(01 Apr 2026, 2:28 pm)Coastliner700 wrote Since the loss of 18 at Walkergate with 3 deckers is there not capacity to transfer it there.

Walkergate gained some more workings on Killy, so they don’t have the spare decker capacity.

(31 Mar 2026, 8:47 pm)Busesinnewcastle wrote Is there any chance a double decker from Slatyford can go on there all the time as they are always full especially mornings and night. Is there any chance of this happening?

Does anyone know when Slatyfords other electrics from Sunderland will be coming with the works at Slatyford nearly finished?

(03 Apr 2026, 10:44 pm)Busesinnewcastle wrote Does anyone know when Slatyfords other electrics from Sunderland will be coming with the works at Slatyford nearly finished?

when sunderland find buses to replace them they'll be sent up due to sunderland already struggling for buses as it is they cant afford to loose another 4

(04 Apr 2026, 9:04 am)bob22222 wrote when sunderland find buses to replace them they'll be sent up due to sunderland already struggling for buses as it is they cant afford to loose another 4

Or crap from Slatyford will move to Sunderland in exchange - most likely the electrics will go to Slatyford as soon as the charging infrastructure allows.

I had a trip round on the new 51 service around Hartlepool today.

From my observations I'd noted two passengers travelling from Hartlepool Town Centre to West Park, then we picked up a passenger from Dalton Piercy to take to Hartlepool Railway Station.

The next trip departed with no passengers, which is a little surprise given the service covers York Road Shops, a stop that always has passengers making short journeys into Hartlepool on the 6/7 & 36.

Hopefully the service will pick up in passenger numbers for the most part, although some of the trips are more or less guaranteed to be carrying fresh air, particularly on the West Park to Elwick & Dalton Piercy section...

(04 Apr 2026, 8:05 pm)S830OFT wrote I had a trip round on the new 51 service around Hartlepool today.

From my observations I'd noted two passengers travelling from Hartlepool Town Centre to West Park, then we picked up a passenger from Dalton Piercy to take to Hartlepool Railway Station.

The next trip departed with no passengers, which is a little surprise given the service covers York Road Shops, a stop that always has passengers making short journeys into Hartlepool on the 6/7 & 36.

Hopefully the service will pick up in passenger numbers for the most part, although some of the trips are more or less guaranteed to be carrying fresh air, particularly on the West Park to Elwick & Dalton Piercy section...

It’s a new service and once people are aware of it and the weather gets nicer I can see more people using it to get to Summerhill and Ward Jackson Park. I don’t think having a Teesflex minibus doing the first day of service will have helped much though.

(04 Apr 2026, 11:28 pm)col87 wrote It’s a new service and once people are aware of it and the weather gets nicer I can see more people using it to get to Summerhill and Ward Jackson Park. I don’t think having a Teesflex minibus doing the first day of service will have helped much though.

Let’s be totally honest - like the 516 and 518 in the past this will be a heavily subsidised service carrying mostly fresh air all day! The Tees Flex on it will have been ample capacity!

(05 Apr 2026, 5:43 pm)Teessider2014 wrote Let’s be totally honest - like the 516 and 518 in the past this will be a heavily subsidised service carrying mostly fresh air all day! The Tees Flex on it will have been ample capacity!

The 51 being hourly is a massive overkill. Realistically a 2 hourly service extended through to the bottom of Greatham via Seaton Carew would’ve been a more apt service. But then again the TVCA love a good old nonsensical bus route.

(05 Apr 2026, 5:46 pm)220631612 wrote The 51 being hourly is a massive overkill. Realistically a 2 hourly service extended through to the bottom of Greatham via Seaton Carew would’ve been a more apt service. But then again the TVCA love a good old nonsensical bus route.

I don’t think it’s a nonsensical route. It’s heavily based on an historic Hartlepool route i believe. Correct me if I m
Wrong .

(05 Apr 2026, 5:46 pm)220631612 wrote The 51 being hourly is a massive overkill. Realistically a 2 hourly service extended through to the bottom of Greatham via Seaton Carew would’ve been a more apt service. But then again the TVCA love a good old nonsensical bus route.

Greatham was mentioned in the TVCA documents as gaining a s106 funded route soon. Probably why they didn’t go there!

(05 Apr 2026, 7:05 pm)Economic505 wrote I don’t think it’s a nonsensical route. It’s heavily based on an historic Hartlepool route i believe. Correct me if I m
Wrong .

Heavily based on an historic route doesn't unfortunately make it a suitable route for today's traffic patterns.

(06 Apr 2026, 5:36 am)Ianthegoon wrote Heavily based on an historic route doesn't unfortunately make it a suitable route for today's traffic patterns.

But we’ll never have Service Improvements if nothing is tried. Tees Flex was too expensive . As Hartlepool is sadly is under TVCA (We should be NECA) , there’s never likely to be Bus Franchising in the near future,  as Teeswork Ben is dead against it.

(03 Apr 2026, 10:44 pm)Busesinnewcastle wrote Does anyone know when Slatyfords other electrics from Sunderland will be coming with the works at Slatyford nearly finished?

27725-NK11BFM will is at Slatyford now

(05 Apr 2026, 5:43 pm)Teessider2014 wrote Let’s be totally honest - like the 516 and 518 in the past this will be a heavily subsidised service carrying mostly fresh air all day! The Tees Flex on it will have been ample capacity!

In that case let’s put the Tees flex minis on the 35, X40/ X41 and East Cleveland 1 and 2 because like you they will be ample capacity considering most of them carry fresh air as well.  Like all new services it will need time to see how it does and for people to know about it. Saying that it would be a big help if Connect Tees Valley actually got themselves sorted and updated the timetables in the bus stops to show the service exists.  

It’s not quite based on old routes either as this is the first time since the 401/402 countryside bus has connected the Town Centre, Burn Valley and Ward Jackson Park.

(05 Apr 2026, 5:46 pm)220631612 wrote The 51 being hourly is a massive overkill. Realistically a 2 hourly service extended through to the bottom of Greatham via Seaton Carew would’ve been a more apt service. But then again the TVCA love a good old nonsensical bus route.

To be fair don't see the issue with an hourly service out there, as long as it done areas en-route like Grange Road which currently have zero bus service and areas at the East side of Hartlepool.

Something like:
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/54.69161...?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI2MDQwMS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

Can't see why it couldn't be done in an hour tbh. There's like 5 bus stops on that whole route with a regular bus service and they're all in the centre of Hartlepool.

The sixth form detour when there's plenty other services, is just stupid though.

(07 Apr 2026, 12:05 pm)Busesinnewcastle wrote 27725-NK11BFM will is at Slatyford now

Clean air zone problems. Being charged entering the city so has been sent over for the 6/7. 

27723 is still at slatyford too but that’s no longer being charged according to the website but still on the 6/7 so should in theory go back to Walkergate.

(07 Apr 2026, 3:51 pm)TransitObserver wrote Clean air zone problems. Being charged entering the city so has been sent over for the 6/7. 

27723 is still at slatyford too but that’s no longer being charged according to the website but still on the 6/7 so should in theory go back to Walkergate.

Ah right thought this might of been the problem but wasn’t sure with it being on the 40 just last week

(07 Apr 2026, 2:39 pm)Storx wrote To be fair don't see the issue with an hourly service out there, as long as it done areas en-route like Grange Road which currently have zero bus service and areas at the East side of Hartlepool.

Something like:
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/54.69161...?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI2MDQwMS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

Can't see why it couldn't be done in an hour tbh. There's like 5 bus stops on that whole route with a regular bus service and they're all in the centre of Hartlepool.

The sixth form detour when there's plenty other services, is just stupid though.

That’s for the benefit of any youngsters living in the villages who are students at the 6th Form. It means it serves all 3 main 6th form centres in the 6th form college, English Martyrs and the college of further education.   It’s why it’s doing a strange Zig Zag route instead of going straight up Grange Road.

(15 Mar 2026, 10:44 pm)TransitObserver wrote Damn, RTC or vandalism?

Little idiots smashing windows

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(26 Mar 2026, 11:43 am)Glen1974 wrote Not really but the 25 reg  no 73175,6 we're bought for stockton depot that all I say. They should had 74 reg yutongs not 25 reg.

Again it don't matter there both the same inside  nothing special about 25 Plates that a 24 Plates haven't there both the same

(07 Apr 2026, 1:58 pm)col87 wrote In that case let’s put the Tees flex minis on the 35, X40/ X41 and East Cleveland 1 and 2 because like you they will be ample capacity considering most of them carry fresh air as well.  Like all new services it will need time to see how it does and for people to know about it. Saying that it would be a big help if Connect Tees Valley actually got themselves sorted and updated the timetables in the bus stops to show the service exists.  

It’s not quite based on old routes either as this is the first time since the 401/402 countryside bus has connected the Town Centre, Burn Valley and Ward Jackson Park.

Considering the 35 picks up 65 school kids twice a day I hardly think a tees flex mini would be suitable?

Also there are rather busy (in context) journeys on the X40/41 around peak times towards Wynyard park - circa 25-30 pax from Billingham.

The weekly revenue data for the 51 show that the first week’s full session passenger count could fit on a full size E300…

(10 Apr 2026, 7:29 am)Teessider2014 wrote Considering the 35 picks up 65 school kids twice a day I hardly think a tees flex mini would be suitable?

Also there are rather busy (in context) journeys on the X40/41 around peak times towards Wynyard park - circa 25-30 pax from Billingham.

The weekly revenue data for the 51 show that the first week’s full session passenger count could fit on a full size E300…

So what you are saying is that in Hartlepool there shouldn’t be any attempts at service innovation and that all the TVCA monies should be used in Southern Teeeside and Stockton. Hartlepool gets a rotten deal being in the TVCA. Teeswork Ben is only interested in the Yarm and East Cleveland area too. Time for Hartlepool to move up into NECA.

26279 has been painted however it broke down on the central motorway on its way back to Slatyford depot.

(10 Apr 2026, 11:50 am)Economic505 wrote So what you are saying is that in Hartlepool there shouldn’t be any attempts at service innovation and that all the TVCA monies should be used in Southern Teeeside and Stockton. Hartlepool gets a rotten deal being in the TVCA. Teeswork Ben is only interested in the Yarm and East Cleveland area too. Time for Hartlepool to move up into NECA.

You think Hartlepool would be better off in NECA where all the focus will be on Newcastle and maybe Durham at a push?… 
They’ve had a decent chunk of money spent on the third platform at the rail station allowing the express to go hourly doubling the frequency up & down the coast.

(10 Apr 2026, 2:19 pm)TransitObserver wrote 26279 has been painted however it broke down on the central motorway on its way back to Slatyford depot.

I’ve got a feeling 10638 is now in for a re paint now

(10 Apr 2026, 9:25 pm)Gtyresmoke wrote You think Hartlepool would be better off in NECA where all the focus will be on Newcastle and maybe Durham at a push?… 
They’ve had a decent chunk of money spent on the third platform at the rail station allowing the express to go hourly doubling the frequency up & down the coast.

Yes I do think that. I have lived both sides of the fence, being from Sunderland but now living here in Hartlepool. The rail platform was essentially righting a wrong. Besides , whilst work was carried out at Hartlepool, Boro station is getting a £125 million upgrade . Contrast that to the £12 million spent at Hartlepool. Short changed comes to mind.

(10 Apr 2026, 9:25 pm)tyresmoke wrote You think Hartlepool would be better off in NECA where all the focus will be on Newcastle and maybe Durham at a push?… 
They’ve had a decent chunk of money spent on the third platform at the rail station allowing the express to go hourly doubling the frequency up & down the coast.

Realistically the TVCA should be part of NECA in transport terms as the areas are that interlinked.