(28 Dec 2014, 9:30 pm)John_R wrote To be honest, although GNE gained nothing for this, on the whole the customers and Arriva gained a lot with new & quicker links and cheaper fares which to credit Arriva are still here 18 months after the OK1 has ended.

You've lost me... Go North East gained nothing from the demise of the OK Expressway? Of course they did!
The Tynedalexpress is much more of a commercial success than the OK Expressway ever was. Go North East are obtaining higher profit levels by using the five vehicles on the Tynedalexpress, which were previously allocated to the OK Expressway. Higher profit levels is certainly a good gain, if you ask me...

Customers travelling between Middlesbrough and Darlington certainly didn't gain anything - they're having to fork out an extra £1.85 per single now that Go North East isn't around, it would seem! Customers who had tickets only valid on Go North East services (connecting to the OK1 at Bishop Auckland) also lost out, in this situation...