(01 Sep 2013, 10:45 am)Andreos1 wrote Wasn't there a service from Sunderland - Blyth via Whitley Bay and Sunderland - Killingworth bus too?

Doubt anyone would have travelled the full route, apart from the odd exception - they just provide a continuous link between communities, like the 638 did.

The 310 Sunderland to Blyth and the 319 Sunderland to Cramlington, timetables are in the bygone era section. the 310 got cut between Whitleybay and Blyth due to the 308 service going the same way when the 308 was jointly operated by GNE and Arriva. the 319 got cut at wallsend with a (pink panther solo 319 doing the Cramlington to Wallsend section?) the 319 section between Wallsend and Sunderland were eventually got withdrawn by a favoured 30 minute journey between Sunderland and North Shields, North Shields to Whitley bay got cut do to low patronage due to the Metro system between North Shields and Whitleybay.

GNE will not run a bus service between South Shields and Sunderland via Seaburn and Whitburn as its in Stagecoach territory. The big 3 bus companies are not going to take chunks out of eachovers network while there are bonding together against the Quality contract scheme at present.

NEW NORTHUMBIRAN EXPRESS SERVICE X11 (MONDAY - SATURDAY DAYTIME EVERY 2 HOURS / EVENINGS AND SUNDAYS EVERY 3 HOURS BETWEEN YORK AND MIDDLESBROUGH WITH JOURNEYS CONTINUING AS SERVICE X10 TO NEWCASTLE.

- LEEDS BUS STATION - YORK RAILWAY STATION - MIDDLESBROUGH BUS STATION - ELDON SQUARE BUS STATION. BUSES WILL NOT STOP AT ANY OTHER POINTS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE FEEDER JOURNEYS ON SERVICE X10 THAT WILL SERVE THE CURRENT X10 STOPS ON EVENINGS AND SUNDAYS BETWEEN MIDDLESBROUGH AND NEWCASTLE. SERVICE X11 WILL RUN HOURLY MONDAY TO FRIDAY PEAK TIME BETWEEN MIDDLESBROUGH AND NEWCASTLE.

LEEDS TO YORK: 40 MINUTES
YORK TO MIDDLESBROUGH: 1HR 2 MINUTES
MIDDLESBROUGH TO NEWCASTLE : 49 MINUTES

(01 Sep 2013, 5:18 pm)dav06295 wrote NEW NORTHUMBIRAN EXPRESS SERVICE X11 (MONDAY - SATURDAY DAYTIME EVERY 2 HOURS / EVENINGS AND SUNDAYS EVERY 3 HOURS BETWEEN YORK AND MIDDLESBROUGH WITH JOURNEYS CONTINUING AS SERVICE X10 TO NEWCASTLE.

- LEEDS BUS STATION - YORK RAILWAY STATION - MIDDLESBROUGH BUS STATION - ELDON SQUARE BUS STATION. BUSES WILL NOT STOP AT ANY OTHER POINTS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE FEEDER JOURNEYS ON SERVICE X10 THAT WILL SERVE THE CURRENT X10 STOPS ON EVENINGS AND SUNDAYS BETWEEN MIDDLESBROUGH AND NEWCASTLE. SERVICE X11 WILL RUN HOURLY MONDAY TO FRIDAY PEAK TIME BETWEEN MIDDLESBROUGH AND NEWCASTLE.

LEEDS TO YORK: 40 MINUTES
YORK TO MIDDLESBROUGH: 1HR 2 MINUTES
MIDDLESBROUGH TO NEWCASTLE : 49 MINUTES

Isnt there National Express does these types of runs at these destinations, GNE are not going to compete against National Express, even Stageocoach are with there megabus coaches. wasn't it awhile ago that Stagecoach tried to purchase National Express but the people who owned National Express refused to sell?. maybe when GNE had Voyager fleet with ex Ok coaches fleet which were given to Classic as a compromise so Classic gives up running bus services compete against Northern routes at the time.

Not just national express competition on those routes, Megabus is kicking around too and of course, the train

(01 Sep 2013, 5:01 pm)cbma06 wrote The 310 Sunderland to Blyth and the 319 Sunderland to Cramlington, timetables are in the bygone era section. the 310 got cut between Whitleybay and Blyth due to the 308 service going the same way when the 308 was jointly operated by GNE and Arriva. the 319 got cut at wallsend with a (pink panther solo 319 doing the Cramlington to Wallsend section?) the 319 section between Wallsend and Sunderland were eventually got withdrawn by a favoured 30 minute journey between Sunderland and North Shields, North Shields to Whitley bay got cut do to low patronage due to the Metro system between North Shields and Whitleybay.

GNE will not run a bus service between South Shields and Sunderland via Seaburn and Whitburn as its in Stagecoach territory. The big 3 bus companies are not going to take chunks out of eachovers network while there are bonding together against the Quality contract scheme at present.

The idea I was thinking would be marketed as a seasonal Open Top Service, along the City Sightseeing, this being Regional Sightseeing, say, a 90 minute tour of the North East Coast between Sunderland and Whitley Bay and Seaton Sluice...

Still, I totally understand the point about GNE and Stagecoach not competing and keeping each other sweet at this moment in time

(01 Sep 2013, 6:32 pm)fozzovmurton wrote The idea I was thinking would be marketed as a seasonal Open Top Service, along the City Sightseeing, this being Regional Sightseeing, say, a 90 minute tour of the North East Coast between Sunderland and Whitley Bay and Seaton Sluice...

Still, I totally understand the point about GNE and Stagecoach not competing and keeping each other sweet at this moment in time

Regional sightseeing in Sunderland?!

Something like that would be far better on the Northumberland Coast as opposed to the Tyne and Wear coast.

This summer is also the first in nigh on 7 years where an open top wouldn't have been a disaster!

Seasonal bus services went out years ago, it was when passengers were put first before company profits, these days shareholders comes first before passenger needs, bus companies and there shareholders will not fork out money on seasonal services when passengers can get normal service buses to get to the coast etc...

(01 Sep 2013, 5:18 pm)dav06295 wrote NEW NORTHUMBIRAN EXPRESS SERVICE X11 (MONDAY - SATURDAY DAYTIME EVERY 2 HOURS / EVENINGS AND SUNDAYS EVERY 3 HOURS BETWEEN YORK AND MIDDLESBROUGH WITH JOURNEYS CONTINUING AS SERVICE X10 TO NEWCASTLE.

- LEEDS BUS STATION - YORK RAILWAY STATION - MIDDLESBROUGH BUS STATION - ELDON SQUARE BUS STATION. BUSES WILL NOT STOP AT ANY OTHER POINTS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE FEEDER JOURNEYS ON SERVICE X10 THAT WILL SERVE THE CURRENT X10 STOPS ON EVENINGS AND SUNDAYS BETWEEN MIDDLESBROUGH AND NEWCASTLE. SERVICE X11 WILL RUN HOURLY MONDAY TO FRIDAY PEAK TIME BETWEEN MIDDLESBROUGH AND NEWCASTLE.

LEEDS TO YORK: 40 MINUTES
YORK TO MIDDLESBROUGH: 1HR 2 MINUTES
MIDDLESBROUGH TO NEWCASTLE : 49 MINUTES

Nice idea in theory, how practical it may be I do not know, as has been pointed out Stagecoach currently run the Megabus as do Nat X. I reckon if it ever were to happen GNE would have to setup a dedicated coach service along the lines of Megabus, how would GNE manage this, the train is relatively cheap if you know what ticket to look for, Megabus is next to nowt, so if GNE decided to put long distances on, how do you price, do it as a loss leader or yield management of whatever the term is?

Then, why serve Middlesbrough when Megabus calls there, would it not be better to run such a service through CLS, Durham and Darlington where Megabus doesnt currently serve

(01 Sep 2013, 6:50 pm)cbma06 wrote Seasonal bus services went out years ago, it was when passengers were put first before company profits, these days shareholders comes first before passenger needs, bus companies and there shareholders will not fork out money on seasonal services when passengers can get normal service buses to get to the coast etc...

How are the City Sightseeing Tours in the Town run, and is there still one in South Tyneside, is City Sightseeing a franchise or a service that companies run themselves?

(01 Sep 2013, 7:02 pm)fozzovmurton wrote How are the City Sightseeing Tours in the Town run, and is there still one in South Tyneside, is City Sightseeing a franchise or a service that companies run themselves?

has anybody got a leaflet on the South Shields city sightseeing tour, like to know how much their asking for a ticket. I always thought the City Sightseeing Tours was part of Ensign Bus with franchise to different parts of the UK.

I wonder if there's any room for an X88 to run 7 days a week now that it's only between Concord - MetroCentre? Now that it's a PVR of 1 it would cost them an estimated £24.99 an hour to run (according to the Nexus data from TAS). At least 10 OAPs each way and the running costs are paid for.

Surely this would take away some pressure from the X1 during peak times?

(01 Sep 2013, 7:41 pm)aureolin wrote I wonder if there's any room for an X88 to run 7 days a week now that it's only between Concord - MetroCentre? Now that it's a PVR of 1 it would cost them an estimated £24.99 an hour to run (according to the Nexus data from TAS). At least 10 OAPs each way and the running costs are paid for.

Surely this would take away some pressure from the X1 during peak times?

If they were to run the X88 weekdays I think they would be more likely to start off with a limited amount of journeys, maybe 2 or 3 per day each way, rather than hourly. It seems to be the pattern with other express buses to the MetroCentre.

I think the X88 is one of the last few 3 digit number system from years gone by before service numbers start to go in the 2 digit system. Does anybody know of others that the service number hasn't changed from years ago?.

I don't think having the X88 7 Days a week would be viable as there isn't any demand for it during the week, I've been to the MetroCentre a few times in recent weeks and it's been dead. I'd keep it the way it is where it gets hammered on a Saturday/Sunday.

But I would re-instate a link between Washington and the MetroCentre during the week in a different form.

For Example

X2 - Easington Lane - Hetton-le-Hole - Houghton-le-Spring - Fence Houses - Shiney Row - Washington Galleries - Springwell Village - Wrekenton - Gateshead - MetroCentre

(02 Sep 2013, 5:34 pm)Adam Malarkey wrote I don't think having the X88 7 Days a week would be viable as there isn't any demand for it during the week, I've been to the MetroCentre a few times in recent weeks and it's been dead. I'd keep it the way it is where it gets hammered on a Saturday/Sunday.

As the X88 has successfully operated for years on a Sunday, it could be worth introducing the X22 on Sundays as well. The MetroCentre can get very busy on Sundays.

(02 Sep 2013, 5:51 pm)big mac wrote As the X88 has successfully operated for years on a Sunday, it could be worth introducing the X22 on Sundays as well. The MetroCentre can get very busy on Sundays.

Suppose there would be no harm in doing so on a Sunday Hourly

(02 Sep 2013, 5:51 pm)big mac wrote As the X88 has successfully operated for years on a Sunday, it could be worth introducing the X22 on Sundays as well. The MetroCentre can get very busy on Sundays.

Suppose there would be no harm in doing so on a Sunday Hourly

(02 Sep 2013, 5:34 pm)Adam Malarkey wrote But I would re-instate a link between Washington and the MetroCentre during the week in a different form.

For Example

X2 - Easington Lane - Hetton-le-Hole - Houghton-le-Spring - Fence Houses - Shiney Row - Washington Galleries - Springwell Village - Wrekenton - Gateshead - MetroCentre

GNE wouldn't do that sort of bus service, as GNE wants the passengers to get to their destination by what GNE says, theres a high frequency X1 bus service from Washington to Gateshead Interchange then transfer onto their own X66 bus service. Direct buses these days don't exist as its not profitable for the bus company, this is why there have these high frequency 10minute services from A to B and passengers have to inter lock there journey between these high frequent bus services.

(02 Sep 2013, 6:35 pm)cbma06 wrote GNE wouldn't do that sort of bus service, as GNE wants the passengers to get to their destination by what GNE says, theres a high frequency X1 bus service from Washington to Gateshead Interchange then transfer onto their own X66 bus service. Direct buses these days don't exist as its not profitable for the bus company, this is why there have these high frequency 10minute services from A to B and passengers have to inter lock there journey between these high frequent bus services.

It was just an idea, I was thinking once an Hour if it were to happen

(02 Sep 2013, 6:14 pm)Adam Malarkey wrote Suppose there would be no harm in doing so on a Sunday Hourly

It already has a special Bank Holiday timetable, so it could be worth a go on Sunday. I don't know how well it does on Bank Holidays, though.

55 - Heworth - Leam Lane Estate - Q.E. Hospital - Wrekenton - Harlow Green - Allerdene - Low Fell - Gateshead - Bensham Bank - Lobley Hill - Whickham - Fellside Park - Swalwell Estate - Metrocentre

(02 Sep 2013, 9:25 pm)Adam Malarkey wrote 55 - Heworth - Leam Lane Estate - Q.E. Hospital - Wrekenton - Harlow Green - Allerdene - Low Fell - Gateshead - Bensham Bank - Lobley Hill - Whickham - Fellside Park - Swalwell Estate - Metrocentre

Interesting. How about this?
Heworth - Leam Lane Estate - Beacon Lough East Estate - QE Hospital - Hendon Road - Deckham - Gateshead - Bensham Bank - Lobley Hill - Whickham - Fellside Park - Swalwell Estate - Metrocentre

(02 Sep 2013, 9:53 pm)BJ10VUS wrote Interesting. How about this?
Heworth - Leam Lane Estate - Beacon Lough East Estate - QE Hospital - Hendon Road - Deckham - Gateshead - Bensham Bank - Lobley Hill - Whickham - Fellside Park - Swalwell Estate - Metrocentre

Could have it as 55/55A, But I do like both Variations of the possible route

Washington Service Revisions

Red Arrows/Metrolink
X1 - Easington Lane - Hetton-le-Hole - Houghton-le-Spring - Fence Houses - Shiney Row - Washington Galleries - Springwell Village - Wrekenton - Gateshead - Newcastle - Every 20 Minutes

X2 - Houghton-le-Spring - Shiney Row - Washington Galleries - Springwell Village - Wrekenton - Gateshead - Newcastle - Every 20 Minutes

M1 - Easington Lane - Hetton-le-Hole - Houghton-le-Spring - Fence Houses - Shiney Row - Fatfield - Glebe - Washington Galleries - Concord - Usworth - Heworth - Every 20 Minutes

M1A - Houghton-le-Spring - Shiney Row - Fatfield - Glebe - Washington Galleries - Concord - Usworth - Heworth - Every 20 Minutes

Washington Street Shuttle

M2 - Birtley - Portobello - Ayton - Lambton - Washington Galleries - Oxclose - Blackfell - Concord - Donwell - Heworth

M3 - Birtley - Barley Mow - Rickleton - Harraton - Ayton - Lambton - Washington Galleries - Oxclose - Blackfell - Concord - Sulgrave - Heworth

M4 - Washington Galleries - Glebe - Washington Village - Barmston Court - Barmston - Concord - Donwell - Heworth

M5 - Washington Galleries - Biddick - Brady Square - Barmston - Concord - Sulgrave - Heworth

Each Service would run Every 30 Minutes, so each Area has an Every 15 Minute Service, which in parts would be every 6/7 Minutes. Services W5/W6 would be Withdrawn.

Cross Tyne Xpress
2/X2 - Sunderland - Fulwell - Boldon - Hedworth - York Avenue - Jarrow - Tyne Tunnel - Percy Main - Wallsend - Byker - Newcastle

Normal Stopping Timings/Limited Stopping Xpress would be Faster
Sunderland to Jarrow - 42 Mins
Jarrow to Newcastle - 40 Mins
Total Journey Time - 82 Mins

56 Timings Sunderland to Newcastle - 70 Mins
X3 Timings Sunderland to Newcastle - 53 Mins
X36 - Timings Sunderland to Newcastle - 57 Mins

M1 - Easington Lane - Hetton-le-Hole - Houghton-le-Spring - Fence Houses - Shiney Row - Fatfield - Glebe - Washington Galleries - Concord - Usworth - Heworth - Every 20 Minutes

M1A - Houghton-le-Spring - Shiney Row - Fatfield - Glebe - Washington Galleries - Concord - Usworth - Heworth - Every 20 Minutes

I like that idea Adam, but how about this

M1 Easington Lane-Hetton-Houghton-Newbottle-Shiney Row-Fallowfield Way-Glebe-Galleries-Concord-Heworth every 20 minutes

M1A Hetton-Rainton Bridge-Fencehouses-Bournmoor-Shiney Row-Penshaw-Fatfied-Fallowfield Way-Glebe-Galleries-Concord-Heworth every 20 minutes

(05 Sep 2013, 6:22 pm)fozzovmurton wrote I like that idea Adam, but how about this

M1 Easington Lane-Hetton-Houghton-Newbottle-Shiney Row-Fallowfield Way-Glebe-Galleries-Concord-Heworth every 20 minutes

M1A Hetton-Rainton Bridge-Fencehouses-Bournmoor-Shiney Row-Penshaw-Fatfied-Fallowfield Way-Glebe-Galleries-Concord-Heworth every 20 minutes

An X1 via Rainton Bridge would be quite good however I think the 20 and 35 are more local services which I think would be more likely to pick up people along the route to Rainton Bridge, the X1 would have to be in addition to the 20 and 35.

Without having timetables in front of me to check how practical it is, I wonder if the 128 is worth sending into Chester le Street station as well as Durham.

Obviously the bulk of the trains stop at Durham, with only the TPX calling at Chester, but if the timings were right, it may be of assistance towards passenger numbers come next Summer.

(05 Sep 2013, 4:33 pm)Adam Malarkey wrote Cross Tyne Xpress
2/X2 - Sunderland - Fulwell - Boldon - Hedworth - York Avenue - Jarrow - Tyne Tunnel - Percy Main - Wallsend - Byker - Newcastle

Normal Stopping Timings/Limited Stopping Xpress would be Faster
Sunderland to Jarrow - 42 Mins
Jarrow to Newcastle - 40 Mins
Total Journey Time - 82 Mins

56 Timings Sunderland to Newcastle - 70 Mins
X3 Timings Sunderland to Newcastle - 53 Mins
X36 - Timings Sunderland to Newcastle - 57 Mins

I think there's perhaps too much duplication there. The Percy Main - Wallsend - Byker - Newcastle section of the route has a quite healthy coverage as it is. I'd like to say maybe an increase of frequency on the 9, but I always find I'm sitting on it by myself after I get to Jarrow Bus Station.

(05 Sep 2013, 8:50 pm)aureolin wrote I think there's perhaps too much duplication there. The Percy Main - Wallsend - Byker - Newcastle section of the route has a quite healthy coverage as it is. I'd like to say maybe an increase of frequency on the 9, but I always find I'm sitting on it by myself after I get to Jarrow Bus Station.

I was thinking of attempting to create a New Link between Sunderland and Tyneside, although thinking about more now, I don't think it would be very well used by passengers.

As for the 9 I think possibly extending to Whitley Bay as suggested last week could work.