(01 Nov 2021, 5:44 pm)Storx wrote If any route will have trouble it will be the X21 unless they reopen an outstation somewhere. It already has 18 mile dead runs in the morning / evening, if CLS goes then that'll be extended to 29 mile. That's nearly another hour added on daily doing dead runs.

Similar the 21 with it's dead runs.

It's easy enough to say to run them from Newcastle in the morning but you might aswell call it a dead run as it won't pick anyone up since no-one wants to go to CLS / Bishop, similar to Newcastle late in an evening. Wouldn't be surprised to see some of the later / early runs disappear.

GNE could perhaps operate it out of Consett. Consett to WA is roughly the same distance via the A68 as from CLS. Consett bait room (similar to old North Shields office) at Chester Le Street with perhaps the 8 also being operated by Consett to make it worthwhile.

Some early morning & evening dead runs could be positioned out/in via the X45/X46/X70/X71/X72 (no X30/X31 due to low bridge) with a changeover at Chester Le Street before / after depending on driver hours.