(26 Oct 2015, 9:30 pm)chrisnorthern wrote Checked some old enthusiast news sheets and found the following:
301 operated Whitley Bay to Lobley Hill (Malvern Gardens) from the 1950's till November 1981 (when the cross-river Metro opened).
November 1981 till October 8th 1983, it operated Whitley Bay to Gateshead Interchange only.
October 8th 1983 till October 26th 1986, operated Whitley Bay to Kibblesworth, replacing service 29 between Gateshead and Kibblesworth.
After October 1986 it went back to Whitley Bay to Gateshead only. I haven't yet had time to find when it was extended to the Metro Centre - that will have to wait till another day...............

More dates for the 301, taken from old enthusiast news sheets. I don't have any timetable leaflets to support these dates so I'm open to correction:
At deregulation, 26/10/86, 301 was Whitley Bay Bandstand to Gateshead Interchange.
5//9/87 extended Gateshead to Metro Centre daily except Sundays
29/7/90 extended Whitley Bay Bandstand to caravan Park
23/10/94 extended to Metro Centre on Sundays (start of Sunday trading at MC)
29/7/95 withdrawn between Gateshead and Metro Centre
30/9/95 extended to Metro Centre again during shopping hours (supported by Tyne & Wear PTE)
8/1/96 Metro Centre extension withdrawn again except on Saturdays.
September 2002 designated a Tyne & Wear Superoute
30/8/03 extended to Metro Centre on Sundays
3/9/05 all Metro Centre journeys withdrawn.

I haven't checked the dates when it became the Coaster route 1 or when it was extended to Wrekenton/Kibblesworth (again) as they weren't relevant to this thread.

Now what was next - oh yes, routes along the full length of Saltwell Road. Back to the old news sheets...................