(17 Sep 2013, 4:16 pm)Andreos1 wrote Yeah, there was an X20 Durham - Shields (via Sunderland) and the X50 Durham - Shields (via Washington).
The last vehicles running the service, were bought specially, due to the success of the service.
After a short while, the services were cancelled.
The vehicles which were bought, are currently on the tynedale express, via Prince Bishops Swift, Prince Bishops and OK branding.
I wonder how much paint has been wasted on those vehicles? They must be an inch wider than the dimensions with all those coats of paint!
Which way did it from Sunderland to Shields, did it go down the Coast or did it follow the 35?
(17 Sep 2013, 4:30 pm)cbma06 wrote I remember in the early 90's when Goahead was on strike and the 3 county durham independent each put a bus on to run a service Sunderland to Durham and when Goahead came back on running the 220 only 1 of the independent operators pulled off and Goahead put a 220 on using the VFM brand at Shields depot running from South Shields-Sunderland-Durham using anything from a dart to a coach on.
If I remember correctly was it Bells, Gardiners and Scarlet Band or possibly OK what ran the 220, and was the 222 part of Go Aheads response to that, I remember Bleanch's Coaches of Hetton running the 154 and again if my memory serves me correct, Bleanch's continued afterwards and Go Ahead under the Wear Buses operation responded by putting on the 254.