(10 Sep 2021, 10:01 am)col87 wrote The problem is the original X5 while not always did do well enough. When it got changed to the X35 the route simply took to long and was going against the train which takes about 20 minutes and the much quicker 23. The X6 was hardly giving a chance and again having it in overcrowded Hartlepool - Sunderland service was just stupid. If go north east tried a limited stop express to Newcastle it could work unfortunately the only idea they had in the last decade was trying to make a Hartlepool- Sunderland service work. They did try the X11 but it was a few journeys on a Saturday without any publicity so nobody really knew it existed so of course failed. I still think an express service done properly to Newcastle from Hartlepool and not the half hearted efforts that where the X11 and X55 it could work. That idea is simple as it just a slight variation and extension on the existing X1 and I could see it been used.
This suggestion comes up time and again but the fact is the geography of Hartlepool doesn't lend itself to a service ever working. The town sits out just too far to the east of the A19 to make diverting the X9/X10 worthwhile and although there is some demand, there will never be enough to sustain a stand alone express service. Once a service starts diverting up the Coast Road to Peterlee and Dalton Park the journey times are unattractive.
Such a journey would command a £8.50 X9/10 style ticket which is not going to stand up to a £9.50 return on the improved train service, which also has a catchment from Seaton Carew, encompassing part of South West Hartlepool.
It is a shame GNE abandoned their service too the town, which at it's core was a very long standing service. My thoughts are that if GNE went just a bit bolder in the Peterlee area and set up a fast Peterlee - Durham service they could really sway an awful lot of Arriva season ticket holders onto their network, justifying the interurban routes to Sunderland and Hartlepool.
Separately, the 62 & X6 run within a few minutes of each other between Dalton Park & Sunderland - would swapping the times of the 62 & 62A provide a more even service along this corridor?