Slightly wrong info on Economics given then

Services E1 and E2 are both original. Started 26 october 1986 on deregulation day.

Service E6 came next. Yes in competition with catch a bus 6 that started in january 1987 but ran simonside to sunderland missing out south shields town centre. Service E6 was introduced later to compete but only between Marsden and Sunderland and services turned back at Marsden Inn.

Service E3 started later following Tyne and Wear Omnibus route X2 which operated Biddick Hall to South Shields to Sunderland to Thorney Close. E3 operated just south shields to sunderland.

Service E6 was withdrawn a couple of times and reinvented itself later when Redby Travel started 506 from South Shields to Sunderland. Also competing services 507 and 508 local. Marsden routes.

Those were the days when south shields actually had competing services not like nowadays.