(11 Jan 2025, 1:20 pm)Andreos1 wrote Noticed two 78s Sunderland bound at Penshaw yesterday PM. 
With a 2 sandwiched between them.

Quite why/how a half hourly service is shadowing the earlier board...

Isn't it the case that the central Service Delivery Centre was disbanded, in favour of each depot having its own operation? If so, it's still appears that they're either not empowered to make a decision or lack competence in that decision making.

I've noticed similar several times on the 84/85, on a 20 minute frequency, and they'll just shadow each other for the rest of the day. Despite it being one of the easiest routes to regulate due to its small circular nature.