(05 Jun 2026, 6:13 pm)Malarkey wrote

• Gives tourists staying in Durham an easy way to visit multiple attractions without needing to change buses.
  

Personally, I think more people would love to visit Grange Villa to see the wonderful, and largely unpublicised, art installation located on the wall of a property on Albert Street and visible from the bus as it passes. 

(06 Jun 2026, 8:18 am)Arlo400H wrote Well I think it could be more suited to be numbered without the X, either way the journey time to Metrocentre from Newcastle isn’t actually that high and the PVR is only 2

I know it's not really the right thread, but imo anything doing should stay clear of Newcastle.

There's probably more scope for something heading from the Airport to the Metrocentre, doing a similar thing to the 6/7 but more inwards.

ie. something like: https://www.google.com/maps/dir/54.95834...1e!1m0!3e0

There's quite a few destinations on paper on there ie. Newcastle Airport, Kingston Park Rugby, Kingston Park Shops, Ponteland Medical Centre, Cowgate Morrisons, West Road, Newcastle Central Mosque, CAV, Benwell, Metrocentre ASDA, Metrocentre and they're all very difficult to get between atm since everything Stagecoach does heads towards Newcastle. Ironically the airport links being better at 3am in the morning!

(05 Jun 2026, 10:41 pm)Arlo400H wrote Timetable I made a while ago, could theoretically save the X22 imo but a risky investment

That timetable is totally unachievable between Denton Burn and Chester Le Street and that’s even before factoring in the fact that the buses will need dwell time for stops. 8 minutes from Denton Burn to MetroCentre isn’t achievable in car at midnight following the speed limits, let alone in a bus during the peaks.

(06 Jun 2026, 10:45 pm)220631612 wrote That timetable is totally unachievable between Denton Burn and Chester Le Street and that’s even before factoring in the fact that the buses will need dwell time for stops. 8 minutes from Denton Burn to MetroCentre isn’t achievable in car at midnight following the speed limits, let alone in a bus during the peaks.

It gets 3 min dwell at metrocentre and it’s a 5 min car drive from Denton burn to metrocentre but I did give it quite a tight timetable as it wouldn’t be stopping and starting a huge amount. Peak time journeys get between 15-20 mins extra just to run through team valley

(05 Jun 2026, 4:42 pm)Nerd4321 wrote It'll be a City fan cause why wouldn't it be. City here City there. Other companies should be shut down and City run the North East

City running everything would be torture. Would rather sh*t in my hands and clap

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(06 Jun 2026, 7:23 am)MurdnunoC wrote I think risky is a massive understatement.

Imagine someone standing in Newcastle, seeing the X81 with Newcastle on the desty, expecting an express then finding themselves five miles west of the city doing a tour of Dumpling Hall? 

I think that would be enough for someone never to use public transport again.

You say that as if Arriva don't do the exact same thing with their Blyth expresses lmao

(15 Jun 2026, 1:28 pm)SN69 ZRC wrote You say that as if Arriva don't do the exact same thing with their Blyth expresses lmao

In fairness the Blyth expresses head towards Newcastle; I assume the poster you replied to made a typo for Chester Le Street rather than Newcastle, it's a bit different. 

They all do have express elements aswell (X7/X8 | Newcastle to South Gosforth, X9/X10/X11 | Newcastle to Seaton Burn) but the X7/X8 could be up for debate though mind.

(15 Jun 2026, 2:40 pm)Storx wrote In fairness the Blyth expresses head towards Newcastle; I assume the poster you replied to made a typo for Chester Le Street rather than Newcastle, it's a bit different.

Yeah. I meant Chester, not Newcastle.

(15 Jun 2026, 5:59 pm)MurdnunoC wrote Yeah. I meant Chester, not Newcastle.

Board could say X81 to Metrocentre (and underneath) then Newcastle like the X18 does with X18 to Morpeth then Alnwick. 
I doubt thats particularly confusing for the vast majority of people. anyone in Chester knows that the Metrocentre is a decent detour otw to Newcastle, and in the other direction the journey time as I said isn’t really that bad anyway. Either way it’d be at the stand with X82/684/685. 
I know it’s unrealistic, I’m not a professional

(06 Jun 2026, 11:44 pm)Arlo400H wrote It gets 3 min dwell at metrocentre and it’s a 5 min car drive from Denton burn to metrocentre but I did give it quite a tight timetable as it wouldn’t be stopping and starting a huge amount. Peak time journeys get between 15-20 mins extra just to run through team valley

It is absolutely not a 5 minute car drive, and you’ve got to remember buses are Infact slower. A tight time table because it won’t be stopping is setting up for failure. Realistically you need at least 12 minutes between departure of Denton Burn and departure of Metro Centre, and you absolutely need recovery time given the nature of the route

(15 Jun 2026, 10:47 pm)220631612 wrote It is absolutely not a 5 minute car drive, and you’ve got to remember buses are Infact slower. A tight time table because it won’t be stopping is setting up for failure. Realistically you need at least 12 minutes between departure of Denton Burn and departure of Metro Centre, and you absolutely need recovery time given the nature of the route

I second this, Denton Burn and Metrocentre, especially at peak time, theres no such thing as a 5 minute trip

GCT are cheaper. Simple as.

(17 Jun 2026, 6:37 pm)HarryHarry wrote I am here to talk about the contract beetween Northstar and GCT , THE 599 WAS FINE WITH NORTHSTAR , What was the point of this contract if GCT is already having low ridership problems with some routes eg:TB routes. And also Northstar was more convienniant and not have small minibuses where during summer roasts like an oven , seriously GCT need some bigger models , probably the only company without any double decker models. Before you shout at me I know what the T in GCT mean (Taxis) but Northstar was fine and had better ridership , who agrees ?

There is no argument though as the service is contracted .
The service went to Tender, multiple operators submitted tenders.  The tender was awarded and the service changed operators 

This happens all the time, it will continue to happen, and tenders etc happen elsewhere and people aren't happy when companies change but nothing can be done, so you just need to accept it unfortunately

Personal terms were obviously agreed upon and reached with the agent of the 599 prior to the transfer from Northstar to GCT. However, even after looking on transfermarkt.com, the actual transfer fee is listed as 'undisclosed', as are the agent, signing-on fees, and any clauses which may be triggered at a later date,

X43 from the 19th July will now be extended to Newcastle Eldon Square stopping at Clayton Street West. It'll still only run every Saturday every hour till 4pm

with the X43 being extended to Newcastle from the 19th, does anyone have any idea what busses they're going to allocate to it? considering (as far as i'm aware) the ALX400s and Olympuses aren't CAZ compliant, and the E200/300s will surely be needed elsewhere (unless they are to use deckers on the new Heworth locals) 

besides from the fact they probably aren't gonna use the ALX400s in public service anymore this is a brilliant route imo, hopefully one day they will run it daily. also combining the X73 and X43 into a circular could be a good idea when franchising comes in as you could travel in either direction around the Stanley loop so could make better use of the busses. 

timetable is out on travel north east and so is the 96.

(28 Jun 2026, 9:04 pm)Arlo400H wrote with the X43 being extended to Newcastle from the 19th, does anyone have any idea what busses they're going to allocate to it? considering (as far as i'm aware) the ALX400s and Olympuses aren't CAZ compliant, and the E200/300s will surely be needed elsewhere (unless they are to use deckers on the new Heworth locals) 

besides from the fact they probably aren't gonna use the ALX400s in public service anymore this is a brilliant route imo, hopefully one day they will run it daily. also combining the X73 and X43 into a circular could be a good idea when franchising comes in as you could travel in either direction around the Stanley loop so could make better use of the busses. 

timetable is out on travel north east and so is the 96.

Will likely be the Ex Stagecoach E400's, I am of the understanding from speaking to Dan several months back he has some B9TL's at Thorntons so would presume he may start receiving them over the summer months to see of the ALX400's.

(28 Jun 2026, 9:04 pm)Arlo400H wrote with the X43 being extended to Newcastle from the 19th, does anyone have any idea what busses they're going to allocate to it? considering (as far as i'm aware) the ALX400s and Olympuses aren't CAZ compliant, and the E200/300s will surely be needed elsewhere (unless they are to use deckers on the new Heworth locals) 

besides from the fact they probably aren't gonna use the ALX400s in public service anymore this is a brilliant route imo, hopefully one day they will run it daily. also combining the X73 and X43 into a circular could be a good idea when franchising comes in as you could travel in either direction around the Stanley loop so could make better use of the busses. 

timetable is out on travel north east and so is the 96.

Disagree on the X73/X43 circular. The 6/X43/X73 should be merged into 2 routes like it was for years doing this, until they started pissing around with it. 

Obviously Dan has noticed the absolute mess that corridor is and good on him for taking GNE on imo.

(28 Jun 2026, 9:41 pm)Storx wrote Disagree on the X73/X43 circular. The 6/X43/X73 should be merged into 2 routes like it was for years doing this, until they started pissing around with it. 

Obviously Dan has noticed the absolute mess that corridor is and good on him for taking GNE on imo.

It looks like it runs until 5.30 too.

Will actually be a good little earner on Saturdays especially for 12.30 & 3pm home NUFC games. 

Only pitfall could be matchday delays.

(28 Jun 2026, 10:06 pm)L469 YVK wrote It looks like it runs until 5.30 too.

Will actually be a good little earner on Saturdays especially for 12.30 & 3pm home NUFC games. 

Only pitfall could be matchday delays.

Aye noticed it's running 5 minutes in front of the X73 too (and quicker from Stanley). 

Wonder if there's a bit of a secret political dig at Durham County Council aswell for them funding the X73 through BSIP since GNE couldn't be arsed to run it commercially.

(28 Jun 2026, 10:15 pm)Storx wrote Aye noticed it's running 5 minutes in front of the X73 too (and quicker from Stanley). 

Wonder if there's a bit of a secret political dig at Durham County Council aswell for them funding the X73 through BSIP since GNE couldn't be arsed to run it commercially.

Once they leave Stanley the X43 and X73 run different routes until Crookgate, so how far one is timed in front of the other doesnt mean anything. The 6 is the better one to look at.

(28 Jun 2026, 10:15 pm)Storx wrote Aye noticed it's running 5 minutes in front of the X73 too (and quicker from Stanley). 

Wonder if there's a bit of a secret political dig at Durham County Council aswell for them funding the X73 through BSIP since GNE couldn't be arsed to run it commercially.

Its what I like about the X43. The GNE to Stanley is absolutely shocking for time. They take way to long. X43 takes 30 minutes and its so quick. 6 takes u on a hell of a tour to get to Stanley and the X73 is just why even call it an express at that point. It'll always confuse me why the 6 was the only bus from Stanley to the Metrocentre.

(28 Jun 2026, 10:15 pm)Storx wrote Aye noticed it's running 5 minutes in front of the X73 too (and quicker from Stanley). 

Wonder if there's a bit of a secret political dig at Durham County Council aswell for them funding the X73 through BSIP since GNE couldn't be arsed to run it commercially.

If GNE interworked the X32 & X73 which would also sort a few other issues out, the BSIP for the Gateshead & Team Valley links to wider parts of Stanley would be justified.

As much as they get a bit stick, Arriva Northumbria & NCC have shown how BSIP should be used.

Asides from that, if Northstar could get a handful of well TLC'd later B9TLs or Scania E400/E400MMC, I'd like to see them have a try taking on the X21 with a competing service, running as a 'proper' express like the old X21 did. Would serve GNE right for dumping gutless hairdryers on a service that has clearly been calling out for a decent allocation of vehicles for years.

A re-birth of 'Pronto' anyone? Could it run a PVR of 3x with a 3 hour round trip to Bishop Auckland only?

(29 Jun 2026, 8:33 am)Nerd4321 wrote Its what I like about the X43. The GNE to Stanley is absolutely shocking for time. They take way to long. X43 takes 30 minutes and its so quick. 6 takes u on a hell of a tour to get to Stanley and the X73 is just why even call it an express at that point. It'll always confuse me why the 6 was the only bus from Stanley to the Metrocentre.

Aye the whole Stanley to Metrocentre network is just a mess if you ask me, agreed with the 6. It's just a sticker plaster of multiple routes merged together to try a form something but in reality it's a jack of all trades, master of none because it takes too long.

(29 Jun 2026, 9:51 am)L469 YVK wrote If GNE interworked the X32 & X73 which would also sort a few other issues out, the BSIP for the Gateshead & Team Valley links to wider parts of Stanley would be justified.

As much as they get a bit stick, Arriva Northumbria & NCC have shown how BSIP should be used.

Asides from that, if Northstar could get a handful of well TLC'd later B9TLs or Scania E400/E400MMC, I'd like to see them have a try taking on the X21 with a competing service, running as a 'proper' express like the old X21 did. Would serve GNE right for dumping gutless hairdryers on a service that has clearly been calling out for a decent allocation of vehicles for years.

A re-birth of 'Pronto' anyone? Could it run a PVR of 3x with a 3 hour round trip to Bishop Auckland only?

See I don't think the X32 should exist. All the problems are because they binned off the 98 and forced it into the Stanley/Consett expresses meaning they omit Gateshead - a place people actually want to be.

Just restore things as they were in Whickham using the BSIP money with the 96/97/98/98A and now the buses coming from Consett/Stanley can go via the Metrocentre or Gateshead where people actually want to be. Basically the way it was for years before they started pissing around tbh.

Stuff like the X43 being one of those routes as it's actually a decent route imo.

Like personally if I had a pot of money and wanted to take a punt for a bus route, two of my top routes would be these:


With the black bits being express. The current service provision for them is utter crap and slow since GNE pushed streamlining too hard and they're not attractive imo. The 10 in particular is a complete chore and the route beyond Stanley on the second route is just pretty non-existent.

(29 Jun 2026, 8:33 am)Nerd4321 wrote Its what I like about the X43. The GNE to Stanley is absolutely shocking for time. They take way to long. X43 takes 30 minutes and its so quick. 6 takes u on a hell of a tour to get to Stanley and the X73 is just why even call it an express at that point. It'll always confuse me why the 6 was the only bus from Stanley to the Metrocentre.

Never undertstood why Go North East never reintroduced a more direct Stanley to Metrocentre route. I'm not sure if in the early 2000s it was still Consett --> Stanley --> Metrocentre --> Newcastle with the X12 number or it had been shortned to Stanley. However, when they were Northern it was an express from Consett to Newcastle via Metrocentre and Stanley.

You'd think when they see a route like the X43 they would also want to take advantage but no. Good on Northstar for doing the Newcastle extension on Saturdays because Go North East will not get many now departing from Stanley.

They've had so many Stanley --> Metrocentre --> Newcastle routes. 6/43/44/X73/40/M6/M7/M8/V7/V8. Not one of them were as quick as what the X43 gets you.


I hope it does go all well for Northstar when the Saturday Newcastle extension comes into effect.

(29 Jun 2026, 9:51 am)L469 YVK wrote ... Asides from that, if Northstar could get a handful of well TLC'd later B9TLs or Scania E400/E400MMC, I'd like to see them have a try taking on the X21 with a competing service, running as a 'proper' express like the old X21 did. Would serve GNE right for dumping gutless hairdryers on a service that has clearly been calling out for a decent allocation of vehicles for years.

A re-birth of 'Pronto' anyone? Could it run a PVR of 3x with a 3 hour round trip to Bishop Auckland only?

I suspect Dan has more sense. Even if it is operationally feasible, starting a full-on head to head competitive service would be a very brave move. All experience in the nearly 40 years since deregulation is that even for the national firms it is very, very, hard to succeed in such attempts, and easy to burn a lot of money. Remember the X43 is almost certainly only viable for Northstar as an opportunistic Sat and school holidays service making use of buses that are needed for school-time services. So far there is no sign of them becoming more than that.

(29 Jun 2026, 4:07 pm)Busadvocate wrote I suspect Dan has more sense. Even if it is operationally feasible, starting a full-on head to head competitive service would be a very brave move. All experience in the nearly 40 years since deregulation is that even for the national firms it is very, very, hard to succeed in such attempts, and easy to burn a lot of money. Remember the X43 is almost certainly only viable for Northstar as an opportunistic Sat and school holidays service making use of buses that are needed for school-time services. So far there is no sign of them becoming more than that.

It's also very late in the day to attempt such a move. The region is almost inevitably going to a franchised model, so this kind of competition will be extinct in a couple of years, if it's not already now by will.

(29 Jun 2026, 12:56 pm)Storx wrote Stuff like the X43 being one of those routes as it's actually a decent route imo.

Like personally if I had a pot of money and wanted to take a punt for a bus route, two of my top routes would be these:


With the black bits being express. The current service provision for them is utter crap and slow since GNE pushed streamlining too hard and they're not attractive imo. The 10 in particular is a complete chore and the route beyond Stanley on the second route is just pretty non-existent.

I think a return of something like the old 604 as you say would be a good shout too!

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(29 Jun 2026, 4:07 pm)Busadvocate wrote I suspect Dan has more sense. Even if it is operationally feasible, starting a full-on head to head competitive service would be a very brave move. All experience in the nearly 40 years since deregulation is that even for the national firms it is very, very, hard to succeed in such attempts, and easy to burn a lot of money. Remember the X43 is almost certainly only viable for Northstar as an opportunistic Sat and school holidays service making use of buses that are needed for school-time services. So far there is no sign of them becoming more than that.

Maybe, but there have been instances in the past where other operators have been bounced out by better services like before Covid in the 2010's when GNE ran the X84 & X85.

Likewise, GNE have mismanaged the X21 shen it was clear as far back as 2014 that the route needed dealer stock B9TLs or E400MMC. And what did GNE do? Go out and buy a batch of gutless StreetDecks, then put gutless B5TLs on that got hammered on the A19. Then newer less **** StreetDecks that still aren't great and spend half their time providing cover on the X10 again getting a hammering.

I'm not saying it would be 100% guaranteed to work, but there'd be a loyal base of customers who'd use the service over GNE's X21. And Northstar having an operating base in County Durham would make things better in terms of vehicles (i.e swapouts / breakdowns) and driver reliefs in Chester Le Street.

(28 Jun 2026, 9:04 pm)Arlo400H wrote with the X43 being extended to Newcastle from the 19th, does anyone have any idea what busses they're going to allocate to it? considering (as far as i'm aware) the ALX400s and Olympuses aren't CAZ compliant, and the E200/300s will surely be needed elsewhere (unless they are to use deckers on the new Heworth locals) 

At least some of the DOEs will be E6, as they have been used into Newcastle.

(29 Jun 2026, 4:42 pm)L469 YVK wrote Maybe, but there have been instances in the past where other operators have been bounced out by better services like before Covid in the 2010's when GNE ran the X84 & X85.

Exactly which operators were 'bounced out' by the introduction of the X84 and X85? Can you please provide examples? 

With Jesmond closing, it really wasn't feasible for Arriva to operate the 685 from Blyth, so you can't argue that they were 'bounced out'.

I dont see how anyone else was "bounced out"