And if I was Murton and Dalton Park Transport Co-Ordinator there would be a bus every 9.8 seconds from the Colliery Inn

Haha, to be fair if I was in charge of putting buses around Barley Mow there would still be the 23, 23A, 183, 777, 77 etc

But the service would be aimed at people travelling into and out of the area from the Coast Road and the area the service would start from so the Chillingham Road Metro Station is of no use to them, anyone traveling from even Chillingham Road to Byker uses the bus at the moment, thats why Stagecoach services 62 and 63 do very well from Chillingham Road to Byker and the City Centre.

Which way did the N58 go? Sure it went full or part of that route.

Haha, to be fair if I was in charge of putting buses around Barley Mow there would still be the 23, 23A, 183, 777, 77 etc

Bring back the 26!

Where did the 26 even go? I've heard it mentioned but I don't know anything about it

Where did the 26 even go? I've heard it mentioned but I don't know anything about it

Gateshead to Barley Mow via Durham Road and then extended to Worswick Street post 86.

From Birtley, it did Dorset Ave, past the schools, The Drive, Bedford Ave, Vigo Lane and back onto Durham Road.
There were some variations - like going past the Codfather and Norfolk Place, before getting onto Bedford Avenue.

Generally a decker until the early 90's.

Ah right, so it basically followed the old 23 route around BM

Ah right, so it basically followed the old 23 route around BM

I think the 23 has always gone in the places the 26 hasn't. Basically filled in the gaps where there wasn't a service.

The 721 and 727 were canny too.

The 721, did Chester to Newcastle via Barley Mow (reverse of 26) and then the 777 route to Newcastle via Wrekenton.
The OK 727 chased the 721 up Old Durham Road and Lansbury Drive and then did the same route as the 26 through Barley Mow.

I remember getting the 777 to S'land

I remember getting the 777 to S'land

Aye, think it started going via Barley Mow and Newcastle when the 26 went the journey.

Was the 26 not well used like?

Was the 26 not well used like?

It was, then gradually declined. Really, the 777 was just an extension/variation of the 26 - albeit hourly, instead of every 30 mins.

The 26 had Atlanteans and Metrobuses on and always seemed well used. Then they stuck Handybuses on (which were too small) and then Lances.
By that point, you had the 21 bus war though and the start of an 'obsession'.

There was the 24 (to Allerdene), 25 to Wrekenton, 26, 27 to Heworth (like the 51/52 route) and the 28 to Kibblesworth. All ended up going and then coming back in some form or another - apart from the 26/777/721.

The 777 extension from Barley Mow to Newcastle was to replaced the Ok travel 727 Barley Mow to Newcastle, when the 777 reached Newcastle then it turned into a 721 Newcastle to Chester-Le-Street.

Confusing haha

As mentioned in my Review on the "Bus Related Thread" I had a bit off an issue with the 99 and the Route in which it takes, so here is a few alternatives I have came up with.

700 - Seaburn - Roker - St Peters Campus - Sunderland City Centre - City Campus - Royal Hospital - Pallion - Queen Alexandra Bridge - Enterprise Park - Hylton Castle - Town End Farm

or Alternatively

99 - Silksworth - Barnes Park - Royal Hospital - Pallion - Queen Alexandra Bridge - Enterprise Park - Hylton Castle - Town End Farm - Downhill 

99A - Seaburn - Fulwell - Southwick - Queen Alexandra Bridge - Pallion - Royal Hospital - Barnes Park - Silksworth

Service 67,
MetroCentre, Bensham, Deckham, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Wrekenton, Heworth Metro, Wardley, Bill Quay

Strange route, but good

Service 67,
MetroCentre, Bensham, Deckham, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Wrekenton, Heworth Metro, Wardley, Bill Quay

Obviously a merger of the 67/68, but I am seriously struggling to figure out how this route would work due to the 68 serving Felling Square after Heworth heading towards Q.E./Wrekenton, this would mean this proposed Service would have to serve Q.E. twice, and then you have the 67 which terminates at Wardley, for me it just wouldnt work.

Obviously a merger of the 67/68, but I am seriously struggling to figure out how this route would work due to the 68 serving Felling Square after Heworth heading towards Q.E./Wrekenton, this would mean this proposed Service would have to serve Q.E. twice, and then you have the 67 which terminates at Wardley, for me it just wouldnt work.

What I was thinking was withdraw service 68, and have service 67 take it's place with a few changes 

What I was thinking was withdraw service 68, and have service 67 take it's place with a few changes 

Bit of thought and some tinkering and this is the best I can come up with the obvious loss of Service to Wardley, Passengers will instead have to get the 57 to Heworth to then connect to the revised Service, have to admit it is case of where it doesnt go before reaching its terminus.

Bill Quay - Pelaw - Heworth - Leam Lane Estate - Springwell Estate - Wrekenton - Q.E. Hospital - Felling Square - Deckham - Bensham - MetroCentre

With the changes due next week to the Cobalt Clipper, I posted a suggestion a while back but, I have now found a way of coming up with something near it with a PVR of 16 vehicles and both the 309 / 310 inter-working too for the majority of the time (bar the evenings). 

Timetable: 

309310.pdf (Size 56.96 KB Downloads 25)

Notes: 

Suggestion timetable for 309 and 310 .pdf (Size 42.04 KB Downloads 187)

DISCLAIMER: PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS NOT AN OFFICIAL PUBLICATION BY GO AHEAD NORTH EAST AND IS MERELY AN ENTHUSIASTS SUGGESTION TIMETABLE. For the proper timetable by Go North East, please visit simplygo.com .

P.s, on the last few notes, the times should be 21:19 22:49 and 23:19.

ToonLink Service Suggestions.

31 - Blackhall Mill - Chopwell - High Spen - Highfield - Rowlands Gill - Winlaton - Hanover Estate - Snook Hill - Park Head Estate South - Shibdon Bank - Swalwell - MetroCentre - Teams - Newcastle

32 - Blackhall Mill - Chopwell - High Spen - Highfield - Rowlands Gill - Winlaton - Heddon View - Blaydon - Scotswood Road - Newcastle

Service 31/32 will be extended from Winlaton to Blackhall Mill to cover for the loss of Service 47, Services will operate 30 Minutes/Combined Every 15 Minutes to Winlaton, then Every 30 Minutes onwards to Blackhall Mill.

Diamond Service Suggestions

42 - Durham - Witton Gilbert - Lanchester - Annfield Plain - Stanley - Tanfield Lea - Tantobie - Tanfield - Marley Hill - Sunniside - Whickham - MetroCentre - Teams - Newcastle

Operating Hourly alongside the unchanged 43/44/44A to provide a Service Every 10 Minutes across parts of the Route.

Red Kite Service Suggestions

45 - Consett - Blackhill - Shotley Bridge - Rowlands Gill - Swalwell - MetroCentre - Teams - Newcastle

46 - Consett - Bridgehill - Shotley Bridge - Rowlands Gill - Swalwell - MetroCentre - Teams - Newcastle

47 - Consett - Medomesley - Hamerstley Mill - Rowlands Gill - Swalwell - MetroCentre - Teams - Newcastle

Services 45/46 remain unchanged, with revised Service 47 joining the Red Kite Network to provide a Frequency of Every 10 Minutes from Consett to Newcastle.

Red Kite Service Suggestions

45 - Consett - Blackhill - Shotley Bridge - Rowlands Gill - Swalwell - MetroCentre - Teams - Newcastle

46 - Consett - Bridgehill - Shotley Bridge - Rowlands Gill - Swalwell - MetroCentre - Teams - Newcastle

47 - Consett - Medomesley - Hamerstley Mill - Rowlands Gill - Swalwell - MetroCentre - Teams - Newcastle

Services 45/46 remain unchanged, with revised Service 47 joining the Red Kite Network to provide a Frequency of Every 10 Minutes from Consett to Newcastle.

There's the X70/X71 too though? do they plus the 45 & 46 not provide an hourly service already?

What would be the PVR difference from now for the changes, bearing in mind 47 going to Consett and 31/32 going to Blackhall Mill

31/32 would be 8, and the 47 would be 4 which result in PVR Difference to 4 as a result of the changes.

The 47 is 4 now just operating to Blackhall Mill, so why would that not be more with it going further?

As the revised 47 goes via a different route, from Rowlands Gill it would go via A694 to Hamerstley Hill and then through Medomesley to Consett, thus cutting the journey time, if it was to go via its current route of Rowlands Gill - Highfield - High Spen - Chopwell - Blackhall Mill, then extending through Hamerstley Hill and Medomesley Hill to Consett then there would be a PVR Increase.

I have then merged the current 47 Route into 31/32 which would extend from Winlaton, using Go North Easts current ethos of merging services to provide new and better links, along with making the service more profitable.

Malarkey's 47 is basically a slight revision of the old 46A service omitting Pont and Leadgate. It would however offer a slightly quicker alternative to services 45/46 depending on route.  

If I lived in Blackhall Mill or Chopwell I don't think I'd appreciate my bus having to go through Winlaton and Blaydon as well as the Gill, especially when the alternative (Service 11) goes through Greenside, Crawcrook and Ryton - seemingly taking an age to do so. If these services were going to be amalgamated in some way, I think I'd want my bus to run direct between High Spen and Winlaton via Barlow.

Its Sunday and as usual I am bored stupid, so I thought I would come up with some Service Suggestion in case Go North East ever decided to extend towards Carlisle from Hexham, along with a few other Services in between which would all operate on an Hourly Frequency.

48 - Stanhope - Edmundbyers - Shotley Bridge - Consett - Chopwell - Rowlands Gill - MetroCentre - Newcastle Eldon Square

X48 - Crook - Tow Law - Castleside - Consett - Medomesley - Hamerstley Mill - Rowlands Gill - MetroCentre - Newcastle Eldon Square

681 - Stanhope - Westgate - Allendale Town - Haydon Bridge - Hexham - Acomb - Humshaugh - Barrasford - Simonburn

682 - Stanhope - Westgate - Nenthead - Alston - Whifield - Haydon Bridge - Hexham - Acomb - Humshaugh - Barrasford - Simonburn

X83 - Hexham - Corebridge - Ovington - Ovingham - Wylam - Heddon - Throckley - Lemington - MetroCentre

X84 - Carlisle - Brampton - Haltwhistle - Haydon Bridge - Hexham - Corebridge - Ovington - Ovingham - Wylam - Heddon - Throckley - Denton Burn - Benwell Grove - Newcastle

X85 - Carlisle - Brampton - Haltwhistle - Haydon Bridge - Hexham - Corbridge - Horsley - Heddon on the Wall - Denton Burn - Benwell Grove - Newcastle

671 - Carlisle - Warwick Bridge - Brampton - Low Row - Gilsland - Greenhead - Haltwhilstle 

672/673 - Carlisle - Warwick Bridge - Hayton - Brampton - Irthington - Crosby on Eden - Stanwix - Carlisle

H53 - Gilsland - Greenhead - Haltwhistle - Melkridge - Bardon Mill - Haydon Bridge - Hexham

Its Sunday and as usual I am bored stupid, so I thought I would come up with some Service Suggestion in case Go North East ever decided to extend towards Carlisle from Hexham, along with a few other Services in between which would all operate on an Hourly Frequency.

48 - Stanhope - Edmundbyers - Shotley Bridge - Consett - Chopwell - Rowlands Gill - MetroCentre - Newcastle Eldon Square

X48 - Crook - Tow Law - Castleside - Consett - Medomesley - Hamerstley Mill - Rowlands Gill - MetroCentre - Newcastle Eldon Square

681 - Stanhope - Westgate - Allendale Town - Haydon Bridge - Hexham - Acomb - Humshaugh - Barrasford - Simonburn

682 - Stanhope - Westgate - Nenthead - Alston - Whifield - Haydon Bridge - Hexham - Acomb - Humshaugh - Barrasford - Simonburn

X83 - Hexham - Corebridge - Ovington - Ovingham - Wylam - Heddon - Throckley - Lemington - MetroCentre

X84 - Carlisle - Brampton - Haltwhistle - Haydon Bridge - Hexham - Corebridge - Ovington - Ovingham - Wylam - Heddon - Throckley - Denton Burn - Benwell Grove - Newcastle

X85 - Carlisle - Brampton - Haltwhistle - Haydon Bridge - Hexham - Corbridge - Horsley - Heddon on the Wall - Denton Burn - Benwell Grove - Newcastle

671 - Carlisle - Warwick Bridge - Brampton - Low Row - Gilsland - Greenhead - Haltwhilstle 

672/673 - Carlisle - Warwick Bridge - Hayton - Brampton - Irthington - Crosby on Eden - Stanwix - Carlisle

H53 - Gilsland - Greenhead - Haltwhistle - Melkridge - Bardon Mill - Haydon Bridge - Hexham

Have you been looking at google maps again Adam?

Have you been looking at google maps again Adam?

Might of done.

I think the 19 could be upgraded to operate half-hourly from Cramlington to North Shields.

There always seems to be better loadings than the North Shields-Northumberland Park section, and the Cramlington-Ashington section.

I used it on Saturday from Cramlington to Northumberland Park, and the 15:05 departure was very busy.

I think the 19 could be upgraded to operate half-hourly from Cramlington to North Shields.

There always seems to be better loadings than the North Shields-Northumberland Park section, and the Cramlington-Ashington section.

I used it on Saturday from Cramlington to Northumberland Park, and the 15:05 departure was very busy.

Could always cut the service between Ashington and Cramlington and use the buses for the new suggestion, although that leaves Ashington with Arriva's extremely bad service.