(11 Mar 2022, 8:01 pm)MurdnunoC wrote 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!