(18 Aug 2025, 12:57 pm)Storx wrote Aye you could do, I did think about merging the Sunderland services all across to Newcastle but kind of went against it. There's quite big problems with the 56, as it's so long that when something goes wrong, ie every match day. It leaves the other end of the route with a complete shambles of a service (take your pick which match here).
Least if you had some shorter ones, at least half the boards won't be affected at what's happened at the other end of the route.
Seen quite a few people moaning about the 56 in Gateshead because of issues in Sunderland, and it's a fair complaint really.
Obviously it all depends how many people are going from the two ends, but can't imagine it being too much as it takes so long and generally people in Gateshead don't want to be in Sunderland and people in North Sunderland in Newcastle, hence the numerous express attempts have all failed miserably.
You can't win when you have Sunderland and Newcastle playing at Home every weekend, I think it would be worthwhile setting up a "Matchday Shuttle Network" for football supporters of both clubs to use only direct to/from Stadium Of Light and St.James' Park which would alleviate pressure on regular passenger services like what the "BEE Network" have done in Manchester for Manchester City Matches.
I think the Clubs in partnership with Bus Companies/Nexus should conduct a survey with Supporters to see if there would be any viability to operate such a network in both Sunderland and Newcastle on Matchdays but this something that will likely not happen until our Kim sets up her "Angel Network Bus Franchising".