(12 Jan 2023, 12:20 pm)OrangeArrow49 wrote As we are now just over a week away from the Arriva 685 being cancelled, and it will no longer be a shared operation, I'm looking into the history of the route.The 685 and previous 34/334 have been around a long time and actually hasn’t changed that much. It was originally operated by United, who at that time operated services to the east of the Carlisle; they had their own depot and bus station in Carlisle. I think it was 1970 when the National Bus Company transferred the United Carlisle operations to Ribble so the 334 became jointly operated by United and Ribble. In 1986, in preparation for NBC privatisation the Cumbria operations of Ribble were transferred to Cumberland Motor services. At round about the same, for the same reasons, United’s Northumberland area became a new company - Northumbria Motor Services. The 685 became operated by Northumbria and Cumberland. Eventually Cumberland was acquired by Stagecoach and Northumbria by Arriva, which is where we are now, or at least until next week when the 685 becomes operated by Stagecoach North East and Stagecoach Cumbria and North Lancashire. I hope this helps, I’m sure others can add to this or make any corrections.
Can anyone help please?
I believe the 685 was introduced by United some time in the 1930s, and was operated by 2 depots, Hexham and Carlisle?
Stagecoach began operating the 685 in 1986, upon privatisation? Arriva of course being formed in 1997 having been T. Cowie Ltd previously.
Arriva North East and Go North East swapped Hexham/Ashington depots in 2010, but Arriva Northumbria took on the 685 (Go North East later introducing the X84/X85)? Northumbria Motor Services operated the 684 presumably tendered, and OK Travel won this and was acquired by Go Ahead?
Please help!
RE: Arriva North East: Upcoming Service Changes