(29 Nov 2020, 10:54 am)Storx wrote Yeah agreed with GNE, there's absolute no logic to where things are either especially in Sunderland, the 2 and 39 being pretty much identical routes for most of it but two numbers with little history and they're miles apart for no reason. 35 and 55 between Sunderland and Houghton where the 55 comes from god knows as they're Sheriff Hill services. Then you have the odd numbers which make no sense being there, 6 to Stanley; 11 in N. Shields for example.

When the 2006 changes came about, there was some sort of pattern.
It didn't last long, as they soon realised that the decisions made then, weren't the best. Revisions and changes since have rendered the numbering system totally out of sync. 

I do think that having some sort of pattern is better for passengers. However the two digit system limits what can and can't be done. 
The old 3 digit system had some quirks, but people tended to know it and understand it. Enthusiasts or not.

1xx - Wearside.
2xx - East Durham 
3xx - North Tyneside
4xx - Northumberland
5xx - South Tyneside
6xx - Tyne Valley
7xx - Co Durham

The fact the 9xx series continues to live on now with workers services and the like, seems to confirm my thoughts.
There's a reason the 9 prefix still exists and it's not to keep enthusiasts happy.

(29 Nov 2020, 12:36 pm)Michael wrote Remember how confusing the 35/35A/35B/35C were     

The 2/2A/Short 2's/39/39A are just as bad for most people though. It really wouldn't be that confusing, no-one has bother for the 1 or 10's bar Streetdeckfan.

2: Current 2
2A: Current 2A
2B: Current 39A (for the sake of 2 minutes send them all around Esdale Estate).

It's nothing like the 35 bunch which was variations only in the evening etc with some going extra in the evening, some not, one going down a different route in the centre of the route etc.

I think the trouble with GNE numbering and routes is that they change frequently . Where as SNE is pretty static eg SNE Sunderland 23 has been the 23 for donkeys years. (before that 123). An example GNE would be Sunderland to Hartlepool. In recent years, it’s been x35>x5>55 (with variations X and A). Again, route planner on speed!

(29 Nov 2020, 10:42 am)BFK wrote There used to be a service E3 which ran between South Shields and Sunderland via Westoe, Horsley Hill, Marsden, Whitburn, Seaburn and Roker.  It was withdrawn about 18 years ago.  The reason for E6 is because it ran in competition with Catch A Bus service 6.  Both CAB 6 and E6 ran the exact same routes.

I thought the E6 was just a renumber or the E3 cus i remember being able to get on the E6 from my brother and sisters when they lived in Marsden,must have been about 22/23 years ago,my mistake

Yeah, E3 (Sland to SS) was defo put on by Busways to compete with TWOC X2 (Thorney Close to SS).

(29 Nov 2020, 4:55 pm)Economic505 wrote Yeah, E3 (Sland to SS) was defo put on by Busways to compete with TWOC X2 (Thorney Close to SS).

Yep, TWOC X2 Thorney Close-Sunderland-South Shields-Whitleas.
I remember the early incarnation of the E3 which used to be allocated anything that shields had from Bristols to minibuses.


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(29 Nov 2020, 4:15 pm)V514DFT wrote I thought the E6 was just a renumber or the E3 cus i remember being able to get on the E6 from where my brother and sisters when they lived in Marsden,must have been about 22/23 years ago,my mistake

E6 was originally introduced as Marsden to Sunderland only and did not run into Shields at the very beginning. Not sure if was registered same time as Catch a Bus 6, as that was started back in Jnauary 1987 but ran Simonside to Sunderland and did not go into Shields until a year or so later.  The E6 we have now if I remember correctly came about when the pointer darts 1749 to 1753 got repainted into Economic livery and was reinvented. I was working in Sunderland at that time so was between 1992 and 1995.

(29 Nov 2020, 8:26 pm)ifm001 wrote E6 was originally introduced as Marsden to Sunderland only and did not run into Shields at the very beginning. Not sure if was registered same time as Catch a Bus 6, as that was started back in Jnauary 1987 but ran Simonside to Sunderland and did not go into Shields until a year or so later.  The E6 we have now if I remember correctly came about when the pointer darts 1749 to 1753 got repainted into Economic livery and was reinvented. I was working in Sunderland at that time so was between 1992 and 1995.

If I remember the E6 was registered at least 3 times, one time the service was registered under the South Shields Busways brand and not Economic, another time it was a timetable which were odd times and not set times, I remember bristols used to be allocated on the E6


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Aye by the time my siblings moved from Marsden at the turn of the century, the E6 was DD operated by then,the X34 used to get allocated anything from darts to deckers,and that was on a Saturday aswell

(29 Nov 2020, 12:26 pm)Storx wrote Well maybe not the 3 but that wasn't really the point. Name them the 2B and 2C even, the variation is so little between them, the 39 is just a short 2 pretty much extended to Doxford Park.

The 39 route number was a throwback to the old 139 route (and 140) which ran a similar way.

(03 Dec 2020, 1:15 pm)arriva16 wrote The 39 route number was a throwback to the old 139 route (and 140) which ran a similar way.

Ah that makes sense, always wondered where the 39 came from. I admit I don't really know the Sunderland network too well but from an outsider it changes a lot, Stagecoach aswell.

(03 Dec 2020, 5:04 pm)Storx wrote Ah that makes sense, always wondered where the 39 came from. I admit I don't really know the Sunderland network too well but from an outsider it changes a lot, Stagecoach aswell.

Same here,when other parts of the network are mentiones im like 'ehhhhh'

Sunderland 18 diverted to Hylton Retail Park - opens new Links from Pennywell/Grindon/Seaburn

New route -

Fawcett Street - Wheatsheaf - Seaburn - Southwick - Hylton Retail Park (same stop as the 35/35A) - Wessington Way - Northern Spire - Pallion - Pennywell - Grindon (In Grindon: Via Gleneagles road - Gartland Road - Pennywell Aldi - Greenwood Road - Gleneagles road - Thorney close - Gilley Law


Every hour - Monday to Saturday - Between 6:30am and 6:30pm

i have heard rumor's of possibly 2 new routes in the stagecoach Newcastle area. the first is a 64 route which would run from west Denton shops to four lane ends which from the sound of it would run ten minutes ahead of current 62/63 services relieving the pressure from those routes especially during peak times. 

another one is the 73 service which would run from Grainger street following the route of the 71 through to westerhope. instead of turning left from stamfordham road onto Rogerson terrace like the 71 it would continue down past the westerhope golf club to service the new housing developments built around the callerton village. has anyone else heard anything similar?

(14 Jan 2021, 8:45 pm)toward6931 wrote i have heard rumor's of possibly 2 new routes in the stagecoach Newcastle area. the first is a 64 route which would run from west Denton shops to four lane ends which from the sound of it would run ten minutes ahead of current 62/63 services relieving the pressure from those routes especially during peak times. 

another one is the 73 service which would run from Grainger street following the route of the 71 through to westerhope. instead of turning left from stamfordham road onto Rogerson terrace like the 71 it would continue down past the westerhope golf club to service the new housing developments built around the callerton village. has anyone else heard anything similar?

Extension of the 72 would seem more likely for the latter, if anything

(14 Jan 2021, 10:31 pm)stagecoachbusdepot wrote Extension of the 72 would seem more likely for the latter, if anything

the 72 is quite a distance away from the new housing estate, it heads to chapel house  whereas the new estates are on the other side of the chapel park estate. they are still being constructed so i imagine a new route or route alterations are a few years away if anything is happening

(14 Jan 2021, 8:45 pm)toward6931 wrote i have heard rumour's of possibly 2 new routes in the stagecoach Newcastle area. the first is a 64 route which would run from west Denton shops to four lane ends which from the sound of it would run ten minutes ahead of current 62/63 services relieving the pressure from those routes especially during peak times. 

another one is the 73 service which would run from Grainger street following the route of the 71 through to westerhope. instead of turning left from stamfordham road onto Rogerson terrace like the 71 it would continue down past the westerhope golf club to service the new housing developments built around the callerton village. has anyone else heard anything similar?

I seem to recall that many years ago (1970s ?) Newcastle Corporation had services 60-65 which all ventured along Shields Road, Chillingham Road and Benton Road before heading out of the city boundary towards various destinations including West Moor and Forest Hall. Four Lane Ends station didn't exist then, and Killingworth was nowhere near as extensive as it is now. I suspect that the service 64 may have operated between West Denton shops and West Moor but am happy to be corrected.

On the other side of the city, such exotic locations as Westerhope and Stamfordham Road were also served.

Wistfully stuck in the 70s !!

Stagecoach then launched the 64/64A,think it was round about 1997/98,they were both scrapped im 2003, not sure about the 73,probably round about the same time,if these rumors are true then i would have the 64 terminate at Forest Hall like it used to and possibly a 64A that would follow the 64 and terminate at Glebe Road,then at th Great Lime Road junction,it would turn left,to serve West Moor and the Quorum then meet back up with the 64 at Four Lane Ends

(15 Jan 2021, 10:26 pm)N391OTY wrote I seem to recall that many years ago (1970s ?) Newcastle Corporation had services 60-65 which all ventured along Shields Road, Chillingham Road and Benton Road before heading out of the city boundary towards various destinations including West Moor and Forest Hall. Four Lane Ends station didn't exist then, and Killingworth was nowhere near as extensive as it is now. I suspect that the service 64 may have operated between West Denton shops and West Moor but am happy to be corrected.

On the other side of the city, such exotic locations as Westerhope and Stamfordham Road were also served.

Wistfully stuck in the 70s !!

61 from Four Lane then to Longbenton Estate
62 from Four Lane Ends to West Moor then Killingworth West Bailey
63 from Four Lane Ends to West Moor then Killingworth East Bailey
64 from Four Lane Ends to Longbenton (Goathland Ave) and Forest Hall turning Circle
65 from Four Lane Ends to Whitley Road and Benton Station to Forest Hall turning circle.
At that time I think the 61/62/63 ran from Central Station and the 64/65 from from Stamfordham Road and West Denton.

(16 Jan 2021, 10:14 am)RMF1254 wrote 61 from Four Lane then to Longbenton Estate
62 from Four Lane Ends to West Moor then Killingworth West Bailey
63 from Four Lane Ends to West Moor then Killingworth East Bailey
64 from Four Lane Ends to Longbenton (Goathland Ave) and Forest Hall turning Circle
65 from Four Lane Ends to Whitley Road and Benton Station to Forest Hall turning circle.
At that time I think the 61/62/63 ran from Central Station and the 64/65 from from Stamfordham Road and West Denton.

That sounds right.

Service 60 was a workers service which ran mornings only, I think, from Central Station to Norgas House, Killingworth.

Be interesting to see if the rumors are true or not

(14 Jan 2021, 8:45 pm)toward6931 wrote i have heard rumor's of possibly 2 new routes in the stagecoach Newcastle area. the first is a 64 route which would run from west Denton shops to four lane ends which from the sound of it would run ten minutes ahead of current 62/63 services relieving the pressure from those routes especially during peak times. 

another one is the 73 service which would run from Grainger street following the route of the 71 through to westerhope. instead of turning left from stamfordham road onto Rogerson terrace like the 71 it would continue down past the westerhope golf club to service the new housing developments built around the callerton village. has anyone else heard anything similar?

I would totally agree with having the 64 do that journey however my only issue would be that the Blackett street stop would be EVEN MORE congested than it normally is at peak times with 4 services stopping there, one of them terminating (X63). I think that would be a problem as the 62/63 already sometimes have to drop their passengers off behind the 39/40 stop, and if that one has got 2 buses then they have to wait. Other then that should definitely help with congestion especially for school kids. 
I have 2 questions would it go Fenham or Cowgate? and would it be served by Double Deckers?

Now the 73 is an interesting one as yes this would actually provide a bus service for the new village but it will mess up the scheduling times for 71/72/87 as they operate a combined 15 mins frequency. So possibly extending the 72 via here before chapel house would be the best option. Such as Westerhope, golf course, then Callerton Village, then loop round greenway (Chapel Park), then continue past House on the Hill to Chapel House? 

I think the 64 is needed however the 73 i think should be incorporated into other routes than being a new one.



https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/St.+Ja...6e!1m0!3e0

Surely if there was this new 64 then it would just run every 20 minutes with the 62/63 staying every 20 minutes instead of 15. There won't be much difference in PVR, if anything a decrease compared to pre-covid, and it just shifts the buses being in the core section rather than around Killingworth and Chapel House running empty. It's only one extra bus in the core and -1 in the outer areas (-2 Killingworth, but they have the X63).

You could even run it via the 36 bus route and bin that off in the process.

(19 Jan 2021, 9:55 am)Storx wrote Surely if there was this new 64 then it would just run every 20 minutes with the 62/63 staying every 20 minutes instead of 15. There won't be much difference in PVR, if anything a decrease compared to pre-covid, and it just shifts the buses being in the core section rather than around Killingworth and Chapel House running empty. It's only one extra bus in the core and -1 in the outer areas (-2 Killingworth, but they have the X63).

You could even run it via the 36 bus route and bin that off in the process.

I agree they should just make it every 20 mins. 
The only problem with the 36 being binned is that the 30 changes into it, so where would they terminate the 30? and going past the bbc centre, then spital tongues , then RVI is quite a different route to the 62/63 to town.

(19 Jan 2021, 12:08 pm)logidoodah wrote I agree they should just make it every 20 mins. 
The only problem with the 36 being binned is that the 30 changes into it, so where would they terminate the 30? and going past the bbc centre, then spital tongues , then RVI is quite a different route to the 62/63 to town.

I'm not sure if they could get around but couldn't they just go to the next roundabout and do a u turn there and start at where the 30 ends anyway?

I know it's slightly different for the 64 but I could imagine it being quite a popular move giving parts of the West End and then Byker and Heaton a direct bus to the RVI without the walk from Blackett Street. There's already like 15 buses past St James towards to BBC sure the diversion of 3 buses an hour won't make too much a difference you'd still have the 62/63 anyway and it should only take an extra few minutes.

(19 Jan 2021, 3:08 pm)Storx wrote I'm not sure if they could get around but couldn't they just go to the next roundabout and do a u turn there and start at where the 30 ends anyway?

I know it's slightly different for the 64 but I could imagine it being quite a popular move giving parts of the West End and then Byker and Heaton a direct bus to the RVI without the walk from Blackett Street. There's already like 15 buses past St James towards to BBC sure the diversion of 3 buses an hour won't make too much a difference you'd still have the 62/63 anyway and it should only take an extra few minutes.

Yeah, i get you however I was thinking about if it does do a u turn non of the bus stops near are particularly suitable to wait for 10 mins or so. In my opinion.

And actually that could and would probably work, I didn't think of it like that.

(19 Jan 2021, 4:25 pm)logidoodah wrote Yeah, i get you however I was thinking about if it does do a u turn non of the bus stops near are particularly suitable to wait for 10 mins or so. In my opinion.

And actually that could and would probably work, I didn't think of it like that.

Yeah that's a fair point, unless it turns left and waits in Slatyford Lane bus stop? Certainly looks big enough but I'm not sure how many buses stop there, could be popular with people from Elswick etc having a bus to B&M, Lidl and Iceland aswell.

(19 Jan 2021, 5:09 pm)Storx wrote Yeah that's a fair point, unless it turns left and waits in Slatyford Lane bus stop? Certainly looks big enough but I'm not sure how many buses stop there, could be popular with people from Elswick etc having a bus to B&M, Lidl and Iceland aswell.

Yes that could work,

If it turns left to Slatyford lane (should be big enough to wait there), then it could turn right down Ullswater way, then Pooley rd, then Stamfordham rd (and wait there opposite the depot if Slatyford ln not suitable), as those bus tops are massive.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Silver...855202!3e0



Another way could be through the bottom of Blakelaw as no buses serve here and you have to walk up to Ponteland rd or down to Stamfordham rd which this would solve that problem. As well as give Half of Springfield rd an actual bus route.
Turn left after the Balloon, and continue past B&M etc.. then turn left up Binswood ave, turn right down Sunnyway, then back down Springfield rd to aline with Silver Lonnen.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Silver...855202!3e0

Could the 12 not be extended or re-routed to meet up with the 30?

(19 Jan 2021, 6:13 pm)V514DFT wrote Could the 12 not be extended or re-routed  to meet up with the 30?

How would you suppose this could be done?

Also do you mean that they meet up on routes or that they incorporate the different routes?