(10 Jul 2014, 4:09 pm)Dan wrote a competing express service Newcastle - Hexham which has seen passenger numbers drop massively on ANE's 685.
Yes, GNE run two per hour (X84/X85) between Hexham and Newcastle and run to timetable as they don't have to come from Carlisle. One (X85) runs largely direct along A69 whilst the A84 runs through the villages (Wylam, Ovington and Ovingham) - replacing the 687, which now shuttles between Hexham and Corbridge.
Clever move by GNE.
With routes coming up for reallocation soon, it'll be interesting to see what Arriva and Stagecoach do.
If Arriva and Stagecoach pull the plug it will leave a void between Hexham and Carlisle - I suppose Stagecoach could plug the gap.
The train service is sparse west of Hexham (2 hourly I believe).