(04 Apr 2018, 6:55 pm)Andreos1 wrote Didn't the 648/649 do a similar route? Same sort of period too.
Off memory, the Eastern Gateshead section saw it come off Old Fold and down Old Durham Road to Gateshead and then pretty much the same route as the 49 towards the western side.
Quite a few cross Gateshead routes. 638/639, the ones you mentioned above, 527 to an extent. Sure there will be a couple more too.
The 51/52 was rerouted between Heworth and Gateshead via the 648/649 route when the latter was curtailed to terminate at Gateshead Metro. Prior the route of the former operated direct via Sunderland Road. The 27 was also amalgamated into the 51/52 between Gateshead and Wrekenton. Beforehand, it operated via Old Durham Road, Beacon Lough Road and Easedale Gardens instead of Gateshead Library and Dryden Road.
I don't know exactly when the 'new' 51/52 came about, but I reckon it must have been the early-mid 2000's - I certainly remember using it around 2000/01. If I had to guess, I would estimate 2004 as that's when the 610/611/632 etc. were renumbered and revised.