Spotted this on Twitter after revealed that the pool on the Toon Tour was a joke (gutted tbh)

Although @ToonTour won't be getting a pool upgrade, it will be making a return from 17 April, along with a new service to Whitby and Scarborough, a new bus to
@Beamish_Museum, and AD122 is back from 12 April too.

More details here:


https://www.gonortheast.co.uk/go-north-e...rket-boost


NEW Beamish Museum B1 service
Go North East will be introducing a new direct service to Beamish Museum from Newcastle, Gateshead and Chester-le-Street, making it even easier to get to the world-famous open-air museum.

The service will run on weekends, bank holidays and during school holidays from 17 April.

Journeys will leave Newcastle at 9.10am, 10.30am and 11.50am, with return journeys from Beamish Museum entrance at 2pm, 3.20pm and 4.40pm.

No advanced booking is required to use the bus, but if you want to attend the museum you will need to book a slot on Beamish Museum’s website.

https://www.gonortheast.co.uk/beamish


Mods: You're free to move the thread to a new one, as the post also advertises the summer services returning.

I'm guessing the Northern Versa will be used on this service to fit the bus route perfectly

My own opinion is i don't think Newcastle, Gateshead and Chester le Street require dedicated services to Beamish as in the New B1. They already have the 28 /28A which serve all those areas
If they're looking at boosting tourism I'd have gone something like., Whitley Bay North Shields, Tyne Tunnel, Jarrow, Washington and then direct to Beamish. Serving areas that would require a change at Newcastle or Gateshead usually and provide a direct service instead.

(01 Apr 2021, 3:16 pm)ifm001 wrote My own opinion is i don't think Newcastle, Gateshead and Chester le Street require dedicated services to Beamish as in  the New B1. They already have the 28 /28A which serve all those areas 
If they're looking at boosting tourism I'd have gone something like., Whitley Bay  North Shields, Tyne Tunnel, Jarrow, Washington and then direct to Beamish.  Serving areas that would require a change at Newcastle or Gateshead usually and provide a direct service instead.

Looking at the times on the GNE website, I'm assuming its a one bus (possibly one driver?) affair. Journey time from Whitley Bay to Beamish will be substantially longer than Newcastle, so that immediately limits the amount of trips you can fit in.

Moderation: Split into a new thread for seasonal services.
More info here: https://www.gonortheast.co.uk/go-north-e...rket-boost

B1 takes 44 minutes from Newcastle to Beamish

28 - 45 minutes

28A - 59 minutes


Seems pointless running the B1, when it takes the exact same time as the 28.


https://www.gonortheast.co.uk/services/G...2021-04-17&direction=outbound

(01 Apr 2021, 3:16 pm)ifm001 wrote My own opinion is i don't think Newcastle, Gateshead and Chester le Street require dedicated services to Beamish as in  the New B1. They already have the 28 /28A which serve all those areas 
If they're looking at boosting tourism I'd have gone something like., Whitley Bay  North Shields, Tyne Tunnel, Jarrow, Washington and then direct to Beamish.  Serving areas that would require a change at Newcastle or Gateshead usually and provide a direct service instead.

Agree on the point that the service could be better if coming from somewhere other than where the 28/28a already serve. 
I'd think this service could impact on the existing services, particularly where they pick up punters in Newcastle or Chester. Theres no reason for passengers to travel on the 28/28a to/from Beamish when this exists.

Send it from somewhere where there isn't a direct link to Beamish and you are potentially winning three times.

(01 Apr 2021, 4:07 pm)Andreos1 wrote Agree on the point that the service could be better if coming from somewhere other than where the 28/28a already serve. 
I'd think this service could impact on the existing services, particularly where they pick up punters in Newcastle or Chester. Theres no reason for passengers to travel on the 28/28a to/from Beamish when this exists.

Send it from somewhere where there isn't a direct link to Beamish and you are potentially winning three times.

I think the idea of having an express to Beamish from Newcastle/Gateshead is a good idea, but I'm surprised at both the timing and that it also serves Chester-le-Street. 

I cannot understand the need to go via Chester-le-Street, when the 8/28 will do it in 16 minutes. It forces the B1 to have to wade through Low Fell and Birtley, when it could alternatively run via Sunniside to Beamish.

(01 Apr 2021, 4:42 pm)Adrian wrote I think the idea of having an express to Beamish from Newcastle/Gateshead is a good idea, but I'm surprised at both the timing and that it also serves Chester-le-Street. 

I cannot understand the need to go via Chester-le-Street, when the 8/28 will do it in 16 minutes. It forces the B1 to have to wade through Low Fell and Birtley, when it could alternatively run via Sunniside to Beamish.

Probably getting in to the whole express vs limited stop thing, but if the existing equivalent journies are just as quick/slow - then I don't see the point in the B1 as it is.

Yes, there may be tourists in Newcastle - but the 28/28a are already established.
Ditto the 28/28a and 8 from Chester.
I'm not sure of the need to introduce the B1 when I would argue the market between Newcastle/Chester - Beamish is more than covered. Is there really the need for upto 4 buses an hour between Chester and Beamish? Ditto the 3 buses between Newcastle and Beamish. 
I can see some logic in sending it via Sunniside, but again, I'd look to open up new markets rather than introduce another  bus to/from Beamish and Newcastle.

Tbh it's better to run a B1 from Newcastle Gateshead then straight to Beamish as that's all the stops it does. Which is better than the 28/28A running all over the place before it gets there

(01 Apr 2021, 5:33 pm)MichealAaron wrote Tbh it's better to run a B1 from Newcastle Gateshead then straight to Beamish as that's all the stops it does. Which is better than the 28/28A running all over the place before it gets there

But with the faffing on through Low Fell to Chester and then coming back on itself, there is not that much difference in the journey times between the 28/28a and this B1.

The 11:50 28, sets off the same time as the B1 (all be it 5mins further in to the city centre) and gets in to Beamish just a few minutes later.

(01 Apr 2021, 6:39 pm)Andreos1 wrote But with the faffing on through Low Fell to Chester and then coming back on itself, there is not that much difference in the journey times between the 28/28a and this B1.

The 10:50 28, sets off the same time as the B1 (all be it 5mins further in to the city centre) and gets in to Beamish just a few minutes later.

Just a thought, could it be to reduce loads on the 28/28a? If the restrictions on capacity continue until June, then you'd run the risk of filling a 28 with folk going to Beamish if they are promoting using the bus to get there. This way you can promote the B1 and its easier connections at Eldon Square, and also make sure that the 28 remains relatively free for those who need to use that for non-Beamish purposes.

(01 Apr 2021, 3:19 pm)mb134 wrote Looking at the times on the GNE website, I'm assuming its a one bus (possibly one driver?) affair. Journey time from Whitley Bay to Beamish will be substantially longer than Newcastle, so that immediately limits the amount of trips you can fit in.

Going back to my suggestion of service operating from Whitley Bay - North Shields - Jarrow - Washington Galleries - Beamish.  I've looked at existing service times and it is certainly doable.

Whitley Bay to North Shields via 306 or similar is 20 minutes
North Shields to Jarrow via 319 or similar is 12 minutes
Jarrow to White Mare Pool journey time 6 minutes
White Mare Pool to Washington Galleries via 960 route is 9 minutes.
Washington Galleries to Beamish is 17 minutes 

Total journey time 64 minutes

Running light back to Whitley Bay can be done in less than 1 hour and could result in 3 journeys each direction.

Now that is doable, and I believe a fair few of prospective tourist passengers from North of the river.

(01 Apr 2021, 6:56 pm)ifm001 wrote Going back to my suggestion of service operating from Whitley Bay - North Shields - Jarrow - Washington Galleries - Beamish.  I've looked at existing service times and it is certainly doable.

Whitley Bay to North Shields via 306 or similar is 20 minutes
North Shields to Jarrow via 319 or similar is 12 minutes
Jarrow to White Mare Pool journey time 6 minutes
White Mare Pool to Washington Galleries via 960 route is 9 minutes.
Washington Galleries to Beamish is 17 minutes 

Total journey time 64 minutes

Running light back to Whitley Bay can be done in less than 1 hour and could result in 3 journeys each direction.

Now that is doable, and I believe a fair few of prospective tourist passengers from North of the river.

You'd have to be running that first journey very early or the last one very late to make it work though. I might be making it up, I certainly cant find any mention on their website at present, but I'm sure Beamish had a last entry of around 2pm?

Similarly for the return, lets say you start running them back at 2pm, the last journey from Beamish is going to get hit with peak time traffic on its dead run from Whitley Bay.

It's certainly something that would be doable with resources, but I'd imagine this year they'll be wanting to do these special services as low cost as possible and something like a Whitley Bay - Beamish route would likely need at least a couple of drivers and realistically more than one bus. The current timetable would allow for an adequate driver break between 12:34 and 14:00 (assuming they will return to depot for break facilities), and is well within the UK domestic driving hours, so could be done solo.

(01 Apr 2021, 6:49 pm)mb134 wrote Just a thought, could it be to reduce loads on the 28/28a? If the restrictions on capacity continue until June, then you'd run the risk of filling a 28 with folk going to Beamish if they are promoting using the bus to get there. This way you can promote the B1 and its easier connections at Eldon Square, and also make sure that the 28 remains relatively free for those who need to use that for non-Beamish purposes.

If the B1 started at Eldon Square like the 28 does, then aye - I can see the logic behind that.
As it only serves Central Station, I'd hazard a guess it wasn't running to complement or offer an alternative. They're instantly cutting off a source of passengers by not having it run to Eldon Square or parts of the city centre where there's hotels - other than those in spitting distance of Central.

I personally think they should have brought the 128 Durham to Beamish back to a similar timetable to the B1 as every hour as it was before was overkill especially as it would only really carry in great numbers on the first and second trip which is at/just after opening time.

(01 Apr 2021, 7:17 pm)Andreos1 wrote If the B1 started at Eldon Square like the 28 does, then aye - I can see the logic behind that.
As it only serves Central Station, I'd hazard a guess it wasn't running to complement or offer an alternative. They're instantly cutting off a source of passengers by not having it run to Eldon Square or parts of the city centre where there's hotels - other than those in spitting distance of Central.

That's my bad, read it as starting at Eldon Square for some reason. Promoting connections from Central Station? 

Surely another option could be just to run the X32 hourly all day, adding Beamish into it with the 91 worked into it.

Your giving an all day service from Stanley and Ouston to Team Valley. An all day Newcastle to Team Valley service and the quickest Beamish service your going to get without driving as it's not far off the route you'd drive.

The dead running is pretty much the X32 anyway (could even replace one of the X31 runs, it's not like anywhere is really losing a service they're all covered by the X30/X71/X72 anyway)

So we (Newcastle) now have bus services 1, 1A, 1B, B1, Q1 & X1. Excellent. If only we still had the N1 too to make is that little bit more ridiculous.

Renationalise to bring an end to this nonsense. Get a hold of a 1985 Tyne and Wear county timetable. Now that’s what I call a proper bus service ! No fancy brands (all todays cloak and daggers from GNE) , just a very regular service across many many areas . If there were Gods in the 1980s, it was TWPTE, along with The Smiths.

(01 Apr 2021, 7:26 pm)Jimmi wrote I personally think they should have brought the 128 Durham to Beamish back to a similar timetable to the B1 as every hour as it was before was overkill especially as it would only really carry in great numbers on the first and second trip which is at/just after opening time.

Maybe the B1 is the first of the vitamin buses.
Thiamin (vitamin B1) · Riboflavin (vitamin B2) · Niacin (vitamin B3). Sure there's a B12 somewhere.

(01 Apr 2021, 9:56 pm)Andreos1 wrote Maybe the B1 is the first of the vitamin buses.
Thiamin (vitamin B1) · Riboflavin (vitamin B2) · Niacin (vitamin B3). Sure there's a B12 somewhere.

Introducing B-Lines 

• Holland & Barrett onboard.
  
• Slow, scenic routes so you feel revitalised for the day ahead.
  
• Needing a boost? Enjoy our complementary daylight*.
  
  

*Subject to availability. Weather dependent. No cost for first 2 miles, £1 per subsequent mile.

Wasn't there years ago (early 90s) a seasonal Beamish express route?

Might have been the X75? Remember it running with a Delta from Newcastle- Gateshead then think via Sunniside (for Tanfield Railway).

Didn't Coastline run a North Tyneside to Beamish service the 375?

Memory might be playing tricks but I'm sure one year there was some obscure service from places in Durham area such as Langley Park to the Coast?

Other seasonal services that I vaguely remember? Was it the 714 to Keilder run by OK then Northumbria?

The 508 from Newcastle to Rothbury (Cragside) run using a coach seated MCW Metrorider.

The two open top Whitley Bay to North Shields services 332 Coastline and 333 Northumbria.
Busways 22 from South Shields to Sunderland.

Some random North Tyneside tourist service (400?) that ran from the Stephensons Railway Museum to Dial Cottage on Great Lime Road?

Wish I still had all my old timetables, fascinating to think of all the services we've lost since de-regulation / privatisation.

I think the point is largely being missed here. I would imagine the B1 is being launched in anticipation that Beamish may do a roaring trade this summer. The 28/28A might be a frequent service but it has a low bridge en route at Pelton which means that it cannot be allocated deckers. Off the top of my head, max capacity on a Versa at the moment will be between 20-25 people. Realistically, that means that 4 or 5 family groups could result in a full bus and leaving passengers who need the service to less well served places. Imagine working in Gateshead and living in Ouston or High Handenhold and you can't get your bus to or from work because it's full of families going to Beamish?

This route will allow a decker to work it if required, therefore potentially doubling capacity and with it being timed to run together with the 28, it should mean that anyone going to Beamish from Newcastle or Gateshead will get on the B1 and leaving local passengers with enough space on their bus.

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

(02 Apr 2021, 3:24 pm)6049 wrote I think the point is largely being missed here. I would imagine the B1 is being launched in anticipation that Beamish may do a roaring trade this summer. The 28/28A might be a frequent service but it has a low bridge en route at Pelton which means that it cannot be allocated deckers. Off the top of my head, max capacity on a Versa at the moment will be between 20-25 people. Realistically, that means that 4 or 5 family groups could result in a full bus and leaving passengers who need the service to less well served places. Imagine working in Gateshead and living in Ouston or High Handenhold and you can't get your bus to or from work because it's full of families going to Beamish?

This route will allow a decker to work it if required, therefore potentially doubling capacity and with it being timed to run together with the 28, it should mean that anyone going to Beamish from Newcastle or Gateshead will get on the B1 and leaving local passengers with enough space on their bus.

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

Yeah the B1 is able to be only used by the passengers wanting beamish whereas the 28/A can be left to be used by passengers wanting to go to other areas of the route.

Having seen beamish when heaving, my pity goes out to the driver, trying to get his bus to the drop off point,

(02 Apr 2021, 3:24 pm)6049 wrote I think the point is largely being missed here. I would imagine the B1 is being launched in anticipation that Beamish may do a roaring trade this summer. The 28/28A might be a frequent service but it has a low bridge en route at Pelton which means that it cannot be allocated deckers. Off the top of my head, max capacity on a Versa at the moment will be between 20-25 people. Realistically, that means that 4 or 5 family groups could result in a full bus and leaving passengers who need the service to less well served places. Imagine working in Gateshead and living in Ouston or High Handenhold and you can't get your bus to or from work because it's full of families going to Beamish?

This route will allow a decker to work it if required, therefore potentially doubling capacity and with it being timed to run together with the 28, it should mean that anyone going to Beamish from Newcastle or Gateshead will get on the B1 and leaving local passengers with enough space on their bus.

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

And those points would make a lot more sense if the B1 left from Eldon Square. As it is, it leaves 5minutes down the road.

If I've trekked in to the town with the rest of the family in tow, I get off the bus (as a vast number of other people do), at Eldon Square.
The last thing I would want to do, is then drag them down the road to get on another bus, which takes just as long).

Ditto on the return leg. I'm not going to want to drag them all up Clayton St after a long day wandering around Beamish.

I do think the B1 is a good idea in theory. It's just not as well executed as it could be. I'd give it a 5/10. Must try harder.

(02 Apr 2021, 10:37 pm)Andreos1 wrote And those points would make a lot more sense if the B1 left from Eldon Square. As it is, it leaves 5minutes down the road.

If I've trekked in to the town with the rest of the family in tow, I get off the bus (as a vast number of other people do), at Eldon Square.
The last thing I would want to do, is then drag them down the road to get on another bus, which takes just as long).

Ditto on the return leg. I'm not going to want to drag them all up Clayton St after a long day wandering around Beamish.

I do think the B1 is a good idea in theory. It's just not as well executed as it could be. I'd give it a 5/10. Must try harder.

I think two birds could have been killed with one stone here by starting at Eldon Sq, then serving Central and going over the Redheugh to Gateshead.

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(03 Apr 2021, 1:38 am)6049 wrote I think two birds could have been killed with one stone here by  starting at Eldon Sq, then serving Central and going over the Redheugh to Gateshead.

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Exactly. As it stands, a vaste swathe of punters in the city centre are going to board the 28/28a.
They're automatically reducing the potential for passengers to use the alternative, by making the footprint the B1 travels in the city centre, small.

I understand the costs of using Eldon Square and how that may have impacted on the overall viability of the service, but I'm struggling to see how a smaller footprint and therefore lower potential passenger numbers - stack up on a cost/benefit analysis. 

An Eldon Square - Central - Gateshead option would have ticked so many more boxes for passengers and made it more appealing over the existing options than a Central - Gateshead option. Particularly when you consider the hike between Eldon Square and Central and the comparable journey times between the 28/28a and the B1.

(03 Apr 2021, 10:21 am)Andreos1 wrote Exactly. As it stands, a vaste swathe of punters in the city centre are going to board the 28/28a.
They're automatically reducing the potential for passengers to use the alternative, by making the footprint the B1 travels in the city centre, small.

I understand the costs of using Eldon Square and how that may have impacted on the overall viability of the service, but I'm struggling to see how a smaller footprint and therefore lower potential passenger numbers - stack up on a cost/benefit analysis. 

An Eldon Square - Central - Gateshead option would have ticked so many more boxes for passengers and made it more appealing over the existing options than a Central - Gateshead option. Particularly when you consider the hike between Eldon Square and Central and the comparable journey times between the 28/28a and the B1.

Eldon Square to Central Station is fairly easy, it's the journey back that's the issue!
But if I were to use it, I'd probably catch another bus to Central Station/Gateshead and catch it from there rather than walk down