The X11 is officially returning for 2022...registered on VOSA starting 28th May

What will the allocation this year be? Coaches or one of 6338-40 (or 6377 if can be freed)?

(14 Apr 2022, 7:59 am)L469 YVK wrote What will the allocation this year be? Coaches or one of 6338-40 (or 6377 if can be freed)?

7128 is still in Seasider livery so I'm guessing that

X11 timetable now on the website. https://www.gonortheast.co.uk/services/G...2022-05-19&direction=outbound

(19 May 2022, 7:19 pm)Jack Gill wrote X11 timetable now on the website. https://www.gonortheast.co.uk/services/G...2022-05-19&direction=outbound

Wonder if this’ll be cut

Wonder how long before A line are running it

interesting to note there is no billingham stop this year and there is no return trip from scarbourgh to whitby in the middle of the day so either 6 hours in whitby or 5 hours in scarbourgh and no option for a bit of both

(20 May 2022, 6:29 am)N1cholas wrote interesting to note there is no billingham stop this year and there is no return trip from scarbourgh to whitby in the middle of the day so either 6 hours in whitby or 5 hours in scarbourgh and no option for a bit of both

I think this is until summer holidays then it will do the extra trips. Just like how it ran last year so it will be 1 there 1 back until some point when there is 2 there and 2 back

(20 May 2022, 6:29 am)N1cholas wrote interesting to note there is no billingham stop this year and there is no return trip from scarbourgh to whitby in the middle of the day so either 6 hours in whitby or 5 hours in scarbourgh and no option for a bit of both

I don't think those mid afternoon trips really carried many/any passengers so not too surprised they've been done away with.

Fares have increased somewhat since last year too.

(20 May 2022, 12:54 pm)Jimmi wrote I don't think those mid afternoon trips really carried many/any passengers so not too surprised they've been done away with.

Fares have increased somewhat since last year too.

Even at £20 adult/£10 concession, it still provides cracking value over the train.

(20 May 2022, 1:40 pm)Adrian wrote Even at £20 adult/£10 concession, it still provides cracking value over the train.

Still a little steep though for the average passenger, plus the public cutting back on the essentials, I wonder if gne predicting a second coach if it’s busy again as a second driver and coach will have to be paid for.


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(20 May 2022, 1:40 pm)Adrian wrote Even at £20 adult/£10 concession, it still provides cracking value over the train.

Just compared Newcastle to Whitby on the train vs Newcastle to Whitby on the X11 on a random weekend in July.

Using a two together railcard, it comes to £23.80 (via Hartlepool). £33.10 (via Darlington).
Obviously there's the cost of getting to and from the town to take in to account.

Using a friends and family railcard (2 adults and 2 kids), it comes to £30.60 (via Hartlepool) and £42.60 (via Darlington).
Again, there's any costs in getting to and from the town to take in to account.

It's £43.50 for a family using the railcard and a Tyne Tees Ranger. 
£33.80 for two adults using the same ticket using a two together railcard. 

If you were to use the X10/X93, two adult explorers are £21.80
A Family Explorer for the day is £20.60.

Clear advantages and disadvantages to each of the options (including the X11) I think.

(20 May 2022, 1:52 pm)cbma06 wrote Still a little steep though for the average passenger, plus the public cutting back on the essentials, I wonder if gne predicting a second coach if it’s busy again as a second driver and coach will have to be paid for.


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What's the alternative though? Even using split ticketing and three weeks in advance, the cheapest I can find is £45.60 return on the train. 

I understand the public cutting back on essentials, but this isn't a case of them putting up the cost of essential travel. It's a seasonal service designed for day trips, which I'd say is still extremely competitive when compared to fares on the train.

(20 May 2022, 1:52 pm)cbma06 wrote Still a little steep though for the average passenger, plus the public cutting back on the essentials, I wonder if gne predicting a second coach if it’s busy again as a second driver and coach will have to be paid for. 


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Good point actually. Not sure those additional costs will have been factored in to last year's pricing.

(20 May 2022, 1:59 pm)Andreos1 wrote Just compared Newcastle to Whitby on the train vs Newcastle to Whitby on the X11 on a random weekend in July.

Using a two together railcard, it comes to £23.80 (via Hartlepool). £33.10 (via Darlington).
Obviously there's the cost of getting to and from the town to take in to account.

Using a friends and family railcard (2 adults and 2 kids), it comes to £30.60 (via Hartlepool) and £42.60 (via Darlington).
Again, there's any costs in getting to and from the town to take in to account.

It's £43.50 for a family using the railcard and a Tyne Tees Ranger. 
£33.80 for two adults using the same ticket using a two together railcard. 

If you were to use the X10/X93, two adult explorers are £21.80
A Family Explorer for the day is £20.60.

Clear advantages and disadvantages to each of the options (including the X11) I think.

It's swings and roundabouts. If I was to use the train, I've got to factor in the cost of travel to/from Newcastle or Durham to catch the said train. With the X11 ticket, my connecting journeys are covered as part of that, wherever on the GNE network they may be.

The X10/X93 is a good point too. If people don't want to pay the premium for a more direct service, then there's the indirect option for just over half the price (or free for ENCTS holders)

(20 May 2022, 2:08 pm)Adrian wrote It's swings and roundabouts. If I was to use the train, I've got to factor in the cost of travel to/from Newcastle or Durham to catch the said train. With the X11 ticket, my connecting journeys are covered as part of that, wherever on the GNE network they may be.

The X10/X93 is a good point too. If people don't want to pay the premium for a more direct service, then there's the indirect option for just over half the price (or free for ENCTS holders)

I agree, getting to and from Newcastle is key to all of this and a factor to take in to account.
But as an example, the GNE duo ticket (excellent value for money), will cost £7.95. If the kids are there, most in T&W would opt a Nexus Cat day ticket each. 
It's only when you combine that with the most expensive train ticket via Darlington, it just starts to come close to the cost of a £50 family ticket on the X11.

There's massive savings on a duo ticket + a two together railcard to Whitby and back vs two X11 tickets. Enough for fish and chips, with change left over!

For those interested, this service will be operated from Deptford this year.

Good to see a double decker going on it again and toilet stops added which is even better! Any idea which vehicle it will be @Dan

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(17 Jun 2022, 3:55 pm)DRS37419 wrote Good to see a double decker going on it again and toilet stops added which is even better! Any idea which vehicle it will be @Dan

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Might have something to do with 7132 being sent back to Volvo (again) and 7128 going to London and no other coaches at Deptford apart from 7157 which has no ticket machine.

You never know! We shall see! Wondering what it will be though

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(17 Jun 2022, 4:03 pm)DRS37419 wrote You never know! We shall see! Wondering what it will be though

Since Deptford is running the X11 this year i could imagine a CityRider or spare Gemini 2 B9TL. You never know could even be 6087.

(17 Jun 2022, 4:16 pm)KingSlayerRBLX wrote Since Deptford is running the X11 this year i could imagine a CityRider or spare Gemini 2 B9TL. You never know could even be 6087.

I would rather something with working USB's & Plug Sockets

Couldn't Washington just send 6377 to Deptford for the weekend?

(17 Jun 2022, 4:16 pm)KingSlayerRBLX wrote Since Deptford is running the X11 this year i could imagine a CityRider or spare Gemini 2 B9TL. You never know could even be 6087.

That'll be fun!

(17 Jun 2022, 4:28 pm)Jack Gill wrote Couldn't Washington just send 6377 to Deptford for the weekend?

I was thinking they'd use 6377 as they did last year for a period and was a nice ride as well when I used it between Whitby and Scarborough. 

Unless they hire a Double Deck coach off of JH Coaches as they did on a few occasions last year. 

At least this weekend they are pre-empting the service being busier than normal, i'd still have a standby vehicle at Washington Galleries just in case though.

(17 Jun 2022, 4:45 pm)Malarkey wrote I was thinking they'd use 6377 as they did last year for a period and was a nice ride as well when I used it between Whitby and Scarborough. 

Unless they hire a Double Deck coach off of JH Coaches as they did on a few occasions last year. 

At least this weekend they are pre-empting the service being busier than normal, i'd still have a standby vehicle at Washington Galleries just in case though.

I think they should do that most weekends, and when people are off instead of running another , 90 mins later

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Also which Deptford Drivers know the X11 or how many do?

(17 Jun 2022, 4:16 pm)KingSlayerRBLX wrote Since Deptford is running the X11 this year i could imagine a CityRider or spare Gemini 2 B9TL. You never know could even be 6087.

It has to be a tachograph fitted vehicle, so 6087 it will not be.  6086 is the only tachograph fitted double deck vehicle at Deptford so will be used this weekend.

(17 Jun 2022, 4:56 pm)BFK wrote It has to be a tachograph fitted vehicle, so 6087 it will not be.  6086 is the only tachograph fitted double deck vehicle at Deptford so will be used this weekend.

I just wish it had working USB's, i mean atleast it will have plenty of ventilation

What about 6337 or one of 6352-55 with 6337 standing in on the X10?

(17 Jun 2022, 5:07 pm)L469 YVK wrote What about 6337 or one of 6352-55 with 6337 standing in on the X10?

6336/7 have smaller fuel tanks than the newer examples and as such can't last a full day on the X10 without needing to be refuelled.

I do wonder how a wait for a toilet stop could be facilitated at Middlesbrough considering it shares stand 9 with other services with Arriva's service 9 scheduled to depart 5 minutes after the X11.