(29 Dec 2014, 10:23 am)aureolin wrote Didn't GNE originally try this with the 36 in North Sunderland? Ran a few mins earlier than the Stagecoach 16, yet it always seemed that the OAPs would let it go by, and jump on the 16 instead. No idea why mind, but they do the same with the 21/X2 along Durham Road. They'll happily let the X2 go, and get the 21 to Newcastle or Gateshead instead, despite the former being limited stop.

Think the difference in Sunderland is that service 16 was more established - customers knew what they were getting when they used service 16. OAPs seem a lot more reluctant to try out new services and are stuck in their ways with regards to their travel arrangements. Service X2 has been around for quite a while, so I'm not sure whether this theory really applies to the Durham Road corridor situation or not... Perhaps the power of branding and marketing comes into play here?

OK1/X1 were both new services at the time, both being treated as express services into Darlington. The above theories don't really apply here, and this is why they often got on the first bus which turned up.