(17 Oct 2015, 10:44 pm)DaveyBowyer wrote Not being anti Arriva here, but what is up with the reliability of Blyth's services? Already seen several instances of X7s and X8s running 20-30 minutes late and many passengers reporting such issues and not only during peak times, but also between Blyth and Quorum too before the services hit such traffic. Also seen a few complaints about the X10 / X11 too. It would be like GNE sending out a 10 from Hexham depot first thing in the morning and it ending up 15-20 minutes late in Corbridge and Prudhoe. Could it be the following issues:

- A few drivers going too slow (not including those who are sticking to the speed limits and keeping safe) and not anticipating the potential amount of passengers who board the services?

- Arriva not giving the services enough time? (X8 looks a bit tight between Bebside and Cramlington)

- Poor quality vehicles?

- Poor dispatch reliability? (vehicles leaving depot late with minor problem having been fixed but no alternative vehicles available at the time)

I've heard about similar complaints, especially with regards to the X5 (can't remember if that's the X7 or X8 now so I'll leave it as that), indeed the last time I was forced into using it it turned up well over 10 minutes late. 

It seems like a daily occurrence that I see quite a few very late Blyth 'express' services (how they can class the 'X5' as an express is beyond me),and I keep thinking the same, 

I think you can pretty much rule out traffic, the 43 goes through Cramlington unharmed for example (the run I see on the morning is bang on every day), and if it were traffic in Blyth it would show on the 1 & 2 as well, I've only seen a massively delayed one of these once or twice. 

I'd put it down to vehicles, I've frequently been on an X21/22 that has pulled away from a Blyth Gemini with ease, especially on the A1 stretch,

Also, as an example of timings, an X22 arrives at Newcastle in the morning at 7:12, it leaves as an X21 at 7:24, the last time I checked an X13(X9?) leaves at the same time, but arrives initially far later than the X22, meaning far less time is available especially if the service arrives 5 minutes late, and still has to get passengers on and off, of what I assume to be a busy early morning service.