(04 May 2022, 8:04 pm)Storx wrote The railways need to be better up here imo especially the Durham Coast Line. It's mostly 55 - 60mph South of Sunderland not to mention the diversion around Stockton with a railway station in the total wrong place down there.

It's also mental there's not a station in Hendon and Ryhope in Sunderland, Hart in Hartlepool and Norton in Stockton aswell imo. Massive population areas and the railway line goes straight through.

Suppose that's the balance. 
Do you have intermediate stops that are going to slow journeys down or a faster line, to improve journey times?
But, would an integrated network (including ticketing) help fill those gaps?
Buses in to places like Hartlepool, Horden and Seaham - connecting with trains should be a reality - not a crazy vision or unrealistic expectation. 

Not sure what the current signalling situation is on the entire line (think it's still semiphore for chunks around Norton), but I agree the line speed needs to improve.