(02 Oct 2014, 5:08 pm)NEBCD Malarkey X34 - Hartlepool - Peterlee - Easington Lane - Rainton Bridge Npower - Houghton le Spring - Doxford International - Sunderland

62 - Sunderland - Grangetown - Ryhope - New Seaham - Dalton Park - Murton - Hetton le Hole - Rainton Bridge Npower

(02 Oct 2014, 6:27 pm)marxistafozzski How about this

Combine it with the 61 and run on a loop

Something like this

Modified 61: Sunderland-Grangetown-Ryhope-Dalton Park-Murton(Woods Terrace, Pit Road, Cornwall Estate, Webb Avenue, Barnes Road, Station Estate), it would change number at either Dalton Park or Murton Station to 62 and head to Rainton the way... you suggest and from there closely follow the 20/20A/X35 route from Houghton-Sunderland

Apologies if I am over complicating thingds here

(02 Oct 2014, 7:09 pm)NEBCD Malarkey To be fair it would actually be easier just extend the current 61 from Murton to Rainton Bridge, rather than have a Brand New Route which more or less duplicates it.

(02 Oct 2014, 1:20 pm)Michael Would seem better, no one ever uses it

(02 Oct 2014, 7:37 pm)BJ10VUS The Q1 currently takes 18 minutes from Gateshead Interchange to Central Station and 16 minutes going the other way. I think adding at least 3 minutes could stop running in twos, but could also reduce the PVR from 4 to 3.

A round trip on the Q2 takes 37 minutes, although I think that a few minutes could also be added. On a 15 minute frequency, rather than 10, the PVR could be reduced from 4 to 3.

Not sure where two Versas could go? Possibly a spare for 'The Orbit' and 'South Tyne'?

(02 Oct 2014, 7:42 pm)Dan Having another Versa for the South Tyne would be good.
At least then, Saturdays and school holidays could see a full branded allocation opposed to one Scania and the rest branded (required Mon-Fri for the scholar contract requirement).

(04 Oct 2014, 7:12 pm)DaveyBowyer Sorry guys but I've just managed to work this one out:

If GNE ever decided to increase both the 309 / 310 to both every 30 minutes each during the evening (15 mins between Cobalt South and Newcastle) but only wanted to add 1 extra bus, they could do this:

- 58 would remain unchanged. No 310's would be re-routed via Hadrian Park and would just serve normal route.

- 310 would operate every 30 minutes throughout the whole route with no evening PVR change which currently stands at 3.

- 309 would operate every 30 minutes between Newcastle and Whitley Bay continuing to Blyth hourly. The Newcastle to Blyth runs would operate with a PVR of 2 as it does now. However, the Newcastle to Whitley Bay run PVR would be 1 but it would interwork with some 17A journeys.

- The 17A would only operate to Whitley Bay Town Centre and not the seafront during the evenings. It would have 1 hourly board between Wallsend Metro and Whitley Bay Town Centre operating with a PVR of 2 MPD's. Buses would have a 2 minute layover at Wallsend Metro and a 23 minute layover in Whitley Bay Town Centre but reliability shouldn't be an issue during the evening with it being a local route. There would however be another hourly running board (making up the 30 minute 17A frequency) including the short 309 workings with a PVR of 3 B9TL's but branding shouldn't be an issue and would perhaps create more brand awareness of the Cobalt Clipper. The fuel costs shouldn't be much more than a B10BLE and should be the same if not slightly cheaper after the flybrid technology has been fitted next year. The timings would something like this:

17A / 309 with a PVR of 3 B9TL's:
Haymarket (309): 15
Whitley Bay Park Avenue (309): 52
Whitley Bay HSBC (17A): 55
Wallsend Metro (17A): 43
Wallsend Metro (17A): 45
Whitley Bay Park Avenue (17A): 32
Whitley Bay HSBC (309): 35
Haymarket (309): 12

17A with a PVR of 2 MPD's:
Whitley Bay HSBC (17A): 25
Wallsend Metro (17A): 13
Wallsend Metro (17A): 15
Whitley Bay Park Avenue (17A): 02

Also, this would save on fuel costs with the pool van for the additional 309 journeys between Newcastle and Whitley Bay not being required to go all the way to New York and a change over would either happen in North Shields or if the office is closed, in Percy Main with only a short drive required from the depot on Norham Road. At the end of the day, Arriva interwork the X21/35 with Sapphire E400's during the evenings and on Sundays so the branding shouldn't be an issue neither should the vehicle type be.

(04 Oct 2014, 8:01 pm)Tom 17 doesn't justify B9TLs.

(08 Oct 2014, 8:30 am)Andreos1 Can anyone confirm if the 93/94 are secured on a night/Sunday around the East Gateshead Industrial areas or if they are commercial?
Apart from a match day, once the factories close and college classes end, there seems to be very little passenger demand.

Probably worth re-routing in full or part.

(10 Oct 2014, 6:47 pm)NEBCD Malarkey X56 - Sunderland - Monkwearmouth - Carley Hill - Witherwack - Hylton Red House - Downhill - Boldon - Wardley - Heworth - Gateshead Interchange - Newcastle Eldon Square 
A simple Re-Numbering/Rebranding of the Current X36, I would think this would entice current FAB56 Passengers to use the Service a lot more from Sunderland and Newcastle, Maintaining Current Frequency of Every 30 Minutes.

56 - Sunderland - Southwick - Hylton Castle - Nissan - Sulgrave - Concord - Donwell - Springwell Village - Wrekenton - Q.E. Hospital - Gateshead Interchange - Newcastle City Centre
57 - Newcastle City Centre - Gateshead Interchange - Q.E. Hospital - Beacon Lough Estate - Leam Lane Estate - Heworth - West Boldon - Hylton Castle - Southwick - Sunderland
Operating a Combined Frequency of Every 7/8 Minutes Between Sunderland and Newcastle with Service 57 providing New Links to Sunderland from Beacon Lough/Leam Lane Estate and West Boldon, Service 58 Extends to Wardley in place of the 57 which will Non Stop between Heworth and West Boldon.

(10 Oct 2014, 6:53 pm)Michael I have to say i like these ideas, what buses would the X56 and 57 use? 

(10 Oct 2014, 9:14 pm)Andreos1 @AdamY
It would still be worth sending round the Old Fold, but I would miss out the section between Neilson Road and the college. Never seen it stop at any of the those stops beyond 9pm, unless there is a match on.