magical mystery tour of the North East. There's no lost links as North Shields to Cramlington is covered on the 19/20 every 30 minutes, Cobalt to Killingworth is covered on the quicker 20 and Shiremoor to Whitley Bay is covered by the 51.
There's also numerous buses between Gosforth and Newcastle and Whitley Bay and Cobalt.
Wiltshire Drive & Hadrian Park are tricky to get right. One is a pain to get in / out off. The other could easily be served as part of the Coast Road network, but it's a question of what happens with the Benton Rise - Whitley Bay section of route.
An extension of the 38 half hourly via Benton Park Road, Whitley Road and East Benton Rise to Holystone Park / Northumberland Park then hourly via the 51 route to Whitley Bay would be a shout. But would a decker be "too much" especially between Holystone Park and Whitley Bay.