I worked at the Metrocentre, and was getting the 7 which got me there late every Friday and just in time most days. 

After that I volunteered in Byker, using Stagecoach until the final weeks before the first lockdown when I had a free GNE all zones 28 day ticket. 


For college I used Stagecoach and for sixth form Stagecoach and GNE with Stagecoach letting me down.

ah right. thanks for clearing that up.

ah right. thanks for clearing that up.

No problem. Why did you ask?

I was unfortunately working evenings so didn't have many travel options. As I was also volunteering and returning home to get changed for work it was a nightmare.

just with you trying to avoid using SCNE i thought maybe you travel to metro centre to catch a GNE bus to town then a 1 or 1a up toi byker... before i realise the 7 was SNE

just with you trying to avoid using SCNE i thought maybe you travel to metro centre to catch a GNE bus to town then a 1 or 1a up toi byker... before i realise the 7 was SNE

I successfully avoided SNE by using the GNE 74 if its due or X84/X85 otherwise Monday to Saturday and 33A or Q3 on Sundays. Phoenix 808 into Newcastle is an option if getting North Tyne day ticket rather than Purple Go Zone or can get 808 into town and walk back out Monday to Friday. Sundays I can also use GCT 32A if just wanting to get into town quickly without a long walk. For just town and that's it GCT 84A is an option, ever just one way and walk the other. SNE is more easily avoided than I thought and I wholeheartedly regret leaving it so long to give up on SNE.

Few more ideas for a revamped Hartlepool network especially since Teesbay retail park is now more popular and the Shopping centre is having something of a slow death.

Service 1 Continues every 30 minutes to Middlesbrough but with revised route in Seaton Carew. Will now operate full length of Elizabeth Way then Bus Station before continuing towards Middlesbrough. No longer serves Warrior Park.

1A Will operate every 30 Minutes between High Tunstall and Seaton Carew along service 1 route but except Wiltshire Way instead of Throston Grange Lane and will serve Hartlepool Interchange will also run via Warrior Park and Seaton towards Elizabeth Way inter working with new service 2.

Service 2 Bishop Cuthbert - Seaton Carew. Will run to Hartlepool Town Centre via the current service 3 route but will operate via Chatham Road instead of Challinor Road. Will then operate service 1 route to Seaton Carew interworking with 1A at Seaton Carew. All services will serve Seaton Bus Station meaning the stand opposite will no longer be in use. This gives a service every few minutes from Seaton Carew and every few minutes from Teesbay Retail Park.

Service 3 will be revised to once again be every 30 minutes. No change in route.

Service 2 and 3 combined gives a service every 15 minutes from Bishop Cuthbert.

Current 3A axed.
New 3A will operate as an evening and Sunday service from Bishop Cuthbert to Owton Manor via Current 3 Route except it will serve Marina and Interchange instead of Raby Road.

New service 4 Will operate Clavering - South Fens via Easington Road, University Hospital, Millbank Road, Marina, Interchange, Town Centre, Rift House, Wynyard Road, South Fens.

Service 5 and 6.
Some service 6 journeys renumbered to service 5.
Service 5 Will operate service 6 route to Mill House then will operate via Morrisons and Victoria Road, York Road then via Stranton direct to Teesbay Retail Park then via Seaton Lane Truro Drive and Maxwell Road to Saint Patrick’s.

Service 6 As now but full evening Journeys brought back every 30 minutes.

7 7A 7B.

7 As now but will be reduced to every 20 minutes on Monday - Saturday daytime and Hourly on Sunday and evenings

7A every 20 minutes Monday - Saturday daytimes. Will operate via Millbank Road and Morrisons.

7B. Will operate hourly on Evening and Sundays via Millbank Road Marina and Interchange and Owton Manor Lane instead of Rossmere Way.

Service 8.

Throston Grange - Owton Manor. Via University Hospital, Mill House, Town Centre and Stockton Road

There is some good suggestions in there, especially the thought of diverting some service 6 to serve morrisons, but I can't help but think it'll just add more congestion onto the bus stops on Victoria Road. If I remember rightly services were removed from milbank road due to low numbers and anti social behaviour so could be a bit of a risk running services there. One suggestion I would potentially have is divert some service 1s that terminate in seaton to run the full length of Brenda road past Tofts Farm Estate to the power station roundabout before picking up the current route at Elizabeth way shops and only serving station Lane on the way back into Hartlepool centre

There is some good suggestions in there, especially the thought of diverting some service 6 to serve morrisons, but I can't help but think it'll just add more congestion onto the bus stops on Victoria Road. If I remember rightly services were removed from milbank road due to low numbers and anti social behaviour so could be a bit of a risk running services there. One suggestion I would potentially have is divert some service 1s that terminate in seaton to run the full length of Brenda road past Tofts Farm Estate to the power station roundabout before picking up the current route at Elizabeth way shops and only serving station Lane on the way back into Hartlepool centre

That could work although would probably renumber that the 1B or something

Why are there no North East Gold Services?
Are there any services that should be rebranded as Gold?

Why are there no North East Gold Services?
Are there any services that should be rebranded as Gold?

Nothing really fits the Gold brand within the North East and Gold will now never happen as the Gold livery has been discontinued since the rebrand took place.

Why are there no North East Gold Services?
Are there any services that should be rebranded as Gold?

You must be joking, right?

Would you be happy when your 'Gold' service is replaced by a minibus; and the 'Gold' specification bus you expect is tootling around Whickham on the 643 carrying pensioners using the tables to have a quick game of Bridge or Backgammon?

That's what would inevitably happen.

You must be joking, right?

Would you be happy when your 'Gold' service is replaced by a minibus; and the 'Gold' specification bus you expect is tootling around Whickham on the 643 carrying pensioners using the tables to have a quick game of Bridge or Backgammon?

That's what would inevitably happen.

I need to ride the 643 next time I am in Whickham. Upgrading and downgrading services is not good. The Little Coasters should get their announcements back. Which Solos have working Little Coasters announcements?

I need to ride the 643 next time I am in Whickham. Upgrading and downgrading services is not good. The Little Coasters should get their announcements back. Which Solos have working Little Coasters announcements?

I'm sure the Little Coasters don't have NSA program in. I definitely know the 42/42A don't as I've used them both when NSA buses have been on

I'm sure the Little Coasters don't have NSA program in. I definitely know the 42/42A don't as I've used them both when NSA buses have been on

Your doing it again,what is your obsession with the 42/42A

This conversation isn’t about SNE. Can it be moved to the appropriate thread ?

This conversation isn’t about SNE. Can it be moved to the appropriate thread ?

My fault. It's relevant continuity as someone mentioned the 643 and upgrading/downgrading services in response to a post about there being no Stagecoach Gold services in the North East. Upgrading and downgrading services brought me to Little Coasters which should have NSAs. So the discussion is about upgrading and downgrading services which Stagecoach doesn't really do, so the discussion is about Stagecoach.

Are National Express likely to make any major changes as Stagecoach's new owners?

Why are there no North East Gold Services?
Are there any services that should be rebranded as Gold?

I think the only routes which could/should have been Gold are the X24 (which did have Gold typing on the leaflets) and the X77/X78, although I am not sure Gold buses would even tempt the good folk of Darras Hall on to a bus. I'd possibly say the 1 between Hartlepool and Middlesbrough as well

I think the only routes which could/should have been Gold are the X24 (which did have Gold typing on the leaflets) and the X77/X78, although I am not sure Gold buses would even tempt the good folk of Darras Hall on to a bus. I'd possibly say the 1 between Hartlepool and Middlesbrough as well

Yes, I agree with all of those points.

Did the 1 in Slatyford ever have single deckers?

Yes, I agree with all of those points.

Did the 1 in Slatyford ever have single deckers?

Rarely, the 1 has been the route which has been consistently double deck for as long as I remember.

Rarely, the 1 has been the route which has been consistently double deck for as long as I remember.

The 1 saw the odd rare workings of having a single decker on it

https://flic.kr/p/2kcQWNq

The 1 saw the odd rare workings of having a single decker on it

https://flic.kr/p/2kcQWNq

Yes it does have rare workings of single deckers but over the years it has been allocated double deckers. For a while the 12, 38, 39, 40, 62 and 63 were all single deck routes but have now been changed back to double deckers.

When the new Roseden Way link road opens at Great Park, I'd suggest extending the X47 from Kingston Park to Wagonway Drive.

Just a small suggestion,some stops on Tynemouth Road are now no longer served at all,and elderly people in particular depnded on those services so maybe in the future
12-extends hourly to operate like this High Street East,Tynemouth Road,Howdon Lane,Bewick Road,Hadrian Road,Wallsend Interchange

Just a small suggestion,some stops on Tynemouth  Road are now no longer served at all,and elderly people in particular depnded on those services so maybe in the future
12-extends hourly to operate like this  High Street East,Tynemouth Road,Howdon Lane,Bewick Road,Hadrian Road,Wallsend Interchange

Good point but I would think the 18 would be a better option, as it would help to give Westbourne Avenue as service to Wallsend again. You couldn’t really extend the 12 hourly anyway as the timings wouldn’t work.

you could even extend the Q3 half hourly from St Peters and it would be easily doable with 2 buses. Would have to be Nexus funded I guess though.

Good point but I would think the 18 would be a better option, as it would help to give Westbourne Avenue as service to Wallsend again. You couldn’t really extend the 12 hourly anyway as the timings wouldn’t work.

you could even extend the Q3 half hourly from St Peters and it would be easily doable with 2 buses. Would have to be Nexus funded I guess though.

Fair point,it would also give the 18 more of a purpose instead of just carrying fresh air,genuinely surprised the 18 has lasted this long

Fair point,it would also give the 18 more of a purpose instead of just carrying fresh air,genuinely surprised the 18 has lasted this long

Yeah, even more strange that the tender requires double deckers!

Fair point,it would also give the 18 more of a purpose instead of just carrying fresh air,genuinely surprised the 18 has lasted this long

imo. they should merge the 6/7 and 18 from/to the Freeman and extend the 38 to do the bit from the Freeman to the BT Call Centre.

Would give links from Byker / Heaton direct through to Gosforth and beyond plus the famous Kingston Park.

New SC suggestion
X35
Newcastle
Gateshead
Non-Stop
Fellgate
John Reid Road
South Tyneside Hospital
Harton
Westoe
Chichester
South Shields
Marine Park& ocean beach fair

Every 30 mins

X36
Newcastle
Gateshead
Non-Stop
Boldon Asda
West Boldon
East Boldon
Cleadon
Harton
Westoe
South Shields
Marine Park & Ocean beach fair

Every 30 minutes

These services will provide an every 15 minute link with Newcastle & Gateshead with South Shields & Ocean beach fair
Aswell as this these buses will provide a new fast link by bus to Newcastle for Fellgate, East & West Boldon, Cleadon & South Tyneside Hospital.

Further more these services will terminate at Ocean beach fair to create a more direct route to the fair from Newcastle.

These services will interwork at both ends of the route.

These services will run on Sundays too with an hourly individual frequency & half hourly combined frequency

New SC suggestion
X35
Newcastle
Gateshead
Non-Stop
Fellgate
John Reid Road
South Tyneside Hospital
Harton
Westoe
Chichester
South Shields
Marine Park& ocean beach fair

Every 30 mins

X36
Newcastle
Gateshead
Non-Stop
Boldon Asda
West Boldon
East Boldon
Cleadon
Harton
Westoe
South Shields
Marine Park & Ocean beach fair

Every 30 minutes

These services will provide an every 15 minute link with Newcastle & Gateshead with South Shields & Ocean beach fair
Aswell as this these buses will provide a new fast link by bus to Newcastle for Fellgate, East & West Boldon, Cleadon & South Tyneside Hospital.

Further more these services will terminate at Ocean beach fair to create a more direct route to the fair from Newcastle.

These services will interwork at both ends of the route.

These services will run on Sundays too with an hourly individual frequency & half hourly combined frequency

Not sure on the links for Fellgate and East Boldon,  the Metro has put paid to past services that have tried these such as the X3 and X36 from GNE.
But I do agree that there needs to be an alternative to the Metro and the 27 from South Shields to Newcastle.

Not sure on the links for Fellgate and East Boldon,  the Metro has put paid to past services that have tried these such as the X3 and X36 from GNE.
But I do agree that there needs to be an alternative to the Metro and the 27 from South Shields to Newcastle.

The problem Shields has is catchment, The X34 has Horsley Hill, Marsden, Harton/Cauldwell, Whiteleas, Biddick Hall and Boldon. You can't get much better coverage than that.

Don't get the obsession with trying to compete with the Metro which has no traffic issues and therefore a much more reliable service and even further is much quicker aswell.

No-one bar people obsessed with buses would choose the bus.