Service Updates
On this page you can find information about the latest bus and rail services being introduced in the region, as well as disruptions to services and contact information about service providers.
On this page you can find information about the latest bus and rail services being introduced in the region, as well as disruptions to services and contact information about service providers.
New bus routes and service extensions
Service 16
Following recent operator contract changes, Stagecoach North East are now the operators of Service 16 (Darlington). The full timetable for the service can be found here, but key stops include –
Commencing from 2nd April 2024, Wynyard to Stockton Services X40 and X41 will be operated by Stagecoach from 7am to 7pm
It will run via:
In addition, the second service, RP1, will also commence on 2nd April 2024. This will also be operated by Stagecoach and will run between 6am and 8pm to serve Riverside Park with stops at:
Contract extensions have also been agreed for the below services until March 2025.
Please refer to the relevant operator’s website for the applicable timetables.
On 4 October, the Prime Minister announced that the £2 bus fare cap will be extended to 31 December 2024. This means that passengers will pay a maximum amount of £2 for a single ticket on all eligible routes.
Tees Valley Operators participating in the scheme include –
– Arriva
– Stagecoach
– Go North East
– Coatham Coaches
– Weardale Motor Services
For more information on eligible services, please visit – £2 bus fare cap – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Services north of York to/from Tees Valley – impact of major engineering works
On the weekends of 26th/27th October and 2nd/3rd November most rail services between York and the Tees Valley will be replaced by buses.
LNER services – buses will generally replace trains for journeys to/from Darlington – check LNER website regularly for the most up to date information – https://www.lner.co.uk/travel-information/travelling-later/timetables/
CrossCountry services – buses will generally replace trains for journeys to/from Darlington – check XC website regularly for the most up to date information – https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/travel-updates-information/major-engineering-work
TransPennine Express services – buses will replaces trains on the TPE routes to Teesside and Darlington – check TPE website regularly for the most up to date information – https://www.tpexpress.co.uk/travel-updates/planned-engineering-work
Grand Central services – GC trains will be diverted via Darlington and call additionally there. Bus replacement services will operate between Darlington and Eaglescliffe/Hartlepool – check GC website regularly for the most up to date information – https://www.grandcentralrail.com/travelling-with-gc/engineering-works
Grand Central Services – Impact of Engineering Works
Due to engineering works between Doncaster and Peterborough, a reduced Grand Central service to/from Teesside will operate, with diversions extending journey times by approximately 1 hour, on the following dates:
Saturday 5th October, Sunday 6th October, Saturday 12th October and Sunday 13th October.
4 trains per day will operate in each direction on the Saturdays and there will be 3 trains in each direction on the Sundays.
On Monday 14th October, due to engineering works, the 08:26 London Kings Cross to Sunderland service will not run.
On Friday 18th October, due to engineering works, the 17:30 Sunderland to London Kings Cross service will not run.
Due to engineering works around Eaglescliffe, all Sunderland services will divert and call additionally at Darlington – extending journey times by approximately 20 minutes, on the following dates:
Saturday 26th October, Sunday 27th October, Saturday 2nd November and Sunday 3rd November.
A rail replacement service for Hartlepool and Eaglescliffe will connect into services at Darlington on these dates.
On Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th November, due to engineering works, the Grand Central route to/from the North East (serving Eaglescliffe and Hartlepool) will be temporarily closed.
On Saturday 30th November and Sunday 1st December, due to engineering works, all Grand Central services will be cancelled.
For full/further details of all these changes please check the Grand Central website regularly:
https://www.grandcentralrail.com/travelling-with-gc/engineering-works
Temporary Changes to CrossCountry services
For a 13-week period between Sat 10th August and Sat 9th November, CrossCountry (XC) trains will be introducing some timetable changes.
These changes are resource led and XC state that they are necessary to allow them to catch up on a driver training backlog and run more reliable services.
The impact on the Tees Valley will be the temporary removal of some/all of the XC trains currently operating on the Newcastle<->Reading route, which serves Darlington. There are currently 4 such trains per day in each direction (Mon-Sat) so most of these XC calls will be lost at Darlington during this period. Only one service in each direction is planned to be removed on a Sunday.
The existing hourly XC services between Scotland/Newcastle and Plymouth/SW England, which also serve Darlington, will be unaffected and will continue to operate as normal in both directions. There will be longer trains at certain times on this route to mitigate for the temporary loss of the services on the other XC route.
There may be slight differences between the temporary timetables for Monday-Fridays and for Saturdays and there may also be slight amendments week by week, so XC are publishing separate timetables on a weekly basis for the period that the temporary timetables are in operation.
Please check the XC website regularly for the very latest information – https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/travel-updates-information/temporary-timetable
LNER Services – Impact of Engineering Works
Due to weekend engineering works, the 0708 service will not run from Middlesbrough/Thornaby, starting instead from York, on the following dates:
Monday 16th September, Monday 23rd September, Monday 30th September and Monday 7th October.
Similarly, the 1527 from London Kings Cross wiil not run to Middlesbrough/Thornaby and will terminate at York on the following dates:
Friday 20th September and Friday 27th September.
Due to engineering works at various times in September, October, November and December, there may be minor amendments to some LNER services/timings at Darlington.
Please check the LNER website regularly for the very latest information:
https://www.lner.co.uk/travel-information/travelling-later/timetables/
TransPennine Express Services (TPE) – Impact of Engineering Works
On Sunday 6th October, Saturday 30th November and Sunday 1st December, TPE services on the Teesside route will start and finish at Middlesbrough.
Replacement buses will be in operation in both directions between Middlesbrough, Redcar Central and Saltburn.
On Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th October, TPE services on the Teesside route will be diverted to start/terminate at Darlington.
Replacement buses will be in operation between Northallerton, Yarm, Thornaby and Middlesbrough, where customers will need to change for onward connections towards Redcar Central and Saltburn.
Please check the TPE website regularly for the very latest information: https://www.tpexpress.co.uk/travel-updates/planned-engineering-work
Northern Rail Services – Impact of Engineering Works
On Sunday 6th October, Saturday 30th November and Sunday 1st December, buses will replace trains between Middlesbrough and Saltburn, covering all intermediate stations.
On Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th October, buses will replace trains between Darlington and Saltburn.
On Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd November, buses will replace trains between Darlington and Thornaby.
On Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th November, buses will replace trains between Darlington and Thornaby/Middlesbrough.
On Sunday 10th November, buses will replace trains between Stockton and Middlesbrough.
Northern services will operate as normal between Bishop Auckland/Darlington and Middlesbrough.
Please check the Northern website regularly for the very latest information: https://www.northernrailway.co.uk/service-updates/engineering
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