(24 Oct 2015, 10:43 pm)BusLoverMum wrote I remember the 301 - I'm guessing that's what got combined with the 1, which used to just do Newcastle to Kibblesworth.

(25 Oct 2015, 11:29 am)citaro5284 wrote Even I cannot remember that 

(25 Oct 2015, 11:39 am)Charles41 wrote It was in the late 1980s, I remember the parking area at Gateshead Interchange being cramed with enthusiasts taking photos.

Charles

(25 Oct 2015, 11:32 am)Andreos1 wrote The 301 and 302 were just North Tyneside - Newcastle/Gateshead services from memory, although I think it was the 301 that extended to the Metrocentre for a period. Saturdays and summer holiday's only I think.

(25 Oct 2015, 4:48 pm)MVK 500R wrote Found this from July 1986:

(25 Oct 2015, 8:49 pm)Andreos1 wrote Blimey, my memory must be going.
Can't remember the 301 doing that at all.

Gonna have to check over the timetables in the 'bygone era'.

As far as I could remember, the only PTE buses along Durham Road, were the following:
24 - Gateshead to Allerdene
25 - Gateshead to Wrekenton
26 - Gateshead to Barley Mow
27 - Gateshead to Heworth
28 - Gateshead to Kibblesworth.

Obviously they terminated at Gateshead, as they fed into the Metro system prior to de-reg.

I didn't realise the 301 crossed the river at that point nor extended to Kibby.

This extension to Kibblesworth didn't go along Durham Road, it went via Bensham Road and Saltwell Road. If I remember correctly it was a combination of the 301 and the old 29 - which was pretty similar to the current 29 (except for operation by double deckers!). The extension didn't last long due to reliability problems (so nothing new there) plus several Percy Main drivers reportedly got lost on the way to Kibblesworth.............. I'll have a look upstairs tomorrow to see if I have any dates for this one. My guess would be early 1980's (possibly starting November 1981 when the cross-river Metro line opened and the cross-river bus services were mostly curtailed at Gateshead Interchange. 301 going to the Metro Centre came much later (post-deregulation) and my memory is that it was Saturdays (and Sundays?) only.

(25 Oct 2015, 8:49 pm)Andreos1 wrote Blimey, my memory must be going.
Can't remember the 301 doing that at all.

Gonna have to check over the timetables in the 'bygone era'.

As far as I could remember, the only PTE buses along Durham Road, were the following:
24 - Gateshead to Allerdene
25 - Gateshead to Wrekenton
26 - Gateshead to Barley Mow
27 - Gateshead to Heworth
28 - Gateshead to Kibblesworth.

Obviously they terminated at Gateshead, as they fed into the Metro system prior to de-reg.

I didn't realise the 301 crossed the river at that point nor extended to Kibby.

(26 Oct 2015, 9:30 pm)chrisnorthern wrote Checked some old enthusiast news sheets and found the following:
301 operated Whitley Bay to Lobley Hill (Malvern Gardens) from the 1950's till November 1981 (when the cross-river Metro opened).
November 1981 till October 8th 1983, it operated Whitley Bay to Gateshead Interchange only.
October 8th 1983 till October 26th 1986, operated Whitley Bay to Kibblesworth, replacing service 29 between Gateshead and Kibblesworth.
After October 1986 it went back to Whitley Bay to Gateshead only. I haven't yet had time to find when it was extended to the Metro Centre - that will have to wait till another day...............

(03 Nov 2015, 4:58 pm)chrisnorthern wrote More dates for the 301, taken from old enthusiast news sheets. I don't have any timetable leaflets to support these dates so I'm open to correction:
At deregulation, 26/10/86, 301 was Whitley Bay Bandstand to Gateshead Interchange.
5//9/87 extended Gateshead to Metro Centre daily except Sundays
29/7/90 extended Whitley Bay Bandstand to caravan Park
23/10/94 extended to Metro Centre on Sundays (start of Sunday trading at MC)
29/7/95 withdrawn between Gateshead and Metro Centre
30/9/95 extended to Metro Centre again during shopping hours (supported by Tyne & Wear PTE)
8/1/96 Metro Centre extension withdrawn again except on Saturdays.
September 2002 designated a Tyne & Wear Superoute
30/8/03 extended to Metro Centre on Sundays
3/9/05 all Metro Centre journeys withdrawn.

I haven't checked the dates when it became the Coaster route 1 or when it was extended to Wrekenton/Kibblesworth (again) as they weren't relevant to this thread.

Now what was next - oh yes, routes along the full length of Saltwell Road. Back to the old news sheets...................

(31 Jan 2016, 1:20 am)Ambassador wrote What a wonderful thread. From my childhood growing up in Birtley I recall a few buses.

23 - operated predominantly by metro riders it went from Malone Gardens through to Vigo Bridge (part replaced by TB14 and the current 23 now)

724, when OK had it. I used to love this bus. It terminated on Percy St as opposed to worswick or eldon and was handily placed for the old coop foodhall. It also had a conductor well into the 90s.

I miss Worswick St itself and even old Gateshead Interchange. The old bus route down High St and across the High Level. No fancy bus lanes back then

(01 Feb 2016, 9:22 pm)IAndreos1 wrote Mind the old roundabout at the top of Jackson St/High St was a pain.

I was always a 26 kinda guy from Birtley. Only ever used the 724 regularly from 2001/2002 ish, although I did use that and the 'OK' (not sure it had a number) pre-86.
The 721 used Newgate St too.