(28 Jul 2021, 8:52 pm)pbjd wrote No, otherwise the service would be a bit pointless, it will run Newcastle to Metrocentre via Whickham.

Any info on changes in the Sunderland area?

Say the 97 finishes at Metrocentre now and changes to a 96 to Gateshead and back then back to a 97 wouldn't that make it have one terminal point now in Newcastle instead of the two

(28 Jul 2021, 8:56 pm)Michael wrote Any info on changes in the Sunderland area?

All I’ve heard is X20 out of Rainton which I can’t imagine comes as a surprise to anyone.

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(28 Jul 2021, 8:57 pm)Train8261 wrote Say the 97 finishes at Metrocentre now and changes to a 96 to Gateshead and back then back to a 97 wouldn't that make it have one terminal point now in Newcastle instead of the two

Yes, as has already been said the service will terminate at Metrocentre with half running into the 96 and the other half terminating at ASDA.

Has anyone heard anything of any changes to services in the Washington area?

(28 Jul 2021, 8:59 pm)pbjd wrote All I’ve heard is X20 out of Rainton which I can’t imagine comes as a surprise to anyone.

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Not surprised, might speed the journey up too.

(28 Jul 2021, 8:59 pm)pbjd wrote All I’ve heard is X20 out of Rainton which I can’t imagine comes as a surprise to anyone. 

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Yes, as has already been said the service will terminate at Metrocentre with half running into the 96 and the other half terminating at ASDA.

Rainton Bridge?
Surprised at that. Heard the NPower building was going to be back in use with a new tenant soon.

(28 Jul 2021, 9:11 pm)Andreos1 wrote Rainton Bridge?
Surprised at that. Heard the NPower building was going to be back in use with a new tenant soon.

News to me they had someone moving in, maybe not a smart idea to pull it after all.

If you cut the journey time on the X20 by missing Rainton you could probably save a bus with a 150 minute round trip, but you'd need to Interwork with something else at Sunderland or Langley to make the saving....

(28 Jul 2021, 9:11 pm)Andreos1 wrote Rainton Bridge?
Surprised at that. Heard the NPower building was going to be back in use with a new tenant soon.

Just Eat moving in

(28 Jul 2021, 8:59 pm)pbjd wrote All I’ve heard is X20 out of Rainton which I can’t imagine comes as a surprise to anyone.

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Yes, as has already been said the service will terminate at Metrocentre with half running into the 96 and the other half terminating at ASDA.

So am I right in thinking the 96/97 will work something like this?

(28 Jul 2021, 8:17 pm)fexib45 wrote The 97 will be extended to serve Asda and the route amended.
M6, M7 and M8 cancelled with the 6 route being amended and also a new x72 service being introduced
There will be a new 41a service to go around holy cross first then to howdon
53/54 will be going via quayside
q1/q2 changed to 51/52

Concentrating only on what affects me, is the 6 still running via Catchgate and is the X30 hourly extension to Consett surviving?

I'm guessing in the 6 reverting to the 6A route.   Possibly every second 6 going via Tanfield Lea extending the short run to Sunniside.

The X30 extension to Consett did not seem to be doing well.   Late evening runs Stanley - Newcastle seemed a waste of time.

(28 Jul 2021, 9:43 pm)streetdeckfan wrote So am I right in thinking the 96/97 will work something like this?

Yes just without the X97 as that will be cancelled

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(28 Jul 2021, 9:44 pm)DH9 wrote Concentrating only on what affects me, is the 6 still running via Catchgate and is the X30 hourly extension to Consett surviving?

I'm guessing in the 6 reverting to the 6A route.   Possibly every second 6 going via Tanfield Lea extending the short run to Sunniside.

The X30 extension to Consett did not seem to be doing well.   Late evening runs Stanley - Newcastle seemed a waste of time.

The 6 will operate to Crookgate as it does now but then it will serve Burnopfield and Tanfield Lea. So no it wont go via Catchgate
The new X72 will be the one that now serves Dipton and Annfield Plain

(28 Jul 2021, 9:24 pm)pbjd wrote News to me they had someone moving in, maybe not a smart idea to pull it after all.

Aye, it's hardly a secret.
Bit of a clanger if it is missing out Rainton Bridge with that place filling up again.

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(28 Jul 2021, 9:32 pm)JP6004 wrote Just Eat moving in

With all sorts of shift patterns.
The sort of place that has staff needing public transport.

(28 Jul 2021, 9:51 pm)fexib45 wrote

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The 6 will operate to Crookgate as it does now but then it will serve Burnopfield and Tanfield Lea. So no it wont go via Catchgate
The new X72 will be the one that now serves Dipton and Annfield Plain

And given it is X72, I assume it will go to Consett after that?

If not and it goes to Stanley, then why not revert to old numbers 43 ad 44?

So does anyone know if there are any changes at CLS?

When the 97 was extended from MetroCentre to Eldon Square to become almost a full circle, did it replace something else over this part, or was it an increase in frequency to Newcastle?

(28 Jul 2021, 9:51 pm)fexib45 wrote Yes just without the X97 as that will be cancelled

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The 6 will operate to Crookgate as it does now but then it will serve Burnopfield and Tanfield Lea. So no it wont go via Catchgate
The new X72 will be the one that now serves Dipton and Annfield Plain

Guessing the X70/X71/X72 is going to be increased to every 20 minutes then?

X70: Unchanged Hourly
X71: Unchanged Hourly
X72: Current X70 to Dipton, then 6 route to Annfield Plain, then along to Leadgate and rejoin the other 2 replacing the X30 extension?

I know it hasn't be posted and it's just an assumption but something tells me the Consett 'bad news' is the X30/X31 both going hourly, they didn't half quickly go hourly during both lockdowns and the X72 is likely replacing one of the X30's between Sunniside and Gateshead. Anything on this?

(28 Jul 2021, 10:07 pm)Wybus wrote When the 97 was extended from MetroCentre to Eldon Square to become almost a full circle, did it replace something else over this part, or was it an increase in frequency to Newcastle?

There was the 98,im sure it replaced that in part

With all these changes wonder if the 311 is getting merged with either the 309 or 310 (or indeed both) as that will work

(28 Jul 2021, 10:07 pm)Wybus wrote When the 97 was extended from MetroCentre to Eldon Square to become almost a full circle, did it replace something else over this part, or was it an increase in frequency to Newcastle?

Think the 97 (along with the 10/10A/10B becoming all stops) effectively replaced the X45/X46/X47 on the intermediate stops along the way as these became limited stop between MetroCentre and Eldon Square.

Can't say I'm surprised this part of the 97 is seemingly being binned as was dead every time I rode/saw it on this section.

If the M6/7/8 are being binned and the 6 rerouted to go through tanfield Lea etc will there be an increase in frequency for the 6? From 3 busses and hour each way to 1 an hour is a steep cut.

(28 Jul 2021, 10:12 pm)Storx wrote Guessing the X70/X71/X72 is going to be increased to every 20 minutes then?

X70: Unchanged Hourly
X71: Unchanged Hourly
X72: Current X70 to Dipton, then 6 route to Annfield Plain, then along to Leadgate and rejoin the other 2 replacing the X30 extension?

I know it hasn't be posted and it's just an assumption but something tells me the Consett 'bad news' is the X30/X31 both going hourly, they didn't half quickly go hourly during both lockdowns and the X72 is likely replacing one of the X30's between Sunniside and Gateshead. Anything on this?

Kind of right with the X70/X71/X72 but the latter won't start or even serve Consett. X30/X31 won't be every hour each.

(29 Jul 2021, 4:58 am)Stanleyone wrote Kind of right with the X70/X71/X72 but the latter won't start or even serve Consett. X30/X31 won't be every hour each.

Thanks for that. Interesting with the X72.

(29 Jul 2021, 6:48 am)Storx wrote Thanks for that. Interesting with the X72.

It'll be interesting to see the reaction, there's a lot to take in and get used to.

(29 Jul 2021, 4:58 am)Stanleyone wrote Kind of right with the X70/X71/X72 but the latter won't start or even serve Consett. X30/X31 won't be every hour each.

So the X72 will loop round to Stanley after Annfield Plain? If its coming via Gateshead, then it's effectively an old 705 configuration.

Going to Lanchester had gone through my mind, effectively making it an old 708, but that's a long shot.

(29 Jul 2021, 7:04 am)DH9 wrote So the X72 will loop round to Stanley after Annfield Plain?  If its coming via Gateshead, then it's effectively an old 705 configuration.

Going to Lanchester had gone through my mind, effectively making it an old 708, but that's a long shot.

Start and finish at Stanley. It'll be an interesting route to drive.

(28 Jul 2021, 10:04 pm)streetdeckfan wrote So does anyone know if there are any changes at CLS?

Quite a few, but no to the X21 shorts coming back and no to any later journeys on it.

(29 Jul 2021, 7:29 am)NL62WVW wrote Quite a few, but no to the X21 shorts coming back and no to any later journeys on it.

Drat!

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(29 Jul 2021, 7:19 am)Stanleyone wrote Start and finish at Stanley. It'll be an interesting route to drive.

Okay, so if the X72 goes via Gateshead to Newcastle, that leaves the Catchgate / Annfield Plain area without a direct link to the Metrocentre.

Hmm...

(28 Jul 2021, 8:24 pm)fexib45 wrote Yes via high level bridge for 51 and tyne for 52

I'm surprised that the 51/52 will continue to Newcastle if that is indeed the case. Thought it would be inevitable that they'd curtail them at Gateshead.

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