(03 Oct 2021, 9:50 am)RMF1254 wrote The 333 is basically what is left of the frequent services which ran beyond Northumberland Square to connect with the ferry. In the sixties there was the 7 / 8 from Blyth / Whitley Bay and 12 (I think ) from Whitley Bay via Preston Vill. There was also a service which ran to the Fish Quay. At that time the before the Tyne Tunnel opened there were 2 vehicle and foot passenger ferries shuttling backwards and forwards. Later on the routes became the 309 and 317 which were supplemented by open top 327 in the summer which ran along the seafront from Whitley Bay. There was a connecting open top service at South Shields which, if I remember correctly, ran to Seaburn. Later again the open topper became the 333 operated by Northern and Northumbria.
The 7, 8 and 12 did indeed run as you say. When the tunnel opened in 1967, Northern's service 60 which ran Sunderland - East Boldon - Whiteleas - Biddick Hall - Jarrow was extended to Blyth via Shields and the coast and operated jointly with the Tynemouth company. Later the 7 and 8 took on the number 60. Later when services in the area were numbered 3xx, the Blyth - Sunderland one became the 310 and the Blyth - Shields ferry one became the 309. For a time I was a conductor, and the Blyth - Sunderland run was my favourite. There was for many years a service to the fish quay running from Northumberland Square and numbered 14. This service only operated at work times. Eventually these runs were tagged onto the 12. The 12 eventually became the 317.