North East Buses

Hi, im interested in pictures of when Park Lane bus station was getting built, has anyone got any pictures, they wish to share.

Thanks

I dont, but can share some stories?

The old bus station had entrances from both ends and when ir was knocked down in 1997, these entrances were both blocked off - the depot had also been demolished at this point.

Im not sure about buses from Ryhope, Hollycarrside etc, but buses from Durham Road and Chester Road, came along Green Terrace/New Durham Road as usual and onto Vine Terrace, turning right onto Park Lane as was normal (this had yet to be pedestrianised). On entering Park Lane, there were two terminus points, with a whole length of bus stops along both Olive Street and Derwent Street.
Buses picked passengers up here and worked their way past Chaplins back to either Durham Road or Green Terrace (similar to the current exit from Park Lane).

There was very little protection from the elements at these temporary stops and I can vividly remember getting on a crowded Shaws Coaches National working a 777 and it stinking of bodies, rain etc. There was either the choice of sliding a window open to let more rain in or suffer...

I renember standing in the old bus shelters in the old bus station waiting for the old 163,135,136 to castletown.. , it defently needed replacing though, it was a great old bus station, i renember when it used to run past the old cinema to park lane, i thought this way was better than now

When it was getting built it was a nightmare with all the roads closing and the open areas was a nightmare.
The new bus station has it bad area's for wind.. Stands A to G

Without going off subject, your right - the older bus stations did have an atmosphere, however windswept or wet they left you, which the new bus stations dont have.

As a kid, I used to love Worswick Street and the old Gateshead Metro station. Park Lane had something about it, as did Stanley and the underground Eldon Square station.

Hopefully you can find some stuff on Park Lane or someone can help you out.

I've got to admit that I preferred the old Eldon Square Bus Concourse to the new one. It felt more like a bus station and less like a shopping mall with a few bus stops attached to it. My main point of contention though is about having to wait to alight from a bus. In the old concourse, the bus either pulled into the first bus stop when entering the concourse (outside the old cafe) or the bus stop down the side of Marks and Spencer's. Now, you have to wait in a queue of buses, waiting for other buses to reverse out of bays. It's a nightmare, especially in the morning.

(12 Jun 2013, 8:31 am)AdamY wrote [ -> ]I've got to admit that I preferred the old Eldon Square Bus Concourse to the new one. It felt more like a bus station and less like a shopping mall with a few bus stops attached to it. My main point of contention though is about having to wait to alight from a bus. In the old concourse, the bus either pulled into the first bus stop when entering the concourse (outside the old cafe) or the bus stop down the side of Marks and Spencer's. Now, you have to wait in a queue of buses, waiting for other buses to reverse out of bays. It's a nightmare, especially in the morning.

Made even worse when it is built around a MultiStory Car Park and then if something breaks down either at the traffic lights Coming into Eldon Square/Leaving Haymarket it causes chaos and then if something breaks down inside either Bus Station it gets even worse.

I'll use these examples.

1.) Pedestrian Hit By a Bus in Park Lane a few weeks back. Everything came to a standstill and all services had to the stands the 60/61 use etc and then Eldon Square/Haymarket a few days back someone got hit by a bus on the main stretch of road at the Entrance/Exit to both Bus Stations. And the Police taped off from the exit to Eldon Square to the Entrance of Haymarket while they investigated what happened.

I think with Park Lane on the main part where the 20/35/2A/2C stop etc there should be another exit either up by Greggs like the used to be or on the corner which leads to the Traffic Lights on the current exit from Park Lane.

As for Eldon Square/Haymarket gods knows as there is no other area to my knowledge to place a Bus Station in Newcastle City Centre.

re a possible places for a new bus station in Newcastle - Worswick Street is still standing. Dust off the cobwebs and bring that badboy back into use!

(13 Jun 2013, 5:06 pm)Andreos1 wrote [ -> ]re a possible places for a new bus station in Newcastle - Worswick Street is still standing. Dust off the cobwebs and bring that badboy back into use!

It's possible I suppose. If look at it in Newcastle you have:

Haymarket
Eldon Square
All those stops on Green that Stagecoach use
National Express Coach Station
Central Station

These are all Major Areas for Catching a Bus, I think Newcastle needs an all in one Bus/Coach Station like Buchanan Bus Station in Glasgow which is Huge, Only problem is there is No where to put one. It be ok if Marks and Spenser and the John Lewis Multistory Carpark were to be moved, but that'll never happen. Unless they moved over to Worswick Street to give that area of Newcastle abit of a boost.

Apart from the old Marlbrough Crescent bus station where the Centre for Life is now, there was also the old Gallowgate Bus station which was between China Town and St James Park. It was a Coach Station, but also had stuff from Hexham, Carlisle and the west of the area stop there.
Im pretty certain United/Northumbria had a small depot there too.

Just found this photo from what looks like the early 80's of a TWPTE decker and a West Yorks National Express www.farm6.staticflickr.com/5030/5588959145_01741435d8_z.jpg with a delapidated St James Park in the background. It looks like the prep work for St James Metro Station has started too, judging by the pile of muck in the background

United did have a depot at Gallowgate and was certainly in use until the mid-90s. However I can't recall any buses (as opposed to long-distance coaches) stopping inside Gallowgate. To the best of my memory, they all stopped outside as they do now.

It was never a bus station I ever used, although when I was going to the match or walking past, there were always local buses knocking around (although they were possibly just depot vehicles opposed to ones waiting for passengers).

I never knew about Gallowgate having a Bus Station or Depot, I'm currently using Paint to then design a New Haymarket Bus Station in a Map View so you get a Brief Idea.

I will post it up later or possibly tomorrow.

Update on my Idea, The Map is now finished and is pretty straight forward by using the arrows.

The current main stands in the Haymarket would be taken out along with seating and the pavement where seating is currently would be removed and trimmed back closer to Marks and Spencer. To then create more room for road and a Centre Piece for the New Bus Station. Also the Current fencing would be moved over Two Lanes closer to the Pubs etc opposite Haymarket.

Also you'll notice coming in from Barrack Bridge side Buses/Cars etc will use the same the same stretch of road heading towards Eldon Square with Cars etc keeping as far right as possible to avoid collisions with Buses coming off Departing Stands which will be set away to left. The Box in the Centre of the Map is not an accurate representation of the size of the Bus Station, But a rough estimate of where it'll be positioned if Built.

Has anyone got the list of the buses which used park lane when it first opened and their stands?

Nvm i found the info under the bygone era... on the Gowear booklet in 2001

http://northeastbuses.co.uk/archive/GoNo...er2001.pdf

Didn't know we had so many services back then

The services may have been slightly different, not much though.

Aye, there have been quite a few changes - not all for the better...