Just been looking through the Timetables on the BygoneEraofNEB/simplygo.com for Journey Times between Newcastle and Hartlepool as it has been a Topic Discussed a lot this week on the GNE Latest Forum, and here is what I found
X35 - Sunderland to Hartlepool
Journey Time = 89 Minutes
X36 – Sunderland to Newcastle
Journey Time = 58 Minutes
Total Journey Time = 2 and a Half Hours (147 Minutes) – Excludes Layover Period in Sunderland
X35 – Hartlepool to Peterlee – Journey Time = 32 Minutes
X9 – Peterlee to Newcastle – Journey Time = 43 Minutes
Total Journey Time = 75 Minutes – Excludes Layover Period in Peterlee
Old X5/Proposed X1 Extention - Newcastle to Hartlepool
Journey Time = 93 Minutes
Now one would assume said Passengers using Bus Services between Newcastle and Hartlepool would swap from X9 to X35 at Peterlee and Vice Versa, Looks like a Straight Forward swap of Services until look at the Timetable and see you have to wait 35 Minutes for the X9, Which we all know could potentially be running late, which means said Passenger has to wait up to a Further Hour for the Next X9 to show up, this I believe shows how unreliable the current Connections and Services are between Newcastle and Hartlepool, So here are few Suggestions.
Extend the X1 to Hartlepool, would in turn bring back the Links of the Old X5 Between Newcastle and Hartlepool, but instead of it being an Hourly Service, Have it operate Half Hourly.
*New Service*
X8 - Newcastle - Gateshead - Heworth - Peterlee - Hartlepool
This would provide the Current X9/X35 Link as a through Service with no need to change at Peterlee, and a Substanial Improvement to Reliabillity.
RE: Go North East Service Suggestions