(24 Aug 2014, 10:45 am)DaveyBowyer wrote The Nedderton bit is not only there because of the school, it's there to form a combined frequency of every 10 minutes from Ashington and between Hartford Bank and Newcastle. Before 2010, it was like this between Ashington and Newcastle:
X31 / X32 every 15 mins Mon to Sat / eve and Sun every 60 mins (X31) serving: The current X21 route to the Red Lion then the current X22 route from there to Newcastle. Evening X31's also operated via Glebe Bank past the Police Station to connect with the X33.
X33 excluding Cresswell every 30 mins Mon to Sat and eve and Sun every 60 minutes but only operating to Glebe Bank during evenings and Sundays. Operated between Ashington and Glebe Bank via the current X22 route then up to the roundabout then the current X21 route from there to Newcastle.
Except the present X21/X22 is far better - yes they may be 15/5 minutes gap between them at Bedlington Red Lion and Stakeford, at each end of the route they are combined every 10 minutes compared to the old X31/X32/X33 where they were 7/7/15 minutes gaps. Add to the expensive re-branding of the E400s and you'll see why they won't take a step back into the past.