(11 Apr 2015, 7:38 am)MurdnunoC wrote Here's an Easyway Bus pictured back when Metrocentre Bus Station was temporarily located next to Marks and Spencer.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/busfreakbr...0181158738
In shot, you can just see a Big Orange bus parked behind. When I think about it now, I'm sure Big Orange were Go-Ahead Northern's budget brand for Gateshead designed to compete with the likes of North Eastern and Easyway - much like the TyneRider brand in the 1990s.
The destination on the Easyway Bus states 'Felling Square'.
The Metrocentre opened in 86 and I remember the Nationals seemingly being without vinyls for a long time. It seemed as soon as the vinyls were attached, the brand vanished.
So if the bus station is in its temporary location, it must have been 86/87 that the Nationals were painted.
Racking my brains and cannot remember those two independents you mention at all.
However, something is telling me the vehicles allocated to the big orange, ended up in the first Supershuttle livery.
The introduction of that onto stand A, saw a massive re-jig of stands at Gateshead.