First Scotland East (Midland Bluebird and West Lothian operations)

[computerSaysNo]

Thats incorrect its All of FIRST SCOTLAND EAST TO include BBT

Are you doubting this is happening? As I can assure you as of mMnday 19th September the whole operation transfers to McGills

I think it would be unusual and wrong not to doubt what is/would be a major announcement, without/before an official public communication from the company itself.

 

[lastbus]

I think it would be unusual and wrong not to doubt what is/would be a major announcement, without/before an official public communication from the company itself.

It’s been announced to employees of first via their app. I’ve heard the rumour for months. It’s definitely happening.

 

[JurassicMan]

I think it would be unusual and wrong not to doubt what is/would be a major announcement, without/before an official public communication from the company itself.

All staff have been notified. I'm not sure when the official announcement will be made, although it was late afternoon today when the news broke. It will be very soon I'd imagine.

 

[Bus9120UK]

I think it would be unusual and wrong not to doubt what is/would be a major announcement, without/before an official public communication from the company itself.

The CEO of McGills has posted the confirmation on the private Mcgills enthusiast group.

 

[318266]

I do quite like the Eastern Scottish and Midland Bluebird names, they'll be nice.

 

[overthewater]

This now opens up a can of worms, if Livingston depot has been sold aswell. I just can't see Lothian and Mc'Gills keeping this statement going, I think one of them will take action. Mind you First has cut it's Bluebird operations to the bone, can Mc'Gills start to improve matters?

 

[PaulMc7]

This now opens up a can of worms, if Livingston depot has been sold aswell. I just can't see Lothian and Mc'Gills keeping this statement going, I think one of them will take action. Mind you First has cut it's Bluebird operations to the bone, can Mc'Gills start to improve matters?

If they can find a way to get drivers in it's not impossible given that there are plenty of towns that are reasonably sized in the operating area. The problem is that has seemed far harder than a lot of people thought it would be to fix.

The likes of Falkirk, Stirling etc are big enough but also incredibly car centric

 

[overthewater]

If they can find a way to get drivers in it's not impossible given that there are plenty of towns that are reasonably sized in the operating area. The problem is that has seemed far harder than a lot of people thought it would be to fix.

The likes of Falkirk, Stirling etc are big enough but also incredibly car centric

Stirling has two things going for it:

A: Stirling Uni.
B: Clackmannanshire routes.

Everything else in the Stirling depot isn't great.

 

[Jordan Adam]

Stirling has two things going for it:

A: Stirling Uni.
B: Clackmannanshire routes.

Everything else in the Stirling depot isn't great.

Midland Bluebird Ltd has lots of potential for growth, it just requires the right ideas and significant investment. Both things First more often lack than have.

 

[JurassicMan]

This now opens up a can of worms, if Livingston depot has been sold aswell. I just can't see Lothian and Mc'Gills keeping this statement going, I think one of them will take action. Mind you First has cut it's Bluebird operations to the bone, can Mc'Gills start to improve matters?

Let's be honest, First's reputation in West lothian was in tatters to the extent it was almost unsalvageable. If, and its a big if, McGills can improve reliability and punctuality and get fares correct they could succeed. They may also tread where First couldn't and put other routes in place. I'm specifically thinking about areas First have deserted post Covid. I can't see them ignoring areas such as Craigshill, East Calder Main Street, Bathgate to Broxburn etc.
As I said, interesting times ahead.

 

[PaulMc7]

I also wonder if they'll provide services to link Stirling/Falkirk to Livingston. I've always found it very odd how you need to use a lot of time and some switches to go between them especially as there are plenty of shopping and restaurant facilities.

 

[DunsBus]

I stand corrected!

The Lothian fan club are going to be unbearable!

 

[Observer]

This now opens up a can of worms, if Livingston depot has been sold aswell. I just can't see Lothian and Mc'Gills keeping this statement going, I think one of them will take action.

Which one of them has already failed at expansion a few times before? One of them will have to give way.

 

[318266]

The Lothian fan club are going to be unbearable!

I'm close to some Edinburgh folk and they have.. mixed... opinions to say the least.

 

[JurassicMan]

I'm close to some Edinburgh folk and they have.. mixed... opinions to say the least.

Wonder how Edinburgh City Council will feel having 3 routes operated by McGills or maybe they wont care so long as they're being operated?

 

[alphabravo43]

From all of this though, it's nice to see from McGill's a nod to heritage with the Midland Bluebird and Eastern Scottish names reappearing.

 

[tbtc]

Feels like the perfect time for peace to break out and some rationalisation to happen (coincidently, of course, not allowed to do anything official!), e.g. if Lothian came off the A8 corridor (X18) and McGills came off the A71 corridor (X22), that may make each operator more viable

That said, (whilst making cuts elsewhere in the city) McGills did increase the frequency of the western side of the 17 which “coincidently” competes with the Stagecoach 73 along the Perth Road/Blackness Avenue when they took over in Dundee, they don’t seem to have reached any compromises on the other corridors where both operators run… looks suicidal to take over in West Lothian and maintain the “war” mind!

The Scottish map gets another change. National Express and Arriva have already sold out to McGills, First’s Aberdeen operations are all that’s left of what was once a big chunk of the east coast of the country (Midland, Eastern, Lowland). Stagecoach are the only big company who’ve not flogged off at least part of their Scottish operations!

 

[Mickcloud9]

All I will say is, mind that time McGill bought over everything in Monklands. That’s going well

 

[ScotRail158725]

I can definitely say this is interesting. McGills have a lot of work to do if they’re to make this work. Complete network revamps are in order and the competition in West Lothian will definitely be one to look out for

 

[Observer]

I can definitely say this is interesting. McGills have a lot of work to do if they’re to make this work. Complete network revamps are in order and the competition in West Lothian will definitely be one to look out for

Not just that, they are going to need to invest in newer buses. I thought First had bought E200s for the area months ago but things went rather quiet.

Wonder if First are going to claw back the E400MMCs for better use elsewhere rather than include them in the sale.

Hopefully it puts an end to the likes of StreetLites on unsuitable routes at some point. Citaros for the 38 maybe?

They don't need to worry about the competition in the Midland Bluebird areas anyway. It's barely a thing.

 

[Mickcloud9]

Good chance they will cut their losses in West Lothian and close Livingston. I seem to recall hearing of a conversation between McGill and Lothian few years back about how serious the latter were about the operations out in West Lothian…

 

[CN04NRJ]

Feels like the perfect time for peace to break out and some rationalisation to happen (coincidently, of course, not allowed to do anything official!), e.g. if Lothian came off the A8 corridor (X18)

Doubtful as that's a very busy service. Of course who knows what the future holds now... interesting times ahead.

 

[computerSaysNo]

Good chance they will cut their losses in West Lothian and close Livingston. I seem to recall hearing of a conversation between McGill and Lothian few years back about how serious the latter were about the operations out in West Lothian…

The announcement says there will be no job losses though so they'd have to move all their staff over to Falkirk/Stirling.
That would presumably solve the staffing issues there but that's assuming all staff currently at Livingston actually want to move.

 

[stevenedin]

Hopefully they create a new blue livery for Midland and a green livery for West Lothian.

 

[JumpinTrainz]

Not just that, they are going to need to invest in newer buses. I thought First had bought E200s for the area months ago but things went rather quiet.

Wonder if First are going to claw back the E400MMCs for better use elsewhere rather than include them in the sale.

Hopefully it puts an end to the likes of StreetLites on unsuitable routes at some point. Citaros for the 38 maybe?

They don't need to worry about the competition in the Midland Bluebird areas anyway. It's barely a thing.

Glasgow could just get their E400MMCs back and the remaining 66 plate E400MMCs.

The Streetlites could be cascaded to oust the remaining B7RLEs and Solars around the First empire. Some may stay and be refurbished for McGills. The 09 plates could see use elsewhere and the 57 plates are ageing anyway so could see their days out until McGills get themselves sorted.

Buses went to FSE to die anyway. They were horribly kept.

 

[VolvoDaft]

Good chance they will cut their losses in West Lothian and close Livingston. I seem to recall hearing of a conversation between McGill and Lothian few years back about how serious the latter were about the operations out in West Lothian…

It would be absolutely nuts to do that. There is plenty potential in West Lothian and a great depot to run operations from. First just didn’t have the sense to run the operation properly. Hopefully now it will be run properly. Competition isn’t always bad, depending on how it’s dealt with.

 

[ScotRail158725]

Its been said that all vehicles at the company are part of the sale, however McGills have quite a few Pulsars, Eclipse 2 RLEs and E200s in store which could quite easily move do displace the old RLEs, Solars and Omnidekkas

 

[smtglasgow]

Just an idle thought....but buying Livingston with the bus war still raging seems brave. But what if McGills make an approach to Lothian? Are Lothian actually making money in West Lothian? Post-covid they might want to focus on the money-making parts of the business. Before the bus war Livingston was very profitable for First - it might be worthwhile for McGills to shell out for BOTH First and Lothian Country. Doubt it would upset the regulator given how Lothian Country are such recent entrants to the market. Just trying to understand what McGills are up to...

 

[VolvoDaft]

Just an idle thought....but buying Livingston with the bus war still raging seems brave. But what if McGills make an approach to Lothian? Are Lothian actually making money in West Lothian? Post-covid they might want to focus on the money-making parts of the business. Before the bus war Livingston was very profitable for First - it might be worthwhile for McGills to shell out for BOTH First and Lothian Country. Doubt it would upset the regulator given how Lothian Country are such recent entrants to the market. Just trying to understand what McGills are up to...

It is very brave, McGills must have a plan & I very much believe they will have been involved in the operations and overseeing how it’s run and where they can improve at Livingston, when they take over on the 19th your suggestion could be correct as let’s be honest first still have the majority of the routes and are the bigger operator in west Lothain, but this does all seem very strange.

 

[Stan Drews]

McGill’s Buses takes over First Scotland East in latest stage of expansion across country

First Bus’ operations in the Central Belt are to be taken over by McGill’s Buses in a further expansion by the Greenock-based firm as Scotland's formerly biggest operator shrinks again, The Scotsman has learned.

www.scotsman.com

First Bus’ operations in the Central Belt are to be taken over by McGill’s Buses in a further expansion by the Greenock-based firm as Scotland's formerly biggest operator shrinks again, The Scotsman has learned.​

McGill’s is understood to have acquired First ScotlandEast, which operates in the Stirling, Falkirk and West Lothian areas.
The firm said they would be renamed as McGill’s Midland Bluebird and McGill’s Eastern Scottish, but collectively operate as McGill’s Scotland East.
McGill’s is believed to be taking over First’s depots in Livingston, Larbert, Bannockburn and Balfron.
The deal also includes Bright Bus Tours in Edinburgh, which First launched in 2019 to rival Lothian’s bus tours of the capital.
First is now reduced to operating in Aberdeen and Glasgow, where it remains the largest operator.

It sold its Borders operations to West Coast Motors’ offshoot Borders Buses in 2017, while its East Lothian services were saved by Lothian in 2016 after it threatened to close them down.
McGill’s, which operates in Inverclyde, Glasgow and Renfrewshire, took over Xplore Dundee, the city’s main operator, in 2020.
In an announcement to staff on Tuesday, First Bus Scotland managing director Duncan Cameron said: “First Bus has announced its intention to sell First Scotland East (FSE) to another Scottish operator, McGill’s.

"Under what is known as a share purchase agreement, all depots, routes and vehicles, including Bright Bus Tours, owned by FSE will transfer to McGill’s.
"All colleagues working for FSE will move to work for McGill’s and we expect this to be effective from September 19.

"There are no redundancies or job losses and this does not impact our Aberdeen or Glasgow colleagues or operations.”