Nostalgia - Deregulation 1986

North East Buses Local Bus Scene Bygone Era Nostalgia - Deregulation 1986

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Chris 1

243

10 Mar 2022, 3:55 pm #21

(10 Mar 2022, 3:44 pm)MurdnunoC Catch a Bus were Hylton Castle Coaches, IIRC.

Correct, commenced operations in the 1950s according to the history books. Pre de-reg work consisted of factory contracts, mines and schools; with services in South Shields and a service to Newcastle commencing at deregulation. The fleet eventually settled on predominantly Bristol REs, though i can remember Plaxton Pointer Darts in later years. I'm sure they also operated Leyland Atlanteans, converted to single deck by East Lancs at some point.

Chris 1

10 Mar 2022, 3:55 pm #21

(10 Mar 2022, 3:44 pm)MurdnunoC Catch a Bus were Hylton Castle Coaches, IIRC.

Wybus

235

11 Mar 2022, 7:49 am #22

Did Low Fell Coaches literally just run one service, as most of the photos I’ve seen of them just display ‘Cross Tyne Service’ with no service number displayed?

Wybus

11 Mar 2022, 7:49 am #22

Did Low Fell Coaches literally just run one service, as most of the photos I’ve seen of them just display ‘Cross Tyne Service’ with no service number displayed?

Andreos1

14,202

11 Mar 2022, 8:11 am #23

(11 Mar 2022, 7:49 am)Wybus Did Low Fell Coaches literally just run one service, as most of the photos I’ve seen of them just display ‘Cross Tyne Service’ with no service number displayed?

That's all I ever remember them running.
Originally St Thomas St to Allerdene if memory serves. Omitted Gateshead Metro as well I think.

'Illegitimis non carborundum'

Andreos1

11 Mar 2022, 8:11 am #23

(11 Mar 2022, 7:49 am)Wybus Did Low Fell Coaches literally just run one service, as most of the photos I’ve seen of them just display ‘Cross Tyne Service’ with no service number displayed?

That's all I ever remember them running.
Originally St Thomas St to Allerdene if memory serves. Omitted Gateshead Metro as well I think.

'Illegitimis non carborundum'

MurdnunoC

3,974

11 Mar 2022, 8:17 am #24

(11 Mar 2022, 7:49 am)Wybus Did Low Fell Coaches literally just run one service, as most of the photos I’ve seen of them just display ‘Cross Tyne Service’ with no service number displayed?

Low Fell precede deregulation by about a year or so. Below is a timetable taken from the 1985 Tyne and Wear Timetable booklet.

20220311_080943.jpg
Size 3.35 MB / Downloads 25

At that time they only had one service but later expanded to two services after deregulation. Here is the timetable for their other service - taken from the Deregulation Day (Gateshead, Felling & Birtley) booklet.

20220311_081556.jpg
Size 3.24 MB / Downloads 18

MurdnunoC

11 Mar 2022, 8:17 am #24

(11 Mar 2022, 7:49 am)Wybus Did Low Fell Coaches literally just run one service, as most of the photos I’ve seen of them just display ‘Cross Tyne Service’ with no service number displayed?

Low Fell precede deregulation by about a year or so. Below is a timetable taken from the 1985 Tyne and Wear Timetable booklet.

20220311_080943.jpg
Size 3.35 MB / Downloads 25

20220311_081556.jpg
Size 3.24 MB / Downloads 18

Andreos1

14,202

11 Mar 2022, 9:00 am #25

(11 Mar 2022, 8:17 am)MurdnunoC Low Fell precede deregulation by about a year or so. Below is a timetable taken from the 1985 Tyne and Wear Timetable booklet.

At that time they only had one service but later expanded to two services after deregulation. Here is the timetable for their other service - taken from the Deregulation Day (Gateshead, Felling & Birtley) booklet.

Can't remember that second service at all! What year/years was that? Just 86 or beyond? I remember a minilink down Whinlatter Road (Gateshead to the QE perhaps - via the Racecourse Estate that set off from the Bensham Bank/Lobley Hill set of stands at Gateshead. M92?). But not this one.

'Illegitimis non carborundum'

Andreos1

11 Mar 2022, 9:00 am #25

(11 Mar 2022, 8:17 am)MurdnunoC Low Fell precede deregulation by about a year or so. Below is a timetable taken from the 1985 Tyne and Wear Timetable booklet.

At that time they only had one service but later expanded to two services after deregulation. Here is the timetable for their other service - taken from the Deregulation Day (Gateshead, Felling & Birtley) booklet.

'Illegitimis non carborundum'

MurdnunoC

3,974

11 Mar 2022, 9:40 am #26

(11 Mar 2022, 9:00 am)Andreos1 Can't remember that second service at all! What year/years was that? Just 86 or beyond? I remember a minilink down Whinlatter Road (Gateshead to the QE perhaps - via the Racecourse Estate that set off from the Bensham Bank/Lobley Hill set of stands at Gateshead. M92?). But not this one.

Yep. October 86. January 1987 was the next set of major changes and, arguably, when the era of laissez-faire bus operations post deregulation really began.

Edit: Another little snippet of information regarding Low Fell Coaches (and Gateshead in General).

20220311_102347.jpg
Size 3.57 MB / Downloads 25

Taken from Buses Vol.38 No.379 October 1986

MurdnunoC

11 Mar 2022, 9:40 am #26

(11 Mar 2022, 9:00 am)Andreos1 Can't remember that second service at all! What year/years was that? Just 86 or beyond? I remember a minilink down Whinlatter Road (Gateshead to the QE perhaps - via the Racecourse Estate that set off from the Bensham Bank/Lobley Hill set of stands at Gateshead. M92?). But not this one.

20220311_102347.jpg
Size 3.57 MB / Downloads 25

Taken from Buses Vol.38 No.379 October 1986

Rob44

1,490

11 Mar 2022, 10:31 am #27

really interesting that.... so it basically says that buses going into town was as in direct competition with Metro after dereg.?

Rob44

11 Mar 2022, 10:31 am #27

really interesting that.... so it basically says that buses going into town was as in direct competition with Metro after dereg.?

Andreos1

14,202

11 Mar 2022, 10:48 am #28

(11 Mar 2022, 9:40 am)MurdnunoC Yep. October 86. January 1987 was the next set of major changes and, arguably, when the era of laissez-faire bus operations post deregulation really began.

Edit: Another little snippet of information regarding Low Fell Coaches (and Gateshead in General).

Taken from Buses Vol.38 No.379 October 1986

Mustn't have lasted that long in the grand scheme of things. Who knew Southend Road and Whinlatter Road were such a hive of competition!

(11 Mar 2022, 10:31 am)Rob44 really interesting that.... so it basically says that buses going into town was as in direct competition with Metro after dereg.?

In a nutshell.
Interesting about the cuts to evening and Sunday services.

I remember the change to the 26 at the time. Dropped from every 20 to every 30, last runs finished early (last bus around 7pm) and nothing on a Sunday. The PTE funded a couple of late runs on a Friday and Saturday several hours later for a few years.

The PTE also funded and diverted the 733 on a Sunday via Barley Mow to fill the gaps left by the 26 withdrawals.

Edited 11 Mar 2022, 10:52 am by Andreos1.

'Illegitimis non carborundum'

Andreos1

11 Mar 2022, 10:48 am #28

(11 Mar 2022, 9:40 am)MurdnunoC Yep. October 86. January 1987 was the next set of major changes and, arguably, when the era of laissez-faire bus operations post deregulation really began.

Edit: Another little snippet of information regarding Low Fell Coaches (and Gateshead in General).

Taken from Buses Vol.38 No.379 October 1986

Mustn't have lasted that long in the grand scheme of things. Who knew Southend Road and Whinlatter Road were such a hive of competition!

(11 Mar 2022, 10:31 am)Rob44 really interesting that.... so it basically says that buses going into town was as in direct competition with Metro after dereg.?

'Illegitimis non carborundum'

MurdnunoC

3,974

11 Mar 2022, 8:01 pm #29

(11 Mar 2022, 10:48 am)Andreos1 Mustn't have lasted that long in the grand scheme of things. Who knew Southend Road and Whinlatter Road were such a hive of competition!.

For the purposes of completion, here's the state of play in Gateshead when first set of post deregulation revisions happened in January 1987.

20220311_192958.jpg
Size 3.97 MB / Downloads 22

20220311_193036.jpg
Size 4.41 MB / Downloads 37

As you can see, rhe second Low Fell Coaces service survived the first call.

MurdnunoC

11 Mar 2022, 8:01 pm #29

(11 Mar 2022, 10:48 am)Andreos1 Mustn't have lasted that long in the grand scheme of things. Who knew Southend Road and Whinlatter Road were such a hive of competition!.

For the purposes of completion, here's the state of play in Gateshead when first set of post deregulation revisions happened in January 1987.

20220311_192958.jpg
Size 3.97 MB / Downloads 22

20220311_193036.jpg
Size 4.41 MB / Downloads 37

As you can see, rhe second Low Fell Coaces service survived the first call.

Andreos1

14,202

11 Mar 2022, 10:53 pm #30

(11 Mar 2022, 8:01 pm)MurdnunoC For the purposes of completion, here's the state of play in Gateshead when first set of post deregulation revisions happened in January 1987.

As you can see, rhe second Low Fell Coaces service survived the first call.

Interesting.
At the time, I was using buses between Barley Mow and Gateshead/Newcastle or Southend Road/Whinlatter Gardens and the same.

I remember the furor when the 26 was sent to the Metrocentre and the aggro when they decided to miss out The Drive and have it terminate on Suffolk Place (missing out several stops on the way) or for a very short period, Chester.
This was all in the same era as the apparent NorthEastern and Low Fell Coaches bus war - that I have no recollection of at all.

Thanks for clarifying it did happen though!

'Illegitimis non carborundum'

Andreos1

11 Mar 2022, 10:53 pm #30

(11 Mar 2022, 8:01 pm)MurdnunoC For the purposes of completion, here's the state of play in Gateshead when first set of post deregulation revisions happened in January 1987.

As you can see, rhe second Low Fell Coaces service survived the first call.

'Illegitimis non carborundum'

busmanT

932

14 Mar 2022, 10:49 pm #31

(11 Mar 2022, 9:00 am)Andreos1 Can't remember that second service at all! What year/years was that? Just 86 or beyond? I remember a minilink down Whinlatter Road (Gateshead to the QE perhaps - via the Racecourse Estate that set off from the Bensham Bank/Lobley Hill set of stands at Gateshead. M92?). But not this one.

The Whinlatter Road service lasted into Go Ahead ownership, and indeed through the move of the Low Fell operation to the former OK Travel depot at Team Valley. I’m sure it was allocated route number 22.

busmanT

14 Mar 2022, 10:49 pm #31

(11 Mar 2022, 9:00 am)Andreos1 Can't remember that second service at all! What year/years was that? Just 86 or beyond? I remember a minilink down Whinlatter Road (Gateshead to the QE perhaps - via the Racecourse Estate that set off from the Bensham Bank/Lobley Hill set of stands at Gateshead. M92?). But not this one.

Chris 1

243

15 Mar 2022, 1:14 pm #32

(11 Mar 2022, 8:01 pm)MurdnunoC For the purposes of completion, here's the state of play in Gateshead when first set of post deregulation revisions happened in January 1987.

As you can see, rhe second Low Fell Coaces service survived the first call.

Fascinating stuff, thanks for sharing.

Interesting to see what went before for say Gateshead - Birtley. Different options back then, now it's the 21 or bust.

Chris 1

15 Mar 2022, 1:14 pm #32

(11 Mar 2022, 8:01 pm)MurdnunoC For the purposes of completion, here's the state of play in Gateshead when first set of post deregulation revisions happened in January 1987.

As you can see, rhe second Low Fell Coaces service survived the first call.

Fascinating stuff, thanks for sharing.

Interesting to see what went before for say Gateshead - Birtley. Different options back then, now it's the 21 or bust.

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