(04 Sep 2015, 8:18 pm)S813 FVK Not a fan of raw fish

(04 Sep 2015, 8:24 pm)BusLoverMum Sashimi is raw fish. Sushi can be made with raw fish, coked fish, vegetables or just about anything!

(04 Sep 2015, 8:32 pm)Michael Think it might be time for me to have it again.... what i'll get i don't know....

(04 Sep 2015, 9:03 pm)BusLoverMum Try the M&S sushi - no raw fish in any of it! I rather like the California rolls because they have plenty of filling.

(04 Sep 2015, 4:26 pm)tyresmoke Might be worth mentioning that from 4th October the X12 will once again become limited stop on the various sections where it currently serves all stops.

Between Middlesbrough & Stockton it will only serve Teesdale Uni, Thornaby Station and the student flats at Chandlers Wharf
Between Sedgefield & Durham it will only stop at Coxhoe Red Lion, Coxhoe Church, Park Hill, Bowburn Cooperage, Bowburn Hare & Greyhound, Bowburn Mary Terrace then non-stop to Houghall College, Science Site, New Inn and then all stops to Durham.

On departure from Durham the only stops will be St Leonards School, County Hall, Aykley Heads, Framwellgate Salutation, Pity Me Front Street then non-stop to Chester-le-Street Black Horse, Front Street and then the same stops as now to Newcastle.

It doesn't appear that the times will change all that much - but obviously some time will be saved by missing out various stops especially on the run into Durham where the 56, 57 and 64 will pick up more of the load (capacity issues?) from the local stops.
Watch out for more improvements coming soon though 

(04 Sep 2015, 7:59 pm)R852 PRG Not fixed on the MetroCentre, don't mind Eldon Square. The problem with the MetroCentre is I'm almost guaranteed to see somebody I know, which is awkward when you're with family.

(04 Sep 2015, 4:26 pm)tyresmoke Might be worth mentioning that from 4th October the X12 will once again become limited stop on the various sections where it currently serves all stops.

Between Middlesbrough & Stockton it will only serve Teesdale Uni, Thornaby Station and the student flats at Chandlers Wharf
Between Sedgefield & Durham it will only stop at Coxhoe Red Lion, Coxhoe Church, Park Hill, Bowburn Cooperage, Bowburn Hare & Greyhound, Bowburn Mary Terrace then non-stop to Houghall College, Science Site, New Inn and then all stops to Durham.

On departure from Durham the only stops will be St Leonards School, County Hall, Aykley Heads, Framwellgate Salutation, Pity Me Front Street then non-stop to Chester-le-Street Black Horse, Front Street and then the same stops as now to Newcastle.

It doesn't appear that the times will change all that much - but obviously some time will be saved by missing out various stops especially on the run into Durham where the 56, 57 and 64 will pick up more of the load (capacity issues?) from the local stops.
Watch out for more improvements coming soon though 

(08 Sep 2015, 4:56 pm)aureolin Whilst it's probably the right idea it becomes a limited stop service, I'd question the thought that's been put into the stops.

- Does it no longer stop at NetPark in Sedgefield? Which stops in Sedgefield are actually served?
- Why does it need to serve three stops within half a mile in Bowburn? That's hardly limited stop. 
- Out of three stops in Coxhoe, why serve an end stop, rather than the one in the middle?

The Sedgefield one is interesting. As I recall, the X12 (or X1 as it was back then), started serving every stop when the old Sedgefield-Durham 55/55A was withdrawn. This provided a half-hourly link between Sedgefield and Durham Bus Station, and also complimented the existing services on the corridor. Does this leave most of Sedgefield without a bus service to Durham?

(08 Sep 2015, 6:26 pm)RobinHood Net Park is listed on that link?

The old X1 only served 3 stops on Coxhoe and this appears to have reverted back to that, except Park Hill has been replaced with Park Avenue.

(08 Sep 2015, 7:08 pm)aureolin Couldn't access the link earlier - was getting 'This object has been moved' errors from Arriva's website.

Now that I can access the link, I'd still question whether it's really a limited stop service? There's over 37 stops along the route...

It's good to hear that all stops in Sedgefield will still be served, but the stops in Coxhoe still baffle me. It actually works out alright for me personally, but I can't understand the logic of serving both the Red Lion and Church (0.2 miles apart), yet then almost a mile until the next stop, bypassing a further 3 stops on the way. Would it not be more logical to split that mile gap instead, which would equally serve those walking to the stop from either direction?

I wonder how much influence the uni has had in selecting the stops?

(08 Sep 2015, 7:16 pm)Kuyoyo Coxhoe Church being the main stop within Coxhoe - why wouldn't the X12 stop there? As for the Black Lion - still gives people within walking distance of that stop 3 buses an hour in and out of Durham. The other 3 stops that are losing out on the X12 retain the 56/57/57a every 15 minutes. You'd hope they'll upgrade it to something bigger than Solos at some point.

(11 Sep 2015, 10:13 am)Jimmi Still no X66/X67 timetable yet although I have managed to get some idea of the new routes and times it will run from Arriva's Plan a Journey page.

Darlington Town Centre dep.
05(X66), 20(X67), 35(X66), 50(X67).

Middlesbrough Bus Station dep.
12(X67), 27(X66), 42(X67), 57(X66).

The X67 will use these stops.



Sadly these changes are going to be a nuisance to me as the new times for the X66 (Middlesbrough bound) don't match up with the 5/5A so I think these changes are going to make me want to travel to Middlesbrough less than I do now, unless I get another bus to Darlington as once I include waiting times etc. It would take longer for me to get to Middlesbrough than it would to get to Newcastle or the MetroCentre! So those of you who think that the new changes are great because you only travel on it from Darlington Town Centre to Stockton/Middlesbrough, think about the likes of me who is going to be inconvenienced by these changes. Think I may have to start getting the train to Middlesbrough

(11 Sep 2015, 2:56 pm)RobinHood Not being funny, but Arriva dont plan their network around your days out!

The departure and arrival times into and from Darlington & Middlesbrough appear to be very attractive both AM and PM.

Looking at the 5 and X66 timetables, surely the 5 arriving at Harrowgate Hill at 13 minutes past, provides a connection to the X66 due there at 15 mins past?

(11 Sep 2015, 2:56 pm)RobinHood Not being funny, but Arriva dont plan their network around your days out!

The departure and arrival times into and from Darlington & Middlesbrough appear to be very attractive both AM and PM.

(11 Sep 2015, 3:02 pm)Dan Not sure about you, but I wouldn't rely on a two-minute connection...

VOSA guidelines of 'on-time' are 1 minute early to 5 minutes late - so you need at least six minutes really to be on the safe side.