(17 Apr 2014, 7:05 am)DavidP wrote Yes, and in pre 1983, the services ran every 10 minutes. That re-organisation saw the frequency drop to every 20 minutes. It lost it's Evening and Sunday service when the Metro extension to Sunderland opened - Stagecoach claimed the Metro took passengers away from it but that seems a bit doubtful. I *think* that is when the daytime frequency was dropped to every 30 minutes.

It's also used to be fairly direct from the City Centre to Grangetown via Ryhope Road and then direct along Leechmere Road and Essen Way towards Humbledon, the diversions via Hendon and the Eye Infirmary have made it IMHO less attractive to potential customers. However, Stagecoach do run it commercially and given how much profit they expect to make on each service in the North East, it must be worthwhile for them to continue to operate it.

Regards
David P

For years the 18 & 19 each operated every 20 minutes Mon-Sat daytimes and half hourly evenings and Sundays (and were up until the late ‘90s typically operated by deckers!). The evening and Sunday service was indeed withdrawn in 2002 and the daytime frequency was reduced to its current half hourly status in 2003.

There was a three month (unsuccessful) trial extension from Seaburn to Whitburn in 1999/2000. Following the withdrawal of Service 21 in 2003 the 18/19 were ultimately extended to their current form to South Bents.

The last major revisions to the route took effect from 2005, with the closure of the Queen Alexandra Bridge. It was at this time that the revisions between City Centre & Grangetown and Grangetown & Prospect Hotel occurred, replacing links lost by the curtailment of Service 6. When the bridge reopened, the revised route was retained as the 6 was never reinstated on that section and was subsequently withdrawn entirely.