Does anyone remember "Jenny from Bedlington"?

That's the approach Nigel Featham needs to remember from his time as MD overseeing Arriva Northumbria and the transition from the myriad of confusing Blyth & Ashington express services into simple and easy to use services.

Whilst the apparent changes try and address issues from previous cuts......the services are too complicated for the average Joe punter to use!

A clean, simple, easy and relative frequent set of 'X' routes for the X30 & X70 corridor is what's needed......even if a little slower than now. Sure will p*** a few punters off, but will attract new punters with a clean simple set of 'X' routes. Let the secondary services fill the gaps left.

(18 Jun 2024, 8:54 pm)Andreos1 wrote BSIP being utilised wisely again I see,
Who on earth has the brass neck to apply for it and which absolute buffoon is approving the applications?

Must say it would be nice for it to actually be spent on something long term that might actually attract some customers rather sticking plasters over unsustainable routes.

I'm not a fan of useless bus lanes, but some bus priority might actually reduce the PVR of some of these routes so they could actually do more using the same resources but maybe I'm just looking at things backwards...

On these routes, just bring back the 43/44/X70/X71/X30/X31(All Expresses by Gateshead) and just be done with it, the vast majority of punters now have a service every 30 minutes to the main destinations rather than hourly, 20 minutes, 20/40, 2 buses an hour at random times like the crap here with some local service doing Lobley Hill and the 2 bus stops in Dunston which are causing all this bother.

What would replace the dunston and lobley hill sections with then. 41/42 & 95 maybe

Best option (admittedly a suggestion but related to these changes) would be something like.......

- X70 - Old route but via Tantobie Crossroads
- X71 - Existing route via Gateshead
- X30 - Extended to Lanchester and runs Via Lobley Hill Estate & Gateshead
- X31 - Via Lobley Hill Estate & Gateshead

All every 60 minutes each or every 15/30 mins combined. Easy peasy, simple and straight to the point!

Then for the rest of the gaps.........
- 741 - Every 30 mins- Original 43 route (basically the current 6 route but with original route of the 43 around Whickham & Sunniside)
- 742 - Every 60 mins - Original 44 route except serving Sleepy Village rather than Hobson
- 743 - Every 60 mins -  Original 44 route
- 641 - Every 30 mins - Current X30 route Newcastle to Sunniside, interworks with 642
- 642 (643 renumbered) - Every 30 mins - Existing 643 route

There you go, nice and easy and will actually get 'bums on board'

(18 Jun 2024, 10:40 pm)ASX_Terranova wrote What would replace the dunston and lobley hill sections with then. 41/42 & 95 maybe

I know it's not a suggestion thread but you could probably just do an X97 and give all of Whickham a fast bus to Newcastle rather than a detour around Lobley Hill. Basically just the X30 but then curtail it at Whickham doing the 97(1) loop.

Probably could do it by dropping the 97 to every 30 minutes and interwork it with the 96 so it's every 15 minutes on the common section rather than them jumping all over each like they do now pretty much.

(19 Jun 2024, 12:00 pm)Storx wrote I know it's not a suggestion thread but you could probably just do an X97 and give all of Whickham a fast bus to Newcastle rather than a detour around Lobley Hill. Basically just the X30 but then curtail it at Whickham doing the 97(1) loop.

Probably could do it by dropping the 97 to every 30 minutes and interwork it with the 96 so it's every 15 minutes on the common section rather than them jumping all over each like they do now pretty much.

Didn't there used to a X97 that did that, there was the 97/97A/X97, think the 97A was previously the 98

(19 Jun 2024, 1:23 pm)V514DFT wrote Didn't there used to a X97 that did that, there was the 97/97A/X97, think the 97A was previously the 98

Aye believe so, was just peak times only while the 97/97A was every 10 minutes at one. Crazy how much that corridor has been butchered to bits in recent years tbh especially when you had the 95 and 96 aswell which I believe we're more frequent aswell.

(19 Jun 2024, 1:33 pm)Storx wrote Aye believe so, was just peak times only while the 97/97A was every 10 minutes at one. Crazy how much that corridor has been butchered to bits in recent years tbh especially when you had the 95 and 96 aswell which I believe we're more frequent aswell.

95/96 was Newcastle to Lobley Hill Estates and 97/98 was Newcastle to Whickham, so it was a pretty regular service Newcastle, Gateshead and Bensham Bank.

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(19 Jun 2024, 4:26 pm)citaro5284 wrote 95/96 was Newcastle to Lobley Hill Estates and 97/98 was Newcastle to Whickham, so it was a pretty regular service Newcastle, Gateshead and Bensham Bank.

And before that, the X97/X98 which were limited stop between Gateshead Metro and Victoria Road (Bensham) observing all stops thereafter. There was briefly an X99 too which, in addition to being limited stop, continued to Metrocentre after Fellside Road - as per the 1 currently.

(19 Jun 2024, 4:26 pm)citaro5284 wrote 95/96 was Newcastle to Lobley Hill Estates and 97/98 was Newcastle to Whickham, so it was a pretty regular service Newcastle, Gateshead and Bensham Bank.

Thanks for that, I was scratching my head before trying to remember what done the X30/X31 before they went through Whickham, you've answered it with the 98.

Remembered the 95/96/97 but the 98 had just gone out of my mind.

They definitely need to try and restore the local services back around there though, if they ever redo the network under the public network, it's a right mess if you ask me especially Bensham Bank with numerous routes bouncing on top of each with no sort of connection.

(19 Jun 2024, 4:45 pm)MurdnunoC wrote

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And before that, the X97/X98 which were limited stop between Gateshead Metro and Victoria Road (Bensham) observing all stops thereafter. There was briefly an X99 too which, in addition to being limited stop, continued to Metrocentre after Fellside Road - as per the 1 currently.

And before that, the X97/X98 which were limited stop between Gateshead Metro and Victoria Road (Bensham) observing all stops thereafter. There was briefly an X99 too which, in addition to being limited stop, continued to Metrocentre after Fellside Road - as per the 1 currently.

 

I've managed to pop in to MurdnunoC's little borrowers world and fortunately, with the advent of modern technology - make his text bigger so we can all see. 

Didn't the 301 and/or 302 go that way too at one stage? 
Genuinely can't remember (without checking anyway) how they got to the Metrocentre, but can remember fleeing along Market Lane in an Atlantean one Saturday.

(19 Jun 2024, 6:08 pm)Andreos1 wrote  

I've managed to pop in to MurdnunoC's little borrowers world and fortunately, with the advent of modern technology - make his text bigger so we can all see. 

Didn't the 301 and/or 302 go that way too at one stage? 
Genuinely can't remember (without checking anyway) how they got to the Metrocentre, but can remember fleeing along Market Lane in an Atlantean one Saturday.

Was most likely the 301, the 302 terminated at Gateshead Interchange

Will any more changes be registered? Seems odd that no changes to the 5/24/26 have been registered considering interworking will have to change now.

(19 Jun 2024, 6:08 pm)Andreos1 wrote  

I've managed to pop in to MurdnunoC's little borrowers world and fortunately, with the advent of modern technology - make his text bigger so we can all see. 

Didn't the 301 and/or 302 go that way too at one stage? 
Genuinely can't remember (without checking anyway) how they got to the Metrocentre, but can remember fleeing along Market Lane in an Atlantean one Saturday.

301 went via Askew Road to the Teams then through Dunston (Ellison Road) and along Market Lane to Metrocentre.
188 went via Bensham Road, Lobley Hill Road, Victoria Road, Angus Road, Bolam Street (Teams) then direct via A1 to Metrocentre.

There was also an early morning 60 service which combined the major stopping sections of both routes (Dunston/Teams/Bensham), but I believe it went via Cross Lane, Welilington Road, Dunston Road, and Park Terrace between Metrocentre and Dunston instead of Market Lane. This eventually became the 63. 

Both the 188 and 301 replaced the original 60 route between Metrocentre and Gateshead which was operated by those 'Big Orange' Nationals they had branded.

Timetables for derwentside now online (change date)

https://www.gonortheast.co.uk/services/x-lines

X30 is increased to every 60 minutes instead of every 90 on an evening as well.

Full changes:

https://www.gonortheast.co.uk/service-changes-21-july

Headache job, but got a PVR of 12x for the X30/X31/X32 and X70/X71/X73

X70 NCL > X30 STY > X32 NCL > X71 CON (PVR 4)

X71 NCL > X32 STY > X30 NCL > X31 STY > X31 NCL > X73 STY > X73 NCL > X70 CON (PVR 8 with remote reliefs in Stanley)

X45 looks to be going standalone with a PVR of 5x. Looking at the E400s, leaves 4x spare but not enough to cover the X45 standalone PVR of 4x

Unless the X20 looses 6308-14? And then if none or very few VOR's affecting the low bridge issue / Euro 6 issue......any surplus E400s & B5TLs allocated to the X5/X15

How much layover do they all get?

EDIT: The X32 and X71 timetabling wise could also do a round trip starting from Stanley or Consett, but I don't know if that would muck up the interworking patterns.

Can’t believe the 39 doesn’t run after 9pm on a Sunday what’s that all about

(20 Jun 2024, 4:40 pm)L469 YVK wrote Headache job, but got a PVR of 12x for the X30/X31/X32 and X70/X71/X73

X70 NCL > X30 STY > X32 NCL > X71 CON (PVR 4)

X71 NCL > X32 STY > X30 NCL > X31 STY > X31 NCL > X73 STY > X73 NCL > X70 CON (PVR 8 with remote reliefs in Stanley)

X45 looks to be going standalone with a PVR of 5x. Looking at the E400s, leaves 4x spare but not enough to cover the X45 standalone PVR of 4x

Unless the X20 looses 6308-14? And then if none or very few VOR's affecting the low bridge issue / Euro 6 issue......any surplus E400s & B5TLs allocated to the X5/X15

To me it looks like there are 3 main options. 

Option 1 the X30/31/32 interwork with a PVR of 5 and the X70/71/73 interwork with a PVR of 6 for a total of 11 this is the most efficient in terms of vehicles but would require all to be low height for the bridge in Dunston and remote reliefs in Stanley.

Option 2 everything interworks with a total PVR of 12. No remote reliefs in Stanley but again all would need to be low height for the bridge in Dunston.

Option 3 X30/31/32 interworks with a PVR of 5, X70/73 interwork with an PVR of 5 and the X71 runs standalone with a PVR of 3 for a total PVR of 13. This would need remote reliefs in Stanley but limit the number of low height needed to 8.

I’ve added pictures to show how the timings would work for each of the above.

I doubt that GNE will go with Option 3 unless they were happy with the X71 running like that to 'fill' a shift and a higher PVR.

And if intention was to shift presumably 6346-51 onto the X10/X21, would still need 6377 and one of the Cobalt B9TL's (that haven't been ragged to death) to make up the combined PVR of 12x.

(21 Jun 2024, 7:21 pm)L469 YVK wrote I doubt that GNE will go with Option 3 unless they were happy with the X71 running like that to 'fill' a shift and a higher PVR.

And if intention was to shift presumably 6346-51 onto the X10/X21, would still need 6377 and one of the Cobalt B9TL's (that haven't been ragged to death) to make up the combined PVR of 12x.

What is it with u constantly thinking of absolutely random PVR. There's enough E400 at Consett in fleet livery to probs cover the pvr.

On a serious note, GNE have missed another opportunity to review the Dunston situation yet again!

Whilst a couple of minutes is shaved off going along Ellison Road instead of Ravensworth Road, passengers on the X10 & X21 are having to bear the brunt of breakdowns, cancellations, vehicle shortages, lack of suitable spares (X10) and poor reliability as a result of this!

I will say it again.....but it is quite clear that StreetDecks and B5TLs are NOT suitable vehicles for the X21!

Vehicles that would be capable of handling the mentioned services (with appropriate daily rotation between the 2x services) are instead being used on services that maybe bar a few hills.....don't warrant the power of them!

Barring the X45.......the X10 & X21 will likely consistently make more money & gain higher passenger loadings compared to the X30's & X70's which probably only get busy at peaks and on match days!

Also lets not forget that a certain competitor has resource available at the Southern end of the X10 & X21 routes.....and could easily provide ramp up competition if GNE fail to provide a consistent and reliable service!

Had a think about this and will post an excel draft over the weekend. If the X32 was dropped, the low height issue could be resolved only needing a PVR of 4x. Something like this..........

- X30 - Current X32 route (from 21st July)
- X31 - Current X30 route
- X70 - Current X70 route (from 21st July)
- X71 - Current X71 route (from 21st July)

- X73 - Current X73 route (from 21st July)

- Evening & Sunday X72 - No change

Basically, 0's via Gateshead and 1's via Whickham & Dunston with even headways maintained for all services (either 10/20, 20/40 or every 30 mins) at common points.

Patterns would be (starting from Consett):
X71 > X31 > X31 > X71 (PVR 4x - low height)

X70 > X30 > X73 > X73 > X30 > X70 (PVR 7x - full height)

Note that there'd be a 25 min layover either side of the X73....but this wouldn't be a bad thing given the unpredictability of traffic around the MetroCentre and would also compensate if any late running off earlier X70 or X30 trips.

X71/X31 would have most reliefs at Consett. X30/X70/X73 would be a mix but no real difference as some reliefs would still have to happen in Stanley regardless.

Does anybody know who got the 69s evenings and sundays?

(28 Jun 2024, 12:42 pm)d9817362 wrote Does anybody know who got the 69s evenings and sundays?

The tender round only closed last Friday - it will still be another couple of weeks before the contract is awarded. It will be right to the wire.

As promised 




Note that X73 has been changed slightly to better coordinate with the X70 ex Newcastle for Dipton.

Fleet allocations could then be something like......

ADL E400MMC:
- 6336-43 - X31/X71 - 4x can be used on X30/X70/X73 & X45 but if any VOR, full height misc decker (i.e B9TL, E400 Classic) substituted in place on X30/X70/X73 & X45
- 6344-55 - X10 & X21

Wright StreetDeck
- 6356-63 - X30/X70/X73 & X45

No such things as spares these days (unless an ex GAG cascade/shed counts) so not bothering to work that one out haha!

(28 Jun 2024, 12:53 pm)Dan wrote The tender round only closed last Friday - it will still be another couple of weeks before the contract is awarded. It will be right to the wire.

Is it going to be one of those daft examples where the Sunday/evening route is different to the daytime route? i.e is the tender for a full service from Winlaton to Wardley on the 69?

(28 Jun 2024, 12:42 pm)d9817362 wrote Does anybody know who got the 69s evenings and sundays?

Quagmire (sorry couldnt resist)