(9 hours ago)Retro Nero wrote The Diversion via Rainton Bridge was for Npower at the time when they withdrew the 35A from Shields to Rainton Bridge

And they're not going to get rid of a money maker are they?

The whole network around Rainton Bridge has been a mish mash for years. 

Just remembered about a short-lived service that went via Silksworth and Ryhope.
There was the H1 that used the ex-ANE Darts.
Theres been the 20A/X20 (was there a 20X at one stage?), X1's, the workers services that ran Express to/from Newcastle and probably others that have slipped my mind.

I remember having a dialogue with Peter Huntley about the 21A going and he suggested walking to Rainton Bridge and using whatever number the workers service was, to get to Newcastle.
Needless to say, I didn't take him up on the offer.