Economic 646, Central Bus Station, Sunderland, 1992
Economic was a brand name used by South Shields Busways on their Sunderland - South Shields E1 and E2 bus services.
Use of the name was a 'nod' to the former Economic Motor Services bus company of Whitburn. Economic had operated these services until 1975, when the company was acquired by Tyne and Wear PTE (TWPTE), the forebear of the Busways Group. Busways buses bearing the Economic name also wore a pseudo version of the Economic maroon/cream livery, as seen here.
646, a Alexander bodied Leyland Olympian had been new to TWPTE in early 1986, and was amongst some of the last buses purchased by the PTE. When this picture was taken in 1992, 646 had not long been painted into Economic colours, having previously been painted into South Shields Busway's attractive yellow, white and blue livery.
The bus saw its days out working for Travel A2Z of Walsall, a short-lived independent bus operation in the West Midlands circa 2006-7.
Photo - 28th April 1992.
Economic 646, Central Bus Station, Sunderland, 1992
Economic was a brand name used by South Shields Busways on their Sunderland - South Shields E1 and E2 bus services.
Use of the name was a 'nod' to the former Economic Motor Services bus company of Whitburn. Economic had operated these services until 1975, when the company was acquired by Tyne and Wear PTE (TWPTE), the forebear of the Busways Group. Busways buses bearing the Economic name also wore a pseudo version of the Economic maroon/cream livery, as seen here.
646, a Alexander bodied Leyland Olympian had been new to TWPTE in early 1986, and was amongst some of the last buses purchased by the PTE. When this picture was taken in 1992, 646 had not long been painted into Economic colours, having previously been painted into South Shields Busway's attractive yellow, white and blue livery.
The bus saw its days out working for Travel A2Z of Walsall, a short-lived independent bus operation in the West Midlands circa 2006-7.
Photo - 28th April 1992.