(09 Oct 2014, 5:55 am)Dan wrote Service 56 is regularly regulated at Sunderland too.
The truth of the matter is, it is clearly operating to Go-Ahead's (very high) standards - otherwise Go North East would have to make service changes.
They are limited in what they can achieve. Go North East is currently concentrating on improving the engineering departments, making sure that there are fewer VORs and the quality of repairs is better than it was previously. Additional spare vehicles help with this. Having 6099 and 6100 around makes Deptford's lives a lot easier, which is why service changes which would result in one or both of them becoming a part of the PVR is unlikely.
Of course this is not to suggest that it won't happen - see recent Cobalt Clipper changes...
So therefore Passengers on both ends of the Route end up Suffering a Loss of Service as a Result due them being Regulated, To be honest I think it pretty obvious what the Problem is with the 56, and that is the fact it stops at Every Single Stop between Sunderland and Newcastle, so if it then Stops at each of the 49 Stops for 30+ Seconds then it's clearly going to accumulate added time to the Journey and this where they start running in 2's and 3's because they can't keep to Timetable, and it's the same Scenario for the 21 as well.
Now the 56 has 6 Minutes Layover in Newcastle and 8 Minutes Layover in Sunderland meaning it has a Total of 14 Minutes Layover, using what I said above about it stopping at all 49 Stops for 30+ Seconds then that Layover Period is non-existent as 49 x 0.30 amounts to 14 Minutes, Meaning the Drivers wouldn't get a Break hence why the Services are being Regulated and we are yet to even factor in the added time for Roadworks etc which would again make the Service run even more Late than it should be.
Clearly changes need to be made to the 56 and I don't think adding a few Extra Minutes to the Layover Period would help at all whatsoever in terms of improving the Reliability of the Service, Perhaps splitting up the 56 into 2 or 3 separate Services may then improve the Service, I know it's been mentioned on Several Occasions in the Service Suggestions Thread about having an X56, But what would be the point when we already have the X36 which Mirrors some sections of the Route already, A simple Rebrand/Renumbering of the X36 could have Passengers Flocking onto the Service and in turn giving it that much needed Boost from the Sunderland end of the Route.