(17 Apr 2023, 8:57 pm)Storx wrote Thank you for that, makes sense where the 99 came from then historically and makes an awful lot more sense than the thing that exists nowadays which just seems a pointless to me.

Would make sense with the 558 mind, since it's the only bus service around there which you could really use; quite a detour mind.

I should add the 9 & 99 that Redby introduced ran Monday - Saturday from around 0700-1900. There was no service on a Sunday or Bank Holidays. They even put on an ex London Open Top Bus in London Transport Red over the Summer Holidays which is something we are seeing again now with Stagecoach.

I believe the earlier 9 service which ran between Seaburn and Hylton Castle was strictly Monday - Friday and would not start till 0900 on school days. The buses that were on it would come off Scholar Services straight onto the 9. They also had a so called lunchtime layover in Seaburn Morrisons Car Park of an hour around 1300 I believe. I think this lunchtime layover happened again when GNE took over the route in 2008 as the 99. Redby did used to serve the 9 route 7 days week in the early 2000’s but I’m not sure why it got dropped to Monday - Friday only. They did run services for Stagecoach in Sunderland up until the start of the new circular 9 & 99 routes in Spring 2007, the routes which ran to the Docks.

I’m not sure what things are like down at Seaburn now but I know the area has changed massively since 2007 with the new hotel and restaurants opening up as well as the Seaburn Stack. It would be interesting if GNE would return to the area - I’m not really clued up so could not comment. I do remember GNE used to have a Service 161 which ran from Low Moorsley or Hetton-le-Hole to Seaburn Camp turning circle. That was pre-2008 I believe.

Thanks.