(17 Sep 2013, 7:45 pm)fozzovmurton wrote Which way did it from Sunderland to Shields, did it go down the Coast or did it follow the 35?
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.
the 220 and X20 used to go along the 535 route, there was always arriving at Shields the same time as the 535. the X20 wasn't picking up anybody between Sunderland and Shields that's why it was withdrawn along that section.
The buses that was used on the X20/X50 combi was the ex OK dafs 4801 etc.... with the high seat backs, remembered when OK used them on the 161 series.
yep, those were the 3 independants that ran the 220 while Goahead was on strike, When Goahead came back on doing the 220 Gardiners came off the 220 and Bell Bros and Scarlet band stayed on but had to change the service from 220 to 222 as the service went via Hall Lane estate, then later on there both conceded running the service as Goahead had a couple of duplicates running in front of there bus services, the 222 was put back on as Hall Lane estate residents wanted the direct service to Sunderland 222 to be put back on, so half the 220 turned into service 222, this probably ended the eventful demise of service 141.
Yep, I remember the Wear Buses 254 metro riders from Sunderland to Durham, when Bleanches did the 154 Wear Buses extended the 154 to Sunderland and ran it every 30 minutes timed in front of Bleanches 154, I remember Bleanches Coaches doing the secured work around Murton and Seaham at the time of GNE strike. Murton had a good service one upon a time, never lasts though.