(23 May 2021, 10:51 pm)GNE6312 wrote The 131 is peter hoggs of Jedburgh

Ah, yes. Have you been on it?

GNE could introduce a new service, with the 131 and 710 running different routes to your suggestion.

Placed this in the wrong place earlier so I'll move it to save the admin team a job

Looking at services like the 710 & 131 which run once a day/afew times from the South Scottish borders and Newcastle I was thinking about GNE operating something similar however on an hourly basis here is a route I was thinking:

CB1
Galashiels
Tweedbank
Melrose
St Bothwells
Jedburgh
Byreness village
West Woodburn
Chollerton
Low brunton
Wall
Acomb
Hexham (5 minute layover time/driver switchover)
Corbridge
Heddon
Newcastle Eldon Square

The service will call at all stops it passes between Galashiels & Jedburgh then from Jedburgh will call at Carter bar summit, byreness village, West Woodburn school, Chollerton-the Shieling, low Brunton Crossroads, Wall-The hadrian Hotel, Acomb garage, Hexham bus station then to Newcastle Via the X85 route & stops to Newcastle this service will operate

This service should take about 2 hours & 43 minutes which will operate at a PVR of 6This service will operate hourly on Mon to Fri with the first run being a short journey Hexham (this service is purely to for to get to Galashiels for the first service to Newcastle as opposed to a 90 minute dead run, they might only make acouple of pound though even still is better than running dead for 90 minutes from Hexham depot or 103 minutes from Riverside depot) leaving at 05:30 with arriving into Galashiels at 07:20 with the first southbound service interworking off that leaving Galashiels at 07.30 (hourly from the to Newcastle till 17:30 followed by the last 3 hexham shorts at 18:30, 19:30 & 20:30) arriving into Newcastle at 10.13, the first full northbound service will leave Newcastle at 7.37 and after that will run hourly till the last northbound  run at 17.37 arriving into Galashiels at 20:20. The last full service off Galashiels will be at 17:30 arriving into Newcastle at 20:13 there will be 3 short trips to Hexham at 18:30, 19:30 & 20:30. Additionally there will be another 2 other northbound short leaving Hexham at 6:30 & 7.30.

Ticketing:
All normal GNE fares/pass acceptance will apply on the England part of the route however In Scotland there will be an extra zone added, 5-25 fares will be the same for each side of the border but will increase for cross border journeys, passengers with regular GNE day tickets for England will only be able to travel as far as byreness village with special adult day tickets being available for cross border journeys

(23 May 2021, 10:53 pm)OrangeArrow49 wrote Ah, yes. Have you been on it?

GNE could introduce a new service, with the 131 and 710 running different routes to your suggestion.

Only done the 131 on a short hop from Eldon Square to Central. Moved the suggestion to the right place now

(23 May 2021, 8:36 am)BFK wrote Services 8, 60 & 78 cannot be allocated Deckers due to low bridges on all 3 routes.  The routes would need to be changed if that was to happen.

Ah Damn, I didn't know that. And it would be the 3 routes I chose that couldn't be upgraded without change. haha

(23 May 2021, 8:36 am)BFK wrote Services 8, 60 & 78 cannot be allocated Deckers due to low bridges on all 3 routes.  The routes would need to be changed if that was to happen.

What about tri-axle single deckers e.g. E200 XLB

(23 May 2021, 8:36 am)BFK wrote Services 8, 60 & 78 cannot be allocated Deckers due to low bridges on all 3 routes.  The routes would need to be changed if that was to happen.

Where’s the low bridge for service 60?, the only low bridge that I know is where the X6/X7 goes along the coast route to Seaham


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(24 May 2021, 2:25 pm)cbma06 wrote Where’s the low bridge for service 60?, the only low bridge that I know is where the X6/X7 goes along the coast route to Seaham


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The only one I can think of that would be considered low enough for a warning is Tempest Road in Seaham, near the station. However, looking on Google Maps, it has a 16ft limit on it. So the same as the railway arch in Hills Street, Gateshead, where deckers pass under all constantly.

(24 May 2021, 2:37 pm)Adrian wrote The only one I can think of that would be considered low enough for a warning is Tempest Road in Seaham, near the station. However, looking on Google Maps, it has a 16ft limit on it. So the same as the railway arch in Hills Street, Gateshead, where deckers pass under all constantly.

Thanks for your message, It’s just that the X95 used to be ran by expresslink double deckers to Parkside and it’s mostly the same route as the 60 now, but some road layouts have changed since then in Seaham


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(23 May 2021, 10:56 pm)GNE6312 wrote Placed this in the wrong place earlier so I'll move it to save the admin team a job

Looking at services like the 710 & 131 which run once a day/afew times from the South Scottish borders and Newcastle I was thinking about GNE operating something similar however on an hourly basis here is a route I was thinking:

CB1
Galashiels
Tweedbank
Melrose
St Bothwells
Jedburgh
Byreness village
West Woodburn
Chollerton
Low brunton
Wall
Acomb
Hexham (5 minute layover time/driver switchover)
Corbridge
Heddon
Newcastle Eldon Square

The service will call at all stops it passes between Galashiels & Jedburgh then from Jedburgh will call at Carter bar summit, byreness village, West Woodburn school, Chollerton-the Shieling, low Brunton Crossroads, Wall-The hadrian Hotel, Acomb garage, Hexham bus station then to Newcastle Via the X85 route & stops to Newcastle this service will operate

This service should take about 2 hours & 43 minutes which will operate at a PVR of 6This service will operate hourly on Mon to Fri with the first run being a short journey Hexham (this service is purely to for to get to Galashiels for the first service to Newcastle as opposed to a 90 minute dead run, they might only make acouple of pound though even still is better than running dead for 90 minutes from Hexham depot or 103 minutes from Riverside depot) leaving at 05:30 with arriving into Galashiels at 07:20 with the first southbound service interworking off that leaving Galashiels at 07.30 (hourly from the to Newcastle till 17:30 followed by the last 3 hexham shorts at 18:30, 19:30 & 20:30) arriving into Newcastle at 10.13, the first full northbound service will leave Newcastle at 7.37 and after that will run hourly till the last northbound  run at 17.37 arriving into Galashiels at 20:20. The last full service off Galashiels will be at 17:30 arriving into Newcastle at 20:13 there will be 3 short trips to Hexham at 18:30, 19:30 & 20:30. Additionally there will be another 2 other northbound short leaving Hexham at 6:30 & 7.30.

Ticketing:
All normal GNE fares/pass acceptance will apply on the England part of the route however In Scotland there will be an extra zone added, 5-25 fares will be the same for each side of the border but will increase for cross border journeys, passengers with regular GNE day tickets for England will only be able to travel as far as byreness village with special adult day tickets being available for cross border journeys

Your suggestion could easily be merged with the 680 which runs from Hexham to Bellingham via Acomb and Wall and then onwards up to Galashiels, I would also potentially look a second service following the same up to Jedburgh but then going via Kelso to Berwick-Upon-Tweed. I'd also have these as local services with a few journey's a day in each direction.

I also have this suggestion:

75 - Rothbury - Whitton - Low Hesleyhurst - Nunnykirk - Netherwhitton - Meldon - Walton - Ogle - Ponteland Non Stop To Newcastle

Service would operate 3 morning journey's departing Rothbury at 06:00/07:00 and 8:00 enabling those who work in Newcastle but don't drive a better option to get to/from work, The 3 evening journey's would depart Newcastle at 17:00/18:00 & 19:00 with an approximate journey time of 66 minutes.

(24 May 2021, 2:37 pm)Adrian wrote The only one I can think of that would be considered low enough for a warning is Tempest Road in Seaham, near the station. However, looking on Google Maps, it has a 16ft limit on it. So the same as the railway arch in Hills Street, Gateshead, where deckers pass under all constantly.

There's a low bridge in Dawdon that it goes under (Hill Crescent). 12ft 3 according to Google maps.

(24 May 2021, 3:39 pm)Andreos1 wrote There's a low bridge in Dawdon that it goes under (Hill Crescent). 12ft 3 according to Google maps.

Correct Mr A.

(24 May 2021, 2:42 pm)cbma06 wrote Thanks for your message, It’s just that the X95 used to be ran by expresslink double deckers to Parkside and it’s mostly the same route as the 60 now, but some road layouts have changed since then in Seaham


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I was pretty sure the X95 didn't go along the front and up towards Dawdon like the 60 does.
Not only because of the height restriction where the bridge is or the fact is served the bus station rather than Byron Place - but also because some of the roads the 60 goes on, weren't built back when the X95 ran. Like you say, so much of the road network in the town centre has changed so much.

Had a quick look in the Bygone Era and it confirms that there is a difference in routes between the town centre and Parkside.

New University-esque scholars buses. Number them starting at U1, U2, U3, etc...

(24 May 2021, 7:09 pm)Andreos1 wrote I was pretty sure the X95 didn't go along the front and up towards Dawdon like the 60 does.
Not only because of the height restriction where the bridge is or the fact is served the bus station rather than Byron Place - but also because some of the roads the 60 goes on, weren't built back when the X95 ran. Like you say, so much of the road network in the town centre has changed so much.

Had a quick look in the Bygone Era and it confirms that there is a difference in routes between the town centre and Parkside.

Yea, the X95 once reaching Seaham bus station from Sunderland , used to double back where it came from and upto parkside so missing out sections with low bridge


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(24 May 2021, 7:42 pm)ASX_Terranova wrote New University-esque scholars buses. Number them starting at U1, U2, U3, etc...

For which university would this be as there are plenty 

(24 May 2021, 11:33 pm)logidoodah wrote For which university would this be as there are plenty 

I've just though of a better idea, you could have U versions of existing services a bit like the current covid dupes.

(22 May 2021, 6:12 pm)Storx wrote Ngl the other side of the route would probably be more popular especially if you redirected it to run by Osbourne Road instead since it pretty much duplicates the Metro which doesn't run in the evening between Newcastle and the Regent Centre. You've got a lot of students and also Gosforth High Street which has late night bars aswell to pick passengers up from, could be popular imo.

For the Coaster I'd be tempted to try and change it around a bit and have something like this.

Newcastle -> Gateshead -> Metro Centre services split off and seperate as they are.

Northern Side
1 - Current route between Newcastle and North Shields only (Every 30 Minutes, Single Deckers)
1A - Current route between Newcastle and Wallsend then 11 route to Whitley (Every 30 Minutes, Single Deckers)
19 - Remain the same
42/42A - Remain the same
309 - Remain the same
310 - Current route between Newcastle and North Shields extended to Whitley taking over the 1A/1B between North Shields and Whitley (Every 20 Minutes, Double Deckers)
311 - Change to old 305 between Newcastle and Wallsend replacing the 41 (Every 20 Minutes, Single Deckers - if possible)
Q3 - Extended to Hadrian Park via other side of the 41 route (Every 30 Minutes)

Haven't worked out the PVR but it shouldn't be too different if anything should be less but it makes the Little Coaster network which is useless have connections to further afield and Newcastle from places like Howdon, Willington Quay and The Royal Quays

Thats actually a good idea,
my only critiques would be that
- the 1/1A (1A/1B new routes), would be at a combined frequency of 15 mins, and they would still have to fair against the stagecoach's 22 between Newcastle and Wallsend even more so at a 15 min freq.
- Also you would keep the 311 as the number even though there's a lot of bad stigma around it, as well as it couldn't interwork with the 309/310 as it would be a mismatch of singles vs deckers. 
Overall a sound Idea.

(25 May 2021, 9:35 am)ASX_Terranova wrote I've just though of a better idea, you could have U versions of existing services a bit like the current covid dupes.

I don't know if the demand would be there for Durham Uni tbh, though I do wonder how many passengers the X21 picks up from Neville Hill and whether operating via South Road and the Uni might pick up some more student traffic! The Uni is really quite Arriva dominated, what with the 6, 56/57/57A and X12 all going that way and I suppose those travelling further a field would have to change onto a GNE route at the bus station atm. Re-routing the X21 that way would solve that problem! Equally introducing the N21 extension to South Road Colleges throughout the day would do the job, not sure whether that might need an extra bus though

(25 May 2021, 9:05 pm)logidoodah wrote Thats actually a good idea,
my only critiques would be that
- the 1/1A (1A/1B new routes), would be at a combined frequency of 15 mins, and they would still have to fair against the stagecoach's 22 between Newcastle and Wallsend even more so at a 15 min freq.
- Also you would keep the 311 as the number even though there's a lot of bad stigma around it, as well as it couldn't interwork with the 309/310 as it would be a mismatch of singles vs deckers. 
Overall a sound Idea.

Yeah I was thinking about the 15 minute service issue but there's not much you could really do as it's two 30 minute services combined. The PVR shouldn't be too different when you account for the 11 duplicating part of the route atm giving 5 buses between Howdon and Wallsend so it's a small decrease there, plus the 1 bus less between Howdon and Shields on the current 1A/1B but it's partially covered by the new 311. Capacity wise it should be about the same though as it's just gone from DD to Singles.

The 311 doesn't seem to be interworking atm bar a few morning journeys so should be possible in theory to split it off vehicle wise, I'd keep it part of it though just to keep it combined on the Coast Road. Not sure whether it's possible to get the morning ones working though - https://bustimes.org/vehicles/138307?date=2021-05-25 see what I mean there.

An interesting thought. Extend the Coaster to Monkseaton from Whitley Bay, curtailed at Wallsend. Q3 provides a service Wallsend into Newcastle, and from there a number of services to Gateshead. Maybe a new service on route could provide a direct link to Newcastle. Stagecoach's 22 has killed off any demand for the Coasters in Wallsend/Byker and Newcastle. Towards Whitley Bay, it does pick a few passengers at Wallsend. Curtailing the service at Wallsend allows for connections to Q3 and Metro.

(26 May 2021, 12:21 am)OrangeArrow49 wrote An interesting thought. Extend the Coaster to Monkseaton from Whitley Bay, curtailed at Wallsend. Q3 provides a service Wallsend into Newcastle, and from there a number of services to Gateshead. Maybe a new service on route could provide a direct link to Newcastle. Stagecoach's 22 has killed off any demand for the Coasters in Wallsend/Byker and Newcastle. Towards Whitley Bay, it does pick a few passengers at Wallsend. Curtailing the service at Wallsend allows for connections to Q3 and Metro.

The 1A/1B is the only service to go through Walkerville so what would happen there?

(25 May 2021, 9:47 pm)Storx wrote Yeah I was thinking about the 15 minute service issue but there's not much you could really do as it's two 30 minute services combined. The PVR shouldn't be too different when you account for the 11 duplicating part of the route atm giving 5 buses between Howdon and Wallsend so it's a small decrease there, plus the 1 bus less between Howdon and Shields on the current 1A/1B but it's partially covered by the new 311. Capacity wise it should be about the same though as it's just gone from DD to Singles.

The 311 doesn't seem to be interworking atm bar a few morning journeys so should be possible in theory to split it off vehicle wise, I'd keep it part of it though just to keep it combined on the Coast Road. Not sure whether it's possible to get the morning ones working though - https://bustimes.org/vehicles/138307?date=2021-05-25 see what I mean there.

Yeah, I do see what you mean. It would be a tricky one to figure out.

(27 May 2021, 7:33 am)RMF1254 wrote The 1A/1B is the only service to go through Walkerville so what would happen there?

A new service providing a direct link to Newcastle from somewhere along the route could serve Walkerville. Maybe if Stagecoach introduced a service Newcastle - Howdon, that could serve Walkerville. Stagecoach could make some minor changes and improve overall coverage, like serving Howdon when so many buses serve Wallsend. 12s could all terminate at Walker, and be replaced by a new service Newcastle to Howdon, with the 32/32A withdrawn from Byker and Walkergate.

Thinking about the Sunderland network, how about merging the 38/A and 33. Extend the 33 from Hollycarrside up to Tunstall Bank (optional Bevan Avenue) then up Tunstall Bank (optional estate) then Tunstall Village Green and onto the Vicarage at Silksworth as per the 2/2A. It would then continue to Sunderland as per the current 33 then loop around Docks. The reverse would be anti clockwise loop around the docks then Silksworth first before Tunstall Bank, Hollycarrside etc. So

I'd also withdraw the 938 and put the 39A around Tunstall Bank restoring the old George Bell and latterly GNE 127 with a bus to Morrisons at Doxford Park.

(27 May 2021, 11:04 am)OrangeArrow49 wrote A new service providing a direct link to Newcastle from somewhere along the route could serve Walkerville. Maybe if Stagecoach introduced a service Newcastle - Howdon, that could serve Walkerville. Stagecoach could make some minor changes and improve overall coverage, like serving Howdon when so many buses serve Wallsend. 12s could all terminate at Walker, and be replaced by a new service Newcastle to Howdon, with the 32/32A withdrawn from Byker and Walkergate.

If your idea were to happen,could the 11 not be extended to do a 1 way loop
So it would go Stotts Road,Fossway,Coutts Road,Appletree Gardens,Logan Road

(27 May 2021, 11:05 am)morritt89 wrote Thinking about the Sunderland network, how about merging the 38/A and 33. Extend the 33 from Hollycarrside up to Tunstall Bank (optional Bevan Avenue) then up Tunstall Bank (optional estate) then Tunstall Village Green and onto the Vicarage at Silksworth as per the 2/2A. It would then continue to Sunderland as per the current 33 then loop around Docks. The reverse would be anti clockwise loop around the docks then Silksworth first before Tunstall Bank, Hollycarrside etc. So

I'd also withdraw the 938 and put the 39A around Tunstall Bank restoring the old George Bell and latterly GNE 127 with a bus to Morrisons at Doxford Park.

---

Totally agree 39A to serve tunstall bank estate
Axe the 938
Axe 33 38 38A 38C
Replaced with new services 3 and 3A
Docks, city centre Barnes silksworth vicarage tunstall village Asda ryhope hollycarrside Asda leechmere city centre Docks

42A extended to Great Park, to connect with the Q3 to Newcastle. A new brand for the 42/42A and 74, as both are rural, indirect links. Genuinely expect Tynedale Links will be scrapped if new buses or repaint happen, but might go into fleet livery. What brand could they create to suit these routes? Culture Links? Heritage Rider? Both Little Coasters and Tynedale Links serve Hadrian's Wall.

(29 May 2021, 8:08 pm)OrangeArrow49 wrote 42A extended to Great Park, to connect with the Q3 to Newcastle. A new brand for the 42/42A and 74, as both are rural, indirect links. Genuinely expect Tynedale Links will be scrapped if new buses or repaint happen, but might go into fleet livery. What brand could they create to suit these routes? Culture Links? Heritage Rider? Both Little Coasters and Tynedale Links serve Hadrian's Wall.

See seeing the 42A extension to the Great Park would give people a connection from there to the airport or Kingston Park. But then again they would have to be upgraded to longer buses. Which I'd like to see. See I've lived on the route since the time Arriva ran the 101 (Kingston Park to Dudley) then it went 353 by NEXUS as it was known back then. Then GNE took the route over and kept the 353.

Whoevers bright idea at nexus to stop the 353 into the airport was completely mad back then. Then gne renumbered it to the complete pointless 42A. Which I'd like to know why its number that way. Yea I could understand when it was the North Shields part. But 42A now makes little to no sense.

Neither does the branding anymore. Its not really little Links in North Tyneside. The 19 isn't neither is the 42 or 42A. 42 enters Cramlington alongside a host of other routes. 

Plus u have to think. The 42 after Killingworth is just followed by the 52 then in Dudley by the 43 and 53 so it's pretty outnumbered

42A in my opinion is strange alongside the airport part. Here's what confusing me. Before Covid hit. I saw a few deckers operate at the airport (obviously for flights) it makes me confusing how you have one bus service an hour between Kingston Park and the airport 

Also another thing is. If the metro has a problem between Airport and Kingston Park. People are required to use the 42A. An hour service. This happened a few weeks ago where it got 3 hours and called for emergency metro replacement

This is a point I ain't slating GNE at all. The 42A is a strange route in my opinion. Plus why move the times in the morning. It makes my brother late for school now. As he's due in at 8.40 where as the 42A gets to Wide-open for 8.50 or later (if its running late) that's the only problem I have with GNE about the 42A running time

(29 May 2021, 8:53 pm)Micheal Aaron wrote See seeing the 42A extension to the Great Park would give people a connection from there to the airport or Kingston Park. But then again they would have to be upgraded to longer buses. Which I'd like to see. See I've lived on the route since the time Arriva ran the 101 (Kingston Park to Dudley) then it went 353 by NEXUS as it was known back then. Then GNE took the route over and kept the 353.

Whoevers bright idea at nexus to stop the 353 into the airport was completely mad back then. Then gne renumbered it to the complete pointless 42A. Which I'd like to know why its number that way. Yea I could understand when it was the North Shields part. But 42A now makes little to no sense.

Neither does the branding anymore. Its not really little Links in North Tyneside. The 19 isn't neither is the 42 or 42A. 42 enters Cramlington alongside a host of other routes. 

Plus u have to think. The 42 after Killingworth is just followed by the 52 then in Dudley by the 43 and 53 so it's pretty outnumbered

42A in my opinion is strange alongside the airport part. Here's what confusing me. Before Covid hit. I saw a few deckers operate at the airport (obviously for flights) it makes me confusing how you have one bus service an hour between Kingston Park and the airport 

Also another thing is. If the metro has a problem between Airport and Kingston Park. People are required to use the 42A. An hour service. This happened a few weeks ago where it got 3 hours and called for emergency metro replacement

This is a point I ain't slating GNE at all. The 42A is a strange route in my opinion. Plus why move the times in the morning. It makes my brother late for school now. As he's due in at 8.40 where as the 42A gets to Wide-open for 8.50 or later (if its running late) that's the only problem I have with GNE about the 42A running time

There's no demand between Kingston Park and the Airport that's why. The Metro is dead along there most the time and is by far one of the weakest areas (only South Hylton to Park Lane is potentially worse).

If Metro has any sense when the new Metro Flow timetable comes in seeing both lines going upto every 10 minutes during the day the Green Line should be every 20 minutes between the Airport and South Hylton and every 10 minutes between Regent Centre and Park Lane, the rest of the line really doesn't need nothing more. Hopefully that doesn't happen of course but money wise it would make sense.

There's definitely not demand for more buses along there.

I think buses should pick up passengers when they are running light. For example a Tynedale Links Solo runs through Slatyford and Cowgate to go onto the 112 scholar's in West Jesmond. Could this bus not therefore run a service to West Jesmond?

An empty bus from Hexham to West Jesmond for a short West Jesmond to Arthur's Hill run seems a waste of resources.

Why are scholars buses provided, when scholars can board normal public buses, and before the pandemic anybody could board a scholars bid anyway.

My biggest suggestion is to do something with the 42A and Q3. So close together, yet so far apart. One should be extended to connect with the other, and the 42A being less frequent should link with the Q3 for Newcastle.