(08 Aug 2013, 10:05 am)GuyParkRoyal wrote(06 Aug 2013, 9:06 pm)ifm001 wrote(06 Aug 2013, 9:00 pm)gtomlinson wrote Not forgetting 221 and 21 which ran alongside all those during the bus war
And also Tyne Rider route 20 qhich operated to Harlow Green
Another one from the bus war was the OK service 23 from Worswick Street to Vigo Bridge via Low Fell and Birtley. That one caused Go Ahead Gateshead to run the 124 to compete with the OK 724. The 124 was an interesting service as it ran dead miles on a morning from Winlaton to Bishop Auckland.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/simplytrans...096927076/
It seems strange that the 124 was ran from Winlaton considering there Chester and Sunderland Road (both more or less on route) and Stanley (which was nearer). How long did the service run for? The reason I ask is because I used to live behind Winlaton depot and I can't remember any bus applied with vinyls for that route. Obviously, based upon the pictorial evidence, I'm wrong but I wonder if it was initially ran from Winlaton before being moved to somewhere else (or withdrawn)?
Contrary to what it is now, the Derwent Valley corridor played host to fierce bus competition. Classic introduced the 745 (subsequently renumbered 75) to compete with the Northern's 745. And then you had Classic 736/738 which ran in competition with Go-Gateshead's 607/608 around Chopwell and Blackhall Mill. Go Ahead then introduced another set of services called the 'B' and 'C' (presumably referring to Blackhall Mill and Chopwell) to compete with the 736/738. Throw in the 611 (not sure of the frequency back then), then that's something like 11/12 services an hour between Rowlands Gill and Newcastle, and 7/8 between Chopwell and Newcastle. The 'B' and 'C' were operated with coaches so there was the choice of travelling in comparative luxury too.