(12 Mar 2014, 9:00 pm)AdamY wrote I think it was the 179/180 in later later years but it may have previously been numbered 177/178 at some point.

I'll have to check though.

The 177/178 were still about until the 2006 changes.
Replaced in part by a combination the 71 and the tb20

(12 Mar 2014, 9:02 pm)aureolin wrote 180 was Galleries to Stanley I think? St Georges travel through the day, and Stanley Buses on a night springs to mind. Never served Fencehouses though.

Stanley did cover a Washington - Chester route on a night in the 2000s, although I cant remember the number.
The only time I went for it, it never turned up due to the snow (always bad up there).
We were heading to Chester (I was on a promise with a lass I had been meeting - my mates were hoping she brought her mates) and being hot headed males, agreed to get the 777 to Barley Mow and then a bus from there - sensing our desperation, the driver (who was only going as far as Barley Mow, before heading back to the depot), charged us to Barley Mow and carried us as far as Chester Police Station NIS.

(13 Mar 2014, 7:36 am)Andreos Constantopolous wrote The 177/178 were still about until the 2006 changes.
Replaced in part by a combination the 71 and the tb14.


Stanley did cover a Washington - Chester route on a night in the 2000s, although I cant remember the number.
The only time I went for it, it never turned up due to the snow (always bad up there).
We were heading to Chester (I was on a promise with a lass I had been meeting - my mates were hoping she brought her mates) and being hot headed males, agreed to get the 777 to Barley Mow and then a bus from there - sensing our desperation, the driver (who was only going as far as Barley Mow, before heading back to the depot), charged us to Barley Mow and carried us as far as Chester Police Station NIS.

Did you get to plant your seed then???

(13 Mar 2014, 10:19 am)fozzovmurton wrote Did you get to plant your seed then???

Do you or the others really need to know?
Dirty perv

(13 Mar 2014, 11:09 am)Andreos Constantopolous wrote Do you or the others really need to know?
Dirty perv

Yes...I am a dirty old bastard and nosy at that, I like to know everybodies business

(13 Mar 2014, 11:12 am)fozzovmurton wrote Yes...I am a dirty old bastard and nosy at that, I like to know everybodies business

Just to keep it on topic.
Shame you weren't on the x10 a few years back.
A lass I used to work with, used the back seats of the Olympians and took advantage of the long route and few stops...

Sure she suggested an alternative route at one point

Before you ask - it wasn't me she was with.
I have higher standards - both with the lass and getting it on, on a bus!

3943 AND a couple of ex London Presidents on the x1 today

(13 Mar 2014, 11:32 am)Andreos Constantopolous wrote Just to keep it on topic.
Shame you weren't on the x10 a few years back.
A lass I used to work with, used the back seats of the Olympians and took advantage of the long route and few stops...

Sure she suggested an alternative route at one point

Before you ask - it wasn't me she was with.
I have higher standards - both with the lass and getting it on, on a bus!

3943 AND a couple of ex London Presidents on the x1 today

I remember about 12 year, was heading to W€$t Auckland for my promise, absolutely mortal drunk, when I was getting off the bus, the driver asked me what I was so happy about, told him I was on a promise, he said to me 'looking at the state of you son, I hope you dont let the side down'...I let the side down, I could not find where she lived, so walked back home dejected(well walked as far as Spennymoor and stayed with a friend), has gutted me to this day, she was absolutely gorgeous, would be way out of my league now...she was like Premier League to my Conference, the type of meeting that only happens once in a blue moon in the FA Cup Third Round lmao...

anyway lets back on topic lol

(13 Mar 2014, 7:36 am)Andreos Constantopolous wrote The 177/178 were still about until the 2006 changes.
Replaced in part by a combination the 71 and the tb20

It appears that there were two different sets of 177/178 services - a circular service which ran around Washington and the Houghton-based set to which you allude. I have mistakenly presumed that it was all one service running between Washington and Houghton via Chester, Great Lumley and that well-known bastion of civility, Fencehouses.

Service suggestions for services 1, 58, 309 and 310.

- Service 1 will continue to operate every 15 minutes between Gateshead and Whitley Bay. Journeys will still continue to Wrekenton every 30 minutes however, the journeys between Gateshead and Whitley Bay will continue to Blyth every 30 minutes via the Cobalt Clipper 309 route due to the fact that an extension of service 309 to Blyth would not be viable due to lack of resources. However, extra buses would be more available for service 1. Both service 1 and 309 running half hourly between Whitley Bay and Blyth would form a combined 15 minute frequency between Blyth amd Whitley Bay. Evening and Sunday journeys will not extend beyond Whitley Bay and will remain the same. A half hourly extension would reform links between North Tyneside and Northumberland that were broken when the original 310 was withdrawn, allowing passengers to make a change onwards to the original links that are now provided by the 9 and vice versa. A 15 minute combined frequency will allow GNE to effectively compete with Arriva's 308 and to and extent X4, between Whitley Bay, Seaton Sluice and Blyth. The 1 journeys towards Whitley Bay from Blyth will be timed to connect with the half hourly 309 journeys that terminate in Whitley Bay and through fares would be available. The same scenario would apply for people wanting to make a connection in Whitley Bay frm the 309 to the 1 journeys that terminate in Whitley Bay. Also, services 309 and 1 / 1A will be timed to connect in Whitley Bay during evenings and Sundays allowing passengers to make easy connections between Northumberland and North Tyneside. Through fares would be available for this too.

- Service 58 would continue to operate as it is now Monday to Sunday daytime. However, all evening journeys will terminate in Newcastle. Buses would operate in an anti clockwose direction between Pilgrim Street and back via the daytime route to John Dobson Street. Buses will then operate back to Pilgrim Street via St Mary's, Percy Street and Blackett Street. Buses would be timed to connect with service 310 at St Mary's during the evenings allowing easy connections to be made between Gateshead, Newcastle and North Tyneside. Through fares would be available during the evenings and vice versa from service 310 to 58.

- Service 309 will remain the same Monday to Saturday daytime. However, evening journeys would be increased to run half hourly between Newcastle and Blyth.

- Service 310 will remain the same Monday to Saturday daytime. However, evening journeys would be increased to operate every 30 minutes between Newcastle and North Shields. Evening journeys would also serve Hadrian Park but Sunday daytime journeys would remain unchanged. Overall, a newly revised service 309 and 310 wpuld both offer a more frequent service individually during the evenings and and both would combine to provide an up to every 15 minute frequency during the evenings between Newcastle and Cobalt South.l

I've always felt like a small circular around Chester would be a good idea. Perhaps;

Chester --- South Pelaw --- Pelton --- Newfield --- Grange Villa --- Pelton Fell --- Chester

So it basically does a loop around the Pelton area. As a Chester-Le-Street resident, I can literally imagine it going round and round and round all day, instead of having the 78s, 8s and 28s darting out of one and into the next one, I think a shuttle would be excellent with possibly a rotor like the X22 had (there were 6 drivers for it), except it could run each day of the week.

Many years ago, when it was Northern General and there were that many services in Chester you couldn't count them with all your fingers and all your toes, Chester had a lot of minibuses amongst their Nationals and Metrobuses. Many were stored inside the main garage, but that arch at the right of the face of the depot was where they were kept. It isn't used at all now, apart from for the night bus or an anciallairy vehicle, but years ago when Chester was stuffed with minibuses (don't exactly know how many but I'd say around ten), they were stored under the archway. What would happen, would they wouldn't go through the washer or get refuelled (I think they were physically scrubbed down and physically refuelled), and would go through the arch. You know where that steel door is, that hasn't moved since the last Solo Chester had, and in the morning that was slid open and they would drive out of there. Perhaps if Chester got a few Solo SR's they could run this service and be stored there, although I highly doubt it. If you want anymore facts like the one about the archway, I've got loads of them!

(16 Mar 2014, 5:51 pm)Marcus wrote I've always felt like a small circular around Chester would be a good idea. Perhaps;

Chester --- South Pelaw --- Pelton --- Newfield --- Grange Villa --- Pelton Fell --- Chester

So it basically does a loop around the Pelton area. As a Chester-Le-Street resident, I can literally imagine it going round and round and round all day, instead of having the 78s, 8s and 28s darting out of one and into the next one, I think a shuttle would be excellent with possibly a rotor like the X22 had (there were 6 drivers for it), except it could run each day of the week.

Many years ago, when it was Northern General and there were that many services in Chester you couldn't count them with all your fingers and all your toes, Chester had a lot of minibuses amongst their Nationals and Metrobuses. Many were stored inside the main garage, but that arch at the right of the face of the depot was where they were kept. It isn't used at all now, apart from for the night bus or an anciallairy vehicle, but years ago when Chester was stuffed with minibuses (don't exactly know how many but I'd say around ten), they were stored under the archway. What would happen, would they wouldn't go through the washer or get refuelled (I think they were physically scrubbed down and physically refuelled), and would go through the arch. You know where that steel door is, that hasn't moved since the last Solo Chester had, and in the morning that was slid open and they would drive out of there. Perhaps if Chester got a few Solo SR's they could run this service and be stored there, although I highly doubt it. If you want anymore facts like the one about the archway, I've got loads of them!

I don't know really know the route, but doesn't the 34/34A achieve this to an extent?

(16 Mar 2014, 6:01 pm)aureolin wrote I don't know really know the route, but doesn't the 34/34A achieve this to an extent?

Not really. The 34/34A only skirts Pelton on its way to Ouston and Urpeth Grange and doesn't serve Grange Villa. Newfield or Pelton Fell.

The route suggested by Marcus would be similar to the old 739/740 circular service through Pelton, Grange Villa and Pelton Fell.

(16 Mar 2014, 5:51 pm)Marcus wrote I've always felt like a small circular around Chester would be a good idea. Perhaps;

Chester --- South Pelaw --- Pelton --- Newfield --- Grange Villa --- Pelton Fell --- Chester

So it basically does a loop around the Pelton area. As a Chester-Le-Street resident, I can literally imagine it going round and round and round all day, instead of having the 78s, 8s and 28s darting out of one and into the next one, I think a shuttle would be excellent with possibly a rotor like the X22 had (there were 6 drivers for it), except it could run each day of the week.

Many years ago, when it was Northern General and there were that many services in Chester you couldn't count them with all your fingers and all your toes, Chester had a lot of minibuses amongst their Nationals and Metrobuses. Many were stored inside the main garage, but that arch at the right of the face of the depot was where they were kept. It isn't used at all now, apart from for the night bus or an anciallairy vehicle, but years ago when Chester was stuffed with minibuses (don't exactly know how many but I'd say around ten), they were stored under the archway. What would happen, would they wouldn't go through the washer or get refuelled (I think they were physically scrubbed down and physically refuelled), and would go through the arch. You know where that steel door is, that hasn't moved since the last Solo Chester had, and in the morning that was slid open and they would drive out of there. Perhaps if Chester got a few Solo SR's they could run this service and be stored there, although I highly doubt it. If you want anymore facts like the one about the archway, I've got loads of them!

Does this proposal not duplicate some of the DCC secured service that Scarlet Band operate?
I know the Scarlet Band covers Pelton Fell, Newfield and Hilda Park. I assume that if GNE take the proposed route on a commercial basis DCC would no doubt withdraw the secured Chester le Street service.

(16 Mar 2014, 6:07 pm)AdamY wrote Not really. The 34/34A only skirts Pelton on its way to Ouston and Urpeth Grange and doesn't serve Grange Villa. Newfield or Pelton Fell.

The route suggested by Marcus would be similar to the old 739/740 circular service through Pelton, Grange Villa and Pelton Fell.

In the years leading up to the 739/740 being withdrawn, it didn't serve Pelton (just Newfield) - but may have done in years gone by.
It followed the 28/a route to Grange Villa, the current 78 route to Newfield and then dropped down to where Beamish Transport is, before returning under the railway viaduct (or vice versa).

There are old Northern flags up by where Pelton Station was, so there has obviously been a route between the two (possibly a forerunner of the last 739/740 route), but just not in the last few decades.
Pelton was linked to Grange Villa and Newfield with the 728 and now the 78.
The only buses up Pelaw Bank when I lived there in late 90s/early 00s, were the Consett buses, the Chester local minibus that went into Hilda Park (Scarlet Band have it now) and the 733 & 734.

(16 Mar 2014, 6:07 pm)AdamY wrote Not really. The 34/34A only skirts Pelton on its way to Ouston and Urpeth Grange and doesn't serve Grange Villa. Newfield or Pelton Fell.

The route suggested by Marcus would be similar to the old 739/740 circular service through Pelton, Grange Villa and Pelton Fell.

Adam's right. The Worm covers South Pelaw and all the way up to Pelton Schools, then turns up to Ouston and onto Urpeth Grange. It goes nowhere near Pelton Fell or Grange Villa, unless under diversion.

(16 Mar 2014, 7:09 pm)Andreos Constantopolous wrote In the years leading up to the 739/740 being withdrawn, it didn't serve Pelton (just Newfield) - but may have done in years gone by.
It followed the 28/a route to Grange Villa, the current 78 route to Newfield and then dropped down to where Beamish Transport is, before returning under the railway viaduct (or vice versa).

There are old Northern flags up by where Pelton Station was, so there has obviously been a route between the two (possibly a forerunner of the last 739/740 route), but just not in the last few decades.
Pelton was linked to Grange Villa and Newfield with the 728 and now the 78.
The only buses up Pelaw Bank when I lived there in late 90s/early 00s, were the Consett buses, the Chester local minibus that went into Hilda Park (Scarlet Band have it now) and the 733 & 734.

Yup, you're right about the route of the 739/740 - it probably stayed the same until withdrawal. However, according to a map printed in my 1981 timetable booklet of the North Durham area, it was the 733 went up Station Lane between Pelton Fell and Pelton on its way to Ouston where it then terminated.

hi hi hi

(16 Mar 2014, 7:04 pm)GuyParkRoyal wrote Does this proposal not duplicate some of the DCC secured service that Scarlet Band operate?
I know the Scarlet Band covers Pelton Fell, Newfield and Hilda Park. I assume that if GNE take the proposed route on a commercial basis DCC would no doubt withdraw the secured Chester le Street service.

And there's probably a reason why it is funded by DCC...

(16 Mar 2014, 7:25 pm)AdamY wrote Yup, you're right about the route of the 739/740 - it probably stayed the same until withdrawal. However, according to a map printed in my 1981 timetable booklet of the North Durham area, it was the 733 went up Station Lane between Pelton Fell and Pelton on its way to Ouston where it then terminated.

There you go!
Always wondered which bus went along there - now I do.
It is quite narrow along there, so always imagined it was a post 86 minilink.

Go North East stated that the route between the bottom of Burnthouse Bank & Newfield Inn via front street wasn't viable hence why JSB via Durham County Council introduced 813 to cover the parts of the 739/740 that the 28/28A no longer served

That side of Pelton Fell had 30 minute service in each direction with the 739/740 and hourly on evenings / Sundays now down to 7 per day Monday to Friday only with 703

Be interesting to see if new housing development at North View, Newfield makes Go North East divert a 28 once an hour?

X37 - Newcastle - Gateshead - Chester le Street - Durham - Peterlee - Hartlepool - Limited Stopping Xpress

Some might think it's a "Malarkey Marathon", Take a look at the GNE Interworking of the X35/X36 Between Newcastle - Sunderland - Hartlepool

(16 Mar 2014, 10:16 pm)47406 wrote Go North East stated that the route between the bottom of Burnthouse Bank & Newfield Inn via front street wasn't viable hence why JSB via Durham County Council introduced 813 to cover the parts of the 739/740 that the 28/28A no longer served

That side of Pelton Fell had 30 minute service in each direction with the 739/740 and hourly on evenings / Sundays now down to 7 per day Monday to Friday only with 703

Be interesting to see if new housing development at North View, Newfield makes Go North East divert a 28 once an hour?

Can only think there will be more houses built up there, with the school closing.

(17 Mar 2014, 7:59 pm)NEBCD Malarkey wrote X37 - Newcastle - Gateshead - Chester le Street - Durham - Peterlee - Hartlepool - Limited Stopping Xpress

Some might think it's a "Malarkey Marathon", Take a look at the GNE Interworking of the X35/X36 Between Newcastle - Sunderland - Hartlepool

I'd scrap the first half of the route (Newcastle to Durham), as it's done to death down that corridor with the 21, X21, and Arriva X2. Instead, ensure a connection with the X21 from Bishop, on to Newcastle.

I think if you ran with Durham to Peterlee, stopping at Gilesgate, but then non-stop to Peterlee bus station via the B1283, B1280, and B1320, I think it'd work really well. You could probably do that in 30 minutes, as oppose to the fastest service at present - Arriva 24 at 47 minutes. From Peterlee, you have a fast connection to Sunderland and to Boro via the X7, but the "X37" could provide a limited stop service on to Hartlepool via the coast road, serving Horden, Black Hall, and then terminating at the Marina.

(17 Mar 2014, 9:02 pm)aureolin wrote I'd scrap the first half of the route (Newcastle to Durham), as it's done to death down that corridor with the 21, X21, and Arriva X2. Instead, ensure a connection with the X21 from Bishop, on to Newcastle.

I think if you ran with Durham to Peterlee, stopping at Gilesgate, but then non-stop to Peterlee bus station via the B1283, B1280, and B1320, I think it'd work really well. You could probably do that in 30 minutes, as oppose to the fastest service at present - Arriva 24 at 47 minutes. From Peterlee, you have a fast connection to Sunderland and to Boro via the X7, but the "X37" could provide a limited stop service on to Hartlepool via the coast road, serving Horden, Black Hall, and then terminating at the Marina.

If it were me, I'd terminate it at Peterlee just to provide further express services in the Peterlee area - I really don't think that a higher frequency is needed Peterlee to Hartlepool.

I'm unsure how well a direct Durham to Peterlee service would work though - I'd assume it would be hourly if you tried to get it on a PVR of 1. The only thing which would make it more attractive compared to the 24 would be the faster journey time, and you could also argue the onward GNE connections too.

(17 Mar 2014, 9:15 pm)Dan wrote If it were me, I'd terminate it at Peterlee just to provide further express services in the Peterlee area - I really don't think that a higher frequency is needed Peterlee to Hartlepool.

I'm unsure how well a direct Durham to Peterlee service would work though - I'd assume it would be hourly if you tried to get it on a PVR of 1. The only thing which would make it more attractive compared to the 24 would be the faster journey time, and you could also argue the onward GNE connections too.

Hourly would be enough, as it would compete with Arriva's 57A once an hour to Hartlepool. Both would take 1 hour, whereas the 22 takes about an hour and a half. There's a number of connections Durham to Peterlee already, but whenever I've used the 24 or 22, I've been surprised the amount of people that have travelled the distance. For two major points in County Durham, it's crazy that it takes so long to get there.

Surely worth a trial, even if it's just Durham to Peterlee, to connect each end for the X21 and X7 respectively.

(17 Mar 2014, 9:02 pm)aureolin wrote I'd scrap the first half of the route (Newcastle to Durham), as it's done to death down that corridor with the 21, X21, and Arriva X2. Instead, ensure a connection with the X21 from Bishop, on to Newcastle.

I think if you ran with Durham to Peterlee, stopping at Gilesgate, but then non-stop to Peterlee bus station via the B1283, B1280, and B1320, I think it'd work really well. You could probably do that in 30 minutes, as oppose to the fastest service at present - Arriva 24 at 47 minutes. From Peterlee, you have a fast connection to Sunderland and to Boro via the X7, but the "X37" could provide a limited stop service on to Hartlepool via the coast road, serving Horden, Black Hall, and then terminating at the Marina.

Could skip CLS altogether and have it run Non Stop between Gateshead and Durham, only problem with that would Traffic on the A1 I think it is heading to Newcastle from Durham, then onto Peterlee via B1283, B1280, and B1320, then to Hartlepool via X35 Route, Running Hourly. Plus it bring Multiple Connections to Newcastle/Sunderland/Middlesbrough and the East Durham Area at Peterlee.

(17 Mar 2014, 9:26 pm)NEBCD Malarkey wrote Could skip CLS altogether and have it run Non Stop between Gateshead and Durham, only problem with that would Traffic on the A1 I think it is heading to Newcastle from Durham, then onto Peterlee via B1283, B1280, and B1320, then to Hartlepool via X35 Route, Running Hourly. Plus it bring Multiple Connections to Newcastle/Sunderland/Middlesbrough and the East Durham Area at Peterlee.

I'd have it running from Chester-le-Street to Middlesbrough, hourly. I'll make a timetable later.

(17 Mar 2014, 9:29 pm)Tom wrote I'd have it running from Chester-le-Street to Middlesbrough, hourly. I'll make a timetable later.

I think the only issue with that is that the current Arriva X2 isn't too popular between Newcastle and Durham, despite being quicker than the 21. That alone tells me there's not a market north of Durham. Newcastle & Gateshead to Boro is already well served by the X9/X10.

The X1 section between Durham and Boro is usually heaving. Even the Geminis at peak time are packed from top to bottom. It's currently half hourly, but I think there was a suggestion of increased frequency? If GNE were to compete it'd have to be limited stop, as I know a lot of X1 users that I work with get fed up with it now serving every single stop en-route.

The only other issues are; a) the traffic between Durham Bus Station and the Durham Uni science site. It takes easily twice as long to get through there during rush hour. b) Durham - Shincliffe - Bowburn - Coxhoe is already quite heavily served, with 7 buses an hour. Hourly 57, hourly 57A, half hourly 56, half hourly X1, and once hourly 58.

Have it running at the other side of the clock to the x22 from the Metrocentre - Birtley - Chester - Durham - Sherburn Road - A181 - Thornley - Wheatley Hill - A181 - Blackhall Colliery - Hartlepool.

Durham - Peterlee is more than covered with both ANE and GNE, but it would still be quicker to Hartlepool than the ANE offerings (despite following the 22 route from Durham - Wheatley Hill) from Durham and hits a number of communities along the 'quicker road'.

Metrocentre - 55
Birtley Station Lane - 10
Chester - 22
Plawsworth - 29
Fram - 35
Hospital - 36
Bus Station - 40
Sherburn House - 52
Thornley - 02
Wheatley Hill - 09
Castle Eden - 14
High Hesleden - 19
Blackhall - 21
Crimdon Dene Seagull Hotel - 22
Hartlepool Parkstone Grove - 24
Hartlepool General Hospital - 28
Hartlepool Victoria Road Stop F - 32
Hartlepool Marina Way/Historic Quay - 35

Hartlepool Marina Way/Historic Quay - 40
Hartlepool Victoria Road - 43
Hartlepool General Hospital - 48
Parkstone Grove - 52
Crimdon Dene - 54
Blackhall - 55
High Hesleden - 57
Castle Eden - 02
Wheatley Hill - 07
Thornley - 14
Sherburn House - 24
Bus Station - 28
Hospital - 32
Fram - 33
Plawsworth - 39
Chester - 46
Birtley Station Lane - 58
Metrocentre - 13 (and a gid massive layover...)

My suggestion is an express service reinstated back on the Coast Road with truly fast journeys times between North Tyneside and Newcastle. Buses would operate ANE's 308 route between Whitley Bay and Billy Mill . Between Billy Mill and St Mary's / Haymarket, buses would operate on a strictly limited stop basis only calling at Formica and Willington Square. Buses would operate half hourly Monday to Saturday daytime. The journey times would be as follows from Haymarket:

- Willington Square = 15 minutes / 17 during peak
- Formica = 18 minutes / 20 minutes during peak
- Billy Mill = 20 minutes / 22 minutes during peak
- Jacksons Farm = 23 minutes / 26 during peak
- North Tyne General = 25 minutes / 29 during peak
- Foxhunters = 27 minutes / 32 during peak
- Ice Rink = 29 minutes / 35 minutes during peak
- Whitley Bay Town Centre = 33 minutes / 40 minutes during peak

(17 Mar 2014, 9:58 pm)Davey Bowyer wrote My suggestion is an express service reinstated back on the Coast Road with truly fast journeys times between North Tyneside and Newcastle. Buses would operate ANE's 308 route between Whitley Bay and Billy Mill . Between Billy Mill and St Mary's / Haymarket, buses would operate on a strictly limited stop basis only calling at Formica and Willington Square. Buses would operate half hourly Monday to Saturday daytime. The journey times would be as follows from Haymarket:

- Willington Square = 15 minutes / 17 during peak
- Formica = 18 minutes / 20 minutes during peak
- Billy Mill = 20 minutes / 22 minutes during peak
- Jacksons Farm = 23 minutes / 26 during peak
- North Tyne General = 25 minutes / 29 during peak
- Foxhunters = 27 minutes / 32 during peak
- Ice Rink = 29 minutes / 35 minutes during peak
- Whitley Bay Town Centre = 33 minutes / 40 minutes during peak

Operated by E400s?