Getting to Middlesbrough would involve a 35-40 minute bus journey into Newcastle, then a 80 minute journey on one of the Tyne-Tees Express services. So there's approximately 2 hours (not including waiting time) gone already. Getting to Scarborough is another 2 hour bus ride on the X93. Times that by 2 and that's around 8 hours travelling time there and back not including time spent waiting for connections.

Before this thread was started I was well-up for travelling to Scarborough by bus. I don't think I'll bother now!

Regarding services X60/X61 - were concessionary fares accepted on these services? IIRC, Explorers and some other regional passes were exempt so I was wondering whether there was some sort of rule regarding concessionary passes.