First had made losses on it for years when it run out of Linlithgow depot, that was further compounded when it moved to Livingston and all the complications that went with that idiotic idea .
First Midland did make losses at Linthgow
But FSE made inroads in terms of profit albeit the obscure driver payments ,
these were indeed not complicated or idiotic as the driver was rota were ringfenced,and Deans did make a signifanr profit,..
what killed the route was when UNITE/TG wanted this service to be put on the mainline rota
therefore it was not sustainable through schedule adherence to have a another service arriving into
Edinburgh Waterloo Place changing from say a 27/28 a combined 15 frequency changing into a serve 43.
it was costly and not cost productive...
oh and the customer complaints referring to Quality Street/queensferry road congestion made it a poison chalice