(18 May 2014, 9:03 am)AdamY wrote In January 1994, service X5 was allocated 53 minutes to get from Newcastle to Easington Lane Clock Tower while 47 minutes were allocated for the return journey. By March 2003 another minute was added on to journey times between Newcastle and Easington Lane (54 in total) and an additional 10 minutes (57 in total) were added to the return journey. In comparison, service X1 is allocated 62 minutes between Newcastle and Easington Lane in both directions.
As you have pointed out, both services operate limited stop between Newcastle and Shiney Row stopping mostly at the timing points shown on each timetable. So, in total, an extra 7-8 minutes have been added between Newcastle and Easington Lane over the past twenty years while an average of 10 have been added in the opposite direction. Perhaps, we should also give some consideration to increased traffic congestion over the same period which also affects journey times.
Is this enough time in your opinion?
Between Shiney Row and Easington Lane, I guesstimate there are roughly 19/20 stops.
Round it to 20 for ease at an average of 30secs per stop.
Roughly half of those stops were used on the x5.
The 62mins from Easington Lane is optimistic at the best of times.
Many a time I have done Houghton - Newcastle (or vice versa) and it has taken an hour just for that stretch.