(11 Apr 2015, 12:13 pm)Andreos1 wrote The Metrocentre opened in 86 and I remember the Nationals seemingly being without vinyls for a long time. It seemed as soon as the vinyls were attached, the brand vanished.
So if the bus station is in its temporary location, it must have been 86/87 that the Nationals were painted.
Racking my brains and cannot remember those two independents you mention at all.
However, something is telling me the vehicles allocated to the big orange, ended up in the first Supershuttle livery.
The introduction of that onto stand A, saw a massive re-jig of stands at Gateshead.
The first bus station was located next to Carrefour (old Asda) on the incline leading up to the A1 (then A69). The Red Quadrant was the first bit of the Metrocentre to open and this bus station lasted for around six months (maybe less). The second bus station was located next to Marks and Spencer's shortly after the Green Quadrant opened (13th October 1986) - this lasted for about a year. The cinema opened on 16th October 1987 so I'm guessing the third (and first permanent) bus station would have been opened around the same time. The Nationals must have been painted Orange sometime in 1987.
Easyway weren't that visible only operating on the routes discussed in this thread. However North Eastern Bus Services had a few services operating around the Gateshead area including one - the 92 - which served Winlatter Gardens etc. They had Nationals and Coaches which were in a green and cream livery.
![[Image: 6043227830_4508a84e57_m.jpg]](https://c1.staticflickr.com/7/6070/6043227830_4508a84e57_m.jpg)
(Credit: John Law)