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Arriva North East Questions

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Starmill

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I'm just looking at a journey from Newcastle to Middlesbrough on the X2 and X12, taking the 1825 departure on a Saturday afternoon in June/July. Would I be correct in thinking that this is actually a through service 'fiddled' so its a pair of shorter routes 'split' at Durham, but I won't be required to get off at Durham?

Context is a plan to use a £7.70 Arriva North East All Zones Day begin the day in Berwick-upon-Tweed at approximately midday, before taking the scenic route to Newcastle via the Coast, hopefully the X18. Timetable details for this part of the day are a little sketchy I'm finding! Hopefully I can expect both routes to be worked throughout with a double decker? Finally does anyone think the latterly leg of the journey in and around the Durham - Middlesbrough area is likely to see any 'rowdiness' given I'll be doing this on a summer Saturday?

I might also jump off the bus from Berwick somewhere and try to have a break given the very very long journeytime (assuming it doesn't stop anywhere long enough to use the loo etc?) before resuimg towards Newcastle, any advice with that one?

Many thanks to all :D
 
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TheGrandWazoo

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I'm just looking at a journey from Newcastle to Middlesbrough on the X2 and X12, taking the 1825 departure on a Saturday afternoon in June/July. Would I be correct in thinking that this is actually a through service 'fiddled' so its a pair of shorter routes 'split' at Durham, but I won't be required to get off at Durham?

Context is a plan to use a £7.70 Arriva North East All Zones Day begin the day in Berwick-upon-Tweed at approximately midday, before taking the scenic route to Newcastle via the Coast, hopefully the X18. Timetable details for this part of the day are a little sketchy I'm finding! Hopefully I can expect both routes to be worked throughout with a double decker? Finally does anyone think the latterly leg of the journey in and around the Durham - Middlesbrough area is likely to see any 'rowdiness' given I'll be doing this on a summer Saturday?

I might also jump off the bus from Berwick somewhere and try to have a break given the very very long journeytime (assuming it doesn't stop anywhere long enough to use the loo etc?) before resuimg towards Newcastle, any advice with that one?

Many thanks to all :D

Correct - it is a through service.

Both those and the X18 should have deckers on them. When you're hitting Middlesbrough, depends where you're likely to be headed but I can't see you having too much trouble. Depends where you go ;)

As for toilet stops, you can have Alnwick or Morpeth prior to Newcastle.
 

Starmill

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Correct - it is a through service.

Both those and the X18 should have deckers on them. When you're hitting Middlesbrough, depends where you're likely to be headed but I can't see you having too much trouble. Depends where you go ;)

As for toilet stops, you can have Alnwick or Morpeth prior to Newcastle.

Thanks.

Journeys end will be Middlesborugh Bus Station, I was curious simply as to the conditions onboard the bus and how it might load at that time of day haha. Sorry that wasn't worded the best :D

Would one be 'stepping back' at Alnwick / Morpeth or is there time to re-board the same bus?
 

Robertj21a

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Thanks.

Journeys end will be Middlesborugh Bus Station, I was curious simply as to the conditions onboard the bus and how it might load at that time of day haha. Sorry that wasn't worded the best :D

Would one be 'stepping back' at Alnwick / Morpeth or is there time to re-board the same bus?

You might be able to get back on the same bus at Alnwick as they tend to be there for a few minutes - but I can't recall a public loo close enough. The one at the Tourist Info will take you too long. Morpeth will give you more frequent services.

Middlesbrough can be a bit of a troublesome area at any time (like many others) but there's no reason why any particular day should be better/worse.
 

TheGrandWazoo

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You might be able to get back on the same bus at Alnwick as they tend to be there for a few minutes - but I can't recall a public loo close enough. The one at the Tourist Info will take you too long. Morpeth will give you more frequent services.

Middlesbrough can be a bit of a troublesome area at any time (like many others) but there's no reason why any particular day should be better/worse.

Correct, as Robert says, you're probably gonna struggle to get down to the toilets in town from the bus station. Might be some in Morrisons behind but even so.....

If you need to answer the call of nature, Morpeth is a better bet as you'll have time to get off and get the next bus 15 mins later.
 

Kuyoyo

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I'm just looking at a journey from Newcastle to Middlesbrough on the X2 and X12, taking the 1825 departure on a Saturday afternoon in June/July. Would I be correct in thinking that this is actually a through service 'fiddled' so its a pair of shorter routes 'split' at Durham, but I won't be required to get off at Durham?

Context is a plan to use a £7.70 Arriva North East All Zones Day begin the day in Berwick-upon-Tweed at approximately midday, before taking the scenic route to Newcastle via the Coast, hopefully the X18. Timetable details for this part of the day are a little sketchy I'm finding! Hopefully I can expect both routes to be worked throughout with a double decker? Finally does anyone think the latterly leg of the journey in and around the Durham - Middlesbrough area is likely to see any 'rowdiness' given I'll be doing this on a summer Saturday?

I might also jump off the bus from Berwick somewhere and try to have a break given the very very long journeytime (assuming it doesn't stop anywhere long enough to use the loo etc?) before resuimg towards Newcastle, any advice with that one?

Many thanks to all :D

The 1825 X12 from Newcastle (it is now X12 all the way from Newcastle to Middlesbrough) is a single decker working as it is a Stockton depot turn and the depot can't have an allocation of deckers due to the lack of pits and headroom on the lifts.
 

Tetchytyke

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There are no toilets in Morrisons at Alnwick, the only ones are in the town hall in the market place. Morpeth is a better bet for a quick toilet break, although Alnwick (and the absolute joy that is Barter Books, in the old Alnwick station) is better for a proper break.

The only rowdiness I've seen in that part of the world is when it is visiting day at HMP Acklington/HMYOI Castington, as the X18 is the only way to get there on public transport.

The two halves of the X12 (the X2 was renumbered recently) usually interwork with MAX double deckers now, and it'll really only be rowdy if it is still in term time (the end of June is graduation/p!ssup time at Durham University, and students get free travel on the X12 between Durham and Stockton campuses).

Just to add, for an extra £2 you can get an Explorer North East ticket, which gives you additional validity on Go-Ahead, Stagecoach (Tyneside, Wearside and Cleveland) and Travelsure buses and also the Metro. It also means you can take the Go-Ahead expresses X9 or X10- direct down the A19- if you can't be chewed with the X12.
 
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Kuyoyo

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There are no toilets in Morrisons at Alnwick, the only ones are in the town hall in the market place. Morpeth is a better bet for a quick toilet break, although Alnwick (and the absolute joy that is Barter Books, in the old Alnwick station) is better for a proper break.

The only rowdiness I've seen in that part of the world is when it is visiting day at HMP Acklington/HMYOI Castington, as the X18 is the only way to get there on public transport.

The two halves of the X12 (the X2 was renumbered recently) usually interwork with MAX double deckers now, and it'll really only be rowdy if it is still in term time (the end of June is graduation/p!ssup time at Durham University, and students get free travel on the X12 between Durham and Stockton campuses).

Just to add, for an extra £2 you can get an Explorer North East ticket, which gives you additional validity on Go-Ahead, Stagecoach (Tyneside, Wearside and Cleveland) and Travelsure buses and also the Metro. It also means you can take the Go-Ahead expresses X9 or X10- direct down the A19- if you can't be chewed with the X12.

The 1825 X12 from Newcastle (it is now X12 all the way from Newcastle to Middlesbrough) is a single decker working as it is a Stockton depot turn and the depot can't have an allocation of deckers due to the lack of pits and headroom on the lifts.

X12s are guaranteed connections in Durham without a vehicle change (except for the 1800/1755 from Newcastle which is a Stockton depot turn from Newcastle to Durham before Durham take over as part of the evening workings). The Stockton depot turns are Pulsars worked as like I said - the depot building can't handle double deckers without major structural work - of with the 1825 is.
 

TheGrandWazoo

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Didn't appreciate the 1825 is a SN duty. Of course, Stockton depot cannot take deckers, not being a purpose built depot though that'll change when the inevitable CPO comes along.

Good shout from Arctic Troll about getting an Explorer rather than the Arriva ticket, so you can get the X9/10 which should be deckers. Hate to think how many £s I've spent of Explorers over the years, and I never buy an Arriva day ticket because of the flexibility of the Explorer.
 

Kuyoyo

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Didn't appreciate the 1825 is a SN duty. Of course, Stockton depot cannot take deckers, not being a purpose built depot though that'll change when the inevitable CPO comes along.

Good shout from Arctic Troll about getting an Explorer rather than the Arriva ticket, so you can get the X9/10 which should be deckers. Hate to think how many £s I've spent of Explorers over the years, and I never buy an Arriva day ticket because of the flexibility of the Explorer.

Last 3 departures from Newcastle are all Stockton duties - the 1755 on Saturday (1800 weekdays) does not carry across Durham and passengers are required to change vehicles as the 1900 from Durham is a Durham evening working.

All 3 of Stockton's workings are the 3 that start in the Teesside area. All Sunday workings are Stockton and are unlikely to throw up the MAX Pulsars due to Stockton's Sunday interworking patterns (the X12 interworks with 17/27/27A/28B over a total of 11 running boards) however ahead of a new brand for the frequent services in the Tees Valley area (Stockton's 7 and 15, Redcar's 63 and Darlington's 13A/13B), a number of Stockton's Pulsars have been fitted with WiFi meaning those not presently branded for the 15 can effectively be used on the 17/27/27A/28B/X12 (and 9) on Sundays.
 
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