(03 Aug 2015, 8:29 pm)aureolin wrote The only issue I can see with those restrictive services, is actually how many people are in college until 5pm? I don't know if things have changed, but when I was at college, people were on their 2nd or 3rd pint by then...
These just replace the existing college buses operated last year by Lee's of Durham and Snowdons. I believe they ran a similar time, although obviously the majority of students are going to have the bonus of having a regular daytime bus home. The same situation exists in Middlesbrough with the college students, those from Northallerton (not a huge amount one suspects!) have to wait till half 4 for the college bus home.
(03 Aug 2015, 8:32 pm)9920up wrote Now let's see.......
The X66 uses MAX Omnicities every 20 minutes into Darlington from Middlesbrough. The X26/7 uses MAX Omnicities every 20 minutes into Darlington from Richmond/Catterick. There are no links at present from North and NE Darlington to the Railway station. Through services have recently come back into vogue and been re-introduced across town on the combined 2 and ex 11, 3/3A/3B. Middlesbrough Darlington Richmond Catterick anyone?
I reckon that would require 2 separate services to avoid the tacho restrictions so I don't think we would gain anything from doing this. A through service to the station would be handy I suppose but there are frequent options via Yarm Road existing.
(03 Aug 2015, 8:34 pm)MurdnunoC wrote At last, a bus from Rowlands Gill to Stanley once again. Shame it has to a tour of Derwentside first but beggars can't be choosers!
I dare say it will be for college passes only as these aren't registered to take fares...
(03 Aug 2015, 8:43 pm)Jimmi wrote Apparently the X67 will go via Longnewton so here is my wacky suggestion.
X66: current route.
X67: via, Freeman's Place, Haughton Road, Haughton Green, Stockton Road, Great Burdon (A1150), A66, LONGNEWTON Darlington Road, ELTON, then A66 to Stockton and Middlesbrough the same route as the X66.
Pure random speculation this. Both would be half hourly (combined 15 minutes).
That's an interesting suggestion! Would there be enough demand for a half hourly service to Elton & Longenwton? Haughton Green already has a frequent service to Darlington, and freshly branded Frequenta so throwing more buses down there might not be a great idea? Not sure there may be demand for a few college journeys to colleges in Middlesbrough (and maybe Stockton) from the estates I suppose?!
(03 Aug 2015, 8:51 pm)Kuyoyo wrote I may have been mistaken the other week (and as the posts were deleted by request of Arriva management). Again, from speaking to some of the Stockton drivers, the plan does seem to be for a combined frequency increase with this new 'X67' running via Hartburn replacing the 6. Lets see how long before the Darlington drivers get lost round Hartburn - after all, it's now 4 years since they last served anywhere in Stockton other than the High Street or Yarm Lane.
I don't think Darlington drivers would get particularly lost, plenty of them still go via Hartburn on the odd occasion just for some different scenery. Add to that Yarm Lane gets used frequently all through the day I'm sure they'll retain the route knowledge should they go through Hartburn at any point in the future... I wonder how many Stockton drivers similarly retain route knowledge around Darlington? A while since we did X66s (long before I started!) that's for sure.
I am sure the registrations involved will be public knowledge soon but until then I'm not going to say any more. There's certainly a background theme of expansion going on though, what with the X20 and 46 seeing increased resources being utilised.