(14 Mar 2015, 1:31 pm)roar wrote Not a suggestion as such but maybe one of you service creators could come up with something but I'm surprised GNE have never tried anything from the Coast Road onto Chillingham Road and then Shields Road into the City Centre. Heaton has a large student community and Byker is a popular shopping area with Morrisons and Asda.

(14 Mar 2015, 1:56 pm)Tommy_1581 wrote Plus the people of the Chillingham Road area have a Metro station.

(14 Mar 2015, 1:31 pm)roar wrote Not a suggestion as such but maybe one of you service creators could come up with something but I'm surprised GNE have never tried anything from the Coast Road onto Chillingham Road and then Shields Road into the City Centre. Heaton has a large student community and Byker is a popular shopping area with Morrisons and Asda.

(15 Mar 2015, 4:55 pm)mb134 wrote Without going into any details, is there any possibility of GNE being able to gather together a selection of vehicles to attempt to compete with ANE in South East Northumberland?

I think if they pretty much copied Arriva's old X31/2/3 routes, as I think Davey has suggested in the past, they'd be onto something:

X31- Newcastle- Bedlington- Bedlington Station- Ashington - North Seaton- Newbiggin Cresswell Arms
X32- Newcastle- Bedlington- Bedlington Station- Ashington- Wansbeck Hospital- Newbiggin Seacrest Road- Newbiggin Cresswell Arms
X33- Newcastle- Nedderton- Bedlington- Guide Post- Ashington (some extended to Cresswell and Ellington)

(15 Mar 2015, 4:58 pm)Davie wrote This won't ever happen, but Go north east 96
Wrekenton, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Gateshead, Bensham bank, Lobely Hill, Knightside Gardens, Dunston, Metrocentre

(15 Mar 2015, 5:00 pm)MarcTheA4 wrote How many buses (on a high frequency) do we have between Wrekenton and Gateshead?

(15 Mar 2015, 5:01 pm)Davie wrote It was to get a bus service from Wrekenton to Metrocentre 

(15 Mar 2015, 4:58 pm)Tommy_1581 wrote I would certainly use GNE, nice clean and bright buses. 

The X32 would that go via Elephant?

(15 Mar 2015, 5:02 pm)MarcTheA4 wrote Is a 56 or an X1 to Gateshead, then a quick 10 minute journey on the X66 not enough?

(15 Mar 2015, 5:03 pm)Davie wrote A bit of a more direct service, as some people may not use the X66 because it gets packed.

(15 Mar 2015, 5:02 pm)mb134 wrote Yeah, from what I remember the X31 and X32 provided a 15 minute frequency, following each other on that route (current X21 route between Ashington and Bedlington Red Lion), with the X33 running every half an hour on the current X22 route to Bedlington, then the X21 route to Newcastle.

They could maybe bring back this branding, might be a bit too simple for GNE though
Arriva North East: 7413 P413CCU Volvo Olympian/NCME by emdjt42, on Flickr

(15 Mar 2015, 5:11 pm)Tommy_1581 wrote I remember the P-CCU Olympians. 

Maybe bring some simple fares along too. It's ridiculous paying £1.50 just to go to the bus station from the Elephant. 

(15 Mar 2015, 5:04 pm)MarcTheA4 wrote So 25-30 minutes is more direct in comparison to 10 minutes on a shuttle service. I'd hate to hear your definition of indirect....

• 56 takes 14 minutes
  
• X1 takes 10 minutes
  
• 1 takes 24 minutes
  
• X25 takes 11 minutes
  
• 28 takes 13 minutes
  

(15 Mar 2015, 5:37 pm)Robert wrote Services that go from Wrekenton to Gateshead and their journey times:

• 56 takes 14 minutes
  
• X1 takes 10 minutes
  
• 1 takes 24 minutes
  
• X25 takes 11 minutes
  
• 28 takes 13 minutes
  

Can't be bothered to do anymore but as can be seen above, the times between the Interchange and Wrekenton vary. If you add the X66 journey which is 10 minutes the maximum journey time from Wrekenton to Metrocentre is 34 minutes and the minimum journey time is 20 minutes. 
The current 96 takes 28 minutes to get from Metrocentre to Gateshead via its currect route. If it were to be extended to Wrekenton via the QE Hospital, i would maybe add 13 minutes onto that bringing the total route up to 41 minutes - a 21 minute difference between the quickest option listed above. I don't know if the service would be commercially viable but some people may prefer a longer journey time with no connections required as opposed to a shorter journey time with a connection which will probably add a couple of minutes anyway.

(15 Mar 2015, 6:31 pm)Davie wrote I'm not sure about service 52 but the 51 takes around 35 minutes because it goes through Deckham, Heworth, Leam Lane estate and Springwell estate

(15 Mar 2015, 7:05 pm)Adam wrote Between Wrekenton and Gateshead, the 51 goes via Easedale Gardens, Kells Lane, Dryden Road and Shipcote before getting to Gateshead, taking around 20 minutes.

The 52 meanwhile goes round Springwell Estate, Leam Lane, Fewster Square, more of Leam Lane, Heworth, Felling Square, Carr Hill and Deckham before getting to Gateshead, taking about 40 minutes

(15 Mar 2015, 7:06 pm)MarcTheA4 wrote I made that error once:

(15 Mar 2015, 7:30 pm)citaro5284 wrote And a tour of Gateshead as you got on the 54 instead of 53....think you want to give Gateshead a miss Marcus! 

• Will no longer serve the Housing Estates around Washington, This will be covered by the New 83/84/85/86 below.
  
• Provides a Faster more Direct Service between Birtley and Washington Galleries
  
• Quicker Connections to Newcastle/Gateshead and Sunderland
  
• New Links provided between Washington Galleries and Heworth.
  

• Merging of the Short 82 from Rickleton to Concord with Services 85/86.
  
• 83/84 will operate a Clockwise Loop of Washington while 85/86 operate an Anti Clockwise Loop.
  
• Services will operate Every 30 Minutes, Providing a Service Every 15/30 Minutes both Clockwise/Anti Clockwise.
  
• All areas of Washington linked together providing New and Existing Links.
  
• No loss of Service in any Areas as a result of Service Changes.
  
• Less Profitable Services made Profitable.
  
• New Vehicle Investment in Services made more Commercially Viable.
  

(15 Mar 2015, 9:18 pm)leestransportphotos wrote barley mow?

(15 Mar 2015, 4:58 pm)Tommy_1581 wrote I would certainly use GNE, nice clean and bright buses. 

The X32 would that go via Elephant?

(16 Mar 2015, 7:55 am)leestransportphotos wrote If you were in charge of the buses Davie, there would be a bus in Wrekenton every 30 seconds! (Even though there already is) haha