(22 Feb 2014, 11:23 am)cbma06 wrote I thought the Prince Bishop buses also Fast Cats buses are to be modified just like the Loop buses etc..., which would rule out of any new or cascades buses going to those 2 routes, are the modifications been cashed by Durham County Council and Sunderland Council for those 2 specific routes to make it more greener?.

Modifying them to be Euro 5, correct... Citaros are also Euro 5 though, so I'd see no issue with the Prince Bishops being allocated Citaros.

I'd agree with Dan that MPD replacements need to be a priority. NorthTyne Links need replacements as does TyneDale Links, East Durham, OK Way & W5/W6, there's also the 99/27X which are MPD routes now also. I'm unsure of what PVR of East Durham is? I thought it was 13 with 1 spare (Plus they've gained an additional spare recently giving 15). 16/17 therefore required for East Durham, 11 NorthTyne Links, 5 TyneDale Links, 2 OK Way, 4 W5/W6, 2 99, 1 27X. That's 41/42 MPD replacements. Quite a lot and don't know how GNE will manage this by 2016 let alone 2015!

Then what ever gets the Prince Bishops buses they will be Euro 5 - Wonder if then they could be branded for a different service instead of going to a spare role.

(22 Feb 2014, 11:29 am)CatsFast101 wrote I'd agree with Dan that MPD replacements need to be a priority. NorthTyne Links need replacements as does TyneDale Links, East Durham, OK Way & W5/W6, there's also the 99/27X which are MPD routes now also. I'm unsure of what PVR of East Durham is? I thought it was 13 with 1 spare (Plus they've gained an additional spare recently giving 15). 16/17 therefore required for East Durham, 11 NorthTyne Links, 5 TyneDale Links, 2 OK Way, 4 W5/W6, 2 99, 1 27X. That's 41/42 MPD replacements. Quite a lot and don't know how GNE will manage this by 2016 let alone 2015!

Some of the 2003 MPD's are actually very nice, so 570-74 might not need to be replaced...

(22 Feb 2014, 11:29 am)CatsFast101 wrote I'd agree with Dan that MPD replacements need to be a priority. NorthTyne Links need replacements as does TyneDale Links, East Durham, OK Way & W5/W6, there's also the 99/27X which are MPD routes now also. I'm unsure of what PVR of East Durham is? I thought it was 13 with 1 spare (Plus they've gained an additional spare recently giving 15). 16/17 therefore required for East Durham, 11 NorthTyne Links, 5 TyneDale Links, 2 OK Way, 4 W5/W6, 2 99, 1 27X. That's 41/42 MPD replacements. Quite a lot and don't know how GNE will manage this by 2016 let alone 2015!

in 2015 make sure all 45 are in the order's or if other routes get new buses make sure what ever is getting cascaded will end up on the MPD routes

(22 Feb 2014, 11:29 am)CatsFast101 wrote I'd agree with Dan that MPD replacements need to be a priority. NorthTyne Links need replacements as does TyneDale Links, East Durham, OK Way & W5/W6, there's also the 99/27X which are MPD routes now also. I'm unsure of what PVR of East Durham is? I thought it was 13 with 1 spare (Plus they've gained an additional spare recently giving 15). 16/17 therefore required for East Durham, 11 NorthTyne Links, 5 TyneDale Links, 2 OK Way, 4 W5/W6, 2 99, 1 27X. That's 41/42 MPD replacements. Quite a lot and don't know how GNE will manage this by 2016 let alone 2015!

I gave the PVR of the East Durham network in my post above... The PVR of the East Durham network based at Peterlee is 12, and the PVR of service 238 is 2. Peterlee currently have 15 branded vehicles and Deptford currently have 3 branded vehicles. Realistically, Go North East aim to have one spare vehicle for every 8 branded - I don't think it's irrational to suggest that having one spare at Deptford and two spares at Peterlee if they were to be upgraded to Versas though. Newer vehicles are of greater quality and are therefore more reliable.

603-606 (services W5/W6) are not expected to be withdrawn until 2016, and 618/619 (East Durham) are not expected to be withdrawn until 2017. As I said before, I don't think Go North East have treated MPD withdrawal as a 'top priority' - so we could perhaps add an extra year onto their expected life span - as is the case with all of the other MPDs in the fleet.

I'd expect that the North Tyne Links batch would be replaced by the current "Nexus" liveried Solos. These would in turn be replaced by Euro 6 examples, allowing Go North East to go for more contracts and look better than their competitors in the tender process.

Providing Go North East keep all of the tendered Hexham work, I'd suggest that new vehicles (Solo SRs) could be on order here too.

(22 Feb 2014, 11:32 am)Tom wrote Some of the 2003 MPD's are actually very nice, so 570-74 might not need to be replaced...

It's really not to do with the ride quality though, it's down to numbers. They were purchased with a date of withdrawal of 2015 in mind - they've been paid for now, and they can go. If they stay for much longer, they are increasing the average age of the fleet.

(22 Feb 2014, 11:40 am)Dan wrote I gave the PVR of the East Durham network in my post above... The PVR of the East Durham network based at Peterlee is 12, and the PVR of service 238 is 2. Peterlee currently have 15 branded vehicles and Deptford currently have 3 branded vehicles. Realistically, Go North East aim to have one spare vehicle for every 8 branded - I don't think it's irrational to suggest that having one spare at Deptford and two spares at Peterlee if they were to be upgraded to Versas though. Newer vehicles are of greater quality and are therefore more reliable.

603-606 (services W5/W6) are not expected to be withdrawn until 2016, and 618/619 (East Durham) are not expected to be withdrawn until 2017. As I said before, I don't think Go North East have treated MPD withdrawal as a 'top priority' - so we could perhaps add an extra year onto their expected life span - as is the case with all of the other MPDs in the fleet.

I'd expect that the North Tyne Links batch would be replaced by the current "Nexus" liveried Solos. These would in turn be replaced by Euro 6 examples, allowing Go North East to go for more contracts and look better than their competitors in the tender process.

Providing Go North East keep all of the tendered Hexham work, I'd suggest that new vehicles (Solo SRs) could be on order here too.

Deptford don't have a branded East Durham spare and I don't think they need one either. 618/619 til 2017 my good that's a scary thought!

(22 Feb 2014, 11:51 am)CatsFast101 wrote Deptford don't have a branded East Durham spare and I don't think they need one either. 618/619 til 2017 my good that's a scary thought!

542 is Deptford's allocated spare (poor wording on my half for saying 'branded spare') for the 238. It's plain yellow to allow for greater flexibility with allocations (it can go on the 99 when not needed on the 238).

Nothing wrong with 618/619! Enjoyed (as much as you can enjoy, when it comes to an MPD...) many a ride on both of them on the 689

(22 Feb 2014, 11:40 am)Dan wrote I gave the PVR of the East Durham network in my post above... The PVR of the East Durham network based at Peterlee is 12, and the PVR of service 238 is 2. Peterlee currently have 15 branded vehicles and Deptford currently have 3 branded vehicles. Realistically, Go North East aim to have one spare vehicle for every 8 branded - I don't think it's irrational to suggest that having one spare at Deptford and two spares at Peterlee if they were to be upgraded to Versas though. Newer vehicles are of greater quality and are therefore more reliable.

603-606 (services W5/W6) are not expected to be withdrawn until 2016, and 618/619 (East Durham) are not expected to be withdrawn until 2017. As I said before, I don't think Go North East have treated MPD withdrawal as a 'top priority' - so we could perhaps add an extra year onto their expected life span - as is the case with all of the other MPDs in the fleet.

I'd expect that the North Tyne Links batch would be replaced by the current "Nexus" liveried Solos. These would in turn be replaced by Euro 6 examples, allowing Go North East to go for more contracts and look better than their competitors in the tender process.

Providing Go North East keep all of the tendered Hexham work, I'd suggest that new vehicles (Solo SRs) could be on order here too.


It's really not to do with the ride quality though, it's down to numbers. They were purchased with a date of withdrawal of 2015 in mind - they've been paid for now, and they can go. If they stay for much longer, they are increasing the average age of the fleet.

I did suggest that last week, as the North Tyne Links services don't really need Versa's, only at peak times.

(22 Feb 2014, 11:53 am)Tom wrote I did suggest that last week, as the North Tyne Links services don't really need Versa's, only at peak times.

I believe the PVR of the North Tyne Links network is 9 and there are currently 11 branded vehicles. There are currently 12 "Nexus" branded vehicles.

As the Solo SRs should be more reliable, 10 going to Percy Main for the "North Tyne Links" network should be fine, while 2 could go elsewhere... I'm not sure where would be best to place these two vehicles, but there are obviously a number of locations where they could go, including 2x Solo SR at Deptford for service 99 or 1x Solo SR at Riverside for service S1 and 1x Solo SR at Saltmeadows for service 27X. The latter sounding more apt to me! I assume that the QEH shuttle will soon cease to exist, but I have no idea on how long it's expected to last.

(22 Feb 2014, 12:08 pm)Dan wrote I believe the PVR of the North Tyne Links network is 9 and there are currently 11 branded vehicles. There are currently 12 "Nexus" branded vehicles.

As the Solo SRs should be more reliable, 10 going to Percy Main for the "North Tyne Links" network should be fine, while 2 could go elsewhere... I'm not sure where would be best to place these two vehicles, but there are obviously a number of locations where they could go, including 2x Solo SR at Deptford for service 99 or 1x Solo SR at Riverside for service S1 and 1x Solo SR at Saltmeadows for service 27X. The latter sounding more apt to me! I assume that the QEH shuttle will soon cease to exist, but I have no idea on how long it's expected to last.

Service 353 uses 637-9 which are the longer version. 27x is likely to be withdrawn due to low use shortly, and S1 requires a bigger bus as per contract(quay link Versa maybe an option for 2015). Quay link Versa could be transferred to South Tyne 5(4 buses) and pulse 67/69(3 buses) with 1 for S1 and the final one as a red spare.

(22 Feb 2014, 12:36 pm)park5354 wrote Service 353 uses 637-9 which are the longer version. 27x is likely to be withdrawn due to low use shortly, and S1 requires a bigger bus as per contract(quay link Versa maybe an option for 2015). Quay link Versa could be transferred to South Tyne 5(4 buses) and pulse 67/69(3 buses) with 1 for S1 and the final one as a red spare.

8266 is far too big for the S1. I think I have mentioned before where the first time I was at the Metrocentre (within a month of GNE operating the service) a panel was caved in a bit due to what I would assume dragging off a kerb whilst going round the Car parks, id certainly say a Solo SR is not only better for capacity but is also good for getting round the car parks etc.

(22 Feb 2014, 12:43 pm)northtynelinks2 wrote 8266 is far too big for the S1. I think I have mentioned before where the first time I was at the Metrocentre (within a month of GNE operating the service) a panel was caved in a bit due to what I would assume dragging off a kerb whilst going round the Car parks, id certainly say a Solo SR is not only better for capacity but is also good for getting round the car parks etc.

Ive never seen it busy so i agree

I'd say then:
8xQuayLink Versa to M2/M3
1xQuayLink Versa to 88
2xPurple Versa to OK Way 18
1xPurple Versa to S1
1xPurple Versa to TyneDale Links
4xSimpliCity Versa to TyneDale Links
2xSimpliCity Versa to East Durham (Deptford)
5xSimpliCity Versa to East Durham (Peterlee)
9xOrbit Versa to East Durham (Peterlee)
10xSolo SR to NorthTyne Links.
2xSolo SR to Service 99.

This involves upgrading NexusBus, QuayLink, SimpliCity, Orbit services. A total of 45 new vehicles.

I'm incredibly bored, and appreciate that it's so early in the day and none of this would have even been decided yet... But here's what I'd do if I were in charge over the next few years. This thread was always designed to be a bit of fun anyway!


2014 (Up to 80 vehicles)

- X66
> Vehicles withdrawn

- Lime
> Vehicles withdrawn

- Crusader
> 9x Citaro to Red Kite, allowing OmniCitys to cascade to Centurion and ultimately allow B10BLEs currently allocated to be withdrawn.
> 5x Citaro to X30/X31, allowing 3885-89 to accompany 3890/91 (replaced somehow...) on a temporary 'red X21' allocation. Current B7TLs replace some of the Olympians.

- Laser
> 12x Citaro to Prince Bishops > Solars allowing B10s up to 4914 to be withdrawn.
> 6x Solar to GNE Red > B10s up to 4920 withdrawn.

- Toon Link
> B10BLEs withdrawn
> B7RLEs to South Tyne 5, allowing current allocation to be withdrawn.

- Fab57
> B10BLEs withdrawn


2015 (Up to 80 vehicles)

- QuayLink (assuming GNE retain the contract)
> Versas to M2/M3, Cadets withdrawn.

- Red Arrows
> B9s to Pronto (7), Angel (3), TTX (1), TEN (2), allowing the deckers (inc. 3885-91, if my plan for the previous year went ahead) to lead to double decker withdrawal, presumably the Lolynes if GNE get rid of some of the scholar work which the remaining Olympians would have performed in the previous year.

- Prince Bishops
> Assuming they do get Citaros in 2014, they go to the Highwayman, allowing the Highwayman Solars to conclude B10BLE withdrawal.

- Diamond
> Mercs to Tynedalexpress (4)
> Mercs to Fast Cats (10)
One Solar to replace 8293, and the others allowing the eldest Solars in the fleet to be withdrawn in preparation for the following year when they're due to be withdrawn

- Nexus
> 10x Solo to NTL
> 2x Solo to ?
Assisting with MPD withdrawal.

- Tynedale Links
> MPDs withdrawn

- Sunderland Connect
> Allowing Solos to assist with Nexus contracts.


2016

- SimpliCity / Orbit
> 14x Peterlee East Durham
> 2x OK Way
> 2x Deptford East Durham
> 1x S1

Assisting with MPD withdrawal, and would probably allow for all MPDs to be withdrawn (except 603-606 and 618/619).

I think what you might see in the future with Nexus scholars is some cost cutting where they're included in service boards. I think the 33 going to Kingsleys will just be the start. Ultimately this will mean the withdrawal of certain trips on services but it will cut the cost of having 2 buses down to one for Nexus.
Durham CC will likely try to convert a lot of theirs down to coaches at some point, or indeed cheaper operators may well end up with a lot of the contracted work, Pygalls and Nightingales are two that have done well recently with double deck contracts.

(22 Feb 2014, 1:17 pm)tyresmoke wrote I think what you might see in the future with Nexus scholars is some cost cutting where they're included in service boards. I think the 33 going to Kingsleys will just be the start. Ultimately this will mean the withdrawal of certain trips on services but it will cut the cost of having 2 buses down to one for Nexus.
Durham CC will likely try to convert a lot of theirs down to coaches at some point, or indeed cheaper operators may well end up with a lot of the contracted work, Pygalls and Nightingales are two that have done well recently with double deck contracts.

The other side of the coin is any contract specifications that come into play - based on local, national or eu legislation.
If they are strict, independents with older vehicles may not be able to tender.

If they cant bid and the big boys wont bid...

(22 Feb 2014, 1:00 pm)Dan wrote I'm incredibly bored, and appreciate that it's so early in the day and none of this would have even been decided yet... But here's what I'd do if I were in charge over the next few years. This thread was always designed to be a bit of fun anyway!


2014 (Up to 80 vehicles)

- X66
> Vehicles withdrawn

- Lime
> Vehicles withdrawn

- Crusader
> 9x Citaro to Red Kite, allowing OmniCitys to cascade to Centurion and ultimately allow B10BLEs currently allocated to be withdrawn.
> 5x Citaro to X30/X31, allowing 3885-89 to accompany 3890/91 (replaced somehow...) on a temporary 'red X21' allocation. Current B7TLs replace some of the Olympians.

- Laser
> 12x Citaro to Prince Bishops > Solars allowing B10s up to 4914 to be withdrawn.
> 6x Solar to GNE Red > B10s up to 4920 withdrawn.

- Toon Link
> B10BLEs withdrawn
> B7RLEs to South Tyne 5, allowing current allocation to be withdrawn.

- Fab57
> B10BLEs withdrawn


2015 (Up to 80 vehicles)

- QuayLink (assuming GNE retain the contract)
> Versas to M2/M3, Cadets withdrawn.

- Red Arrows
> B9s to Pronto (7), Angel (3), TTX (1), TEN (2), allowing the deckers (inc. 3885-91, if my plan for the previous year went ahead) to lead to double decker withdrawal, presumably the Lolynes if GNE get rid of some of the scholar work which the remaining Olympians would have performed in the previous year.

- Prince Bishops
> Assuming they do get Citaros in 2014, they go to the Highwayman, allowing the Highwayman Solars to conclude B10BLE withdrawal.

- Diamond
> Mercs to Tynedalexpress (4)
> Mercs to Fast Cats (10)
One Solar to replace 8293, and the others allowing the eldest Solars in the fleet to be withdrawn in preparation for the following year when they're due to be withdrawn

- Nexus
> 10x Solo to NTL
> 2x Solo to ?
Assisting with MPD withdrawal.

- Tynedale Links
> MPDs withdrawn

- Sunderland Connect
> Allowing Solos to assist with Nexus contracts.


2016

- SimpliCity / Orbit
> 14x Peterlee East Durham
> 2x OK Way
> 2x Deptford East Durham
> 1x S1

Assisting with MPD withdrawal, and would probably allow for all MPDs to be withdrawn (except 603-606 and 618/619).

What about Silver Arrows getting New Buses, because if this plan was to go exactly as planned, the Current Citaros on the 2A/2C would be 9 Years Old by the time this plan was Completed, And I don't see the Red Arrows getting New Buses any time soon either as there Vehicles are only 2/3 Years Old almost, plus they coping perfectly fine, But I do see the Logic behind that thought though, so it could potentially still happen.

And I can't see the East Durham Network surviving for another 2 and a Half Years with those MPD's, I would think that 2015 would be more realistic. Also I have noticed there would be 10 Nexus Solos to NTL in 2015 with 2 Spare, But then 2016 you have OK Way, which also has a PVR of 2, Might as well put the OK Way into the 2015 Cascades List.

(22 Feb 2014, 3:25 pm)NEBCD Malarkey wrote What about Silver Arrows getting New Buses, because if this plan was to go exactly as planned, the Current Citaros on the 2A/2C would be 9 Years Old by the time this plan was Completed, And I don't see the Red Arrows getting New Buses any time soon either as there Vehicles are only 2/3 Years Old almost, plus they coping perfectly fine, But I do see the Logic behind that thought though, so it could potentially still happen.

And I can't see the East Durham Network surviving for another 2 and a Half Years with those MPD's, I would think that 2015 would be more realistic. Also I have noticed there would be 10 Nexus Solos to NTL in 2015 with 2 Spare, But then 2016 you have OK Way, which also has a PVR of 2, Might as well put the OK Way into the 2015 Cascades List.

The trouble is what you'd purchase for the Silver Arrows.

I've mentioned in the past what I was once told on the Open Line facility, and that was that they wanted to purchase double deckers for the Silver Arrows on a combined 15 minute frequency but it meant that the services had to be re-routed owing to a low bridge and the local councillors objected.

As such, they had to opt for the 10 minute combined frequency instead, and if memory serves, this is when they removed the X3 from the Red Arrows brand and repainted 5326/27 silver. They were still allocated to the X3 for a while despite this, and when the other Mercs received warranty repaint, Deptford allocated one of them to the 60 every single day. 5326/27 still retain Red Arrows interior branding to this day.


Regarding the choice of making the OK Way wait for the additional year - I was once told that the service was performing quite well and could often justify the midi vehicle as opposed to a smaller vehicle.

Out of interest could a decker make it over fatfield bridge?

(22 Feb 2014, 3:46 pm)aureolin wrote Out of interest could a decker make it over fatfield bridge?

Looking at Google Maps, there is a 16' warning sign (equating to 4.8768m). The Gemini 2 DL has an overall height of 4.4m.
I think the issue would be on Station Road (12'3 according to Google).

(22 Feb 2014, 3:53 pm)Dan wrote Looking at Google Maps, there is a 16' warning sign (equating to 4.8768m). The Gemini 2 DL has an overall height of 4.4m.
I think the issue would be on Station Road (12'3 according to Google).

Yeah Station Road is definitely a no go. I remember the scholars 194 short working back in the day used to use Nationals full to the brim because of this, whereas the rest used deckers.

(22 Feb 2014, 4:08 pm)aureolin wrote Yeah Station Road is definitely a no go. I remember the scholars 194 short working back in the day used to use Nationals full to the brim because of this, whereas the rest used deckers.

I guess GNE could argue that the 4 is still in place every 10 minutes and passengers can easily connect to the Silver Arrows or walk to the nearest stop (must be about 3 or 4 minutes if you live in the middle of Station Road?)

Re-routing via Washington Highway and connecting back onto the usual route once you reach the turn-off for Fatfield Bridge would take 7 minutes, compared to the current 3.
A difference of 4 minutes in either direction... Not sure if it would work or not if the service was designed to be every 15 mins combined again.

(22 Feb 2014, 4:17 pm)Dan wrote I guess GNE could argue that the 4 is still in place every 10 minutes and passengers can easily connect to the Silver Arrows or walk to the nearest stop (must be about 3 or 4 minutes if you live in the middle of Station Road?)

Re-routing via Washington Highway and connecting back onto the usual route once you reach the turn-off for Fatfield Bridge would take 7 minutes, compared to the current 3.
A difference of 4 minutes in either direction... Not sure if it would work or not if the service was designed to be every 15 mins combined again.

Id you lived on Station Road/Gladstone Tce, you could walk to the stop directly after Fatfield Bridge southbound or walk through the tunnel into Penshaw.
I would hazard a guess it would be longer to walk than you suggested.

Maybe worth making the 2a/2c standalone services and run one decker and one single decker.

(22 Feb 2014, 4:52 pm)andreos1 wrote Id you lived on Station Road/Gladstone Tce, you could walk to the stop directly after Fatfield Bridge southbound or walk through the tunnel into Penshaw.
I would hazard a guess it would be longer to walk than you suggested.

Maybe worth making the 2a/2c standalone services and run one decker and one single decker.

Washington-bound, I made the reference to using the 4 as it would take 9 minutes according to Google Maps. I always find I can walk faster than what Google Maps suggests, so it would take perhaps 6 at the most for me. It will obviously differ for each person though, and for the elderly - the people who are most likely to complain without the current links they have using the Silver Arrows - it will probably take even longer than 9 minutes.

Sunderland-bound, which is what I was talking about in regards to walking to the nearest stop, 4 minutes. Again, more likely to be 2 or 3 minutes in reality.

Generally speaking, split allocations are a no-go really. Don't think there are any left (excluding the Centurion as it's not technically a branded split allocation), is there?

(22 Feb 2014, 5:02 pm)Dan wrote Washington-bound, I made the reference to using the 4 as it would take 9 minutes according to Google Maps. I always find I can walk faster than what Google Maps suggests, so it would take perhaps 6 at the most for me.

Sunderland-bound, which is what I was talking about in regards to walking to the nearest stop, 4 minutes. Again, more likely to be 2 or 3 minutes in reality.

Having walked it daily for 5 years, I can guarantee it takes longer than 3/4mins up the hill, crossing over the road onto the path etc.

The stop at Penshaw beyond the tunnel Sunderland bound has been moved further along the road than appears on google maps due to house building on the old builders yard/directly behind the old stone shelter too.

Getting off a bus on the stretch between the highway and Fatfield bridge would be a long walk too.
There is the 'new stop' just after the roundabout and the stop at the bridge.
The steep hill through the houses from either stop takes a few mins alone just to clear that.

I would suggest perhaps Versa 11.7m or the Scania Irizar for New Vehicles, As for the 2A/2C having Double Deckers, the 2A would be a Major Problem as it serves Barnwell, so it would have to go back on itself slightly and do Clockwise/Anti Clockwise Loop of the Top/Bottom of Barnwell, I don't think Passengers in Barnwell would want to walk to Penshaw/Shiney Row to catch a Bus to Sunderland/Washington would they, and there is what has already been mentioned above with Fatfield Bridge etc, I would keep it as it now as think GNE made a wise move in upping the frequency to Every 10 Minutes.

I think the B7RLE's from the ''Toon Link'' will be used on the 57, I reckon the 5 will get the ''Sunderland Connect'' solos.

The newer ''Prince Bishops'' solos could be used on the ''Pulse'' services (5211-14, replacing 5160-13), ''Tynedale Links'' (5215, replacing 8293) ''Soccerbus'' (5216, replacing 4910), and 128 (5217, replacing 4847). 4969/4989-92 would be used as a spare.

(22 Feb 2014, 5:10 pm)andreos1 wrote Having walked it daily for 5 years, I can guarantee it takes longer than 3/4mins up the hill, crossing over the road onto the path etc.

The stop at Penshaw beyond the tunnel Sunderland bound has been moved further along the road than appears on google maps due to house building on the old builders yard/directly behind the old stone shelter too.

Getting off a bus on the stretch between the highway and Fatfield bridge would be a long walk too.
There is the 'new stop' just after the roundabout and the stop at the bridge.
The steep hill through the houses from either stop takes a few mins alone just to clear that.

I took a number of photos in between the two stops last summer - getting off at the stop before the low bridge (Sunderland-bound), and walking to the stop after the bridge... Only took me 3 minutes but I guess I must be one hell of a speedy walker - or you're just slow (even by Google Maps standards!)

How far up has the bus stop moved since I was last there?

You can see the bus stop I am familiar with from last summer in this photograph.

(22 Feb 2014, 5:12 pm)NEBCD Malarkey wrote I would suggest perhaps Versa 11.7m or the Scania Irizar for New Vehicles, As for the 2A/2C having Double Deckers, the 2A would be a Major Problem as it serves Barnwell, so it would have to go back on itself slightly and do Clockwise/Anti Clockwise Loop of the Top/Bottom of Barnwell, I don't think Passengers in Barnwell would want to walk to Penshaw/Shiney Row to catch a Bus to Sunderland/Washington would they, and there is what has already been mentioned above with Fatfield Bridge etc, I would keep it as it now as think GNE made a wise move in upping the frequency to Every 10 Minutes.

The section between the Galleries and Penshaw Bank top never carry decent loads though apart from rush hour/school times.
Then you have the other buses running through Lambton, Biddick, Fatfield etc.

It doesn't justify the frequency it has in those areas - towards Sunderland it will

(22 Feb 2014, 5:15 pm)Dan wrote I took a number of photos in between the two stops last summer - getting off at the stop before the low bridge (Sunderland-bound), and walking to the stop after the bridge... Only took me 3 minutes but I guess I must be one hell of a speedy walker - or you're just slow (even by Google Maps standards!)

How far up has the bus stop moved since I was last there?

You can see the bus stop I am familiar with from last summer in this photograph.

It can take 5 mins to cross the road at times never mind 3 mins to do the entire journey man :p

The bus stop is now in front of the old houses (Frederick Gardens?).