Nothing would stop a 21 every 30 mins (one from Brandon) doing it though very 30 mins through Team Valley instead of Low Fell

(03 Jun 2026, 12:03 am)Adrian wrote 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.

Aye no arguments, I was saying more that a Metrocentre bus would have that issue though, rather than the X1 etc. 

Tbh though the Durham <> Metrocentre link should be via Stanley though imo.

Could easily do something like:


Which merges the 6/16/16A/X72/X73 into 3 simple to use 30 minute day time services and hourly evening services and gives everyone in the Stanley area, at least one bus to Newcastle, one bus to the Metrocentre and one bus to Durham.

The Durham to Metrocentre links on that route are quite direct anyway really.

(03 Jun 2026, 12:03 am)Adrian wrote 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.


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.

I disagree, firstly because there are certain retailers that arent in Newcastle or Metrocentre that people without a car may need and secondly a lot of offices are flexiable hours now.

(03 Jun 2026, 9:59 am)Storx wrote Aye no arguments, I was saying more that a Metrocentre bus would have that issue though, rather than the X1 etc. 

Tbh though the Durham <> Metrocentre link should be via Stanley though imo.

Could easily do something like:


Which merges the 6/16/16A/X72/X73 into 3 simple to use 30 minute day time services and hourly evening services and gives everyone in the Stanley area, at least one bus to Newcastle, one bus to the Metrocentre and one bus to Durham.

The Durham to Metrocentre links on that route are quite direct anyway really.

Before the pandemic , when we regularly visited on a Sunday, it was six and two threes whether it was quicker to go via Stanley or Gateshead. When the X21 is going through one of its bad patches, I often walk to the hospital instead of the college, if I’m travelling to Newcastle so I have the option of going via Stanley, as it doesn’t take much longer than a 21 stuck in traffic (and is a much more scenic route!)

(03 Jun 2026, 8:22 pm)BusLoverMum wrote Before the pandemic , when we regularly visited on a Sunday, it was six and two threes whether it was quicker to go via Stanley or Gateshead. When the X21 is going through one of its bad patches, I often walk to the hospital instead of the college, if I’m travelling to Newcastle so I have the option of going via Stanley, as it doesn’t take much longer than a 21 stuck in traffic (and is a much more scenic route!)

Not surprised either there tbh. The 21 is a hell of a bus route, at the best of times. Just feels a right slog through Low Fell etc. 

I used to go to Birtley once in a blue moon, and I'd do anything to avoid it, usually getting the X12 as you'd pass around 3 of them anyway while than ran express.

Curious to know, If it didn't matter about the statistics of the route
If you could bring back any service what would you choose.

I would be curious to see a rerun of the much older 57 where it extended up to South Shields or the Pronto X20 from Sunderland to Bishop Auckland

I'd bring back all of the 3** services in North Tyneside