(31 Oct 2019, 12:00 am)Storx wrote </p><p>
</p><p><br></p><p>They're totally different bus routes and are still very sub urban in comparison to the X14/5/6/8/20 where there's sections of 20+ mins passing nowhere (not express) and journey times of over 3 hours and are totally differently ran hence the streetlites on most of the above which would never work on those.<br></p><p><br></p><p>Other than the X21 and X22 it's what Ashington depot is plus the 35 which is more like the Stanley buses above. Stagecoach definitely have better experience in bus routes like them with the 685 (Carlisle to Newcastle), 10 (Aberdeen - Inverness via Moray towns) and the X98/X99 (Inverness - Thurso) just to the name a few which are run by low floor coaches for sthe 10/X98/X99 which would be more suited imo because of the length of the journeys. The X93 is the same down Middlesbrough.</p><p><br></p><p>I don't expect either of them to go to Stagecoach or GNE anyway tbh and think it will be floated rather than sold in the end anyway.<br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p>
</p><p><br></p><p>If GNE were to acquire it, wouldn't they acquire the people from Arriva who run these routes so would therefore be just as suited as Stagecoach?</p><p><br></p><p>I'm not saying you're wrong, just that it would necessarily make much of a difference. </p><p><br></p><p>Plus GNE also has coaching contracts with National Express, so they also have experience with longer routes, even if it's not a 'regular' bus route</p>