(27 Jun 2021, 3:38 pm)Adrian wrote The Dunston Dynamo sounds like an NBA team.

Which City does the 55 proposal serve?

(27 Jun 2021, 2:34 pm)ASX_Terranova wrote No just back the old 526 and extend from monkton Lane to washington and from horsley hill to south shields.

(27 Jun 2021, 7:53 pm)OrangeArrow49 wrote Replace 10 and X84/X85 with a new service; Newcastle - Denton Burn - Walbottle - Metrocentre - Blaydon - Ryton - Crawcrook - Riding Mill - Corbridge - Hexham. Every 20 minutes Monday - Saturday, hourly on Sundays.

(28 Jun 2021, 7:33 pm)transportintyneandwear wrote Does anyone think this is a plausible route?
https://ibb.co/FBCWkdn

(29 Jun 2021, 9:36 am)ASX_Terranova wrote A Few Suggestions:

Connections4
Revised Route Between Wardley and Heworth with 4 going along Meresyde, Grange Road & High Lanes (Instead of 84).

Little Pinks
Run 81 Sunday Route During Mon-Sat Daytimes
Extend 83 to Heworth Via Sulgrave, Stephenson Ind Est, Lingley Lane, Felling By-Pass & Lakes Estate)
84 to Serve Ellen Wilkinson Estate & Felling By-Pass Between Wardley and Heworth
Extend 85 & 86 to Coach Road Estate
Run 86 on Evening Route During Mon-Sat Daytimes

Berries
Increase to Every 10 Mins
Route Change (See Attachment)

Heeders
New Brand for 49/49A/49C 

East Gateshead Rider
57 to join brand.
New Service 59: Bill Quay, Heworth, Felling Metro, Felling Square, Q.E Hospital, Carr Hill, Deckham, Gateshead, Newcastle Every 30 Mins (Would Replace Nexus 68 between Bill Quay, Heworth and Q.E Hospital.)

XLines
Revised X1
Extended from Easington Lane to Peterlee via South Hetton, Easington Village, Essington Way & Beverley Way
Extend from Easington Lane to Seaham via Murton, Dalton Park & Spectrum Business Park (Renumbered X2)
Combined Every 10 Mins (3 X1, 3 X2)

New Service X23 
Newcastle, Bensham, Saltwell Park, Low Fell, Harlow Green, Washington Galleries (Limited Stop) then all stops to Durham via Harraton, CLS, Plawsworth, Arnison Centre, Newton Hall, & Framwellgate Moor (Every 20 MIns).

New Services X39/X40/X41
X39: Newcastle, NON STOP, Cobalt, New York, N.T Hospital, Whitley Bay, Seaton Sluice, Blyth
X40: Newcastle, NON STOP, Cobalt, Verne Road, Meadow Well, North Shields, Tynemouth, Whitley Bay
X41: Newcastle, NON STOP, Hadrian Park, Howdon, Rosehill, Wallsend
Combined Every 10 Mins (2 X39, 2 X40, 2 X41)
309/310/311 to be Revised to 6 Buses an Hour Combined)

(29 Jun 2021, 9:36 am)ASX_Terranova wrote A Few Suggestions:

Connections4
Revised Route Between Wardley and Heworth with 4 going along Meresyde, Grange Road & High Lanes (Instead of 84).

Little Pinks
Run 81 Sunday Route During Mon-Sat Daytimes
Extend 83 to Heworth Via Sulgrave, Stephenson Ind Est, Lingley Lane, Felling By-Pass & Lakes Estate)
84 to Serve Ellen Wilkinson Estate & Felling By-Pass Between Wardley and Heworth
Extend 85 & 86 to Coach Road Estate
Run 86 on Evening Route During Mon-Sat Daytimes

Berries
Increase to Every 10 Mins
Route Change (See Attachment)

Heeders
New Brand for 49/49A/49C 

East Gateshead Rider
57 to join brand.
New Service 59: Bill Quay, Heworth, Felling Metro, Felling Square, Q.E Hospital, Carr Hill, Deckham, Gateshead, Newcastle Every 30 Mins (Would Replace Nexus 68 between Bill Quay, Heworth and Q.E Hospital.)

XLines
Revised X1
Extended from Easington Lane to Peterlee via South Hetton, Easington Village, Essington Way & Beverley Way
Extend from Easington Lane to Seaham via Murton, Dalton Park & Spectrum Business Park (Renumbered X2)
Combined Every 10 Mins (3 X1, 3 X2)

New Service X23 
Newcastle, Bensham, Saltwell Park, Low Fell, Harlow Green, Washington Galleries (Limited Stop) then all stops to Durham via Harraton, CLS, Plawsworth, Arnison Centre, Newton Hall, & Framwellgate Moor (Every 20 MIns).

New Services X39/X40/X41
X39: Newcastle, NON STOP, Cobalt, New York, N.T Hospital, Whitley Bay, Seaton Sluice, Blyth
X40: Newcastle, NON STOP, Cobalt, Verne Road, Meadow Well, North Shields, Tynemouth, Whitley Bay
X41: Newcastle, NON STOP, Hadrian Park, Howdon, Rosehill, Wallsend
Combined Every 10 Mins (2 X39, 2 X40, 2 X41)
309/310/311 to be Revised to 6 Buses an Hour Combined)

(29 Jun 2021, 11:56 am)V514DFT wrote Tbh i dont think the demand is there for your X41,the 41 itself around Howdon struggles now tbh,personally since the 40,42/42A were dropped,the X39 and X40,might have potential,as for the others,i cant comment cus im not from that area

(29 Jun 2021, 12:51 pm)ASX_Terranova wrote What were loadings like on the 305, when that ran to wallsend.

(30 Jun 2021, 12:51 am)Acky81 wrote Why is everyone obsessed with the 60 going to South Shields instead of the 20. They tried it years ago with service 37 parkside to South Shields via Sunderland and it never worked so for axed.

(30 Jun 2021, 12:51 am)Acky81 wrote Why is everyone obsessed with the 60 going to South Shields instead of the 20. They tried it years ago with service 37 parkside to South Shields via Sunderland and it never worked so for axed.

(27 Jun 2021, 4:20 pm)ASX_Terranova wrote It doesnt but.....
Technically because the 50, 5 & 55 interwork, so you could get away with it.
The brand could be changed to Sea & ???? (I'll leave the ? To the rest of you)
I would also send all three services down ocean road if possible.

(30 Jun 2021, 11:27 am)Washingtonian wrote Quite like your 55 idea. From Monkton Lane I would send it on to the A194 (White Mare Pool way) and have it serve Follingsby Park, then on to Concord. From there I would send it to Blackfell and Oxclose then onto the Galleries. As a result I would withdraw Little Pinks 86. I would then increase the frequency of the 85 on evenings and Sundays to every half hour and extend to Teal Farm to replace the 86 journeys.

(30 Jun 2021, 12:10 pm)ASX_Terranova wrote The little pinks network is fine at the moment. I would potentally extend the 55 to serve Biddick (Parkway) and Harraton (San Lorenzo, Bonemill Lane)

(30 Jun 2021, 9:51 pm)Washingtonian wrote I personally wouldn't extend it to serve Biddick and Harraton as both villages are pretty well served at  the moment. If I'm correct I think Biddick has around 6-7 buses and hour during the day and Harraton around 4 in total I think? I agree the Little Pinks are fine at the moment but I think if the 55 intergrated the 86 route there would be potential for more passengers.

(30 Jun 2021, 9:51 pm)Washingtonian wrote I personally wouldn't extend it to serve Biddick and Harraton as both villages are pretty well served at  the moment. If I'm correct I think Biddick has around 6-7 buses and hour during the day and Harraton around 4 in total I think? I agree the Little Pinks are fine at the moment but I think if the 55 intergrated the 86 route there would be potential for more passengers.

(30 Jun 2021, 10:40 pm)ASX_Terranova wrote Not round the back in biddick since the 180 & 493 were withdrawn and nothing on bonemill lane since the 393 was axed, you could also include rickleton way (293) & Cambrian Way (148). I'm just trying to cover every basis.

(01 Jul 2021, 8:18 am)Andreos1 wrote I lose track of the Washington services, but pretty sure Harraton and Rickleton have more than that.

2/2a, 8 and 81.
Appreciate the 2/2a doesn't quite hit Rickleton mind. A fair drop from days of yore mind, when there was the likes of the 294, 179, 180, X6, 777, 638 etc.

I'm not sure the loop roads in Biddick or Lambton need a service to be honest.

As for Bonemill Lane - there's the 8. Scoots straight down it to/from Harraton and Rickleton.

---

(01 Jul 2021, 8:54 am)Washingtonian wrote Yeah Harraton is currently served by the services you mentioned all on a half hourly frequency. The 2 serves Lambton and Harraton with the 2A going through Biddick then onto Fatfield etc. Still that is more services than I realised.

While I think it would be a good idea for the Biddick and Lambton loop roads to be given a service, I doubt GNE would be willing to do this as there is no where for the buses to stop, apart from on a Hail and Ride basis which isn't always the best. It may be helpful to the elderly mind.

(01 Jul 2021, 10:03 am)Andreos1 wrote Always get mixed up with the 2/2a. Are they not circulars any more?
Unless I need to get off on a unique section (and check with the driver if it goes to Shiney or not), I tend to just board whichever version comes first.

The loop roads are funny things. Apart from Fallowfield Way and the back of Barmston, I'm not sure of any that have suitable places to stop. Hail & ride or otherwise.
There's either bends or some sort of camber on most of the ones I can think of.
I agree that it should be an option. But whether it could be or not, not sure.

(30 Jun 2021, 12:10 pm)ASX_Terranova wrote The little pinks network is fine at the moment. I would potentally extend the 55 to serve Biddick (Parkway) and Harraton (San Lorenzo, Bonemill Lane)

(30 Jun 2021, 10:40 pm)ASX_Terranova wrote Not round the back in biddick since the 180 & 493 were withdrawn and nothing on bonemill lane since the 393 was axed, you could also include rickleton way (293) & Cambrian Way (148). I'm just trying to cover every basis.

(01 Jul 2021, 10:03 am)Andreos1 wrote Always get mixed up with the 2/2a. Are they not circulars any more?
Unless I need to get off on a unique section (and check with the driver if it goes to Shiney or not), I tend to just board whichever version comes first.

The loop roads are funny things. Apart from Fallowfield Way and the back of Barmston, I'm not sure of any that have suitable places to stop. Hail & ride or otherwise.
There's either bends or some sort of camber on most of the ones I can think of.
I agree that it should be an option. But whether it could be or not, not sure.

(01 Jul 2021, 11:21 am)Adrian wrote I disagree with you there. The Little Pinks network is clearly designed around operational efficiency, rather than the customer. There are still a number of issues that exist from when the Galleries split first happened. 


The Galleries terminus still allows through-fares, but it is not possible to get a return fare, other than from Concord. For example, the 84 becomes an 82 at the Galleries and continues to Birtley, but on the return leg, that 82 becomes an 83 at the Galleries and serves a completely different set of stops between the Galleries and Concord. As there's no route saver tickets available, nor an area saver that covers the whole route, it leaves you needing a Purple Zone Go Zones ticket to cover the return journey via 3 buses.

Despite the through-journeys still existing, they are no longer advertised on the GNE timetable and have never been shown on the bus stop timetables (Nexus advised me that it wasn't possible, as they print timetables to the same standard throughout the network). So only those with knowledge of the services will know they don't have to get onto another bus at the Galleries. This isn't helpful to customers, especially those that infrequently use buses.



2/2A were removed from being circulars not long after they started iirc, as it was originally the 2A(nti-clockwise) and 2C(lockwise)

I believe the 493 served the bus link, rather than round the back of Parkway. I think the 297(?) was the last bus to serve the route on a hail and ride basis, but to be honest its not even suitable for that. All the verges at the side of the road are sloped and its one big bend to drive round. Despite being hail and ride, the bus was supposed to stop at the far end of the loop before it returns back on itself, but quite often you'd get someone hitting the bell just after the Titchfield Road junction and the drivers refusing to stop again until the next actual stop - which was Biddick School at the time.

(01 Jul 2021, 12:05 pm)ASX_Terranova wrote I've discovered this timetable which might contradict that given it doesnt say Biddick Village Centre. Also i think someone should just try it anyway because it would avoid people living in those streets walking all the way to the centre (i know cause i lived in that area for a little while.)

(01 Jul 2021, 12:55 pm)Adrian wrote It looks like it did both in its lifetime then, as the May 2004 timetable shows Titchfield Road and Easby Road stops, as well as the fixed Parkway stops just off the mini roundabout: https://northeastbuses.co.uk/bygone/assets/GoNorthEast/493WaterviewParkHoughtonleSpringMay2004.pdf

(01 Jul 2021, 10:32 am)ASX_Terranova wrote In regards to the loop roads, why did the services stop.  
I also think a taxibus would probably work for these areas.
I'm also going to make a suggestion for another washington taxibus (see attachment).

(01 Jul 2021, 11:21 am)Adrian wrote I disagree with you there. The Little Pinks network is clearly designed around operational efficiency, rather than the customer. There are still a number of issues that exist from when the Galleries split first happened. 


The Galleries terminus still allows through-fares, but it is not possible to get a return fare, other than from Concord. For example, the 84 becomes an 82 at the Galleries and continues to Birtley, but on the return leg, that 82 becomes an 83 at the Galleries and serves a completely different set of stops between the Galleries and Concord. As there's no route saver tickets available, nor an area saver that covers the whole route, it leaves you needing a Purple Zone Go Zones ticket to cover the return journey via 3 buses.

Despite the through-journeys still existing, they are no longer advertised on the GNE timetable and have never been shown on the bus stop timetables (Nexus advised me that it wasn't possible, as they print timetables to the same standard throughout the network). So only those with knowledge of the services will know they don't have to get onto another bus at the Galleries. This isn't helpful to customers, especially those that infrequently use buses.



2/2A were removed from being circulars not long after they started iirc, as it was originally the 2A(nti-clockwise) and 2C(lockwise)

I believe the 493 served the bus link, rather than round the back of Parkway. I think the 297(?) was the last bus to serve the route on a hail and ride basis, but to be honest its not even suitable for that. All the verges at the side of the road are sloped and its one big bend to drive round. Despite being hail and ride, the bus was supposed to stop at the far end of the loop before it returns back on itself, but quite often you'd get someone hitting the bell just after the Titchfield Road junction and the drivers refusing to stop again until the next actual stop - which was Biddick School at the time.

(01 Jul 2021, 2:00 pm)Andreos1 wrote Totally agree with comments about the Washington network.
A pale shadow of what it once was and that map you produced years back, really emphasises it.
The fact there have been further changes/reductions since then, emphasises it even more.

(01 Jul 2021, 2:00 pm)Andreos1 wrote Ah interesting. Genuinely didn't realise that the circular routes had stopped.
Guessing through fares were available then (I. E Biddick to Lambton), but wouldn't be an option now.

Totally agree with comments about the Washington network.
A pale shadow of what it once was and that map you produced years back, really emphasises it.
The fact there have been further changes/reductions since then, emphasises it even more.

Those stops you mention on Parkway near the roundabout are fairly new in the scheme of things. The stop outside Biddick School wasn't an 'official' stop for a long time either. It was flagged as a scholars only stop for years and it was always a risk heading there for a St George's or a GNE service. More often than not, they didn't stop and if they did, it was only ever the ones that had came through Biddick Village. Anything which had came down past The Vic would give it a miss.
Canny gap between Biddick Village and the Arts Centre.

(01 Jul 2021, 2:45 pm)Adrian wrote Took me a while to find it, but here they are

Roughly 2004-06 - 


Around 2012 - 

(01 Jul 2021, 2:59 pm)Adrian wrote Through-fares are still available to Lambton and Harraton on the 83 (changing to 81), but as per previous post today, the setup of the Little Pinks network means that you cannot get a return ticket from those points.

The Parkway stops, although infrastructure was only put in place recently, were always a place the scholars services would stop. I can recall this going back into the early 90s. I think they were put in place around the time the hail and ride services stopped. 

I know the 8 announces the Biddick School stop now and the other services (83, 4, X1A) are scheduled to serve it, but I've tried this a couple of times and its just taken as an assumed bell push for the Arts Centre. I don't think I've ever seen anyone use that stop, even at kicking out time for the schools... they just walk to the main stop, which is the same distance away.