(28 May 2014, 6:53 pm)Acky81 wrote Always wondered this one stagecoach have E1 E2 and then E6. Now I know there was an E3 at some point but what happened to E4 or E5 did they ever exist?? If not why not? I might not be right but is E6 or was a rival to Catch a bus services number 6. Help!!

The E1/E2 were originally the 505/506 and 538/539 service.

The E3 was put on to run Sunderland to South Shields in front of Tyne and Wear Omnibus Company X2 service, The E3 was originally a mix up with spare buses from Shields depot (minibuses were on their aswell) but when TWOC was bought by Northern and sold to Busways, busways withdrew the E3 service and had to run the X2 for a lengthy period then withdrew the X2, later in life the E3 was resurrected again and operated by Leyland lynxs from shields depot.

The E6 was put on a few times, one time with Bristol buses then later on in life with Dart buses, Busways tried to buy Catch a Bus out a few times and even when Stagecoach bought Busways out, their still tried to buy Catch A Bus out, but eventually Stagecoach got tired and start ploughing load of buses in front of Catch a Bus services in South Shields and service 6 to Sunderland and Catch a Bus bus services were running empty by Stagecoach tatics with a lot cheaper fares even though the Stagecoach buses were making aloss at least Stagecoach Busways got what their wanted in the end.

Wouldn't mind seeing Stagecoach operating a service E5 between Sunderland and South Shields along the 35 route and also maybe extending the service to Houghton, but it will never come as Stagecoach are too happy raking in the money of their own Sunderland territory.