I think it's every 30 minutes from Birtley/Lansbury Drive to Barley Mow, with hourly journeys extending to Washington

Surprised this doesn't confuse the OAP's, Definitely Confused me as I didn't know there was a Short Working, All cleared up now and it can still replace the 73, keeping the OAP's of Birtley and Coach Road Estate Happy

Surprised this doesn't confuse the OAP's, Definitely Confused me as I didn't know there was a Short Working, All cleared up now and it can still replace the 73, keeping the OAP's of Birtley and Coach Road Estate Happy

You should see the timetables in Birtley Centre if you think you're confused

0810 0835 0905 are all short workings to Birtley Crem

Then there's a 0935 to Birtley Crem followed by a 0940(!) to Washington

But the 08.10 and the 09.35 don't start in Barley Mow (no idea where it actually begins)

Then its half hourly to the Crem and hourly to Washington (as Tom noted)

Then you've got a 16.05 and 16.35. The first one terminates at Birtley Crematorium but the 16.35 terminates at Lansbury Drive

Another idea...do GNE cover Newton Hall at all, been over 10 years since I lived in Fram and can't really remember the bus network around there....Was thinking, would it be feasible to re-route the 50 to go round Newton Hall housing estate...

That would open up connections to Chester-le-Street and Washington for Newton Hall and it would follow the 64 or whereever the hell Arriva goes round there

I remember Arriva used to run the Newcastle - Crook X46 around Newton Hall Estate and the passengers boarding there were certainly not great in number, so I'm not convinced that would work. Newton Hall is affluent and has a high level of car ownership as well.

2A/2C - Washington to Sunderland (Current Route) - Every 15 Minutes - Frequency Reduced due to the Introduction of the X2

X2 - Sunderland to Newcastle via Royal Hospital - Grindon Mill - Penshaw - Non Stop to Washington Galleries via A182 - Springwell - Wrekenton - Q.E. Hospital - Gateshead - Newcastle - Every 30 Minutes

X1 - Easington Lane to Newcastle (Current Route) - Every 15 Minutes - Maintaining a Every 10 Minute Service from Washington to Newcastle with the X2.

8 - Stanley to Waterview Park (Current Route) then via Sunderland Enterprise Park into Sunderland - Every 30 Minutes

2A/2C - Washington to Sunderland (Current Route) - Every 15 Minutes - Frequency Reduced due to the Introduction of the X2

X2 - Sunderland to Newcastle via Royal Hospital - Grindon Mill - Penshaw - Non Stop to Washington Galleries via A182 - Springwell - Wrekenton - Q.E. Hospital - Gateshead - Newcastle - Every 30 Minutes

X1 - Easington Lane to Newcastle (Current Route) - Every 15 Minutes - Maintaining a Every 10 Minute Service from Washington to Newcastle with the X2.

8 - Stanley to Waterview Park (Current Route) then via Sunderland Enterprise Park into Sunderland - Every 30 Minutes

Does not the 2A and 2C go different ways between Washington and Sunderland, so by reducing the frequency, you giving them a worse service?

Does not the 2A and 2C go different ways between Washington and Sunderland, so by reducing the frequency, you giving them a worse service?

Yes - 2A goes via Biddick/Fatfield/Barnwell and 2C goes via Lambton/Harraton/Fatfield

But Technically as the 8 Serves Harraton/Fatfield and Glebe there technically isn't much of a loss in service with it being every 30 Minutes, so really only Lambton and Biddick are missing out, Lambton/Biddick has a Very Frequent Service anyway for a Connection to the Galleries.

2A/2C - Washington to Sunderland (Current Route) - Every 15 Minutes - Frequency Reduced due to the Introduction of the X2

First off - the Sunderland to Hastings Hill corridor:
It's a corridor served by "Silver Arrows" 2A/2C, "Lime" 8/78, providing a healthy 10 buses per hour. This clearly shows that there is demand for this level of service along this corridor. The 'revised' 10 buses per hour would not be at such a level because, as an express service, the X2 would only call 'limited stop'.

Secondly - the frequency reduction on "Silver Arrows" services 2A/2C:
In November 2012 (or was it 2011?), these services were increased in frequency. This increase in frequency helped out massively with the reliability of the service, and also provided passengers living on the route with a higher level of service. From Hastings Hill, all passengers would be at a loss, as the X2 would follow the same route as "Lime" service 8, so would not serve Penshaw or any of the stops beyond there.
If the 15 minute frequency was to be re-instated, then surely the reliability of the services would drop once more, and the customers who have "earned" that frequency will also be dropped?

X2 - Sunderland to Newcastle via Royal Hospital - Grindon Mill - Penshaw - Non Stop to Washington Galleries via A182 - Springwell - Wrekenton - Q.E. Hospital - Gateshead - Newcastle - Every 30 Minutes

X1 - Easington Lane to Newcastle (Current Route) - Every 15 Minutes - Maintaining a Every 10 Minute Service from Washington to Newcastle with the X2.

I'm yet to see the point of the X2...
To me, if there are any passengers travelling directly from Sunderland to Newcastle, they would use the X3/X36 as they are at present.
For passengers along the Chester Road corridor, a solid ten minute frequency with connections at The Galleries is of very little inconvenience.
It would benefit those who were hunting a cheaper fare from, let's say, the Royal Hospital to Newcastle. They'd be entitled to a 'return'. That would not be of benefit to Go North East, however.

8 - Stanley to Waterview Park (Current Route) then via Sunderland Enterprise Park into Sunderland - Every 30 Minutes

Would this increase the running times? "Lime" services 8/78 interwork remember, so if the running times were increased, the interworking schedule would go tits up, and Go North East would have to think of a new way of operating both services.

Yes - 2A goes via Biddick/Fatfield/Barnwell and 2C goes via Lambton/Harraton/Fatfield

But Technically as the 8 Serves Harraton/Fatfield and Glebe there technically isn't much of a loss in service with it being every 30 Minutes, so really only Lambton and Biddick are missing out, Lambton/Biddick has a Very Frequent Service anyway for a Connection to the Galleries.

Alot of technically's in there. So people from Lambton/Biddick who now have a 20 minute direct service, would now have a 30 minutes service or have to go to the Galleries and change....Would love you to go to the local Councillor and explain that one

Further to the points I raised above...
Which vehicles would operate the service?

As you're reducing the frequency of the X1, you've got free B9s.
As you're reducing the frequency of the 2A/2C, you've got free Citaros.
As you're (presumably) cutting the X3/X36, you've got a mixture of free Northern vehicles which add up to the PVR (including 36/36A).

There's no guarantee that the service would immediately justify B9s/Citaros, but then passengers on the Chester Rd corridor would not have the Citaros they have at present if you gave them shoddy old Northerns...

If I lived on the 2A or 2C route in Washington, I'd be pretty annoyed about losing the frequency to provide an express service between Sunderland and Newcastle. Baring in mind that Nexus would have already screwed me over with the absence of the Metro. People in either Newcastle or Sunderland wanting to go to each other can use the Metro. There's no need for them to get a bus that takes twice as long.

Why would, the X2 need to be limited stop? The X1 isn't after Shiney Row, so the X2 could serve all bus stops down Chester Road.

If I lived on the 2A or 2C route in Washington, I'd be pretty annoyed about losing the frequency to provide an express service between Sunderland and Newcastle. Baring in mind that Nexus would have already screwed me over with the absence of the Metro. People in either Newcastle or Sunderland wanting to go to each other can use the Metro. There's no need for them to get a bus that takes twice as long.

Well as someone who lived in Seaham for many years, I was annoyed to lose my hourly link to Washington & Newcastle! Not to mentioned cuts to local services also and reduced a Durham bus service. But unfortunately, bus services aren't run to provide passenger with high frequencies.

Why would, the X2 need to be limited stop? The X1 isn't after Shiney Row, so the X2 could serve all bus stops down Chester Road.

Good luck keeping that on time then. 2A/2C can't manage it at the best of times, and they don't have to fight with a trip down Durham Road to Newcastle either.

Well as someone who lived in Seaham for many years, I was annoyed to lose my hourly link to Washington & Newcastle! Not to mentioned cuts to local services also and reduced a Durham bus service. But unfortunately, bus services aren't run to provide passenger with high frequencies.

They're ran to make money. Which they obviously do hence having the high frequencies in the first place.

Further to the points I raised above...
Which vehicles would operate the service?

As you're reducing the frequency of the X1, you've got free B9s.
As you're reducing the frequency of the 2A/2C, you've got free Citaros.
As you're (presumably) cutting the X3/X36, you've got a mixture of free Northern vehicles which add up to the PVR (including 36/36A).

There's no guarantee that the service would immediately justify B9s/Citaros, but then passengers on the Chester Rd corridor would not have the Citaros they have at present if you gave them shoddy old Northerns...

X2 would use the B9's, Citaros could go on the Laser to free up More Solars to replace older Vehicles and then the Northern Mixture could be used on anything as they are Currently and the 36/36A would operate as a Stand Alone Service with no Interworking with the X36 as it would be Axed as a Result of the Above.

If I lived on the 2A or 2C route in Washington, I'd be pretty annoyed about losing the frequency to provide an express service between Sunderland and Newcastle. Baring in mind that Nexus would have already screwed me over with the absence of the Metro. People in either Newcastle or Sunderland wanting to go to each other can use the Metro. There's no need for them to get a bus that takes twice as long.

I agree.
Go North East are already fighting a very hard battle, competing with the Metro. The journey times of the Metro are a hell of a lot more appealing, and the only way customers are going to be attracted to an express bus service is if they are connecting to other Go North East buses during that day (from either Newcastle or Sunderland). I guess that's why these express services have seen so many changes, because they're just so hard to generate profit from. I find myself repeating this phrase a lot lately, but as Go North East are a business, they need to take whichever route is of best commercial interest to them - as do all bus operators.

Why would, the X2 need to be limited stop? The X1 isn't after Shiney Row, so the X2 could serve all bus stops down Chester Road.

It wouldn't have to be, but the X3 has very few stops at present. The X36 has a lot more and the increased distance as well as stops are reflected in the increased journey time. As I said above, a direct service between Sunderland and Newcastle is hard enough to run as it is, nevermind adding more stops to the mix and making the journey time even longer, thereby making the service seem even less appealing to use as opposed to the Metro.
As aureolin said, there is also a great potential that the service will suffer with reliability issues. The 'express' side on the Sunderland half could possibly reduce the likelihood of those issues.

But unfortunately, bus services aren't run to provide passenger with high frequencies.

Bus services are operated to make money. If a service makes money, it has a tendency to receive a vehicle upgrade and/or see an increase in frequency. The "Silver Arrows" 2A/2C currently have the best 'single decker' within the fleet, and are at a combined frequency of 10 minutes... You can't get much better than that - they clearly make a fair amount of money.

X2 would use the B9's, Citaros could go on the Laser to free up More Solars to replace older Vehicles and then the Northern Mixture could be used on anything as they are Currently and the 36/36A would operate as a Stand Alone Service with no Interworking with the X36 as it would be Axed as a Result of the Above.

Looking at photographs on Flickr, the service appears to have previously been allocated a mixture of single deckers (pink OmniCitys, unbranded "MetroLINK" Solars, "Red Arrows" Mercs...) but also coaches. There was only one example of a double decker being used, which to me suggests that the service did not justify double decker usage back then. Why do you think it would justify the usage of Go North East's best double decker in the fleet now?

Looking at photographs on Flickr, the service appears to have previously been allocated a mixture of single deckers (pink OmniCitys, unbranded "MetroLINK" Solars, "Red Arrows" Mercs...) but also coaches. There was only one example of a double decker being used, which to me suggests that the service did not justify double decker usage back then. Why do you think it would justify the usage of Go North East's best double decker in the fleet now?

Story of 'Red Arrows' X2 (to the best of my recall), when the branding started back in 2006, it used ex-National Express coaches branded 'Red Arrows' with the original batch of Citaros (5275-83) ordered, originally expected in early 2007 (ie on 56 plates) alongside the OmniCitys. However, when there appeared to be a delay, the OmniCitys destined for Chester-Le-Street for the 21/22 (5262-74) were diverted to Washington to work the X2 (and X1 when it started) until the Citaros were delivered. I believe it stayed the same (with the addition of the X3) until 2009 when the X1 was increased to every 10 minutes.

First off - the Sunderland to Hastings Hill corridor:
It's a corridor served by "Silver Arrows" 2A/2C, "Lime" 8/78, providing a healthy 10 buses per hour. This clearly shows that there is demand for this level of service along this corridor. The 'revised' 10 buses per hour would not be at such a level because, as an express service, the X2 would only call 'limited stop'.

Secondly - the frequency reduction on "Silver Arrows" services 2A/2C:
In November 2012 (or was it 2011?), these services were increased in frequency. This increase in frequency helped out massively with the reliability of the service, and also provided passengers living on the route with a higher level of service. From Hastings Hill, all passengers would be at a loss, as the X2 would follow the same route as "Lime" service 8, so would not serve Penshaw or any of the stops beyond there.
If the 15 minute frequency was to be re-instated, then surely the reliability of the services would drop once more, and the customers who have "earned" that frequency will also be dropped?

As you can see in my proposal the X2 would follow the 2A/2C Route along Hastings Hill/Penshaw/Shiney Row and would serve the Stops along that Section of the Route to then Maintain the Frequency so that the 2A/2C Passengers don't lose the current Level of Service. And they'd also get the Benefit of a Direct Xpress to Newcastle also as a Result creating a New Link as no doubt there will be Passengers who use the 2A/2C and then swap onto the X1 at The Galleries to Continue there Journey to Work.


I'm yet to see the point of the X2...
To me, if there are any passengers travelling directly from Sunderland to Newcastle, they would use the X3/X36 as they are at present.
For passengers along the Chester Road corridor, a solid ten minute frequency with connections at The Galleries is of very little inconvenience.
It would benefit those who were hunting a cheaper fare from, let's say, the Royal Hospital to Newcastle. They'd be entitled to a 'return'. That would not be of benefit to Go North East, however.


Would this increase the running times? "Lime" services 8/78 interwork remember, so if the running times were increased, the interworking schedule would go tits up, and Go North East would have to think of a new way of operating both services.

If anything it would make the Journey Time into Sunderland Quicker as the 8 would have to Serve stops at Hastings Hill and along Chester Road via the Hospital into Sunderland

Waterview Park to Sunderland on the 8 takes 17 Minutes while on the 73 it takes 13 Minutes if it wasn't to Serve Castletown, So that is 4 Minutes Difference, but then that's extra 4 Minutes Layover Time after a Journey from Stanley or Consett.

Story of 'Red Arrows' X2 (to the best of my recall), when the branding started back in 2006, it used ex-National Express coaches branded 'Red Arrows' with the original batch of Citaros (5275-83) ordered, originally expected in early 2007 (ie on 56 plates) alongside the OmniCitys. However, when there appeared to be a delay, the OmniCitys destined for Chester-Le-Street for the 21/22 (5262-74) were diverted to Washington to work the X2 (and X1 when it started) until the Citaros were delivered. I believe it stayed the same (with the addition of the X3) until 2009 when the X1 was increased to every 10 minutes.

Yes this is spot on - so to use Dan's argument that if a service is upgraded to the "best single decker" in the fleet it must make a fair amount of money - the X2 must have been profitable.

And re: how unfair it would be to cut the 2A/2C to every 15 mins from every 10, it's a tad worse don't you think that in the real world GNE entirely cut the X2 service affecting anyone who lived on Chester Road corridor, in order that they could increase the frequency of the X1. I'd personally prefer to see a bit of passenger choice (e.g. X1 & X2) with both services running less frequently than one route getting a flagship service, at the expense of another being cut in it's entirety.

Incidentally, the 2A/2C didn't get 'upgraded' to Citaros, as the service didn't exist before the Citaros arrived.

Yes this is spot on - so to use Dan's argument that if a service is upgraded to the "best single decker" in the fleet it must make a fair amount of money - the X2 must have been profitable.

There's no denying that the X2 may have been profitable (providing it wasn't a coffin dodger bus!) and this is clearly why the X1 and 2A/2C make a large amount of revenue too. Let's not forget the 8 which is line for a Merc upgrade next year also! That doesn't mean to say that there wasn't room for improvement, however.
The X3 used Citaros for a period of time too - how are we to know whether the X2 wouldn't have had them revoked likewise?

And re: how unfair it would be to cut the 2A/2C to every 15 mins from every 10, it's a tad worse don't you think that in the real world GNE entirely cut the X2 service affecting anyone who lived on Chester Road corridor, in order that they could increase the frequency of the X1. I'd personally prefer to see a bit of passenger choice (e.g. X1 & X2) with both services running less frequently than one route getting a flagship service, at the expense of another being cut in it's entirety.

Are you like the average passenger who prefers to 'turn up and go' or do you time your buses so that it fits your routine perfectly?
I believe most will be in favour of the former.

Some people on this forum are dwelling on the past... The X2 is something from an age bygone. There are huge advantages to both the customer and the company by having the network as it is at present.

Looking at photographs on Flickr, the service appears to have previously been allocated a mixture of single deckers (pink OmniCitys, unbranded "MetroLINK" Solars, "Red Arrows" Mercs...) but also coaches. There was only one example of a double decker being used, which to me suggests that the service did not justify double decker usage back then. Why do you think it would justify the usage of Go North East's best double decker in the fleet now?
[/quote]

That Answer is pretty simple and it would be down to the Increased Passenger Loadings Between Washington and Newcastle, As we learnt in 2011/12 the X1 wasn't coping whilst using Citaros due to the High Passenger Demand and again even with 6 Deckers it still struggled, so it got more Deckers. So it would make sense to use the B9's over the Citaros to prevent the same thing from happening again and thus making the Service Unreliable.

That Answer is pretty simple and it would be down to the Increased Passenger Loadings Between Washington and Newcastle, As we learnt in 2011/12 the X1 wasn't coping whilst using Citaros due to the High Passenger Demand and again even with 6 Deckers it still struggled, so it got more Deckers. So it would make sense to use the B9's over the Citaros to prevent the same thing from happening again and thus making the Service Unreliable.

So what if the loadings aren't high enough between Washington and Sunderland to justify the use of Go North East's best double decker?
You said earlier that the 2A/2C could afford to be dropped in frequency - are you suggesting that the loadings aren't particularly high on these services? If so, why would you allocate a B9 instead?
Surely it makes more sense just to split the services so that the part which is doing better has the B9, while the part which isn't doing as great (but still very good, to justify a Merc) sticks with the lower capacity bus? Y'know, the current network.

Incidentally, the 2A/2C didn't get 'upgraded' to Citaros, as the service didn't exist before the Citaros arrived.
[/quote]

Technically it did Exist as the 2A/2C was in some part the 638 and the 773/774 which was Re-Numbered 73/74 before becoming the 2A/2C, Just with a few slight Route Amendments.

There's no denying that the X2 may have been profitable (providing it wasn't a coffin dodger bus!) and this is clearly why the X1 and 2A/2C make a large amount of revenue too. Let's not forget the 8 which is line for a Merc upgrade next year also! That doesn't mean to say that there wasn't room for improvement, however.
The X3 used Citaros for a period of time too - how are we to know whether the X2 wouldn't have had them revoked likewise?

If GNE managed to turn a service that was profitable enough to warrant investment in the best single deckers in the fleet in 2007/08, to one that performed so badly it needed buses revoking within a couple of years, they would have perhaps been doing something wrong? The withdrawal of the X2 had nothing to do with lack of revenue and was simply down to wanting to increase the X1 frequency, which did nothing for X2 passengers.

Are you like the average passenger who prefers to 'turn up and go' or do you time your buses so that it fits your routine perfectly?
I believe most will be in favour of the former.

I believe you are living in a fantasy land if you think the majority of people who need to get to work would choose a connecting service over a direct one! Which is precisely what the withdrawal of the X2 meant for everyone who lived on the route that had been served - in one form or another - for decades.

Whilst the Chester Road section may need 10 buses an hour, the 2a/2c seem to be quiet on the stretch between Penshaw and the Galleries - probably because the market is saturated at various points (remember GNE wanted to reduce the M1 beyond Mount Pleasant whilst increasing the 2a/2c).
Obviously there will be exceptions to this during rush hour etc.

Harraton - Galleries has the M3, 8 and 2a/2c.
Lambton - Galleries has the M2, M3, 50 and 2a/2c.
Fatfield - Galleries has the 4, 8 and 2a/2c.
Penshaw - Galleries has the 4 and 2a/2c.
Biddick - Galleries has the W5, M2, M3, 4, 8 and 2a/2c.

Maintaining the frequency along Chester Road sounds good - offering a quicker alternative at the same time and stopping duplication between Penshaw and Galleries (as in the route via Washington Highway and on to Newcastle - easing loads on crowded x1 deckers) seems to be a positive too.

If GNE managed to turn a service that was profitable enough to warrant investment in the best single deckers in the fleet in 2007/08, to one that performed so badly it needed buses revoking within a couple of years, they would have perhaps been doing something wrong? The withdrawal of the X2 had nothing to do with lack of revenue and was simply down to wanting to increase the X1 frequency, which did nothing for X2 passengers.

The X3 shouldn't be considered as the X2's replacement because it is a completely different service which follows a completely different route.
Go North East have done nothing wrong at all - the Sunderland to Washington section has retained Mercs, while the Washington to Newcastle section has been upgraded even further.

The X3 shouldn't be considered as the X2's replacement because it is a completely different service which follows a completely different route.
Go North East have done nothing wrong at all - the Sunderland to Washington section has retained Mercs, while the Washington to Newcastle section has been upgraded even further.

Are you deliberately being obtuse? I at no point referred to the X3 being the X2's replacement. I was responding to your question regarding whether the X2 might have been downgraded from Citaros. I suggest you reread the posts.

As for the withdrawal of the X2 being a positive thing, we'll have to agree to disagree as you've chosen to ignore the point that a direct service was severed, meaning inconvenience, increased journey time and potentially more cost for former X2 passengers. Good for some, bad for most.

Are you deliberately being obtuse? I at no point referred to the X3 being the X2's replacement. I was responding to your question regarding whether the X2 might have been downgraded from Citaros. I suggest you reread the posts.

As for the withdrawal of the X2 being a positive thing, we'll have to agree to disagree as you've chosen to ignore the point that a direct service was severed, meaning inconvenience, increased journey time and potentially more cost for former X2 passengers. Good for some, bad for most.

I understand the point you were getting at now, though it wasn't clear at the time.

Like I said, as much as I'd love a direct service to Newcastle (I live on the route, so would most definitely use it - I can only assume you do too, to get so worked up about it!), there is no way I think it should be done at the expense of the 2A/2C, X3/X36 and 8. Although a lot of members on this forum will disagree, a streamlined 10 minute frequency has advantages to both the customers and company (the advantages to the former are shown by the increasing use of the services, while the advantages to the latter are shown by the investment the services have received post X2 withdrawal).
The only major downside to the customer (which I have previously established) is the inconvenience in regards to the passenger chanovers, and the fact they're now unable to purchase returns.

So what if the loadings aren't high enough between Washington and Sunderland to justify the use of Go North East's best double decker?
You said earlier that the 2A/2C could afford to be dropped in frequency - are you suggesting that the loadings aren't particularly high on these services? If so, why would you allocate a B9 instead?
Surely it makes more sense just to split the services so that the part which is doing better has the B9, while the part which isn't doing as great (but still very good, to justify a Merc) sticks with the lower capacity bus? Y'know, the current network.

So Daniel do you think the 56 justifies use of "Go North East's best double decker" Between Concord and Sunderland where Passenger Numbers are lower on that Section of the Route except for Sunderland Home Games?. And I do think that using a B9 is Justifiable when it'll be picking up Passengers from the X1 Between Newcastle and Washington and again with the 2A/2C/4 and 8 Passengers going from Washington to Sunderland and the fact that when the X1 was split 3 Years Ago it Struggled to cope Capacity wise when using a Mixture of Citaros/B9's, Do you not think you'd would be Downgrading that Section of the Route in which it Struggled by using a Citaro on the Proposed X2.

So Daniel do you think the 56 justifies use of "Go North East's best double decker" Between Concord and Sunderland where Passenger Numbers are lower on that Section of the Route except for Sunderland Home Games?. And I do think that using a B9 is Justifiable when it'll be picking up Passengers from the X1 Between Newcastle and Washington and again with the 2A/2C/4 and 8 Passengers going from Washington to Sunderland and the fact that when the X1 was split 3 Years Ago it Struggled to cope Capacity wise when using a Mixture of Citaros/B9's, Do you not think you'd would be Downgrading that Section of the Route in which it Struggled by using a Citaro on the Proposed X2.

Yes I do, as I feel the passengers on the 56, even if lower on that section of the route, exceed the demand of a single decker quite often.

It would be, yes. That said, the 2A/2C and 8 cannot justify double decker use as the passenger numbers are just not high enough, however much anyone would like to suggest otherwise (excluding the fact deckers cannot be used due to various low bridges). The X2 never justified double decker use either, but the X1 did.

Best option? Keep the services separate, and let the network be the same as it is now. We've brought the resurrection of the X2 service up so many times now, and it is getting quite tedious I must admit.

Yes I do, as I feel the passengers on the 56, even if lower on that section of the route, exceed the demand of a single decker quite often.

It would be, yes. That said, the 2A/2C and 8 cannot justify double decker use as the passenger numbers are just not high enough, however much anyone would like to suggest otherwise (excluding the fact deckers cannot be used due to various low bridges). The X2 never justified double decker use either, but the X1 did.

Best option? Keep the services separate, and let the network be the same as it is now. We've brought the resurrection of the X2 service up so many times now, and it is getting quite tedious I must admit.

I can't see why you don't think having a direct Sunderland-Newcastle via Chester Road is such a bad idea, it was a popular route. I agree personally its swings and round about in my opinion (Don't live in Sunderland) if I'm going from Sunderland-Newcastle I'm not fused wether I go via Chester Road/North Sunderland/Newcastle Road unless of course one takes longer than the other. But you live on Chester Road, so why don't you agree to an X2- I'm just struggling to understand your logic.