Alexander-bodied Leyland Atlantean 561 (MVK561R) seen at High Barnes, Sunderland, one day during May 1981. The mid-1970s Hillman Hunter Estate car on the left adds to the period charm of this shot.

Willowbrook-bodied Atlantean 581 (RCU581S) was heading for Sunderland town centre when seen in Chester Road circa April 1982.

In this August 1982 view, an unidentified Atlantean/Alexander of the MVK-R registered batch is seen in Chester Road, Sunderland, about to turn left into Cleveland Road on the 114 service. Note the poor condition of the road surface – due to the recently-laid tarmac melting during a spell of particularly hot weather!

For many years most buses throughout north east England carried the legend ‘Shop At Binns’ on their front or rear ends. In this August 1982 shot, these Alexander and Metro-Cammell-bodied Fleetlines are seen outside the famous department store in Sunderland’s Fawcett Street.

The last new buses purchased by the PTE before deregulation were a batch of 65 Alexander-bodied Leyland Olympians, and 665 (C665LFT) is seen at High Barnes, Sunderland, one evening during August 1986.

On 23rd July 1983 the PTE’s South Shields division celebrated 100 years of public transport in the town by holding an open day at their Dean Road depot. Two of the buses on display included open top Metro-Cammell-bodied Atlantean 1218 (KBB118D) and preserved Alexander-bodied Atlantean 221JVK, which had been withdrawn by the PTE during 1977.

Alexander-bodied Atlantean 276 (SCN276S) shows off its engine at the Dean Road depot open day on 23rd July 1983.

The PTE retained several older buses for preservation. Sunderland Corporation Strachan-bodied Leyland Panther 53 (FBR53D) - still carrying PTE fleet number 1853 at this time - is seen at the North East Bus Museum’s open day and vintage vehicle rally on August 25th 1986, in the company of Marshall-bodied Atkinson Alpha 48 (WBR248).

Rear view of preserved Atkinson Alpha WBR248 and Leyland Panther FBR53D at the N.E. Bus Museum’s open day rally in August 1986. On the right is Metro-Cammell-bodied Leyland Fleetline 400 (VCU400T), which was one of the first buses to be painted in the new Busways livery due to take over from the PTE during October 1986.

A more recent shot of Panther FBR53D, now carrying it's original style Sunderland Corporation livery featuring a greater use of cream as worn when new in 1966

Interior view of preserved Leyland Panther FBR53D. This was one of 33 Leyland Panthers and 3 Daimler Roadliners purchased by Sunderland Corporation in 1966 to launch a flat fare and token scheme and the token machine can be seen on the right. An example of a Sunderland Corporation Transport token can be seen in my ‘Bus Tickets & Other Memorabilia’ collection.

Preserved former South Shields Corporation Bristol RESL ECU201E seen at the NE Bus Preservation Society's Seaburn rally in 1998.

Preserved Alexander-bodied Leyland Atlantean PDR2/1 680 (GBB516K) at the 2005 MetroCentre rally.

After withdrawal from service during 1998, Alexander-bodied Atlantean 290 (UVK290T) passed into preservation and was repainted in its original Tyne and Wear PTE livery as worn when new in 1978. It is seen at the North East Bus Preservation Trust's annual Seaburn rally on the 28th August 2000.

Preserved Alexander-bodied Scania BR112DH, 413 (JFT413X), seen at the 2008 Seaburn bus rally

Rear view of Scania BR112DH/Alexander, 413 (JFT413X), at the 2008 Seaburn bus rally