(21 Feb 2016, 6:42 pm)Andreos1 wrote 53/54.

To continue the current route, but to add on a figure of 8 loop at the southern end, to incorporate Low Fell and Chowdene.

The idea being that it takes away some of the pressure on existing long distance Durham Road services.

...Bensham Bank, Saltwell Road, Belle Vue Bank, Durham Road, Chowdene Bank, Saltwell Road - current route beyond Saltwell Park.

...Saltwell Road, Chowdene Bank, Durham Road, Belle Vue Bank, Saltwell Road, Bensham Bank - current route beyond Bensham Bank.

Frequency to be reduced or PVR increased.

I'd say the 53/54 gets busy enough as it is. Especially across the Gateshead section. Reducing the frequency would cause it problems throughout the day, and then you have the problem of where do the extra Streetlites come from, if you were to increase the PVR?

(21 Feb 2016, 6:50 pm)Adrian wrote I'd say the 53/54 gets busy enough as it is. Especially across the Gateshead section. Reducing the frequency would cause it problems throughout the day, and then you have the problem of where do the extra Streetlites come from, if you were to increase the PVR?

Well, I had thought about the PVR and although I haven't had a chance to look or work out what it was - either swapping allocations so that bigger vehicles were allocated, or cascading the current allocation and purchasing new. The cascades beig perfectly timed, with the end of Cadets and MPD's on the horizon.
The low fares on the service isn't going to generate a massive profit, but decent loads (increased from Durham Road), could aid the justification of purchases.

Services 29/64/95.

Current 64 withdrawn.

Service 29 

Revised to run via Tyne View School, Yetholm Road, Johnson Street, Bolam Street and Victoria Road to Saltwell road, then as current route to Kibblesworth.  Renumbered 64.

Monday to Saturday service 95.

Diverted via Saltwell Road, Whitehall Road, Prince Consort Road, High Street and Jackson Street instead of Bensham Bank.  Renumbered 65. some early Saturday trips would still run as 95 serving Bensham Bank.


pvr = 2 (unchanged), with interworking at Gateshead.

NEXUSbus solos should be used.


GNE should purchase 9105 and 9104 for use on services 64/65, allowing a normal solo sr to be allocated to ASDA shuttle, releasing 563.


Sunday daytime 95 would be unchanged.

The X7 Sunderland to Peterlee only should on a Sunday and Bank Holiday offering a faster link to Sunderland and Seaham over the Arriva 22.

(29 Feb 2016, 5:06 pm)2bagstew wrote The X7 Sunderland to Peterlee only should on a Sunday and Bank Holiday offering a faster link to Sunderland and Seaham over the Arriva 22.

I agree but maybe extending the x35 to peterlee instead

(29 Feb 2016, 1:10 am)park5354 wrote Services 29/64/95.

Current 64 withdrawn.

Service 29 

Revised to run via Tyne View School, Yetholm Road, Johnson Street, Bolam Street and Victoria Road to Saltwell road, then as current route to Kibblesworth.  Renumbered 64.

Monday to Saturday service 95.

Diverted via Saltwell Road, Whitehall Road, Prince Consort Road, High Street and Jackson Street instead of Bensham Bank.  Renumbered 65. some early Saturday trips would still run as 95 serving Bensham Bank.

I certainly like that idea, and it would allow the bus from the currently very little used 64 to be made a bit more useful. I do think that the services via Clasper Village are currently struggling a little bit for numbers in that area, as the majority of the houses have now been emptied for demolition, but then again, once new housing is built, passenger numbers can only go up.

(29 Feb 2016, 6:27 pm)biglugs@yahoo.com wrote I agree but maybe extending the x35 to peterlee instead

He said faster... The X35 takes an hour between Sunderland and Peterlee.

(29 Feb 2016, 7:07 pm)DanPicken wrote He said faster... The X35 takes an hour between Sunderland and Peterlee.

Only an hour?

Not disputing you or anything, but it seems to take an absolute age when travelling on this service between Sunderland and Peterlee.

Done it once; never again!!

(29 Feb 2016, 7:23 pm)MurdnunoC wrote Only an hour?

Not disputing you or anything, but it seems to take an absolute age when travelling on this service between Sunderland and Peterlee.

Done it once; never again!!

Yup - exactly 60 minutes. Agreed it feels that it takes an absolute age. I think it feels worse than it actually is, because of the faster alternatives (all of Arriva's services and GNE's X7).

Not sure the demand is there for a Sunday service though, as Peterlee is absolutely dead on a Sunday. Arriva's 22 carries fresh air most of the day, too.

(29 Feb 2016, 7:27 pm)Dan wrote Yup - exactly 60 minutes. Agreed it feels that it takes an absolute age. I think it feels worse than it actually is, because of the faster alternatives (all of Arriva's services and GNE's X7).

It was a tense 45 minutes or so between Easington Lane and Sunderland.

http://northeastbuses.co.uk/forum/showth...hp?tid=307&pid=27576#pid27576
http://northeastbuses.co.uk/forum/showth...hp?tid=307&pid=27579#pid27579

My reflections at the time.

(29 Feb 2016, 5:06 pm)2bagstew wrote The X7 Sunderland to Peterlee only should on a Sunday and Bank Holiday offering a faster link to Sunderland and Seaham over the Arriva 22.

It's only slightly faster than the 22, but serves a completely different part of Seaham.

And edited to agree with Dan. The 22 wouldn't struggle with solos on a Sunday (though there's no Sapphire ones).

(29 Feb 2016, 7:27 pm)Dan wrote Yup - exactly 60 minutes. Agreed it feels that it takes an absolute age. I think it feels worse than it actually is, because of the faster alternatives (all of Arriva's services and GNE's X7).

Not sure the demand is there for a Sunday service though, as Peterlee is absolutely dead on a Sunday. Arriva's 22 carries fresh air most of the day, too.

Peterlee has been a ghost town most of the times I've passed through on a Sunday, although this has been around 5pm each time and the last buses through Peterlee on most services on a Sunday is around 6pm.

I've seen some decent loads when I have used/seen the 22 between Sunderland and Peterlee on a Sunday.

---

I would never do the full X35, I'd always split the journey to do on different days, so I'd only ever do: Sunderland - Houghton, Houghton - Peterlee and Peterlee - Hartlepool.

Would be nice if the X7 was half hourly Monday - Saturday daytimes.

(29 Feb 2016, 7:55 pm)Jimmi wrote Peterlee has been a ghost town most of the times I've passed through on a Sunday, although this has been around 5pm each time and the last buses through Peterlee on most services on a Sunday is around 6pm.

I've seen some decent loads when I have used/seen the 22 between Sunderland and Peterlee on a Sunday.

---

I would never do the full X35, I'd always split the journey to do on different days, so I'd only ever do: Sunderland - Houghton, Houghton - Peterlee and Peterlee - Hartlepool.

Would be nice if the X7 was half hourly Monday - Saturday daytimes.

Walked around Peterlee with Big'un the other Sunday, while visiting the in laws. The only bus he saw for a picture was the flaming 22 (the X10 was due but didn't show) and we were blown if we were hanging around. It's not a great place at the best of times, even less so when the only people around are waiting for a bus home from the club.

Big'un agrees wholeheartedly about the X7 on weekdays/Saturdays. It's a good route but we often choose something else because planning on being able to catch it is too risky.

(29 Feb 2016, 7:51 pm)BusLoverMum wrote It's only slightly faster than the 22, but serves a completely different part of Seaham.

And edited to agree with Dan. The 22 wouldn't struggle with solos on a Sunday (though there's no Sapphire ones).

Well about 12mins faster, but as you say it services Seaham Front. Nice walk in the summer and now thieve added the extra stop too.

(29 Feb 2016, 7:27 pm)Dan wrote Yup - exactly 60 minutes. Agreed it feels that it takes an absolute age. I think it feels worse than it actually is, because of the faster alternatives (all of Arriva's services and GNE's X7).

Not sure the demand is there for a Sunday service though, as Peterlee is absolutely dead on a Sunday. Arriva's 22 carries fresh air most of the day, too.

Agree with that Dan, although I have seen decent loads on the 22 between Easington and Peterlee, it does not carry a great deal.

One thing I would suggest though, is a short X7 Sunderland-Seaham, quite a few people head to Seaham, and the amount of people that goto the Car Boot Sale in the summer is in unbelievable, they have to walk from Seaton Road Ends or Ryhope Village

(29 Feb 2016, 7:39 pm)MurdnunoC wrote It was a tense 45 minutes or so between Easington Lane and Sunderland.

http://northeastbuses.co.uk/forum/showth...hp?tid=307&pid=27576#pid27576
http://northeastbuses.co.uk/forum/showth...hp?tid=307&pid=27579#pid27579

My reflections at the time.

Anything to do with Easington Lane is tense, I won't forget Malarkey saying he got hacky looks off a couple there when he was taking pictures, surprised he got away unscathed and with camera still in hand

936 - Washington Galleries - Express to Silverlink/Cobalt - DSS Tyneview Park - Four Lane Ends - DSS Longbenton

So, I have some more allocation suggests for GNE:
Firstly, the removal of 3818-3832.
3943 and 6001-6006 would replace the olympians with 6007 taking 3943's role as a spare. These would be replaced by 6043-6049 from the TTX. The P.V.R of the TTX would double to 14 with 15 StreetDecks on order with one spare allowing for an every 15 minute combined service. The buses would be based at Peterlee instead of Riverside and would have later evening journeys. 5333-5336 would transfer from Peterlee to Hexham for use on Tynedale Express services along with connextions4 bus 5358 as a red spare, 5229 would be painted Tynedale Links for use on the 680 with 5210 being primarily used on the 688. 5230-5232 would replace 4909-4911 at Deptford with 5233 replacing 4918 at Riverside. The 11 connextions4 vehicles would be replaced by streetlites with 5359-5367 transferring to Peterlee for use on the Wear Tees Express with 5359 being a spare allowing for a half hourly frequency. 5367 would go to Stanley to replace 4896 and 5368 would go to Riverside to replace 4897. 5275-5283 and 5331 would be replaced by 10 streetlites with 4 staying at Riverside to displace 4899-4902. The other 6 going to Deptford to replace 4903-4908. 10 streetlites would come to Riverside for use on the Green Arrow (one spare included.) 4948, 4967, 5218, 5227 and 5228 would replace 4919-4923 at Riverside. 4941 and 4947 would replace 4924 and 4925 at Deptford while 4938, 4940 and 4941 would replace 5167,5168 and 5169 at Riverside. 13 streetlites would come to Percy Main displacing 4912-4917, 5152-5155, 5157 and 5166 on route 17/17A. The 17 would be half hourly for the full route with a P.V.R of 8 and the 17A would be run commercially through the day along with evening and Sunday 17's which would follow the daytime route. The 17A would extend all journeys to Northumberland Park with a P.V.R of 4. There would b two spare streetlites. The routes would become the North Tyneside flyer brand. There would be 9 more streetlites coming to Riverside to displace 5219-5226 on the LOOP. They would all replace Chester-le Street's Y-Reg solars. 11 streetlites would go to Deptford to replace the Fast Cats solars also allowing the full X36 route to be half hourly. 4955 would stay at Deptford to replace 4936. 4973 and 4974 would replace 4931 and 4932 at Riverside. 4975 would replace 4935 at Washington. 4976 would replace 8258 at Deptford. 5205-5209 would also all stay at Deptford to replace remaining cadets. 11 streetlites would go to Chester-le-Street for use Wagonway, the services would be every 30 minutes and one spare would come. on 4956-4958 would go to Percy Main as spares and 4959 and 4960 would displace 8270 and 8271 at Washington. 3 Streetlites would go to Crook for use on making the X46 be half hourly through the day. One spare would be used for the 18 and X46. The 9 would be every 15 minutes full route with a P.V.R of 8. 9 Streetlites would come with one spare. 4 streetlites would be based at Percy Main and 5 would be based at Deptford. This would allow for 3 B7TLs to go (3978-3980) these would replace 3859 at Percy Main, (3978), 3864 at Stanley, (3979) and 3869 at Chester-le-Street, (3980.) 5247-5249 would be branded Cobalt Connect allowing for Ashington services to be every 30 minutes also allowing 5249 to be a branded spare. 5273 would be an all routes spare. The 9 would be branded the Wear-Tyne flyer. 14 Wright streetdecks wold come to Riverside/Hexham for service on the TEN. 6071-6074 would stay at Riverside for use on Red Kite 47, bringing it up to similar standard as the 45/46, freeing 6118-6121 to go to Percy Main for the 327, 3963 would join them. 6081-6083 would go to Stanley to replace 3873, 3876 and 3880. 6075-6077 would replace 3872, 3875 and 3878 at Chester-le-Street. 6078-6080 would replace 6008, 6010 and 6015 at Percy Main. 3890 and 3891 would stay at Percy Main to replace 6023 and 6025.

(05 Mar 2016, 4:22 pm)NK53 TKT wrote So, I have some more allocation suggests for GNE:
Firstly, the removal of 3818-3832.
3943 and 6001-6006 would replace the olympians with 6007 taking 3943's role as a spare. These would be replaced by 6043-6049 from the TTX. The P.V.R of the TTX would double to 14 with 15 StreetDecks on order with one spare allowing for an every 15 minute combined service. The buses would be based at Peterlee instead of Riverside and would have later evening journeys. 5333-5336 would transfer from Peterlee to Hexham for use on Tynedale Express services along with connextions4 bus 5358 as a red spare, 5229 would be painted Tynedale Links for use on the 680 with 5210 being primarily used on the 688. 5230-5232 would replace 4909-4911 at Deptford with 5233 replacing 4918 at Riverside. The 11 connextions4 vehicles would be replaced by streetlites with 5359-5367 transferring to Peterlee for use on the Wear Tees Express with 5359 being a spare allowing for a half hourly frequency. 5367 would go to Stanley to replace 4896 and 5368 would go to Riverside to replace 4897. 5275-5283 and 5331 would be replaced by 10 streetlites with 4 staying at Riverside to displace 4899-4902. The other 6 going to Deptford to replace 4903-4908. 10 streetlites would come to Riverside for use on the Green Arrow (one spare included.) 4948, 4967, 5218, 5227 and 5228 would replace 4919-4923 at Riverside. 4941 and 4947 would replace 4924 and 4925 at Deptford while 4938, 4940 and 4941 would replace 5167,5168 and 5169 at Riverside. 13 streetlites would come to Percy Main displacing 4912-4917, 5152-5155, 5157 and 5166 on route 17/17A. The 17 would be half hourly for the full route with a P.V.R of 8 and the 17A would be run commercially through the day along with evening and Sunday 17's which would follow the daytime route. The 17A would extend all journeys to Northumberland Park with a P.V.R of 4. There would b two spare streetlites. The routes would become the North Tyneside flyer brand. There would be 9 more streetlites coming to Riverside to displace 5219-5226 on the LOOP. They would all replace Chester-le Street's Y-Reg solars. 11 streetlites would go to Deptford to replace the Fast Cats solars also allowing the full X36 route to be half hourly. 4955 would stay at Deptford to replace 4936. 4973 and 4974 would replace 4931 and 4932 at Riverside. 4975 would replace 4935 at Washington. 4976 would replace 8258 at Deptford. 5205-5209 would also all stay at Deptford to replace remaining cadets. 11 streetlites would go to Chester-le-Street for use Wagonway, the services would be every 30 minutes and one spare would come. on 4956-4958 would go to Percy Main as spares and 4959 and 4960 would displace 8270 and 8271 at Washington. 3 Streetlites would go to Crook for use on making the X46 be half hourly through the day. One spare would be used for the 18 and X46. The 9 would be every 15 minutes full route with a P.V.R of 8. 9 Streetlites would come with one spare. 4 streetlites would be based at Percy Main and 5 would be based at Deptford. This would allow for 3 B7TLs to go (3978-3980) these would replace 3859 at Percy Main, (3978), 3864 at Stanley, (3979) and 3869 at Chester-le-Street, (3980.) 5247-5249 would be branded Cobalt Connect allowing for Ashington services to be every 30 minutes also allowing 5249 to be a branded spare. 5273 would be an all routes spare. The 9 would be branded the Wear-Tyne flyer. 14 Wright streetdecks wold come to Riverside/Hexham for service on the TEN. 6071-6074 would stay at Riverside for use on Red Kite 47, bringing it up to similar standard as the 45/46, freeing 6118-6121 to go to Percy Main for the 327, 3963 would join them. 6081-6083 would go to Stanley to replace 3873, 3876 and 3880. 6075-6077 would replace 3872, 3875 and 3878 at Chester-le-Street. 6078-6080 would replace 6008, 6010 and 6015 at Percy Main. 3890 and 3891 would stay at Percy Main to replace 6023 and 6025.

Not yet past the bit where you spend over £3,000,000 on new vehicles, but I shall read on...

Just how many new buses is this?! 3 million isn't even touching it!

(05 Mar 2016, 4:29 pm)BusLoverMum wrote Just how many new buses is this?! 3 million isn't even touching it!

 82 I believe

(05 Mar 2016, 4:40 pm)NK53 TKT wrote  82 I believe

82 buses for £3m? 

Show me where and I'll invest 

(05 Mar 2016, 4:44 pm)MurdnunoC wrote 82 buses for £3m? 

Show me where and I'll invest 

I think it would cost a lot more than £3 million

(05 Mar 2016, 4:40 pm)NK53 TKT wrote  82 I believe

Actually if you count them all up it's 116!

(05 Mar 2016, 4:44 pm)MurdnunoC wrote 82 buses for £3m? 

Show me where and I'll invest 

I hadn't even got past the first 15 streetdecks without falling off my seat.

How much would all those streetlites come to? It's a very big blur!

(05 Mar 2016, 4:46 pm)peter wrote Actually if you count them all up it's 116!

That is 16.6% of the current fleet

You essentially want to replace an entire depot worth of buses.

(05 Mar 2016, 5:08 pm)MurdnunoC wrote You essentially want to replace an entire depot worth of buses.

Not really, but it means that there would be no pre 2001 buses except presidents

(05 Mar 2016, 5:09 pm)NK53 TKT wrote Not really, but it means that there would be no pre 2001 buses except presidents

That can be achieved by replacing the really old ones with less old ones.

(05 Mar 2016, 4:25 pm)BusLoverMum wrote Not yet past the bit where you spend over £3,000,000 on new vehicles, but I shall read on...

I stopped at the bit where the Mercs on the 4 got replaced by Streetlites.
Can't be doing with them on the 78, smiling through gritted teeth at them appearing on the 20's.
Having them on the 4 as well would be too much to cope with!

(05 Mar 2016, 10:10 pm)Andreos1 wrote I stopped at the bit where the Mercs on the 4 got replaced by Streetlites.
Can't be doing with them on the 78, smiling through gritted teeth at them appearing on the 20's.
Having them on the 4 as well would be too much to cope with!

Sometimes I wonder why did the Streetlites have to be so popular