Aye bet there's a few from the past like, the old 310/319 Blyth/Cramlington to Sunderland must've been up there. I might be wrong here, but didn't there used to be a service from Darlington to Newcastle and Bishop to Newcastle stopping everywhere even if it was just evenings around the bus war times. That must've had a fair few stops.

In the good old days, I seem to remember 721 Newcastle to Crook (Northern), 722 Newcastle to Darlington (Northern), 723 Newcastle to Darlington (United) and 724 Newcastle to Bishop Auckland (United). All operated from Worswick Street bus station in Newcastle. I may be wrong about who operated which service but I don't think any of them were jointly operated. Happy to be corrected, though !

In the good old days, I seem to remember 721 Newcastle to Crook (Northern), 722 Newcastle to Darlington (Northern), 723 Newcastle to Darlington (United) and 724 Newcastle to Bishop Auckland (United). All operated from Worswick Street bus station in Newcastle. I may be wrong about who operated which service but I don't think any of them were jointly operated. Happy to be corrected, though !

722/723 were jointly operated until  mid to late 90s, (possibly even early 00s).

722/723 were jointly operated until  mid to late 90s, (possibly even early 00s).

Think it was some time between 2003 & 2005 when the 723 was split in two at Durham / Framwellgate Moor, GNE continued running the 723 between Durham and Newcastle after the split for a little while before just being consolidated into the 21 whilst the Arriva 723 Darlo - Durham portion would become the 7 in 2008 (with some changes to the terminus in Durham over the years since, but the Arnison Centre was a regular fixture from 2006 to 2012).

In the good old days, I seem to remember 721 Newcastle to Crook (Northern), 722 Newcastle to Darlington (Northern), 723 Newcastle to Darlington (United) and 724 Newcastle to Bishop Auckland (United). All operated from Worswick Street bus station in Newcastle. I may be wrong about who operated which service but I don't think any of them were jointly operated. Happy to be corrected, though !

The long distance services I remember were as follows:

220 (57) Sunderland - Durham - Bishop Auckland 
230 (40) Newcastle - Sunderland - Hartlepool
231 (45) Newcastle - Houghton - Hartlepool 
721 (42) Newcastle - Durham - Crook
722/723 (46) Newcastle - Durham - Darlington
724 (56) Newcastle - Durham - Bishop Auckland 
X1 (55) Newcastle - Durham - Middlesbrough 

All were jointly operated by United and Northern, plus the 230/220 (40/57) also had journeys operated by Sunderland District. All Journeys from Newcastle were from Worswick Street except the 724 (56) which left from Marlborough Crescent. OK’s Bishop Auckland service also left from Marlborough Crescent but operated via Neville’s Cross not Durham. 

United also also had the Scottish services jointly operated with Eastern Scottish.
504/505/506 Newcastle - Berwick - Edinburgh
508 Newcastle - Jedburgh - Edinburgh
510 Newcastle - Wooler - Kelso - Edinburgh
515 Whitley Bay - Newcastle - Jedburgh - Glasgow

722/723 were jointly operated until  mid to late 90s, (possibly even early 00s).

Peter Huntley was not keen on joint services, hence under his era, the 722/723 and 308 were seperated out and of course GNE then started the 309.

Peter Huntley was not keen on joint services, hence under his era, the 722/723 and 308 were seperated out and of course GNE then started the 309.

Which has effectively come about full circle now that partnerships are in place.

Wouldn't surprise me given the traffic and timekeeping issues in North Tyneside if both Arriva & GNE ended up running all of the 306-309 jointly with an interworking pattern like the following........

From Blyth:
- 308 > 307 > 307 > 308
- 309 > 306 > 306 > 308

Maybe Arriva pick up the earlier / later runs to and from Blyth and likewise, GNE picking up the early morning runs towards the coast

Once Malborough closed the 724 (along with the 777, 721 and 727) moved to the old Percy Street lay-by bus stands until GNE took over OK and moved it to Eldon Square. The 777 moved to New Bridge St along with the 721

Once Malborough closed the 724 (along with the 777, 721 and 727)  moved to the old Percy Street lay-by bus stands until GNE took over OK and moved it to Eldon Square. The 777 moved to New Bridge St along with the 721

Newgate Street? 
The 777 never went to Marlborough Crescent. 
Was always Sunderland to Chester and in mid-90's replaced the 26 between Barley Mow and Newcastle (although it shadowed the 721).

Newgate Street? 
The 777 never went to Marlborough Crescent. 
Was always Sunderland to Chester and in mid-90's replaced the 26 between Barley Mow and Newcastle (although it shadowed the 721).

I remember when the 777 Sunderland to Chester then the bus did the 721 Chester to Newcastle and vice versa, but when OK was purchased I’m sure that the 777 was extended from Barley Mow to Newcastle on the old OK 727 route?, caught the 777 a few times between Sunderland and Newcastle , I think some journeys terminated at Gateshead aswell, (I’m sure in Newcastle it started at the old ok 727 terminus on Newgate street and later on before the 777 withdrawn it started at the old Eldon square bus station?, a few decades ago now though [emoji23])


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I remember when the 777 Sunderland to Chester then the bus did the 721 Chester to Newcastle and vice versa, but when OK was purchased I’m sure that the 777 was extended from Barley Mow to Newcastle on the old OK 727 route?, caught the 777 a few times between Sunderland and Newcastle , I think some journeys terminated at Gateshead aswell, (I’m sure in Newcastle it started at the old ok 727 terminus on Newgate street and later on before the 777 withdrawn it started at the old Eldon square bus station?, a few decades ago now though [emoji23])


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Yeah, the 721, 727 and 777 all basically went the same way. Through Elizabethville, Wrekenton, Old Durham Road.

The 727 followed the route of the 26 through Barley Mow via Dorset Avenue, The Drive, Bedford Ave, Vigo Lane and right on to Durham Road. 
They both had a couple of variations, but in the main, that was the traditional route.

The 721 and then the 777 did the same route, but on hitting Vigo Lane, did their own thing.

I never understood the PTE funded 727 though. 
Set off from Gateshead the same time as the xx:50 26 and hit Barley Mow at the same time (xx:25) and got back to Gateshead together at xx:50.
The 721 was similar, but at the other end of the hour. Obviously commercial though.

The 727 was Gateshead - Barley Mow initially. Don't think the extension into Newcastle lasted too long.

Was the 721 before the 21/21A/21B?

I’ve been think of a spin off trivia as the most stops in a concentrated area, circular services excluded. Hartlepool’s service 15 had 47 stops along a 27 min route with its termini 2.7 miles apart.

Once Malborough closed the 724 (along with the 777, 721 and 727)  moved to the old Percy Street lay-by bus stands until GNE took over OK and moved it to Eldon Square. The 777 moved to New Bridge St along with the 721

I lived in Low Fell from 1998 to 2002 and this is where I remember catching the relevant buses from. I had to hedge my bets whether I'd be best off standing outside the Odeon or Boots.

Was the 721 before the 21/21A/21B?

No, it ran alongside them for a bit. 
Pretty sure the 721 only went in the 2006 changes.

No, it ran alongside them for a bit. 
Pretty sure the 721 only went in the 2006 changes.

Yeah it was killed off around the same time the 728 and 709 if I remember where most of the Birtley and Low Fell services were reduced to just a 21 and some local services. I think the 23 stopped serving its original Malone Gardens terminus around then too. 

You’re of course correct with me mixing Percy and Newgate St up, the 777 and 724 used to depart from outside Bourgogne.

On the original topic. The 183 must have had a canny few stops in it mind. I also recall catching the 231 from Newcastle to Hartlepool…I think I had two birthdays and went bald during that run…

What about 527 central station to shields? Now that was value for money