Well they cancelled the X46 as not that many people were using it in the route between Consett and Blackhall, so it was so low in passenger numbers they increased the 47 to every 30 mins aroiund then.

Also for Dan to say why does Durham to Sundlerand not deserve an express when the X20 is 5 mins faster than the 20, is a abolsute, joke the X20 should be brought back for a proper express considering it doesnt have a rail link, absolutely mind boggling decision by GNE to call it an express is a joke

(25 Dec 2023, 1:27 pm)Unber43 wrote Well they cancelled the X46 as not that many people were using it in the route between Consett and Blackhall, so it was so low in passenger numbers they increased the 47 to every 30 mins aroiund then.

Also for Dan to say why does Durham to Sundlerand not deserve an express when the X20 is 5 mins faster than the 20, is a abolsute, joke the X20 should be brought back for a proper express considering it doesnt have a rail link, absolutely mind boggling decision by GNE to call it an express is a joke

100% agree, might as well just keep the 20/20A the same....

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Bustimes have the VOSA registrations on their site, mentions the changes for the service.......

https://bustimes.org/licences/PB0003954

There's some many corridors in Durham which are more important that Derwentside.

Routes like the 25/725, 56 (ANE), Bishop locals, 71, X21 to Darlington (ANE), maybe X70, evening services pretty much all over the place should be much more higher priority.

(25 Dec 2023, 1:24 pm)L469 YVK wrote Wonder if some of the BSIP funding might get used for the Derwentside to Newcastle services?

- X46/46 re-instated
- X30/X31 back to every 15 or 20 minutes
- X70 re-introduced

If the Rowlands Gill to Newcastle corridor was reduced back to single decks, could go:
- 45 (every 20 / 40 minutes)
- 46 (hourly)
- 47 (every 20 minutes with hourly extension to Consett)

Why not suggest this to Durham County Council, it’s them who have the BSIP funding

(25 Dec 2023, 8:13 pm)busmanT wrote Why not suggest this to Durham County Council, it’s them who have the BSIP funding

Do you think it would be a productive use of his time?

(25 Dec 2023, 7:57 pm)Storx wrote There's some many corridors in Durham which are more important that Derwentside.

Routes like the 25/725, 56 (ANE), Bishop locals, 71, X21 to Darlington (ANE), maybe X70, evening services pretty much all over the place should be much more higher priority.

For the X70.......could do something like.......

X29 (every 60 minutes)
- Current X72 Stanley to Sunniside then current X30/X31 to Newcastle

X30 (every 60 minutes)
- Unchanged

X31 (every 60 minutes)
- Current Stanley to Sunniside then as per X70/X71 but via Lobley Hill Estate

X70** (every 60 minutes)
- Original route before withdrawal

X71** (every 60 minutes)
- Same as now

** Could possibly interwork the X70/X71 with the 47 in Consett to give faster 'through journeys for people travelling from parts of Consett not covered by the X45.

Would give Stanley a direct link back with Gateshead and help re-instate the X70 in a more sustainable way.

X29/X30 - Up to every 30 minutes
Sunniside, Whickham, Dunston, Newcastle

X30/X31 - Up to every 30 minutes
Fast - Stanley, Sunniside, Newcastle

X70/X71 - Up to 2 buses per hour
Consett, Burnopfield, Sunniside, Lobley Hill, Gateshead, Newcastle

X31/X70/X71 - Up to every 20 minutes
Sunniside, Lobley Hill, Gateshead, Newcastle

X29/X70 - Up to 2 buses per hour
Dipton, Sunniside, Newcastle

By no means 'perfect' and probably some gaps still left void, but better than now with fewer resources than last time.

I may be waffling, but I think I remember reading somewhere a while back that DCC would re-introduce a bus from Stanley to Team Valley.

(25 Dec 2023, 8:13 pm)busmanT wrote Why not suggest this to Durham County Council, it’s them who have the BSIP funding

People are still kicking up a fuss on the links lost on the Arriva X21, was an article again recently although sadly our MP doesn't seem to be kicking up as much of a fuss as when Arriva pulled the 57/57A.

Any confirmation about this month's changes yet?

Nowt on the GNE website. A bit odd considering arriva has put their changes up over a month before hand.

(04 Jan 2024, 2:07 pm)L469 YVK wrote Any confirmation about this month's changes yet?

Some of the ones within County Durham are on the council bus map/info site, doesn't look to be too much major happening that I can tell:

20 - every 15 mins between Durham & Sunderland (now seemingly no longer extending to Burdon Road and terminating at Park Lane Interchange), will extend to Aykley Heads half hourly, the other half terminating at Durham Bus Station.

20A - now evenings and Sundays only.

X20 - back to full route to Langley Park half hourly.

47/X45 - additionally calling at MetroCentre Coach Park on morning journeys towards Newcastle.

689 - weekday morning journeys running 20 mins later, other journeys running 10 mins earlier.

So Sunderland Park Lane loses another stand really out of Use.

Hopefully the X20 moves Stand N, and now its 6 stands without regular bus services

(05 Jan 2024, 7:34 pm)Jimmi wrote Some of the ones within County Durham are on the council bus map/info site, doesn't look to be too much major happening that I can tell:

20 - every 15 mins between Durham & Sunderland (now seemingly no longer extending to Burdon Road and terminating at Park Lane Interchange), will extend to Aykley Heads half hourly, the other half terminating at Durham Bus Station.

20A - now evenings and Sundays only.

X20 - back to full route to Langley Park half hourly.

47/X45 - additionally calling at MetroCentre Coach Park on morning journeys towards Newcastle.

689 - weekday morning journeys running 20 mins later, other journeys running 10 mins earlier.

Wonder if the 20/X20 will combine to make the service every 7 minutes on certain sections.


Thanks for the information, don't know if I'm being dumb as out but I can't see to find it on the council site haha

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(05 Jan 2024, 7:42 pm)Unber43 wrote So Sunderland Park Lane loses another stand really out of Use.

Hopefully the X20 moves Stand N, and now its 6 stands without regular bus services

Might as well close it at this rate.

(05 Jan 2024, 7:34 pm)Jimmi wrote 47/X45 - additionally calling at MetroCentre Coach Park on morning journeys towards Newcastle.

This anything to do with the recently mentioned Park & Ride service?

(05 Jan 2024, 8:38 pm)Michael wrote Wonder if the 20/X20 will combine to make the service every 7 minutes on certain sections.

Thanks for the information, don't know if I'm being dumb as out but I can't see to find it on the council site haha

Think it gets close in some bits, although the 35 is an odd one for only sharing small bits of route on the 20/X20.

The site: https://durhamcc-lts.trapezegroupazure.co.uk/departures

Click on timetable page and change the date and time to when the changes occur, although it can be a pain to use at times.

(05 Jan 2024, 11:54 pm)Jimmi wrote Think it gets close in some bits, although the 35 is an odd one for only sharing small bits of route on the 20/X20.

The site: https://durhamcc-lts.trapezegroupazure.co.uk/departures

Click on timetable page and change the date and time to when the changes occur, although it can be a pain to use at times.

Thank you!

(05 Jan 2024, 7:42 pm)Unber43 wrote So Sunderland Park Lane loses another stand really out of Use.

Hopefully the X20 moves Stand N, and now its 6 stands without regular bus services

It's a crap bus station in the complete wrong place, let's be honest. If I ran buses and had an option to serve elsewhere I wouldn't bother either especially since it costs.

X20 will be running with the Volvo streetdecks (ex X21) ..6309-6314..been confirmed

(08 Jan 2024, 10:46 am)Retro Nero wrote X20 will be running with the Volvo streetdecks (ex X21) ..6309-6314..been confirmed

only 6309 and 6310 arcording the website . if its comfired may we see come proof
my proof :

Wonder if theyll be repainted to Pink?, with 6356-63 (to Blue)

NO doubt most the time  56-63 will spend all their time circling East Gateshead while some leaky E400 are on X21

And The Volvo StreetDecks spend most of their time not on X20

(08 Jan 2024, 10:52 am)Unber43 wrote Wonder if theyll be repainted to Pink?, with 6356-63 (to Blue)

NO doubt most the time  56-63 will spend all their time circling East Gateshead while some leaky E400 are on X21

And The Volvo StreetDecks spend most of their time not on X20

they will be gettng repainted pink hopefully or stay blue with x20 stickers on and most liely 56-63 will get repainted blue . but i wonder what would happen on a sunday when it used to be double deckers from 50 doing from durham to lanley then back to durham then switch back to 50.

Tbf most of the time the 50 is an X1 Bus on a Sunday

(08 Jan 2024, 10:56 am)Unber43 wrote Tbf most of the time the 50 is an X1 Bus on a Sunday

true , in my opion they need to shange 50 to X1B  - does 50 route and they can repaint 6301 - 07 to x21 livery keep x45/46 to spare for x1/x1a/x1b or x21 / 21

6301-6307 are for the 50

Full changes now online:

https://www.gonortheast.co.uk/28january

I wish they would use Stand N for the X20, or Stand M and move the 35 to N

Instead of blue and pink shouldn’t and Xline partial repaints be into the generic Xlines charcoal so can they can be easily moved around next time the wind changes?

I usually do a Flickr search when you guys mention fleet numbers as I don’t know them like you do.
It seems some of these Wright deckers have been in Castles Express livery, blue Xlines, Corporate AND yellow Xlines?
And didn’t the X21 just get its current allocation (“B5s”?) within the last year or two as they were deemed more suitable for the route, (or it’s previous “Streetdecks” were required elsewhere)?

Would someone mind listing the timeline of X21 allocations please to remind me why things were moved around and partially repainted so much, (just post Presidents)?

(08 Jan 2024, 4:44 pm)Michael wrote Full changes now online:

https://www.gonortheast.co.uk/28january

 
We are pleased to announce the reintroduction of Xlines X20 between Sunderland and Langley Park providing faster journeys between Sunderland and Durham and a regular daytime bus service to Belmont Industrial Estate. With financial support from Nexus, Durham County Council and the Government’s Bus Service Improvement Plan, service X20 will run up to every 30 minutes.

Presuming the 20a wasn't viable any more.
But somehow, someone has managed to find a begging bowl develop a business case to help fund a replacement - that's essentially the same service, but with a different letter and has had a paintjob.

The mind boggles.

6308-6314 are Volvo B5TL with Wright Gemini 3 bodywork. They are not Streetdecks which is vehicles completely build by Wright. The front end design is known as the stealth front.

Nice to see Nexus and Durham CC are pissing the BSIP money down the drain. Communities like Coundon with an hourly bus service all day and we're pissing it on express services on a corridor with a bus every 15 minutes. Not to mention the noticeable gaps ie Bishop Auckland to Barnard Castle / Staindrop.

Similar with Nexus and corridors like the 351 with no evening bus service at all at one end of the route, yet we're pissing it on evening services upto every 30 minutes and a P&R to paint a bridge.

Credit to Northumberland CC for actually linking areas with no service at all instead, 57A in the evening, 434, 777 etc.