(22 Aug 2013, 7:20 pm)big mac Oh yes, sorry, silly me. Anyway, there are still several other areas where a direct link to Newcastle would be either created, restored or greatly improved by extending the 93/94 to Newcastle.

(22 Aug 2013, 7:24 pm)BJ10VUS No problem

I'm not sure extending the 93/94 to Newcastle would be beneficial, as it would require 3 extra buses (on the basis that it's 20 minutes to Newcastle and back to Gateshead on both routes), plus the 93/94 already suffer from problems with punctuality during the peaks, as the Team Valley gets very busy.

(22 Aug 2013, 6:59 pm)cbma06 If you turn to the previous page of the booklet you would see that the 602 was extended from Newcastle to (Longbenton?) on dreg day and Newcastle to Long Benton was cancelled Feb 87, I think the 602/604 it was replaced with a service 355/356 or something similar, cant remember the service number otherwise I would have to dig through my papers where ive got the press list of the service changes from Feb 87, Feb 87 was the first time the bus companies were able to change bus services after dereg Oct 86.

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(22 Aug 2013, 8:34 pm)AdamY The 601/2 ran from Hexham to Killingworth upon the commencement of de-regulation (26/10/86). The Killy extension lasted until the end of January when it was replaced by the 357 between Blaydon and Killy.



Apparently, the reason Blaydon was used as a termini was because Metrocentre wasn't fully established as an interchange yet. Given the time-frame, buses were either using temporary bus station outside of Marks and Spencer or the stops on the A1 approach road outside of Carrefour.

Adam Malarkey 93/94 - Newcastle - Gateshead - Gateshead College - Saltmeadows Road - Gateshead Stadium - Heworth - Felling Square - Queen Elizabeth Hospital - Low Fell - Team Valley - Bensham Road - Gateshead - Newcastle

big mac Yes, especially the 93/94 running to Newcastle, which could be beneficial for a number of reasons:

a) All day links directly to Newcastle from Team Valley, instead of just peak time ones as it is at the moment with the 91.
b) Direct links to Gateshead College from Newcastle.
c) More frequent for a link to Newcastle on the bottom section of Chowdene Bank, which at present only has the 28A once hourly.
d) Replacing the direct link to Newcastle on Beacon Lough Road, which was lost when the 51/52 was curtailed at Gateshead.

I could go on, but the 93/94 to Newcastle is an excellent idea.

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(22 Aug 2013, 9:34 pm)AdamY The 93/94 used to run to Newcastle under their previous guises as the 13/14. When the Metro was built, they were curtailed/rerouted to terminate at Gateshead Interchange.



On one hand, the link to Newcastle might prove to be handy and profitable. On the other, the link between TVTE and Gateshead is lost due to the way the 93/94 is likely to be routed (probably like the 53/54 is now).

(23 Aug 2013, 11:28 am)Andreos1 Shame you weren't at Van Hee then, it would have dropped you off on Carlisle Street
I know there have been local services since then, but can't imagine a full sized bus going down that road.

(23 Aug 2013, 3:27 pm)AdamY If Carlisle Street is where I think it is (running down from Felling Metro; where the shop and flats are), I'd imagine a full-size bus would be able negotiate the street without any great difficultly. Of course, it's been a while since I've been there, but back then it was used regularly by both LGV's and HGV's.

(23 Aug 2013, 3:31 pm)Andreos1 Yeah, that's the one.
It is ok at the bit with the junction at the Malting House and William Street and beyond, heading towards the bypass.
The section at the top over the Metro Line and Sunderland Road was the bit I was referring to specifically.

(23 Aug 2013, 4:08 pm)AdamY I think most of the traffic I saw entered from Sunderland Road. When driving to Van Hee, I used to come along Sunderland Road, down Carlisle Street and onto William Street. The junction (onto Wiliiam Street) is not at an 90 degree angle coming down from Felling Metro, it's more like 120 degree allowing lorries to maneuver easily from that direction. Traffic from the Felling-by-pass, I think, mostly entered from the Stoneygate Lane slip-roads.

(24 Aug 2013, 7:05 pm)aureolin I was down Teal Farm earlier, and the new developments (three of them) are really shooting up now. Alongside them, there's a new pub (yet to open), and a Sainsbury's which forms a village centre of another 6 or 7 shops. It really could do with a bus service that actually serves some purpose - I don't count the insane route of the 73 being that.

New service: X82
Frequency: Every 30 minutes

Heworth - Lingley Lane - Waterview Park - Teal Farm - Washington Village - Washington Galleries - Rickleton

The actual route would be something like; Heworth Interchange, A184, Lingey Lane, Follingsby Roundabout. Then non-stop to Waterview Park (via A195 Northumberland Way, A1231, Pattinson Road), Teal Farm Village Centre, Barmston Road, Station Road, Emmerson Terrace, The Avenue, Village Lane, Abbey Road, Parkway, Washington Galleries, Cambrian Way, Lambton Village Centre, Ayton Road, Dunnock Drive, Vigo Lane, Picktree Lane, Rickleton Village Centre.

For the return journey to Heworth, it would run clockwise between Rickleton and Lambton, via Harraton, Sycamore Ave, Wear Industrial Estate.

On an evening and Sunday, the service would run as 82 (every hour), between Waterview Park and Rickleton using the above route, but extending to Chester Le Street.

(24 Aug 2013, 8:07 pm)Adam Malarkey Not a bad Idea, Here is my suggestion with some similarity's

M4 - Chester le Street - Pickree Village - Rickleton - Harraton - Washington Galleries - Glebe - Washington Village - Teal Farm - Waterview Park - Peel Retail Park - Sulgrave - Concord - Usworth College - Heworth

(25 Aug 2013, 12:10 pm)aureolin I had thought about the route between Waterview Park and Heworth, but was concerned about duplicating the M1 route which already provides a 10 min frequency between Concord and Heworth during the day. I was thinking about Peel Retail Park and Sulgrave, but they both have a 30 min frequency at present with the M2 and M3.

The other concern I had was with the running time. Ideally the daytime run would be no longer than 35 minutes, which should allow it to be ran with 5 buses. I'd hope the evening and Sunday run would take no longer than 25 mins, which would allow it to be ran with a single bus.

The thought behind the extension to CLS on an evening and Sunday was to provide a 30 min frequency between there and Washington Galleries. At present, you only have the 50/50A running every hour, as the 8 doesn't run on a Sunday. During the day isn't such an issue though, as you already have 4 buses an hour running between the same points.

(27 Aug 2013, 5:25 pm)Adam Malarkey New Route Ideas For Washington Area

As most will know, Washington is undergoing Major Area Redevelopment which Includes a New Leisure and Cinema, so to Accommodate these improvements to help bring people in from Surrounding Areas, I have came up with Numerous New Services, Some of which are from previous posts made a few months back.

22 – Washington Galleries – Oxclose – Blackfell – Eighton Banks – Wrekenton -
Harlow Green – Birtley – Chester le Street – Plasworth – Framwellgate Moor – Durham – Every 30 Minutes

22A - Washington Galleries – Oxclose – Blackfell – Eighton Banks – Wrekenton -
Harlow Green – Birtley – Chester le Street – Plasworth – Framwellgate Moor – Durham - Croxdale – Spennymoor – Bishop Auckland – Every 1 Hour

311 – Washington – Heworth - Jarrow - Tyne Tunnel - Percy Main - Royal Quays - North Shields – Meadow Well - West Chirton – Cobalt – Every 1 Hour

312 - Washington – Heworth - Jarrow - Tyne Tunnel - Percy Main - Royal Quays - North Shields – Meadow Well - West Chirton – Cobalt – North Tyneside Hospital – Whitley Bay – Seaton Sleuce – Blyth – Every 1 Hour

X8 - Washington Galleries - Houghton le Spring - Doxford International - Peterlee - Middlesbrough - Hartlepool - Every 1 Hour

X32/X33 – Washington Galleries – Chester le Street – Stanley – Consett – Burnhope – Lanchester – Every 30 Minutes

X72/X73 - Consett - Leadgate - Dipton - Burnopfield - Sunniside - Lobley Hill – Team Valley – Washington Galleries – Every 30 Minutes

10B/10C – Hexham - Corbridge - Stocksfield - Prudhoe - Rockwood Hill (10C) - Greenside (10C) - Crawcrook - Ryton - Blaydon - Metrocentre – Birtley – Washington Galleries – Every 30 Minutes

48 - Winlaton - Blaydon - Swalwell - Metrocentre - Dunston - Gateshead – Shipcote – Low Fell – Allerdene – Harlow Green – Wrekenton – Springwell Village – Blackfell – Oxclose – Washington Galleries – Every 30 Minutes

203 - Peterlee - Essington Way - Easington Village - South Hetton - Easington Lane - Hetton le Hole - Hall Lane Estate - Houghton le Spring - Burnside Estate - Newbottle - Success - Shiney Row - Barnwell - Fatfield - Glebe - Washington Galleries - Every 1 Hour

(27 Aug 2013, 5:41 pm)aureolin I know Washington is undergoing major redevelopment of leisure facilities, I'm really all for choice, but I don't think there'll ever be a demand for most of those services.

22/22A - To me, it would make more sense just to increase the frequency of the 50 if you were going to do that. Birtley/Oxclose/Blackfell services could be improved by increasing the frequency on the existing Street Shuttle routes.

311/312 - I don't think there'd ever be a demand for a route that size. Plus I think there are amenities far closer to them than Washington. Silverlink and Newcastle for example.

X8 - Would love to see it happen, but can't really see the demand other than proving a link between the Galleries and Doxford Park.

10B/10C - People travelling from that area are going to go to either; a) Metro Centre. b) Newcastle, and have exactly what Washington will offer, but on a bigger scale with more choice. Even the Silverlink is going to be an easier option.

X72/X73 - The areas served are more in the catchment area of the Metro Centre, so I can't see people wanting to travel twice the distance to Washington.

48 - Same as above.

203 - Sunderland has a modern cinema, Durham has a modern leisure centre, and both between them have a vast range of restaurants and eateries.