(13 Jan 2023, 8:33 pm)nova347 wrote I feel like Team Valley needs a proper connection to Newcastle on a regular basis, you could extend the 93/94, I wouldn't extend the 97 as people already complain about how long that journey is or the X71/X72 but I would extend the 1, to Team Valley Marquis Way then loop back towards Whitley Bay, this would improve links to Team Valley from Wallsend etc, you could get rid of the 91 and it would only have 2 PVR, and if the 51/52's are going back to Newcastle which I don't think they are, just debrand some of them and send them to Percy Main as Euro 6 spares, or some Versas from Depford, as if Percy Main can operate the Q3 with pretty much no problem, an extra 2 PVR on the 1 would impact driver shortages much, as it would strengthen links to North Tyneside. Not to mention you have all the Quacity Versas which 4 are already at Percy main on the 41/41A which doesn't need a Euro 6 bus and can be run by anything, so there are 4 then there are 3 others one hasn't been in Service since October, another one August then the 3rd one hasn't been on since 23rd of December, so there is plenty of Euro 6 buses to do the route.

I mean you can do the 93/94, it'll take around 23 mins to get to Newcastle and back to Gateshead with a layover increasing the PVR by 1

(13 Jan 2023, 11:17 pm)Storx wrote I'd imagine it's a bit too long via Gateshead and you'd damage the 93/94 which has it's own purpose of getting people around Gateshead.
Personally I'd look at splitting the Q3 into more routes maybe something like:

Q1 (Yutong's): Great Park - Gosforth - Jesmond - John Dobson Street (omit Haymarket) - Newcastle Quayside - Swing Bridge - The Sage - Gateshead - X66 Metro Centre (Every 15 Minutes)
Q2 (Versa's): Hadrian Park - Wallsend - Walker - St Peter's Basin - Newcastle Quayside - Central Station (Every 30 Minutes)
Q2A (Versa's): Hadrian Park - Wiltshire Drive - Wallsend (Every 30 Minutes)
Q3 (Versa's): St Peter's Basin - Newcastle Quayside - Central Station - Redheugh Bridge - Lobley Hill Road - Team Valley (Every 30 Minutes)

41/41A/91/X66: Withdrawn
53/54: Back over Tyne Bridge / High Level

The route just feels forced together now, feel the above would be more popular especially linking Gateshead Quays and the Quayside to the Metro Centre if the new arena ever opens. Not to mention links across the river from Gosforth and linking all the student accommodation and the university together, maybe discounted travel for students? The 41 and Quaycity services just seem to make sense being the same route. I'd say merge the Q2A and Q3 aswell but not sure there needs to be 2 extra buses between St Peter's Basin and Wallsend tbh. Plus you'd get the flashy electric buses running a flagship route like the X66 rather than the back waters of Walker.

(13 Jan 2023, 11:51 pm)streetdeckfan wrote Maybe I've already asked this before (I can't remember), but is it still the case that it's faster to just go along Askew Road than it is to use centrelink, or was that just due to the (never ending) roadworks around Gateshead?

(13 Jan 2023, 11:17 pm)Storx wrote I'd imagine it's a bit too long via Gateshead and you'd damage the 93/94 which has it's own purpose of getting people around Gateshead.
Personally I'd look at splitting the Q3 into more routes maybe something like:

Q1 (Yutong's): Great Park - Gosforth - Jesmond - John Dobson Street (omit Haymarket) - Newcastle Quayside - Swing Bridge - The Sage - Gateshead - X66 Metro Centre (Every 15 Minutes)
Q2 (Versa's): St Peter's Basin - Newcastle Quayside - Central Station - Redheugh Bridge - Lobley Hill Road - Team Valley (Every 30 Minutes)
Q3 (Versa's): Hadrian Park - Wallsend - Walker - St Peter's Basin - Newcastle Quayside - Central Station (Every 30 Minutes)
Q3A (Versa's): Hadrian Park - Wiltshire Drive - Wallsend (Every 30 Minutes)

41/41A/91/X66: Withdrawn
53/54: Back over Tyne Bridge / High Level

The route just feels forced together now, feel the above would be more popular especially linking Gateshead Quays and the Quayside to the Metro Centre if the new arena ever opens. Not to mention links across the river from Gosforth and linking all the student accommodation and the university together, maybe discounted travel for students? The 41 and Quaycity services just seem to make sense being the same route. I'd say merge the Q2 and Q3A aswell but not sure there needs to be 2 extra buses between St Peter's Basin and Wallsend tbh. Plus you'd get the flashy electric buses running a flagship route like the X66 rather than the back waters of Walker.

(13 Jan 2023, 11:21 pm)Unber43 wrote What about Wallsend to Newcastle that would be the Q3 like tbh

Also the thing that absolutely annoys me about the 93/94 say you want to go to Bensham to Gateshead Stadium to watch a football match oh ill get the bus 93 goes there from bensham in a loop, oh wait it turns into the 94 you have to get off and wait 20 mins for another 93, its not how loops should work, same the 51/52 aswell.

Also every 15 mins from Gateshead to Metrocentre that is just reliability suicide, if anything the X66 needs bigger buses.

(14 Jan 2023, 12:28 am)Storx wrote Yeah your right with the X66 had a brainfart there, thought it was every 15 minutes for a minute, not sure where that came from.

Could maybe have shorts aswell running Gateshead to Metro Centre only then so it's every 7.5 minutes instead.

Well you could renumber the Q2 and Q3 around wouldn't make too much difference ha. Was just thinking that I'd drop the Q3 on Sundays altogether and have the other 2 running every 30 minutes with even more shorts between Gateshead and the Metro Centre to get it upto every 10 minutes.

Think the electric buses would be quite popular on there and it'd be handy for Quayside people to get across and arguably just as quick from Jesmond etc when changing.

(14 Jan 2023, 8:18 pm)Malarkey wrote Could do something like this doing Clockwise/Anti-Clockwise Circuits:

Newcastle City Centre - Quayside/CentreLink or via Central Station/Redheugh Bridge - Team Valley Loop - MetroCentre via A1 - Gateshead Interchange - Newcastle City Centre

(14 Jan 2023, 7:44 pm)V514DFT wrote I agree with splitting the Q3, but why does the Q3A only go as far as Wallsend, thats not really connecting to the Quayside

(14 Jan 2023, 7:44 pm)V514DFT wrote I agree with splitting the Q3, but why does the Q3A only go as far as Wallsend, thats not really connecting to the Quayside

(15 Jan 2023, 7:28 pm)nova347 wrote The X10 should run every 30 mins between Newcastle and Peterlee with one every hour extending to Middlesbrough, every time I get the X10 during the week or a Saturday it is rammed from Dalton Park/Peterlee. There's been multiple times were I've stood going down the A19.

(16 Jan 2023, 8:21 pm)L469 YVK wrote They've got vehicles capable of doing it if 6356-53 were utilised to Consett for the X71/X72.

E400MMC:
- 6336-37 - Consett Spare
- 6338-40 - 47 & X71/X72
- 6341-48 - X30/X31/X45
- 6349 - Riverside Spare
- 6350-55 - X10 (PVR would be 6x if half hourly NCL to Peterlee)

StreetDeck:
- 6331-33 - Washington Spares
- 6356-63 - 47 & X71/X72
- 6364-74 - X1
- 6375 - Washington Spare
- 6376 - Consett Spare
- 6377 - Riverside Spare

B5TL:
- 6308-14 - X21
- 6333-34 - X21/Spare (or both X21 if PVR went back to 9x)

B9TL:
- 6043-48 - Various spares

(17 Jan 2023, 3:14 am)Unber43 wrote 3 Spares at Consett really isn't enough, especially with the decrease in the reliability of the Hybrids, while there is 3 Corporate Liveried ones, they're all regularly in service on 16/16A/X5/X15

(17 Jan 2023, 5:58 pm)Unber43 wrote I was in Durham yesterday and I noticed 6049 which was on the 20A run not in service from Durham, what is the point in that. 

Atleast you could bring back the X20 for these dead runs and just get it to go from Durham - non stop to Doxford Park then into Sunderland. 

Also the first 20A on a Saturday is like 09:01 from Sunderland and from Durham its 10:19. For people working at Rainton bridge that is absolutely useless and anyone who did use the X20 wont anymore cos they cant get to work ontime, if anything the old X20 timetable should basically be the 20A timetable except it doesn't go to Langley Park (which it should tbh for the link)

(17 Jan 2023, 6:29 pm)Retro Nero wrote This might of been running light to sit some layover time in Sutton street as 20A has just over 20 minutes layover and it's not allowed to wait on milburngate on the stand

(17 Jan 2023, 9:34 pm)V514DFT wrote What is the 20/20A like now since it was chopped from South Shields?, does its still suffer delays?, if so maybe split it again so its just Durham-Sunderland and revert the Langley-Durham section back to being a circular and have it as 14/14A, 14 runs onto the 20, 14A runs onto the 20A

(28 Jan 2023, 6:58 pm)Acky81 wrote Axe the 39a going to houghton as it’s always empty

(28 Jan 2023, 7:04 pm)Retro Nero wrote Early morning and peak times do carry quite a few between Doxford and Houghton

(28 Jan 2023, 8:45 am)Unber43 wrote If DCC were to use the money they got from the GOV, it would be perfect to bring back the 55/62 imo 

55 - Peterlee - Easington - Houghton - Doxford Park - Silksworth Lane - Prospect Sunderland (every 60 mins)

61 - Murton - Dalton Park - New Seaham - Ryhope - Queen Alexandra Road - Tunstall Road - Sunderland (every 30 mins)

62 - Peterlee - Easington Village - Easington Lane - Murton - Seaham - Dawdon - Parkside - Station Road - A19 - Doxford Park - Silksworth Lane - Prospect - Sunderland (every 60 mins) 

Roughly be a PVR of 8 which could have 8339-46 allocated. 

This would make people of South Hetton/Easington Happy as they've got the 55 back, they've only got the 62 with a slightly longer route back for connections. 

It would be every 30 mins to Sunderland/Doxford Park from Peterlee/Easington/Houghton (39A too)/ Doxford/Sunderland 

I also think the X6 needs either an increase in frequency (i would prefer this one) using Ex-Little Pinks buses which aren't needed anymore, this could also stop the interworking of certain services which still do changeovers at Peterlee.

(28 Jan 2023, 8:45 am)Unber43 wrote If DCC were to use the money they got from the GOV, it would be perfect to bring back the 55/62 imo 

55 - Peterlee - Easington - Houghton - Doxford Park - Silksworth Lane - Prospect Sunderland (every 60 mins)

61 - Murton - Dalton Park - New Seaham - Ryhope - Queen Alexandra Road - Tunstall Road - Sunderland (every 30 mins)

62 - Peterlee - Easington Village - Easington Lane - Murton - Seaham - Dawdon - Parkside - Station Road - A19 - Doxford Park - Silksworth Lane - Prospect - Sunderland (every 60 mins) 

Roughly be a PVR of 8 which could have 8339-46 allocated. 

This would make people of South Hetton/Easington Happy as they've got the 55 back, they've only got the 62 with a slightly longer route back for connections. 

It would be every 30 mins to Sunderland/Doxford Park from Peterlee/Easington/Houghton (39A too)/ Doxford/Sunderland 

I also think the X6 needs either an increase in frequency (i would prefer this one) using Ex-Little Pinks buses which aren't needed anymore, this could also stop the interworking of certain services which still do changeovers at Peterlee.

(28 Jan 2023, 8:44 pm)Storx wrote imo that's just rehashing things, the whole lot needs totally redone imo. Personally I'd do something like this instead:
20 - Every 15 Minutes
20A - Withdrawn (Replaced by 35)
X20 - Withdrawn (Replaced by 35)
33 - Withdrawn (Replaced by 36/37/38)
55 - Sunderland to Boldon (Every 30 Minutes) - Current 35
35 - Sunderland to Langley Park (Every 30 Minutes) - https://www.google.com/maps/dir/54.9040725,-1.3906951/54.8002107,-1.6688389/@54.8660799,-1.5373074,11.88z/data=!4m59!4m58!1m55!3m4!1m2!1d-1.4067844!2d54.9012872!3s0x487e642ee7b553d5:0xa74a84b5016bdbbd!3m4!1m2!1d-1.4040867!2d54.8943479!3s0x487e64269e62fe4d:0x8d90ad31dfa91292!3m4!1m2!1d-1.4378297!2d54.8652865!3s0x487e6478990f2443:0xf93704fa4580cb71!3m4!1m2!1d-1.4929489!2d54.8386938!3s0x487e6336e34a4a75:0x34c40e5a812dd365!3m4!1m2!1d-1.4596474!2d54.8325656!3s0x487e630fda19fe27:0xcb1cc4d6d7ef5a38!3m4!1m2!1d-1.4480858!2d54.8248833!3s0x487e6300a00f78f1:0x1c991605c467625a!3m4!1m2!1d-1.458313!2d54.8165467!3s0x487e62fcf3e6ea25:0x7f259f5bda1ca74c!3m4!1m2!1d-1.525981!2d54.7829797!3s0x487e7d5d96548fdf:0x97a45794f5643f72!3m4!1m2!1d-1.5449785!2d54.7805904!3s0x487e7d7c78cbbe0b:0xfcc59aee5f44391a!3m4!1m2!1d-1.5777871!2d54.8070145!3s0x487e7db9e99057ff:0x2c5f38d6b7cc7821!3m4!1m2!1d-1.5887928!2d54.8102044!3s0x487e7dc8c49cf2ad:0x4dad762bd5b6947e!1m0!3e0
36 - Sunderland to Houghton Le Spring - https://www.google.com/maps/dir/54.8423523,-1.4648217/Sunderland/@54.8888604,-1.46092,10254m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m44!4m43!1m35!3m4!1m2!1d-1.4591846!2d54.8394669!3s0x487e630daa35f98f:0x3928b67d28fc5617!3m4!1m2!1d-1.481362!2d54.8481299!3s0x487e6343d9285c25:0x822ab9cba58015ad!3m4!1m2!1d-1.5080926!2d54.859319!3s0x487e7cab83119b4d:0xf425abed22ac60b2!3m4!1m2!1d-1.4653653!2d54.8699941!3s0x487e649b606f638b:0x430e6ee60e265dd0!3m4!1m2!1d-1.4363449!2d54.8654942!3s0x487e64781d1bbbf1:0xcac6646ade7d2133!3m4!1m2!1d-1.4013902!2d54.8747329!3s0x487e640314eeed51:0xb0bb9b60a169ffe9!3m4!1m2!1d-1.4062729!2d54.8825413!3s0x487e64197183d93d:0x9aa52a33610da272!1m5!1m1!1s0x487e612d8af0739f:0x749d6e7d017f03c3!2m2!1d-1.383801!2d54.906869!3e0 (Hourly)
37 - Sunderland to Hetton (Hourly) - https://www.google.com/maps/dir/54.8276617,-1.4488866/Sunderland/@54.8260453,-1.4595497,1816m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m59!4m58!1m50!3m4!1m2!1d-1.4478815!2d54.8288065!3s0x487e63a9d482e55d:0x7ed4513838611a5!3m4!1m2!1d-1.4543943!2d54.8203017!3s0x487e62fe00ef151d:0x4ddf277024d3738c!3m4!1m2!1d-1.4641759!2d54.823512!3s0x487e631ce271e355:0xd392d07dc8232848!3m4!1m2!1d-1.4670493!2d54.834014!3s0x487e63172b9b0627:0xeb9b98ebb389a044!3m4!1m2!1d-1.4808423!2d54.8474494!3s0x487e63417b745da5:0xf5e114fbdcba7148!3m4!1m2!1d-1.4737919!2d54.8565338!3s0x487e63670455ad09:0x7a6ed8f08810f462!3m4!1m2!1d-1.4653653!2d54.8699941!3s0x487e649b606f638b:0x430e6ee60e265dd0!3m4!1m2!1d-1.4363449!2d54.8654942!3s0x487e64781d1bbbf1:0xcac6646ade7d2133!3m4!1m2!1d-1.4013902!2d54.8747329!3s0x487e640314eeed51:0xb0bb9b60a169ffe9!3m4!1m2!1d-1.4062729!2d54.8825413!3s0x487e64197183d93d:0x9aa52a33610da272!1m5!1m1!1s0x487e612d8af0739f:0x749d6e7d017f03c3!2m2!1d-1.383801!2d54.906869!3e0
38 - Sunderland to Birtley (Hourly) - https://www.google.com/maps/dir/54.897127,-1.5775319/Sunderland/@54.8861414,-1.5139994,13.29z/data=!4m64!4m63!1m55!3m4!1m2!1d-1.5752797!2d54.8827239!3s0x487e7b9799813733:0x9920b724cf87df6b!3m4!1m2!1d-1.537308!2d54.8893005!3s0x487e7b144152602f:0xe4bc3605947c0d32!3m4!1m2!1d-1.5177835!2d54.9033464!3s0x487e7b28c335e7ed:0x87c7eeeba179a509!3m4!1m2!1d-1.5076284!2d54.8939427!3s0x487e7b3319182e65:0xce2a7fbd29eece85!3m4!1m2!1d-1.5125078!2d54.8864641!3s0x487e7b360bacbfcd:0x938d3cdaeca5be29!3m4!1m2!1d-1.4982899!2d54.8768364!3s0x487e64b2278f9879:0xf6b8366c72dc8521!3m4!1m2!1d-1.4930396!2d54.874388!3s0x487e64afe7accc8f:0x2635b0d69b7c6051!3m4!1m2!1d-1.4653653!2d54.8699941!3s0x487e649b606f638b:0x430e6ee60e265dd0!3m4!1m2!1d-1.4363449!2d54.8654942!3s0x487e64781d1bbbf1:0xcac6646ade7d2133!3m4!1m2!1d-1.4013902!2d54.8747329!3s0x487e640314eeed51:0xb0bb9b60a169ffe9!3m4!1m2!1d-1.4062729!2d54.8825413!3s0x487e64197183d93d:0x9aa52a33610da272!1m5!1m1!1s0x487e612d8af0739f:0x749d6e7d017f03c3!2m2!1d-1.383801!2d54.906869!3e0
60 - Remain every 15 minutes
61 - Withdrawn (Replaced by X7)
65 - Same Route (Hourly)
71 - Run 65 route through Northlea
79/79A (Nexus) - Withdrawn
39A Extension - Withdrawn
39B Extension - Withdrawn
82A (Nexus) - Withdrawn
X6 - Remain Hourly
X7 - X6 to Dalton Park, 61 Loop around Murton (Every 30 Minutes)
X8 - Old 62 Route
X6/X7/X8 - Combined every 15 minutes
36/37/38 - Combined every 20 minutes

It would do pretty much most your links there anyway plus more.

(28 Jan 2023, 9:07 pm)Unber43 wrote Honestly i wouldn't take off the 33, atleast reduce it. I would also have the services serve atleast Prospect Lidl. 36/37 I would personally extend to South Hetton, at least one of them, if not both at every 30 mins. This would also improve frequency down the A690 which has been slashed 50%. While keeping the 33. 

You'll never get the 11.5m bus through Northlea, aswell hourly it needs to be more. 

X6/X7/X8 I would renumber them, X6 (X60, 61, 62) more simpler. 60 could do with a possibly re-increase to every 12 as it does struggle with reliability due to high loadings

The 71 could be extended onto a service to newcastle, which imo would make sense, however Northlea it would struggle, however I wonder if you could take the 62 via Northlea & along Ryhope. 

You could do like Seaham - Houghton - Chester-Le-Street - Gateshead - Newcastle it could be the 21 which would open new links.

(28 Jan 2023, 9:27 pm)Storx wrote The 33 isn't gone, it's just the 36/37/38 now instead but going further in the other direction. The idea was give the Hetton area a faster service to Sunderland without going on a magical mystery tour around every single estate in Sunderland and give them a link through to Dragonville and the Arnison direct which absorbing in the 82A, 39B, 82A, 79 and 79A which are just awful services into the 33. The 35 is running direct by the A690 instead btw.

I think the X6/X7/X8 is better personally but suppose the numbering wouldn't make much difference. Think the 60 would be fine with those as people in the centre of Seaham would naturally move across to them which should reduce the 60 numbers enough for it to cope. I only added the X8/62 to even it out otherwise you'd have 3 buses an hour with the X6/X7 and an awkward 20/40 timetable in Murton.

Maybe an alternative could be to have the X6 run via Northleas running non-stop from the town hall but upped to every 30 minutes as a compromise for Peterlee passengers, think I'd personally prefer a slightly slower service by a couple of minutes but twice the frequency - hourly is hopeless, might make it sustainable.

I did have the bus through to South Hetton originally but then it would make the 62/X8 a little bit pointless as it would be duplicating other services.