(17 Aug 2020, 4:15 pm)BusLoverMum wrote Either through Durham and consett when the 689(?) is running a full Saturday timetable or head via Sunderland, get the x24 which goes nowhere near Gateshead interchange, then Newcastle to Hexham to do it in 6 buses there and back.

Nope :p You have to go via Eldon Square both ways, and the bus has to serve it so you can't use the X24 as it's the opposite side of Newcaslte, it doesn't go into Park Lane neither so you can't connect the other side either without walking

Probably easier to say 6 buses, Hartlepool -> Eldon Square without touching Gateshead Interchange or buses serving it. The Hexham part is easy. You're right with going over Consett way though. There's only 1 possible way I believe though, might be wrong though.

In 9 Buses: 57 (To Durham), 16 (To Stanley), X30 (To Newcastle), 10 (To Hexham), X84 (To Newcastle), 310 (to North Shields), 319 (to Jarrow), 9 (to Sunderland), 22 (to Hartlepool).
It would have been 8 a few years ago as well.
Also do Nat Ex Coaches Count?

(18 Aug 2020, 2:10 pm)ASX_Terranova wrote In 9 Buses: 57 (To Durham), 16 (To Stanley), X30 (To Newcastle), 10 (To Hexham), X84 (To Newcastle), 310 (to North Shields), 319 (to Jarrow), 9 (to Sunderland), 22 (to Hartlepool).
It would have been 8 a few years ago as well.
Also do Nat Ex Coaches Count?

The 310 doesn't serve Eldon Square it's Haymarket Close though - got the right idea, the 57/24, 23 (not 22), X84/X85/685 and X30 are part of it though to give a little hint

No Nat Ex but can definitely see how you'd do it that way though.

(18 Aug 2020, 3:15 pm)Storx wrote The 310 doesn't serve Eldon Square it's Haymarket Close though - got the right idea, the 57/24, 23 (not 22), X84/X85/685 and X30 are part of it though to give a little hint

No Nat Ex but can definitely see how you'd do it that way though.

Is there a way it could be done using the tunnel?
Is the 78 one of the services, could go ncl to cls then cls to park lane or even 71 to new seaham.

(18 Aug 2020, 5:27 pm)ASX_Terranova wrote Is there a way it could be done using the tunnel?
Is the 78 one of the services, could go ncl to cls then cls to park lane or even 71 to new seaham.

Nah don't think so with the Tunnel as you can't get from Eldon Square to N. Shields easily since Eldon Square only really goes south. Can't get from NCL to CLS though without going through Gateshead . You're on the right track with the 78 though

I'll give you another big hint though, look at one of the services I didn't list before

(18 Aug 2020, 5:44 pm)Storx wrote Nah don't think so with the Tunnel as you can't get from Eldon Square to N. Shields easily since Eldon Square only really goes south. Can't get from NCL to CLS though without going through Gateshead . You're on the right track with the 78 though

I'll give you another big hint though, look at one of the services I didn't list before

36/X12/X5/X45/10/685/X30/78/22 = 9 Changes
57/X5/X45/74/685/X30/8/22 = 8 Changes
22/939/91/685/74/10/X22/57 = 8 Changes (?)

If you include my proposed network : 57(ANE)/X20(GNE)/X8(TSX)/X85(GNE)/74(GNE)/X3(TSX)

(18 Aug 2020, 6:02 pm)ASX_Terranova wrote 36/X12/X5/X45/10/685/X30/78/22 = 9 Changes
57/X5/X45/74/685/X30/8/22 = 8 Changes
22/939/91/685/74/10/X22/57 = 8 Changes (?)

If you include my proposed network : 57(ANE)/X20(GNE)/X8(TSX)/X85(GNE)/74(GNE)/X3(TSX)

You got it, didn't expect anyone to get that. It's the 23 though, 22 is Sunderland to Durham.

Couldn't do the bottom one though as the 91 doesn't serve Eldon Square and the X22 isn't running atm but usually you could do the X22 route.

(18 Aug 2020, 6:21 pm)Storx wrote You got it, didn't expect anyone to get that. It's the 23 though, 22 is Sunderland to Durham.

Couldn't do the bottom one though as the 91 doesn't serve Eldon Square and the X22 isn't running atm but usually you could do the X22.

In the good old days you could have done X5/183/610/685/74/21X/57.

(18 Aug 2020, 2:10 pm)ASX_Terranova wrote In 9 Buses: 57 (To Durham), 16 (To Stanley), X30 (To Newcastle), 10 (To Hexham), X84 (To Newcastle), 310 (to North Shields), 319 (to Jarrow), 9 (to Sunderland), 22 (to Hartlepool).
It would have been 8 a few years ago as well.
Also do Nat Ex Coaches Count?

No normal services only

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I tell you the answer I had before I set the challenge. Arriva 24 Hartlepool to Durham. Go North East 21 Durham to Eldon Square
Go North East 10 Eldon Square to Hexham.
Go North East X85 Hexham to Eldon Square
Go North East X1 Eldon Square to Washington
Go North East 2 Washington to Sunderland
Go North East 9 Sunderland to Dalton Park
Go North East X10 Dalton Park to Stockton
Stagecoach 36 Stockton to Hartlepool.

Another challenge then. Owton Manor to Saltburn then to Dalton Park back to Owton Manor. Middlesbrough and Hartlepool Town centres are only places allowed to be used twice with with one stop allowed in Redcar. The stagecoach 36 is not allowed to be used and it has to be done on 8 service buses with at a limit of 3 different companies. No service can be used twice.

I'm guessing the 2 changes at Hartlepool and Middlesbrough centres are optional and the Redcar stop is compulsary? I was a little baffled by the Redcar stop as most buses that serve Saltburn go to Middlesbrough via Redcar anyways.

If I included your Redcar stop, I originaly had it down as 1 bus too many...

7 Stagecoach Owton Manor - Foggy Furze
1 Stagecoach Foggy Furze - Middlesbrough
X3A Arriva Middlesbrough - Redcar
3 Arriva Redcar - Saltburn
X4 Arriva Saltburn - Middlesbrough
X12 Arriva Middlesbrough - Durham
265 Go Ahead Durham - Dalton Park
23 Arriva Dalton Park - Hartlepool
3A Stagecoach Hartlepool - Owton Manor

For some bizarre reason I'd completely forgotten about the X10!

So change the X12 to X10 and remove the 265 completely and that brings me down to 8 buses.

The one thing that bothers me, is I'm passing back through Redcar on the X4. The only way I can think of to avoid that is to catch the X4 in the opposite direction to Whitby and the X93 back to Middlesbrough. But that takes me one bus over again.

(24 Aug 2020, 5:44 pm)tcts24 wrote I'm guessing the 2 changes at Hartlepool and Middlesbrough centres are optional and the Redcar stop is compulsary? I was a little baffled by the Redcar stop as most buses that serve Saltburn go to Middlesbrough via Redcar anyways.

If I included your Redcar stop, I originaly had it down as 1 bus too many...

7 Stagecoach Owton Manor - Foggy Furze
1 Stagecoach Foggy Furze - Middlesbrough
X3A Arriva Middlesbrough - Redcar
3 Arriva Redcar - Saltburn
X4 Arriva Saltburn - Middlesbrough
X12 Arriva Middlesbrough - Durham
265 Go Ahead Durham - Dalton Park
23 Arriva Dalton Park - Hartlepool
3A Stagecoach Hartlepool - Owton Manor

For some bizarre reason I'd completely forgotten about the X10!

So change the X12 to X10 and remove the 265 completely and that brings me down to 8 buses.

The one thing that bothers me, is I'm passing back through Redcar on the X4. The only way I can think of to avoid that is to catch the X4 in the opposite direction to Whitby and the X93 back to Middlesbrough. But that takes me one bus over again.

Hartlepool and Middlesbrough allowed twice as in most cases it's unavoidable although you found the way round it.  You need to go though Redcar to get to and from Saltburn so thought would make it so needed to stop there on one of the journeys.  Good attempt though

(24 Aug 2020, 6:12 pm)col87 wrote Hartlepool and Middlesbrough allowed twice as in most cases it's unavoidable although you found the way round it.  You need to go though Redcar to get to and from Saltburn so thought would make it so needed to stop there on one of the journeys.  Good attempt though

Could do

7 -> Hartlepool
1 -> Middlesbrough
X3 -> Saltburn
X4 -> Whitby
X93 -> Middlesbrough
X10 -> Dalton Park
23 -> Hartlepool
3 -> Owsen Manor

Don't have to go through Redcar twice

(24 Aug 2020, 9:53 pm)Storx wrote Could do

7 -> Hartlepool
1 -> Middlesbrough
X3 -> Saltburn
X4 -> Whitby
X93 -> Middlesbrough
X10 -> Dalton Park
23 -> Hartlepool
3 -> Owsen Manor

Don't have to go through Redcar twice

I would have probably went with that. But I'd got the impression a bus change in Redcar was compulsary. In which case, this would take it over the limit by 1 bus. Hence I opted to go back via Redcar but without changing on the return trip.

(25 Aug 2020, 7:58 am)tcts24 wrote I would have probably went with that. But I'd got the impression a bus change in Redcar was compulsary. In which case, this would take it over the limit by 1 bus. Hence I opted to go back via Redcar but without changing on the return trip.

Could you go via york on this challange.

(25 Aug 2020, 8:15 am)ASX_Terranova wrote Could you go via york on this challange.

As long as it's no more than 8 buses and only buses and you stop at Redcar and at least once in Hartlepool and Middlesbrough then go whatever you want.  If you reckon you could do it via York then go ahead.

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(25 Aug 2020, 7:58 am)tcts24 wrote I would have probably went with that. But I'd got the impression a bus change in Redcar was compulsary. In which case, this would take it over the limit by 1 bus. Hence I opted to go back via Redcar but without changing on the return trip.

Yes a change in Redcar has to happen but either from or to Middlesbrough. But you can though Redcar on the other journey.