(27 Aug 2013, 6:05 pm)Adam Malarkey wrote Obviously these wouldn't just be for the sake of the redevelopment in Washington, but they provide a number of Brand New Links which currently Washington doesn't have and could be of benefit to passengers. Take the 311/312 for example, Passengers who currently live in Washington, but work at the Cobalt will either go straight into Newcastle on the X1 and get on the 309/310 or they'll get Metro and change at Monument or they'll go to Jarrow and get the 9. Which I worked out is Longer in time, than getting on my 311/312 suggestion.

It's the same with the examples for the 10's and X32/3 and X72/3, Say I wanted to go to Hexham or Lanchester for Example, I would have to go to Either Gateshead or Newcastle to Catch the Bus I wanted to get from A to B. Whereas you could Insert the Link for Passengers.

I think Washington is one of those Areas that are Isolated from Certain Areas, and in which the Passenger has to make more than one journey on a Bus to get to where they want to go, and on top of that pay more money. If it was made into a HUB like Sunderland/Newcastle and Gateshead I think it would benefit from it.

I think the 311 example for the Cobalt could possibly work for a commuter service, but there again you can't even get a decent service to places such as Team Valley and Doxford Park - employment hot spots which are a lot closer point to point.

Looking at the Hexham and Lanchester examples. I really don't think there'd be that much of a demand to travel to either place for work. Certainly not enough to provide a link from Washington directly to it. I do think the services between West Durham and Chester Le Street could be massively improved though, providing fast express links, allowing passengers to change to either the X21 for Newcastle, or 8/78 to Sunderland.

(27 Aug 2013, 5:54 pm)gtomlinson wrote I do love 'Malarkey's Marathons'. There's international flights with a shorter journey than some of Adam's suggestions (-:

Good Job I don't work for Arriva then because there good at that sort of thing, Loving the Sarcasm by the way gtomlinson.

(27 Aug 2013, 6:21 pm)Adam Malarkey wrote Good Job I don't work for Arriva then because there good at that sort of thing, Loving the Sarcasm by the way gtomlinson.

There should have been more smileys but they wouldn't work for some reason!

(27 Aug 2013, 5:25 pm)Adam Malarkey wrote New Route Ideas For Washington Area

As most will know, Washington is undergoing Major Area Redevelopment which Includes a New Leisure and Cinema, so to Accommodate these improvements to help bring people in from Surrounding Areas, I have came up with Numerous New Services, Some of which are from previous posts made a few months back.

22 – Washington Galleries – Oxclose – Blackfell – Eighton Banks – Wrekenton -
Harlow Green – Birtley – Chester le Street – Plasworth – Framwellgate Moor – Durham – Every 30 Minutes

22A - Washington Galleries – Oxclose – Blackfell – Eighton Banks – Wrekenton -
Harlow Green – Birtley – Chester le Street – Plasworth – Framwellgate Moor – Durham - Croxdale – Spennymoor – Bishop Auckland – Every 1 Hour

311 – Washington – Heworth - Jarrow - Tyne Tunnel - Percy Main - Royal Quays - North Shields – Meadow Well - West Chirton – Cobalt – Every 1 Hour

312 - Washington – Heworth - Jarrow - Tyne Tunnel - Percy Main - Royal Quays - North Shields – Meadow Well - West Chirton – Cobalt – North Tyneside Hospital – Whitley Bay – Seaton Sleuce – Blyth – Every 1 Hour

X8 - Washington Galleries - Houghton le Spring - Doxford International - Peterlee - Middlesbrough - Hartlepool - Every 1 Hour

X32/X33 – Washington Galleries – Chester le Street – Stanley – Consett – Burnhope – Lanchester – Every 30 Minutes

X72/X73 - Consett - Leadgate - Dipton - Burnopfield - Sunniside - Lobley Hill – Team Valley – Washington Galleries – Every 30 Minutes

10B/10C – Hexham - Corbridge - Stocksfield - Prudhoe - Rockwood Hill (10C) - Greenside (10C) - Crawcrook - Ryton - Blaydon - Metrocentre – Birtley – Washington Galleries – Every 30 Minutes

48 - Winlaton - Blaydon - Swalwell - Metrocentre - Dunston - Gateshead – Shipcote – Low Fell – Allerdene – Harlow Green – Wrekenton – Springwell Village – Blackfell – Oxclose – Washington Galleries – Every 30 Minutes

203 - Peterlee - Essington Way - Easington Village - South Hetton - Easington Lane - Hetton le Hole - Hall Lane Estate - Houghton le Spring - Burnside Estate - Newbottle - Success - Shiney Row - Barnwell - Fatfield - Glebe - Washington Galleries - Every 1 Hour

Adam, do you live in the Washington area? also what has Washington got that Newcastle, Gateshead, Sunderland etc... doesn't have. Washington has a lot of bus services with higher frequencies than other deprived areas and there are a lot of connecting bus services for onward travel to different areas.

(27 Aug 2013, 7:29 pm)cbma06 wrote Adam, do you live in the Washington area? also what has Washington got that Newcastle, Gateshead, Sunderland etc... doesn't have. Washington has a lot of bus services with higher frequencies than other deprived areas and there are a lot of connecting bus services for onward travel to different areas.

Yeah I do, have done all my life, and I agree there are plenty of connecting services to these areas I have mentioned, but non of which are direct other than the X1/M1/8/2A/2C to Sunderland and Newcastle, Washington is an Area which has grown alot in recent years. And is an area without a Metro System although does have a frequent bus link.

But if you look at it before 2006 before the branding was introduced, Washington had links to Seaham/Peterlee and Hartlepool, Washington had a link through to Winlaton, We had numerous Xpress Services Connecting all these Areas, now we have only 1 Xpress Service in the form of the X1. Maybe it's time to reinstate those lost links and add in some new ones aswell.

(27 Aug 2013, 8:12 pm)Adam Malarkey wrote We had numerous Xpress Services Connecting all these Areas, now we have only 1 Xpress Service in the form of the X1. Maybe it's time to reinstate those lost links and add in some new ones aswell.

Re-instate the X2?

(27 Aug 2013, 8:15 pm)big mac wrote Re-instate the X2?

Yes and a few others including the X5

Don't forget the X94, can't have Fencehouses missing out!

(27 Aug 2013, 8:39 pm)Andreos1 wrote Don't forget the X94, can't have Fencehouses missing out!

For the sake of Fencehouses we'll reinstate the X94 aswell......... on a Trial Basis

Good lad, you know it makes sense.

The people of Fencehouses will rejoyce!

(27 Aug 2013, 8:50 pm)Andreos1 wrote Good lad, you know it makes sense.

The people of Fencehouses will rejoyce!

For a short period yes, as it's only a trial haha

Your possibly too young - but the Fencehouses Popular Front were going to give you the title of Citizen Malarkey for re-introducing the service.

If it's just going to be on a trial basis well....

(27 Aug 2013, 9:02 pm)Andreos1 wrote Your possibly too young - but the Fencehouses Popular Front were going to give you the title of Citizen Malarkey for re-introducing the service.

If it's just going to be on a trial basis well....

I am 20 Years Old, I remember all the old routes such as X2/X4/X5/X6/X8/X90/X94/194/294/185 and X85, I could go on and on, As far Fencehouses goes they can have the X94 back, Trial period was only a joke haha.

(27 Aug 2013, 9:19 pm)Adam Malarkey wrote I am 20 Years Old, I remember all the old routes such as X2/X4/X5/X6/X8/X90/X94/194/294/185 and X85, I could go on and on, As far Fencehouses goes they can have the X94 back, Trial period was only a joke haha.

I want my X93 back, I miss my direct link to Washington, The Toon and Metrocentre

I can't stop laughing at the Citizen Smith reference

I would like a link to Seaham from Washington. There was always an express bus from Seaham to Washington & Sunderland. I'd like to see my X6 suggestion brought in as I think people would use it.
That was Washington-Doxford-Ryhope-Seaham-Peterlee-Hartlepool. I think people would like a bus to Washington, reinstating and creating new connections to Washington from Hartlepool, Peterlee, Seaham and Doxford. It could also give people a link to Doxford quicker than the X35 and save changing buses from Washington or Seaham,

The X6 idea sounds canny, stick Dalton Park in there and it will look a whole lot better to me, I am a like a broken record when it comes to Dalton Park,

(27 Aug 2013, 10:05 pm)fozzovmurton wrote I want my X93 back, I miss my direct link to Washington, The Toon and Metrocentre

In 1983/1984 the X93 was operated by Northern and it originally commenced at Horden, Easington then Murton, and when OK Travel did the service then it was diverted via East Herrington, Shiney Row and Washington Galleries.

I never knew that Northern once ran the X93, I just always remember the OK service, I think it came about round about the time of the Metrocentre opening, I used to use it quite a bit, I used to hang out in Newcastle and the Metrocentre in the late 90's when I lived in Durham and would use it to get to Murton

Does anybody know the date of the closure of Northern depot at Murton?. most be when Northern cut back a lot of there bus services in the area (151 Sunderland to Thornley, the 152 still ran between Sunderland and Peterlee due to the service being secured by the local authorities, 192/193 Newcastle to either Murton or Wheatley Hill then all became as 194 Newcastle to Easington Lane, Murton/Seaham local services).

Just like when GNE depot at Philidelphia closed and a lot of local services got withdrawn and out of town services started to be diverted to cover some of the services which were lost.

Murton would have closed about 1988...

I only remember this because as a kid about 4 or 5 yrs old, I went missing from home and I was caught wandering round the yard at Murton Depot and just before my 6th birthday I wrote to Go Ahead Northern telling them I liked buses and so on, and actually on my birthday an Inspector came to my house to give me some pictures and a couple of model buses, I distinctly this guy telling me he was from Murton Depot,I turned 6 in '88, so it was probably that same year it closed.

If I remember correctly it had a few of the Express Services to Newcastle

(28 Aug 2013, 8:59 am)fozzovmurton wrote Murton would have closed about 1988...

I only remember this because as a kid about 4 or 5 yrs old, I went missing from home and I was caught wandering round the yard at Murton Depot and just before my 6th birthday I wrote to Go Ahead Northern telling them I liked buses and so on, and actually on my birthday an Inspector came to my house to give me some pictures and a couple of model buses, I distinctly this guy telling me he was from Murton Depot,I turned 6 in '88, so it was probably that same year it closed

Cheeers for the info.

Pictures of old Murton Depot and buses is on the following link:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/16314639@N0...otostream/

Some cracking pictures there especially the Preservation of 3501...

Brings back memories, looking at some of those services and what they have evolved or been streamlined into

I would like to see the 537 brought back or the X4

How about giving the X30 or X31 a go on a Sunday, possibly once hourly?

Here is full list of improved Express Services and Re-Introduction of Old/Current and New Links, I Used the NEB Bygone Era to recreate some of the routes on the list.

X1 - Easington Lane - Hetton-le-Hole - Houghton-le-Spring - Shiney Row - Washington Galleries - Springwell Village - Wrekenton - Gateshead - Newcastle - Every 30 Minutes

X2 - Sunderland - Hastings Hill - Waterview Park - Washington Galleries - Springwell - Wrekenton - Gateshead - Newcastle - Every 30 Minutes

X3 - Sunderland - Fulwell - Boldon - Heworth - Gateshead - Newcastle - Every 1 Hour

X4 - Seaham - Houghton le Spring - Fence Houses - Shiney Row - Washington Galleries - Heworth - Gateshead - Newcastle - Every 1 Hour

X5 - Newcastle - Gateshead - Wrekenton - Eighton Banks - Washington Galleries - Shiney Row - Houghton le Spring - Hetton le Hole - Easington Lane - Peterlee - Hordon - Harlepool - Every 1 Hour

X6 - Langley Park - Chester le Street - Washington Galleries - Shiney Row - Sunderland - Every 1 Hour

X7 - Sunderland - Peterlee - Middlesbrough - Every 1 Hour

X8 - Newcastle - Gateshead - Heworth - Washington - Houghton le Spring - Hetton le Hole - Easington Lane - Peterlee - Stockton - Middlesbrough - Every 1 Hour

X9 - Newcastle – Gateshead – Heworth – Peterlee – Billingham – Middlesbrough - Every 1 Hour

X10 - Newcastle - Gateshead - Heworth - Norton - Stockton - Middlesbrough - Every 1 Hour

X11 - Murton - New Seaham - Boldon - Gateshead - Newcastle - Every 1 Hour

X12 - Ryhope - Houghton le Spring - Doxford International - Boldon - Gateshead - Newcastle - Every 1 Hour

X13 - Tynemouth - North Shields - Wallsend - Byker - Newcastle Eldon Square - Central Station - Metrocentre - Every 1 Hour

X21 - Bishop Auckland - Spennymoor - Croxdale - Durham - Framwellgate Moor - Chester-le-Street - Gateshead - Newcastle - Every 30 Minutes

X25 - Langley Park - Witton Gilbert - Sacriston - Edmondsley - Waldridge Park - Chester-le-Street - Portobello - Wrekenton - Gateshead - Newcastle - Every 30 Minutes

X30 - Lanchester - Burnhope - Stanley - Shield Row - Sunniside - Lobley Hill - Gateshead - Newcastle - Every 1 Hour

X31 - Lanchester - Burnhope - Stanley - Shield Row - Sunniside - Lobley Hill - Gateshead - Newcastle - Every 1 Hour

X35 - Sunderland - Doxford International - Houghton-le-Spring - Hetton-le-Hole - Easington Lane - South Hetton - Easington Village - Horden - Blackhall - Peterlee - Hartlepool - Every 30 Minutes

X36 - Sunderland – Southwick – Castletown – Boldon - Heworth – Gateshead – Newcastle - Every 1 Hour

X39 - Newcastle City Centre - Cobalt Business Park - Every 1 Hour

X40 - Newcastle Great Park - Regent Centre - Gosforth - Newcastle City Centre - Every 20 Minutes

X43 - Stanley - MetroCentre - Every 1 Hour

X46 - Crook – Willington – Brancepeth – Meadowfield – Langley Moor – Durham - Every 1 Hour

X50 - Metrocentre Coach Park - Newcastle Barrack Road - Matchdays Onley

X66 - Gateshead - Metrocentre - Every Few Minutes

X70 - Consett - Leadgate - Dipton - Burnopfield - Sunniside - Lobley Hill - Gateshead - Newcastle - Every 1 Hour

X71 - Consett - Leadgate - Dipton - Burnopfield - Sunniside - Lobley Hill - Gateshead - Newcastle - Every 1 Hour

X78 - Stanley - Consett - Derwentside College - Peak Times Only

X88 - Metrocentre Interchange - Washington Galleries - Concord Bus Station - Every 1 Hour on Saturday/Sundays Only

Well I think you've got to remember times change, travel patterns change, employment opportunities change, shopping & Lesiure developments change. I mean local to me is Seaham/Murton, rewind ten years there was no big supermarkets in this area no Asda, Tesco Express, Sainsburys Local, little shopping opportunities no Byron Place or dalton Park, and big high street shops. So weekly shopping (unless you could make do at Aldi or Kwik Save) had to be done out of the area at Sunderland, Peterlee, Washington etc. All Christmas shopping had to be out the area at the same locations or further afield like the Newcastle, MetroCentre etc. However these days all these things are in the area and this has to impact the bus services. People now can do there weekly shopping at the Harbour, Byron Place and Dalton Park can be used for most Christmas shopping etc. so these days people don't NEED to go to Newcastle or Sunderland unless they really want to. However obviously in recent years bus services have been cut a little with direct links to Newcastle, Washington been lost. I mean lets put this perspective I'm not saying everyone wants to always stay in their local area, Sunderland is always the closest most popular larger shopping destination with a very regular bus service. And this was at the time when GNE took away direct links to increase Buzzfare sales and frequent services I'm almost certain. But I think the point is here that less people need out of the area links like they used to however shopping habits have changed to match this people years and years back would shop at the local stores and go to the family butchers, the fruit & veg shop etc. but now the vast majority do go to Asda, so this has meant people may want to go out of the area. But I think we've got to look at these links and think if they are justifiable.

And I think this is a fantasy thread but out of the world suggestions are going to far. Suggesting that Seaham should have a direct link to North Shields and Consett aren't really going to happen or that Washington should have a direct link to Middlesbrough and Darlington. Think who's going to go on these services? Does anyone really want to travel that far by bus? Do people miss not having such service? I'm not suggesting that everyone's going to agree that every suggestion is good one but there are so many totally out of this world suggestions that are just laughable.

(29 Aug 2013, 6:24 pm)CatsFast101 wrote And I think this is a fantasy thread but out of the world suggestions are going to far. Suggesting that Seaham should have a direct link to North Shields and Consett aren't really going to happen or that Washington should have a direct link to Middlesbrough and Darlington. Think who's going to go on these services? Does anyone really want to travel that far by bus? Do people miss not having such service? I'm not suggesting that everyone's going to agree that every suggestion is good one but there are so many totally out of this world suggestions that are just laughable.

I agree. Similar posts have appeared frequently over the past few weeks, and I think we should start to think before we post.
Living in Sunderland, I would love to see direct services between Sunderland and everywhere currently served in the Go North East network by other services, but it will never happen. I think others contributing to this thread may be thinking about what they'd like to see without considering whether the services would actually be justifiable.
I'm surprised we haven't seen a service suggestion for a direct service from Fencehouses to Darlington or Fencehouses to Morpeth yet!
I love the suggestions we've had that have considered availability of vehicles (or upcoming availability of vehicles - think of all the new buses coming to the fleet soon and the movements that will come of these vehicles) or the suggestions that have included rough timetables, PVRs etc. It shows that some thought has gone into the suggestion, rather than just a quick post with the suggestion.

(29 Aug 2013, 6:53 pm)Daniel wrote I'm surprised we haven't seen a service suggestion for a direct service from Fencehouses to Darlington or Fencehouses to Morpeth yet!

Due to the increase in housing in the Fencehouses area, I am currently identifying where an appropriate bus nterchange could be constructed, to tie in with the direct Eurostar trains from Fencehouses to London, Paris, Brussels and Lyon as well as the Metro to places such as South Hylton, Pelaw and Kenton Bank Foot.

As it stands, it would mean knocking down Pizza Dial and Nisa as well as the Total garage (which does a roaring trade in red diesel).
If those three premises were knocked down during construction, it may not go down too well with the locals.

Hang tight and I will see what I can come up with.

(29 Aug 2013, 7:12 pm)Andreos1 wrote Due to the increase in housing in the Fencehouses area, I am currently identifying where an appropriate bus nterchange could be constructed, to tie in with the direct Eurostar trains from Fencehouses to London, Paris, Brussels and Lyon as well as the Metro to places such as South Hylton, Pelaw and Kenton Bank Foot.

As it stands, it would mean knocking down Pizza Dial and Nisa as well as the Total garage (which does a roaring trade in red diesel).
If those three premises were knocked down during construction, it may not go down too well with the locals.

Hang tight and I will see what I can come up with.

I think Sharon Hodgson might actually be successful with her 'Metro into Washington' campaign before that happens.