(23 Nov 2017, 7:36 pm)Michael wrote The 39 is also down to change on that day...


Looks like 1 extra run is added on an early morning, according to the NEXUS site.

The usual extra journeys for Royal Mail at Doxford Park in the lead up to Christmas (the old RM1/RM2 services a few years ago, which have just been extra journeys on the 20/39 for the past year or two).

(23 Nov 2017, 7:37 pm)Dan wrote The usual extra journeys for Royal Mail at Doxford Park in the lead up to Christmas (the old RM1/RM2 services a few years ago, which have just been extra journeys on the 20/39 for the past year or two).

Ah right, thanks Dan, wasn't sure!

(23 Nov 2017, 7:08 pm)Michael wrote Hopefully, would be interesting to see the 5 go to North Shields instead of the 9.... if that happens, the 9 is likely to be Sunderland to Jarrow only, do many people use the service between Sunderland and Jarrow?


I did read somewhere of a new service numbered the 26, VOSA is the best place to get information, once its on VOSA, it's normally confirmed however nothing has appeared so far.

Assuming the 5 is extended and continues to interwork with the 50, I am struggling to work out how the PVR will be covered.
It would be a canny little trip out for the drivers though

(23 Nov 2017, 7:36 pm)Michael wrote The 39 is also down to change on that day...


Looks like 1 extra run is added on an early morning, according to the NEXUS site.

Is it not earlier buses for royal mail?

(23 Nov 2017, 7:41 pm)Andreos1 wrote Assuming the 5 is extended and continues to interwork with the 50, I am struggling to work out how the PVR will be covered.
It would be a canny little trip out for the drivers though

The short trips between North Shields and Jarrow are timed 12 minutes (to Jarrow) and 14 minutes (to North Shields) - so doable within 30 minutes. Don't think it would be that difficult just to add an extra bus into the cycle.

One clear benefit of these rumoured changes would be that there would be a standard timetable all day long on the services between Sunderland and Jarrow, as well as Jarrow and North Shields.

At the moment there's a 20-minute headway between Sunderland and Jarrow on service 9, but a 30-minute headway between Jarrow and North Shields (with each trip from North Shields alternating between one which runs the full route, and one which terminates short at Jarrow).

(23 Nov 2017, 7:44 pm)Dan wrote The short trips between North Shields and Jarrow are timed 12 minutes (to Jarrow) and 14 minutes (to North Shields) - so doable within 30 minutes. Don't think it would be that difficult just to add an extra bus into the cycle.

One clear benefit of these rumoured changes would be that there would be a standard timetable all day long on the services between Sunderland and Jarrow, as well as Jarrow and North Shields.

At the moment there's a 20-minute headway between Sunderland and Jarrow on service 9, but a 30-minute headway between Jarrow and North Shields (with each trip from North Shields alternating between one which runs the full route, and one which terminates short at Jarrow).

Defiantly.... the current 9 timetable is daft.

Sunderland to North Shields via the tunnel is a logical journey people may wish to make (a pity that the 9 timetable is idiotic), but no-one (except perhaps a dedicated bus enthusiast)  is going to travel via a lengthy circuitous route from South Shields to Jarrow then through the tunnel to North Shields when they can go via the ferry (unless they get seasick!). So extending the 5 to North Shields would be useless to most prospective passengers wanting to cross the Tyne and deter those from Sunderland from travelling by bus; it can only be for the operational convenience of the company in matching frequencies.

(23 Nov 2017, 8:56 pm)Greg in Weardale wrote Sunderland to North Shields via the tunnel is a logical journey people may wish to make (a pity that the 9 timetable is idiotic), but no-one (except perhaps a dedicated bus enthusiast)  is going to travel via a lengthy circuitous route from South Shields to Jarrow then through the tunnel to North Shields when they can go via the ferry (unless they get seasick!). So extending the 5 to North Shields would be useless to most prospective passengers from wanting to cross the Tyne and deter those from Sunderland from travelling by bus; it can only be for the operational convenience of the company in matching frequencies.

Does anybody from Sunderland travel the full route by bus when the metro is quicker?

(23 Nov 2017, 8:56 pm)Greg in Weardale wrote Sunderland to North Shields via the tunnel is a logical journey people may wish to make (a pity that the 9 timetable is idiotic), but no-one (except perhaps a dedicated bus enthusiast)  is going to travel via a lengthy circuitous route from South Shields to Jarrow then through the tunnel to North Shields when they can go via the ferry (unless they get seasick!). So extending the 5 to North Shields would be useless to most prospective passengers from wanting to cross the Tyne and deter those from Sunderland from travelling by bus; it can only be for the operational convenience of the company in matching frequencies.

Whilst I agree that the rumoured changes may suit operational requirements (even if the timings would be very tight to see an increase of 1 to the PVR to such a long pair of services), I don't think the idea is to get people to use the 5 between the two Shields's.
I reckon a Buzzfare and a combo of the 5 (9 currently) and the 27 would be the choice of the majority of those making that trip.

The Jarrow - N Shields section is funded if I remember correctly.
The current 5 may have had some funding initially (Kickstarter?), but not sure if it is still funded.
Not a bad little earner if both sections attract funding!

(23 Nov 2017, 9:18 pm)Andreos1 wrote Whilst I agree that the rumoured changes may suit operational requirements (even if the timings would be very tight to see an increase of 1 to the PVR to such a long pair of services), I don't think the idea is to get people to use the 5 between the two Shields's.
I reckon a Buzzfare and a combo of the 5 (9 currently) and the 27 would be the choice of the majority of those making that trip.

The Jarrow - N Shields section is funded if I remember correctly.
The current 5 may have had some funding initially (Kickstarter?), but not sure if it is still funded.
Not a bad little earner if both sections attract funding!

I think the current 5 is funded by nexus between Jarrow and Fellgate.

Certain runs change journey at Fellgate. Mainly on a night

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(23 Nov 2017, 8:59 pm)nk55 wrote Does anybody from Sunderland travel the full route by bus when the metro is quicker?

It's an hour by the 9 and you couldn't do Sunderland to North Shields, including the inconvenience of changing at Monument, by Metro in an hour. Though there is only one through 9 per hour on this stupid timetable and a Metro every 12 minutes.

The 9 timetable is a mess. The short journey to Jarrow from North Shields is crazy. The evening and sunday timetables are higher specification and generally more frequent from North Shields.

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From my limited experiences of the 9, from the Sunderland end of the route, most of the passengers seem to get off at Boldon Asda and a few may carry on towards Jarrow, whenever the bus has reached Jarrow Bus Station most of the passengers seem to depart the bus and most of the passengers who travel to North Shields board/alight at Jarrow Bus Station or some of the stops before that, seems like only a few will go the whole or nearly full route from my experiences at least, only time I've really seen people carry onto towards Sunderland is a weekday peak time run from North Shields and even then most of the punters got off long before Sunderland.

I agree that the current set up for the 9 timetable is silly but I couldn't help but think that when it ran on a 15 minute frequency between Sunderland and Jarrow that it seemed somewhat overkill in terms of demand, you would often get the top deck of a Vyking all to yourself the whole way to Jarrow (or at least I would).

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(27 Nov 2017, 2:11 pm)Jamie M wrote The 9 timetable is a mess. The short journey to Jarrow from North Shields is crazy. The evening and sunday timetables are higher specification and generally more frequent from North Shields.

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Apart from a short time, there has been a bus service between North Shields and Sunderland ever since the Tyne Tunnel opened in 1967, and even at that time the journey lasted 1 hour and 4 minutes. I used the bus frequently when I was a student in Sunderland. The route has also always been a merger of local routes serving housing estates on the south side of the Tyne. At first it was based on a former service 60 which, after Jarrow, went via Simonside, Brockley Whins, John Reid Road and Biddick Hall to East Boldon, now the 9 goes via a former service 26 via Hedworth and Boldon Colliery.
Any alteration which involved a change in Jarrow would only add extra time to the journey, as I can't see the demand for a more direct route from the south end of the Tunnel to Sunderland.
Agreed the timetable for service 9 is a mess; originally there were 4 buses per hour between Sunderland and Jarrow, with 2 being extended to North Shields. However when the decision was taken to reduce the frequency to 3 buses er hour between Sunderland and jarrow, maintaining 2 per hour to Shields would have meant a 20/40 split.
The alternative was always to use the ferry to South Shields, then catch a bus from there to Sunderland, but this was always messy, and the little time saved was outweighed by being on a direct bus. Also the ferry does not operate every evening, hence the need or a bus through the tunnel.
So even though the 9 is the best of a bad job, I would prefer it to stay, rather than lose it altogether. After all, Sunderland is the biggest city in the North-east, and why shouldn't North Tyeside have a bus service there, rather than using the Metro, which adds about 8 miles on to the overall journey?

(27 Nov 2017, 2:11 pm)Jamie M wrote The 9 timetable is a mess. The short journey to Jarrow from North Shields is crazy. The evening and sunday timetables are higher specification and generally more frequent from North Shields.

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Had a check to see how long the current timetable has been in place. Discussion and VOSA changes are referenced from p14 in this thread.

Following on from the discussions of potential service changes on South Tyneside, GNE have now published info on the changes, effective from Sunday 28th January 2018.

New year new bus services for South Tyneside: http://newsroom.gonortheast.co.uk/news/n...ide-281260

Interesting, it still feels like there's going to be a cut in services without it saying as such? How is the 9 going to do the 88 and 88A, I'm not sure how they're actually different?

(28 Nov 2017, 3:59 pm)deanmachine wrote Interesting, it still feels like there's going to be a cut in services without it saying as such? How is the 9 going to do the 88 and 88A, I'm not sure how they're actually different?

The 88/88A provides a cross Hebburn service with a clock and anti clock circuit between Station Road and Lukes Lane with through journeys allowed. The through journeys allow passengers in the Hartleyburn Avenue and Crawley Avenue area a link to the doctors surgery and schools on Campbell Park Road. In the other direction the estates along Campbell Park Road have a direct link to the community centre on Crawley Avenue.
The fact that Go North East remains silent on maintaining the through service makes me think it will be removed resulting in passengers having to make a journey to Station Road and change buses to complete their journey.

(28 Nov 2017, 4:31 pm)GuyParkRoyal wrote The 88/88A provides a cross Hebburn service with a clock and anti clock circuit between Station Road and Lukes Lane with through journeys allowed. The through journeys allow passengers in the Hartleyburn Avenue and Crawley Avenue area a link to the doctors surgery and schools on Campbell Park Road. In the other direction the estates along Campbell Park Road have a direct link to the community centre on Crawley Avenue.
The fact that Go North East remains silent on maintaining the through service makes me think it will be removed resulting in passengers having to make a journey to Station Road and change buses to complete their journey.

While it's frequency decerse from 15 minutes to 20 minutes on what it currently the 88/88A I'm not sure about these changes and I'm going guessing you the 26 will be in the crusader brand

(28 Nov 2017, 3:28 pm)Jimmi wrote Following on from the discussions of potential service changes on South Tyneside, GNE have now published info on the changes, effective from Sunday 28th January 2018.

New year new bus services for South Tyneside: http://newsroom.gonortheast.co.uk/news/n...ide-281260

That 26/27 is a strange one.
Imagine getting on prior to Jarrow and needing to be at the hospital.

'Are you going to turn in to the 26?' Is a phrase I think will be used quite a bit.
Why not have the 26 and 27 operating between Newcastle and Jarrow? Passengers will know from the outset that the bus they're boarding will be heading to a certain point, without having to ask.

On another note, wasnt the frequency of the 27 changed from every 10mins to assist with reliability?
So not only will the vehicles bunch, but potentially a passenger will be stopping 2/3 buses, just to find out which one is going to 'turn in to a 26'!

(28 Nov 2017, 6:08 pm)Andreos1 wrote That 26/27 is a strange one.
Imagine getting on prior to Jarrow and needing to be at the hospital.

'Are you going to turn in to the 26?' Is a phrase I think will be used quite a bit.
Why not have the 26 and 27 operating between Newcastle and Jarrow? Passengers will know from the outset that the bus they're boarding will be heading to a certain point, without having to ask.

On another note, wasnt the frequency of the 27 changed from every 10mins to assist with reliability?
So not only will the vehicles bunch, but potentially a passenger will be stopping 2/3 buses, just to find out which one is going to 'turn in to a 26'!

It says a direct link to Newcastle from the Scotch Estate, so I doubt they'll needlessly change to a 27 again in Jarrow, it'll be 26/27 the whole way. You'd think.

Confirms the 9, will get new refurbished citaro's.

Looks like some of the Omnicities from the Coaster, will go on to 5/50.

(28 Nov 2017, 6:20 pm)Michael wrote Confirms the 9, will get new refurbished citaro's.

Looks like some of the Omnicities from the Coaster, will go on to 5/50.

Yeah should only need 1 more though - maybe one as a spare too? 

I would say the rest would stay at Percy Main - 8 for the 11, 4 for the 19 and the rest spare replacing all of the Solars.

(28 Nov 2017, 6:34 pm)Tom wrote Yeah should only need 1 more though - maybe one as a spare too? 

I would say the rest would stay at Percy Main - 8 for the 11, 4 for the 19 and the rest spare replacing all of the Solars.

Maybe few spares for Washington, i don't see the citaro's going back to Washington after refurb.

(28 Nov 2017, 6:51 pm)Michael wrote Maybe few spares for Washington, i don't see the citaro's going back to Washington after refurb.

I agree. Probably 5337 & 5338 come back to washy.

I'd say 2 extra PVR for 5/50 with maybe 2 spare

Just heard a rumour that Percy Main are gaining the 5.

(28 Nov 2017, 6:54 pm)S830OFT wrote Just heard a rumour that Percy Main are gaining the 5.

I was thinking the 5 may no longer interwork with 50 so this makes sense. Guessing it's better for Percy Main to operate than Washington if it did go standalone.

More Omnicities at Percy Main then....possibly keeping the Eclipses as spare?

A mate who knows a few Washington Drivers told me a few weeks ago they had said they were going to start going to North Shields

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(28 Nov 2017, 6:54 pm)JP6004 wrote I agree. Probably 5337 & 5338 come back to washy.

I'd say 2 extra PVR for 5/50 with maybe 2 spare

Na there both getting refurbished too.