(09 Mar 2022, 12:41 pm)peter wrote Looking at the article you linked to, Martijn says 'there would be a lot of work to do on the final plans...Chester le Street depot could be part of that.' The article says that the company 'appeared to refute any suggestion that the depot would close' but to me the quotes provided don't say that explicitly...just that nothing's been finalised yet.

(09 Mar 2022, 12:41 pm)peter wrote Looking at the article you linked to, Martijn says 'there would be a lot of work to do on the final plans...Chester le Street depot could be part of that.' The article says that the company 'appeared to refute any suggestion that the depot would close' but to me the quotes provided don't say that explicitly...just that nothing's been finalised yet.

(09 Mar 2022, 12:58 pm)Adrian wrote The article also states (4th paragraph) that "The company has since responded to the claims, refuting any suggestion that there are plans to close the site which has been open since 1912"

Which appears to be in conflict with the quote you've pulled from the article, but I'd say still amounts to a ruling out. As you say though, plans can change, but I'd suggest changing them so soon after refuting something would not go down well with the workforce. Political suicide, you might say...

(09 Mar 2022, 10:13 am)F114TML wrote Oh yes. Closed in the 80s. Tbf at the time there were quite a few routes in Murton and Seaham, which lasted until even the mid-2000s I think, then they were merged into the 60 and 61 (and dad still refuses to believe the 152 doesn't run any more).

(09 Mar 2022, 1:56 pm)Drifter60 wrote I can’t see how it’s feasible to run the 209/210 from anywhere else? Driver changeovers, and the circular route doesn’t lend itself to merged into other services and it’s a pretty limited timetable as it is now anyway. 206 could went back into the 55 route but I can’t see the 55 lasting either. Perhaps the 201 survives via some of extension to the X6? Nice direct worker links from Seaham too.

(09 Mar 2022, 1:56 pm)Drifter60 wrote Where was the Murton depot at exactly? I wasn’t around in the 80s!

(09 Mar 2022, 12:58 pm)Adrian wrote The article also states (4th paragraph) that "The company has since responded to the claims, refuting any suggestion that there are plans to close the site which has been open since 1912"

Which appears to be in conflict with the quote you've pulled from the article, but I'd say still amounts to a ruling out. As you say though, plans can change, but I'd suggest changing them so soon after refuting something would not go down well with the workforce. Political suicide, you might say...

(09 Mar 2022, 2:29 pm)F114TML wrote I was always under the impression that the 201/206/209/210/62A are commercial routes. In the past they seem to have played around with them almost at free will - they tend to say if a change is due to the contract.

I wonder if they'll go back to being an end-to-end route like it was in 2013 - an arrangement that lasted all of 10 months (IMO didn't really help that the first bus into Peterlee arrived after 9), or if they'll split them at Horden Hall, so, for example, the 209 does Peterlee - Crawford Avenue - Horden Hall and back, and the 210 does Peterlee - Horden - Horden Hall and back.


I don't know for sure but I have a feeling it was round the back of Fairfield Grove.
More recently, that plot's been a depot for a coach company, and apparently is now going to be houses (big surprise).

(09 Mar 2022, 5:12 pm)Storx wrote That's not a quote that, it's just summarising by the Northern Echo. Only the bottom bit seems to be a quote and they've read it as that.

Personally reading that it suggests there's plans which involves Chester Le Street's depot but not that particular that depot. There's been rumours of a Washington/Chester Le Street super depot for over a decade and it still wouldn't surprise if there's still not plans floating around for one. It's just a matter of time imo whether that's this year or 10 years time as both depots are old and both could be sold for a good sum no doubt paying for the new depot pretty much if it's somewhere like the rumoured Drum Ind. Estate.

(09 Mar 2022, 8:49 pm)L469 YVK wrote I can see either the following happening:


Option 1 - New depot to replace Washington & Chester Le Street. 21 also operates out of that depot.

Option 2 - CLS closes with 21 to Riverside then rest split between Consett & Washington. Perhaps a bait room / drivers office opened somewhere in Chester Le Street.

Option 3 - CLS remains open but 21 moves to Riverside. In return, CLS get the 6 from Riverside (maybe interworking with the 25) & X30/X31 (if standalone from X70's by then) from Consett. The pitfall of this would obviously be remote changeovers needed at Stanley but at least the 6 could interwork with the 25 if the Stanley  to Lanchester part was replaced by something else as well as the Langley Park to CLS part of the 25.

(09 Mar 2022, 10:33 pm)Ambassador wrote They did own or at least have first call on a site at Drum Industrial Estate some years back, I imagine this may have expired but now but you never know.

Picktree isn’t listed so they could demolish it and sell the land or reconfigure it accordingly (probably at greater cost)

(10 Mar 2022, 8:09 am)cbma06 wrote Could pull it down brick by brick and take it to beamish, what’s the connection between GNE and beamish?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

(10 Mar 2022, 8:44 am)streetdeckfan wrote It's the depot really of such significant historic value that it deserves being saved though? The fact that it's not listed suggests not.

To me, there doesn't seem to be any architectural significance, it just looks like a generic early 20th century industrial building, and not a particularly well kept example at that!

Was the depot the first to do anything? Does it have any truly unique features inside?

It seems like, to me at least, there's no real reason to keep it, other than the fact that GNE have been there a while.

Sent from my AC2003 using Tapatalk

20220310_132710.jpg (Size 3.71 MB | Downloads 29)

20220310_132803.jpg (Size 4.22 MB | Downloads 31)

(10 Mar 2022, 1:38 pm)MurdnunoC wrote I'm afraid that will be the outcome if Chester depot closes.

(11 Mar 2022, 9:01 am)Michael wrote PB0003954/854
Cancellation GO NORTH EAST LIMITED 86D (86D) TOFT HILL, SPORTSMANS ARMS BISHOP AUCKLAND BUS STATION
Date received25 Feb 2022
Effective date
End date

Any idea when this will happen, VOSA has missed half of the info off.

(11 Mar 2022, 10:12 am)Jimmi wrote I'm going to hazard a guess April 10th as Arriva have cancelled their 86 journeys from said date (only the Trindon to Bishop Auckland College journeys remain).

(11 Mar 2022, 10:12 am)Jimmi wrote I'm going to hazard a guess April 10th as Arriva have cancelled their 86 journeys from said date (only the Trindon to Bishop Auckland College journeys remain).

(11 Mar 2022, 10:17 am)Omega54 wrote Would it not go into a Durham County Council Contract, for another operator to run?

(11 Mar 2022, 10:10 pm)DaveFromUpNorth wrote Interesting discussion about depot mergers and closures

A vital piece of information you all missed

CLS houses National Express division of GNE

Reflecting on the thoughts

Merging Washington and CLS would be the better theory but with modern depots these days it is outdoor depots rather than indoors

Sites like Follingsby Park for road connections onto A195 to Washington A194 to A1 to CLS junction seems quite a plausible suggestion

National Holidays had a depot in washington before they went bust but rebranded

If not Follingsby as a location Drum Industrial Estate A693 straight onto A1

Personally that a little more difficult to navigate to get to Washington really

Modern technology these days and timetable planning when mentioned about Seaham and Peterlee services can be quite clever if you change the method so it doesn't run empty or light run a service back so it's closer to a depot

Having indoor depots these days are major risk hazards in terms of if there is a fire the whole fleet could be lost  if it is outside you can manouve and move vehicles easily

You also have too take into account special deals  and business rates that local authorities are providing deals meaning landowners if you sign a 20yr deal etc so location is very important when planning for a new building

But remember the STAGECOACH and National Express merger is not going ahead so National  Express more than likely will stay with GNE

(11 Mar 2022, 10:10 pm)DaveFromUpNorth wrote Interesting discussion about depot mergers and closures

A vital piece of information you all missed

CLS houses National Express division of GNE

Reflecting on the thoughts

Merging Washington and CLS would be the better theory but with modern depots these days it is outdoor depots rather than indoors

Sites like Follingsby Park for road connections onto A195 to Washington A194 to A1 to CLS junction seems quite a plausible suggestion

National Holidays had a depot in washington before they went bust but rebranded

If not Follingsby as a location Drum Industrial Estate A693 straight onto A1

Personally that a little more difficult to navigate to get to Washington really

Modern technology these days and timetable planning when mentioned about Seaham and Peterlee services can be quite clever if you change the method so it doesn't run empty or light run a service back so it's closer to a depot

Having indoor depots these days are major risk hazards in terms of if there is a fire the whole fleet could be lost  if it is outside you can manouve and move vehicles easily

You also have too take into account special deals  and business rates that local authorities are providing deals meaning landowners if you sign a 20yr deal etc so location is very important when planning for a new building

But remember the STAGECOACH and National Express merger is not going ahead so National  Express more than likely will stay with GNE

(11 Mar 2022, 10:10 pm)DaveFromUpNorth wrote Interesting discussion about depot mergers and closures

A vital piece of information you all missed

CLS houses National Express division of GNE

Reflecting on the thoughts

Merging Washington and CLS would be the better theory but with modern depots these days it is outdoor depots rather than indoors

Sites like Follingsby Park for road connections onto A195 to Washington A194 to A1 to CLS junction seems quite a plausible suggestion

National Holidays had a depot in washington before they went bust but rebranded

If not Follingsby as a location Drum Industrial Estate A693 straight onto A1

Personally that a little more difficult to navigate to get to Washington really

Modern technology these days and timetable planning when mentioned about Seaham and Peterlee services can be quite clever if you change the method so it doesn't run empty or light run a service back so it's closer to a depot

Having indoor depots these days are major risk hazards in terms of if there is a fire the whole fleet could be lost  if it is outside you can manouve and move vehicles easily

You also have too take into account special deals  and business rates that local authorities are providing deals meaning landowners if you sign a 20yr deal etc so location is very important when planning for a new building

But remember the STAGECOACH and National Express merger is not going ahead so National  Express more than likely will stay with GNE

GNE fleet comparison.jpg (Size 54.48 KB | Downloads 28)

(12 Mar 2022, 4:26 pm)Malarkey wrote What about using land on the IAMP at Washington for a potential depot, You could then potentially merge Deptford/Washington/Percy Main and Peterlee together thus creating a "Hyper Depot" of sorts with Chester-Le-Street ops being split between Consett & Riverside.

It would mean you'd have 3 Major Depots in the Region with Hexham/Saltmeadows as they are, I think what operators also need to take into account with Park & Rides being set up such as the one at "The Angel" I am sure I read within the document for strategy moving forward was for such services to use Articulated Buses that there is sufficient space for these to be kept, then you have the likes of Go North East investing in Electric Buses moving forward so with that has to come with investment in new depot infrastructure.