(25 Sep 2025, 3:04 pm)morritt89 wrote Not outside the realms of possibility, look at Gateshead Central (although their fleet is mainly leased to my knowledge but happy to be corrected). GNE also bought vehicles specifically for the route including the hybrid Solos (granted these were purchased rather than leased as far as I'm aware) and these saw little use on anything other than the Sunderland Connect services and disposed of soon after being replaced on the service. Does the contract have an age limit on vehicles or just minimum seats and euro rating?

With regards to filling up at Washington Services, Whitestar seem to favour the BP on Wessington Way, Sunderland. Is it so unusual for an independent company to use normal fuel stations? I seem to recall A Line using the filling station on the Felling By Pass too.

GNE in east Durham used to fill up there solos at the petrol station on the a19.

JHM travel used to fill there coach up at Gateshead petrol station on there last journey going into Newcastle before doing there last journey of the day from Newcastle while doing the x90.

I’m sure George bell travel used to use the petrol station on pallion new Road to fill the minibuses?

Loads of bus independants used petrol stations in the 80’s before there got bought out and ran off the road


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