(08 Aug 2013, 10:58 am)gtomlinson wrote I too forgot about the 727 and the 124. I always doubt myself the 735 existed but I remember the Metrobuses on it.
Re - the 23. At the same time the OK ran the 23 to Newcastle were the Northern metrolink buses running the short local 23 (Birtley East School - Vigo)
The 23 must have been competing with the 26 at the time too?
Yeah - the 721 was xx.15 ish from Worswick Street, setting off just behind the 26.
The OK 727 was xx.45 ish and set off just behind the 26 too.
Obviously the 26 was a Durham Road service, with the other two being Old Durham Road. the 721 continued to Chester, with the other two heading back through Birtley from Barley Mow.
If I remember rightly, the 735 also set off from Worswick Street approx xx.15 and played chase with the 26 all way along Durham Road.
The 231 at xx.45, also playing chase with the 26.
When the 727 stopped running in the mid 90's, that was when the 777 was extended to Newcastle, leaving Worswick Street and picking up on the xx.45 slot.
Don't forget the other twice hourly 24, 25, 27 and 28 or the hourly services such as the 722, 723, 725, 726, OK1/724, x1 or x46 either mind
. Quite a frequency they had going, radiating south from Worswick Street....So there was a local service, basically guaranteed to be shadowed by a long distance service.
Is it better now or then?
I believe the OK 23 only competed locally with the Birtley Town 23, but cannot remember whether GNE had it at that particular time.