(15 Feb 2024, 5:47 pm)stagecoachbusdepot wrote Wonder why they didn't just extend the 18 back to Wallsend like it used to be rather than a separate service

Different areas, quite a lot of the 553 route is unserved by anything else currently.

https://bustimes.org/services/553-wallse...spital#map - That's the route, guessing extended to Battle Hill again, if it's serving Prospect Avenue, unsure on that but.