(28 May 2026, 1:38 pm)L469 YVK wrote IMO, given they're already operating at a PVR of around 15x + the separate misc workings on the X39, they'd better off doing the following given that North Shields doesn't warrant a 20 minute service and neither does Blyth.

309:
- Every 15 mins Newcastle to Whitley Bay Town Centre
- Continues every 30 mins to Blyth

307:
- Every 15 mins Newcastle to Hadrian Park
- Continues every 30 mins to North Shields

The PVR would be 16x and interworking as:
- Short 309 > Full 307 > Full 307 > Short 309
- Full 309 > Short 307 > Short 307 > Full 309

Layover times also generous in Blyth, Whitley Bay and North Shields, and potential scope to reduce reliance on misc workings for the X39.

Nice clean 7-8 minute service - and could curtail Saturday AM short 309's at Cobalt to save PVR slightly.

imo the Blyth 309 links would be better on another service, they're getting delayed on the Coast Road when there's no need to go anywhere near it.

Personally I'd look at a local service to replace it, something like this:


Doing:
Bebside Station - ASDA - Cowpen - The Range - Blyth Town Centre - South Beach - Seaton Sluice - Whitley Lodge - Whitley Bay - Whitley Bay Metro - Marden - NT Hospital - Cobalt - Silverlink - Battle Hill - Wiltshire Drive - Wallsend Metro

With the purpose of doing local links in Blyth, Whitley Bay and Wallsend with connections to each of respective stations. Will it be popular? Who knows but it can't be any worse than the 3, 309, W2 and 341 it's replacing. 

Whitley Bay Metro, Silverlink and Bebside Station are all horrid to get to right now without crossing busy roundabouts etc.

(28 May 2026, 5:51 pm)X919 WGR wrote I think there was a photo of an Stagecoach ALX300 running the X66 as the 66 in like 2006 I think

Was the X66 just the 66 at the time or did Stagecoach forget to put the X on?

(28 May 2026, 8:49 pm)F114TML wrote Was the X66 just the 66 at the time or did Stagecoach forget to put the X on?

I can remember getting on Stagecoach Boxing Day service 1 Newcastle to Kibblesworth, which interworked that day with the 21 operating Newcastle to either Barley Mow or Chester le Street (not sure if went to CLS)

Stagecoach operated the short lived V reg Tridents on it at the time. Remember it was luxury compared to what GNE used.

I find it intresting that no operator has considered reintroducing the Durham to Metrocentre link. I thought there would always be one so passengers from the City Centre could benefit from the 1 Bus Journey instead of 2.

I remember watching an old Bus Spotting video and there was at least 4 Services at one point that served Metrocentre from Durham.
Arrivas X24 and Go North Easts 43/44 & X22. But Now we have nothing.

Used to have fun allocations those routes

(29 May 2026, 8:15 pm)X919 WGR wrote I find it intresting that no operator has considered reintroducing the Durham to Metrocentre link. I thought there would always be one so passengers from the City Centre could benefit from the 1 Bus Journey instead of 2.

I remember watching an old Bus Spotting video and there was at least 4 Services at one point that served Metrocentre from Durham.
Arrivas X24 and Go North Easts 43/44 & X22. But Now we have nothing.

Used to have fun allocations those routes

The demand just isn’t there anymore. Be better of reintroducing Washington-MetroCentre

---

(28 May 2026, 8:49 pm)F114TML wrote Was the X66 just the 66 at the time or did Stagecoach forget to put the X on?

The Boxing Day service utilised all stops and ran via Askew Road at the time

(29 May 2026, 8:15 pm)X919 WGR wrote I find it intresting that no operator has considered reintroducing the Durham to Metrocentre link. I thought there would always be one so passengers from the City Centre could benefit from the 1 Bus Journey instead of 2.

I remember watching an old Bus Spotting video and there was at least 4 Services at one point that served Metrocentre from Durham.
Arrivas X24 and Go North Easts 43/44 & X22. But Now we have nothing.

Used to have fun allocations those routes

Ignoring pricing, that's a train journey that tbf. 

Only 40 minutes with a change, and with shopping etc there's just more space. 

It's only £9.90 RTN aswell which isn't too bad considering it'll be a once in a blue moon trip really.

(30 May 2026, 6:28 am)Storx wrote Ignoring pricing, that's a train journey that tbf. 

Only 40 minutes with a change, and with shopping etc there's just more space. 

It's only £9.90 RTN aswell which isn't too bad considering it'll be a once in a blue moon trip really.

Why spend £9.90 when a single is £2.50 or even a TNE Explorer which is £7.50

Trains these days aint the best option to travel especially with certain sections now required a change over

I do wonder what could be explored. Northstar seem to be doing these things to give people the opportunity. X43 is the better imo as its the quickest bus route to Metrocentre from Stanley since the X73 & 6 take ages to get there so its quick and convenient

(30 May 2026, 9:54 am)Nerd4321 wrote Why spend £9.90 when a single is £2.50 or even a TNE Explorer which is £7.50

Trains these days aint the best option to travel especially with certain sections now required a change over

I do wonder what could be explored. Northstar seem to be doing these things to give people the opportunity. X43 is the better imo as its the quickest bus route to Metrocentre from Stanley since the X73 & 6 take ages to get there so its quick and convenient

It's a once in a blue moon trip, money doesn't matter as much. Even with the change it's as fast as any bus and the trains are already running.

There'll be very little demand for buses from Durham to the Metrocentre direct all day, every day, so it's either going to be ultra infrequent or it'll take ages as it'll try and pick up people from everywhere and anywhere to make it work. 

The Metrocentre is also a bit crap, I don't see why anyone would choose it over Newcastle personally, the only reason people go there is because driving into Newcastle is a pain in the arse.

(29 May 2026, 10:02 pm)220631612 wrote The demand just isn’t there anymore. Be better of reintroducing Washington-MetroCentre

---

The Boxing Day service utilised all stops and ran via Askew Road at the time

It would be interesting having a link from Durham - Arnison - Galleries and Metro or is that a bit much? Bar the arnison centre non of them are anywhere near as popular as they once were

---

(30 May 2026, 11:13 am)Storx wrote It's a once in a blue moon trip, money doesn't matter as much. Even with the change it's as fast as any bus and the trains are already running.

There'll be very little demand for buses from Durham to the Metrocentre direct all day, every day, so it's either going to be ultra infrequent or it'll take ages as it'll try and pick up people from everywhere and anywhere to make it work. 

The Metrocentre is also a bit crap, I don't see why anyone would choose it over Newcastle personally, the only reason people go there is because driving into Newcastle is a pain in the arse.

Agreed. Somewhere like lanchester is crying for a faster service to places like newcastle. But there is just not much demand with it being a little village. The 6 takes a good 90 mins.

---

(29 May 2026, 10:02 pm)220631612 wrote The demand just isn’t there anymore. Be better of reintroducing Washington-MetroCentre

---

The Boxing Day service utilised all stops and ran via Askew Road at the time

It would be interesting having a link from Durham - Arnison - Galleries and Metro or is that a bit much? Bar the arnison centre non of them are anywhere near as popular as they once were

Galleries is one of the fastest growing retail sites in the UK in terms of income but it’s driven by car friendly and focused retail park, similar with Arnison

I went to team valley at 7.30 last night and you couldn’t get a space near the shops.

Demand is there for retail but for car not bus

(30 May 2026, 11:19 am)TheClumsyPineapple wrote It would be interesting having a link from Durham - Arnison - Galleries and Metro or is that a bit much? Bar the arnison centre non of them are anywhere near as popular as they once were

---

Agreed. Somewhere like lanchester is crying for a faster service to places like newcastle. But there is just not much demand with it being a little village. The 6 takes a good 90 mins.

---

It would be interesting having a link from Durham - Arnison - Galleries and Metro or is that a bit much? Bar the arnison centre non of them are anywhere near as popular as they once were

See if I was looking at Durham to Metrocentre links I'd be looking at going via Stanley.

The 16A terminates shorts anyway, could you extend that to back to Newcastle via the Northstar X43 route with the X73 and 6 merging together to serve the rest? 

It would probably do alright since your opening up Newcastle links from South Stanley and Sacriston etc rather than it being purely MetroCentre links.

(30 May 2026, 6:28 am)Storx wrote Ignoring pricing, that's a train journey that tbf. 

Only 40 minutes with a change, and with shopping etc there's just more space. 

It's only £9.90 RTN aswell which isn't too bad considering it'll be a once in a blue moon trip really.

It's 20 minutes by car for a clear run, so hardly once in a blue moon. It's even south of the Tyne so we don't even need our passports!

(30 May 2026, 1:50 pm)BusLoverMum wrote It's 20 minutes by car for a clear run, so hardly once in a blue moon. It's even south of the Tyne so we don't even need our passports!

Aye don't disagree from a car point of view, but those people aren't changing to a bus full stop, let's be honest. 

There's literally no reason why anyone would swap really; parking is free, it's an easy drive and the bus uses the same road anyway, it's much quicker, you can go whenever you want and so on.

(30 May 2026, 1:06 pm)Storx wrote See if I was looking at Durham to Metrocentre links I'd be looking at going via Stanley.

The 16A terminates shorts anyway, could you extend that to back to Newcastle via the Northstar X43 route with the X73 and 6 merging together to serve the rest? 

It would probably do alright since your opening up Newcastle links from South Stanley and Sacriston etc rather than it being purely MetroCentre links.

To be fair, the whole of Derwentside & parts of West Gateshead need a reset.

Far too complicated and no logic. Just needs a 'cleaner' version of what was in place prior to October 2015. Plenty of BSIP opportunities too.

Also, the B8RLE Evora could also be a game changer for the quieter boards too rather than blindly going double deck.

The X30/X31/X32/X70/X71/X72/X73 are as complicated as what the EX1/X1/X11/X24/X25/X26/363/364 were in Blyth

(30 May 2026, 5:06 pm)L469 YVK wrote To be fair, the whole of Derwentside & parts of West Gateshead need a reset.

Far too complicated and no logic. Just needs a 'cleaner' version of what was in place prior to October 2015. Plenty of BSIP opportunities too.

Also, the B8RLE Evora could also be a game changer for the quieter boards too rather than blindly going double deck.

The X30/X31/X32/X70/X71/X72/X73 are as complicated as what the EX1/X1/X11/X24/X25/X26/363/364 were in Blyth

Aye can't disagree. To be honest the Blyth routes weren't even that bad really back then either compared to Derwentside. The 6/16/16A/X45/47 is all a mess aswell imo, especially in Consett / Shotley Bridge.

The 45/46/47, X30/X31, X70/X71 and 43/44 were much superior than what's around now imo and the 43/44 would've dealt with the Co. Durham to Metrocentre links.

(30 May 2026, 5:06 pm)L469 YVK wrote To be fair, the whole of Derwentside & parts of West Gateshead need a reset.

Far too complicated and no logic. Just needs a 'cleaner' version of what was in place prior to October 2015. Plenty of BSIP opportunities too.

Also, the B8RLE Evora could also be a game changer for the quieter boards too rather than blindly going double deck.

The X30/X31/X32/X70/X71/X72/X73 are as complicated as what the EX1/X1/X11/X24/X25/X26/363/364 were in Blyth

I think the 2015 Changes did its Damage to the services in the area.

Splitting the 43/44, V8 Merge and the new 6 Service. Then they introduced 3 New M routes from Stanley to Metrocentre (V's first before becoming M's), then between 2021 and 2022 they couldn't decide what routes should go to Consett Tesco/Templetown, Shotley Bridge Hospital & Castleside.


2015 & Sepetember 2021 were probably the worse for the Town

Problem with services to the Metrocentre like the previous X22/X24 or even the Weardale X21/X6 was the demand was largely travelling in one direction, to Metrocentre in the morning then back in the evening, you'd see the first X22's arrive with some not too bad loadings but would then depart to head back to Durham often with nobody boarding or very small numbers and then it would just be taking passengers who otherwise would get on the 21/X21/X12 the rest of the way.

Metrocentre isn't what it once was either.

Who remembers Arrivas 40/41, it only did Newcastle-Burradon, would of been around 2006(ish), never understood what its purpose was as i thought Burradon was covered by the 42A/42B

(31 May 2026, 4:48 pm)V514DFT wrote Who remembers Arrivas 40/41, it only did Newcastle-Burradon, would of been around 2006(ish), never understood what its purpose was as i thought Burradon was covered by the 42A/42B

Vaguely remember being parked up, did always think it was a bit of a weird one to be fair.

Can't remember the 42A/42B though. Burradon - Newcastle was always the 363/364.

(31 May 2026, 4:48 pm)V514DFT wrote Who remembers Arrivas 40/41, it only did Newcastle-Burradon, would of been around 2006(ish), never understood what its purpose was as i thought Burradon was covered by the 42A/42B

The 40/41 (from what I can remember best) was they were clockwise & anticlockwise (40 clock/41 anti). 42A/42B could have been Sunday variations with the service heading to Cramlington but serving the loop first as much as I can remember i dont think they ran during the day and only ran evening & Sundays. Arriva round Newcastle & Cramlington was a strange time

Who remembers when they introduced the 10 & 11 which were just non express versions which went through dudley following the 43 route when they decided to randomly change the 43 on evenings & Sundays to run hourly so made the 10/11 serve Dudley instead on evenings & Sundays

Not saying you's are wrong, but the 42A/42B ran as part of the 42/42A/42B/43/43A/43B, i could be wrong about the 42A/42B running via Burradon, it might have just been one of the 42's via Burradon, but definitely remember it doing so as my brother had a friend who lived up in Burradon, and i remember it coming over the bridge from Dudley to T-junction with Burradon Road, then hanging a left to head towards Annitsford

(31 May 2026, 2:47 pm)Jimmi wrote Problem with services to the Metrocentre like the previous X22/X24 or even the Weardale X21/X6 was the demand was largely travelling in one direction, to Metrocentre in the morning then back in the evening, you'd see the first X22's arrive with some not too bad loadings but would then depart to head back to Durham often with nobody boarding or very small numbers and then it would just be taking passengers who otherwise would get on the 21/X21/X12 the rest of the way.

Metrocentre isn't what it once was either.

110% not everyone shops at the same pace at places like the metro and people are less reluctant to time an hourly bus service on return. Rather than ideas of extending routes stupidly long the idea of a 'shuttle' is far more workable.

(31 May 2026, 8:21 pm)V514DFT wrote Not saying you's are wrong, but the 42A/42B ran as part of the 42/42A/42B/43/43A/43B, i could be wrong about the 42A/42B running via Burradon, it might have just been one of the 42's via Burradon, but definitely remember it doing so as my brother had a friend who lived up in Burradon, and i remember it coming over the bridge from Dudley to T-junction with Burradon Road, then hanging a left to head towards Annitsford

I can't remember it, but wonder if it might have been a replacement for the bit of Burradon via the meat factory?

The 363/364 were merged into one all via Fern Drive around that time aswell and the X25/X26 were still express. The X4/X5/X6 came along not too much longer though when the X4 went back via the meat factory and the X5/X6 then via Fern Drive assuming the same time it went.

(31 May 2026, 6:27 pm)Nerd4321 wrote Who remembers when they introduced the 10 & 11 which were just non express versions which went through dudley following the 43 route when they decided to randomly change the 43 on evenings & Sundays to run hourly so made the 10/11 serve Dudley instead on evenings & Sundays

tbf I'm surprised that didn't come back after COVID in some of way with the amount of cuts going around. It always seemed an easy one to save some resources as the loads heading into town in the evening are abysmal, especially when the other operator was cutting services outright everywhere.

Fair play to them for not doing it though really.

(31 May 2026, 10:31 pm)Storx wrote I can't remember it, but wonder if it might have been a replacement for the bit of Burradon via the meat factory?

The 363/364 were merged into one all via Fern Drive around that time aswell and the X25/X26 were still express. The X4/X5/X6 came along not too much longer though when the X4 went back via the meat factory and the X5/X6 then via Fern Drive assuming the same time it went.

Possibly, was around 2005 my brothers mate lived up there, but i know after that there was quite a bit of chopping and changing after that, im sure the 363/364 existed right upto Arrivas big reshuffle in 2010

(01 Jun 2026, 5:08 pm)V514DFT wrote Possibly, was around 2005 my brothers mate lived up there, but i know after that there was quite a bit of chopping and changing after that, im sure the 363/364 existed right upto Arrivas big reshuffle in 2010

Think the 364 might have been a bit later than that like want to say it was circa 2006/7'ish when it got scrapped.

They changed it so it was just the 363 via West Moor and Fern Drive, omitting Holywell. It was the same time they changed the 810/811/442 to the 10/11/12.

(31 May 2026, 2:47 pm)Jimmi wrote Problem with services to the Metrocentre like the previous X22/X24 or even the Weardale X21/X6 was the demand was largely travelling in one direction, to Metrocentre in the morning then back in the evening, you'd see the first X22's arrive with some not too bad loadings but would then depart to head back to Durham often with nobody boarding or very small numbers and then it would just be taking passengers who otherwise would get on the 21/X21/X12 the rest of the way.

Metrocentre isn't what it once was either.

I don't think this is too dissimilar to other services though. Buses going into Newcastle tend to be a lot busier in the morning peak than buses going out, and vice versa with the afternoon peak. You could say the same about Durham when I lived and worked there.

Ideally you want loadings either way, but if one direction is top-heavy, I could see it being useful for bringing a service back on time. The X88 certainly used to suffer with this, with it's 20 minutes between Washington and the Metrocentre.

(02 Jun 2026, 10:32 am)Adrian wrote I don't think this is too dissimilar to other services though. Buses going into Newcastle tend to be a lot busier in the morning peak than buses going out, and vice versa with the afternoon peak. You could say the same about Durham when I lived and worked there.

Ideally you want loadings either way, but if one direction is top-heavy, I could see it being useful for bringing a service back on time. The X88 certainly used to suffer with this, with it's 20 minutes between Washington and the Metrocentre.

Not sure I agree there because even known there might be less people being picked up, on the vast majority of the interurban stuff there's a major destination at the other end which start picking people up, ie. Consett, Stanley, Blyth, Ashington, Houghton Le Spring, Peterlee or whatever.

The Durham Metrocentre services don't do that they just start duplicating the X12/21/X21 and there's no need for the extra capacity. A bus from the Metrocentre direct to CLS then to Durham potentially has the literal demand of 0 new passengers. There's just absolutely no use for it and dropping the capacity on the X21/21 between the 2 places isn't the answer either.

(02 Jun 2026, 11:18 am)Storx wrote Not sure I agree there because even known there might be less people being picked up, on the vast majority of the interurban stuff there's a major destination at the other end which start picking people up, ie. Consett, Stanley, Blyth, Ashington, Houghton Le Spring, Peterlee or whatever.

The Durham Metrocentre services don't do that they just start duplicating the X12/21/X21 and there's no need for the extra capacity. A bus from the Metrocentre direct to CLS then to Durham potentially has the literal demand of 0 new passengers. There's just absolutely no use for it and dropping the capacity on the X21/21 between the 2 places isn't the answer either.

The X88 was dead because it was easier to change in Gateshead or Newcastle due to higher frequencies. Also not having a weekday service didn't help. Team Valley is another area where I think better all day connections are needed.

(02 Jun 2026, 11:18 am)Storx wrote Not sure I agree there because even known there might be less people being picked up, on the vast majority of the interurban stuff there's a major destination at the other end which start picking people up, ie. Consett, Stanley, Blyth, Ashington, Houghton Le Spring, Peterlee or whatever.

The Durham Metrocentre services don't do that they just start duplicating the X12/21/X21 and there's no need for the extra capacity. A bus from the Metrocentre direct to CLS then to Durham potentially has the literal demand of 0 new passengers. There's just absolutely no use for it and dropping the capacity on the X21/21 between the 2 places isn't the answer either.

I wasn't suggesting that there's no one going the other way, but if you look at something like the X1 in Washington, it's heavily Newcastle bound on a morning and vice-versa at peak. Those travelling, say from Wrekenton to the Galleries, will tend to be after 9.30.

An express shouldn't duplicate, it should take loadings to/from key points. At the time the X22 ran from Durham, it would make sense to do that, on what's already a busy Saturday corridor.

(02 Jun 2026, 8:00 pm)ASX_Terranova wrote The X88 was dead because it was easier to change in Gateshead or Newcastle due to higher frequencies. Also not having a weekday service didn't help. Team Valley is another area where I think better all day connections are needed.

The X88 wasn't dead. Similarly to the X22, it was axed because the operator felt people could just change at Gateshead for the X66, despite this almost trebling the journey time in the case of the X88.

I disagree with Team Valley. Retail world is very much designed as a car-friendly out of town retail space. I think those who don't drive would end up going to Newcastle or the Metrocentre instead. 

The rest is pretty much industrial, and therefore likely to work standard business hours.