Central Scottish Volvo Ailsa B55/Alexander AV-type
The buses of Scotland - The Scottish Bus Group (SBG)
Central Scottish
The Scottish Motor Traction (SMT) Company was founded in Edinburgh in 1905, and expanded rapidly. After the First World War, this expansion included the acquisition of bus companies operating in other parts of Scotland. In 1928 SMT was purchased by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) and the London and North Eastern Railway, and became the parent company for railway-owned bus operations in Scotland. Central SMT was a product of this series of acquisitions and mergers.
In 1926 the Glasgow General Omnibus and Motor Services Ltd. was formed. This company, which traded as the 'Glasgow Omnibus Company' (GOC) developed a network of bus services radiating out from Glasgow into Lanarkshire, as well as an isolated group of services along the north bank of the River Clyde to western Dunbartonshire. In 1930, GOC was purchased by the LMS Railway. In the same year, the LMS. also purchased two further major Lanarkshire bus firms, Stewart and McDonald Ltd. of Carluke, and J. W. & R. Torrance Ltd., of Hamilton. Several smaller firms were subsequently purchased and absorbed by these companies.
In 1932, control of the LMS Railway's bus interests in Scotland was vested in the SMT Group. The three Lanarkshire firms were merged into one new company, named the Central S.M.T. Company Ltd. At the same time, the SMT Group purchased the Lanarkshire Traction Company Ltd., of Motherwell. Lanarkshire Traction, which had originally been a tramway operator, became a subsidiary of Central SMT. The head office of both companies was the former Lanarkshire Traction premises at Traction House, Motherwell. Throughout the 1930s, Central purchased and absorbed numerous smaller companies, notable amongst which were Baillie Brothers Ltd. of Dumbarton and Clydebank Motors Ltd. of Clydebank. These two firms were acquired in 1936, which strengthened the company's position in western Dunbartonshire.
Nationalisation of the railways in 1948 made the state the major shareholder in the SMT group of companies, and the group was itself fully nationalised in 1949. At that time, some of the group's smaller subsidiaries were wound up, including Lanarkshire Traction, which was fully absorbed by Central SMT. By this time, Central was firmly established as the dominant bus operator in Lanarkshire and western Dunbartonshire. This dominant position was furthered by the takeover of John Laurie and Company of Hamilton in 1961. During this period, Central was consistently the most profitable company in the Scottish Bus Group. Indeed such was Central’s profits it made more money than the rest of the group combined and meant that when SBG ordered new buses, it could pay for them up front in cash. From the late 1970s, the trading name of the company became 'Central Scottish'. Although the 1970’s saw a decline in heavy industries of Central’s industrialised base of Lanarkshire, this decline was offset by the phenomenal growth in the new town of East Kilbride, which more than offset any losses. Central continued to be the Group’s most profitable company,
In preparation for deregulation of the British bus industry in 1986, and the eventual break up and privatisation of the group, the Scottish Bus Group restructured its subsidiary companies in 1985. As part of this, Central SMT was renamed Central Scottish Omnibuses Ltd. The Dunbartonshire and north Glasgow operations became part of a new company, Kelvin Scottish Omnibuses Ltd., but Central gained the former Eastern Scottish operations in the Monklands area of Lanarkshire. This left the company focusing on all of Lanarkshire and services into Glasgow.
On deregulation Central, together with fellow SBG subsidiaries Clydeside Scottish and Kelvin Scottish, launched a revised network of services within the city of Glasgow in direct competition with the city operator, Strathclyde Buses. A high profile, high frequency cross city service, together with a number of minibus services were started, though Strathclyde Buses retaliated by extending their own network deep into Lanarkshire. Whereas Strathclyde Buses services into East Kilbride and beyond proved popular at Central's expense, Central's city services failed to gain popularity and often ran empty. This soon converted Central’s healthy profits into a loss, although no where near as bad a loss as say Kelvin was experiencing to begin with.
In the face of growing competition, it was announced that Central Scottish would be merged with Kelvin Scottish in an attempt to make the larger company more attractive to potential buyers. However, the planned merger was deeply unpopular with Central's staff, as flexible rostering agreements, fully in place with Kelvin, had not yet been implemented at Central. This resulted in a disastrous strike in early 1989, and the company's network was paralysed for weeks on end. While Central's buses remained in their depots, Strathclyde Buses and a number of independent operators stepped in and took over much of the company's route network. By summer 1989, the dispute had ended, and in a vain attempt to win back customers, Central embarked on a major rebranding exercise. The Central Scottish trading name and the deep red and cream livery the vehicles wore gave way to a number of new local identities. Vehicles in Airdrie received a dark blue and grey colour scheme branded as Monklands Bus. East Kilbride vehicles gained a dark green and cream livery with EK Chieftain fleetnames, leaving vehicles in the remaining depots gaining a more vibrant red and cream livery, branded as Lanarkshire Bus. The Central Scottish identity was buried with the strike action, and the company was renamed Kelvin Central Buses Ltd in preparation for the merger. However, a significant retrenchment of the company's operations followed.
In July 1989, the merger between the two companies was fully enacted, and Central Scottish ceased trading as an independent concern as the company was renamed as Kelvin Central Buses. The renamed company was later privatised by sale to its employees, who later sold the firm to Strathclyde Buses, before it in turn was purchased by Firstgroup plc. The modern successor to Central Scottish and Kelvin Central is First Glasgow (No.2) Ltd. However, many of the former Central routes have been surrendered to independent operators. The last remaining former Central garage, Airbles in Motherwell, closed in 2007. Some of the route network currently offered by First Glasgow is vaguely close to Central Scottish. But areas such as the Monklands, where at one time Central was the dominant operator, have a very limited First Glasgow presence. Even First Glasgow (No.2) is no more now, as the licences were consolidated into one licence of First Glasgow Limited.
Central Scottish Volvo Ailsa B55/Alexander AV-type
The buses of Scotland - The Scottish Bus Group (SBG)
Central Scottish
The Scottish Motor Traction (SMT) Company was founded in Edinburgh in 1905, and expanded rapidly. After the First World War, this expansion included the acquisition of bus companies operating in other parts of Scotland. In 1928 SMT was purchased by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) and the London and North Eastern Railway, and became the parent company for railway-owned bus operations in Scotland. Central SMT was a product of this series of acquisitions and mergers.
In 1926 the Glasgow General Omnibus and Motor Services Ltd. was formed. This company, which traded as the 'Glasgow Omnibus Company' (GOC) developed a network of bus services radiating out from Glasgow into Lanarkshire, as well as an isolated group of services along the north bank of the River Clyde to western Dunbartonshire. In 1930, GOC was purchased by the LMS Railway. In the same year, the LMS. also purchased two further major Lanarkshire bus firms, Stewart and McDonald Ltd. of Carluke, and J. W. & R. Torrance Ltd., of Hamilton. Several smaller firms were subsequently purchased and absorbed by these companies.
In 1932, control of the LMS Railway's bus interests in Scotland was vested in the SMT Group. The three Lanarkshire firms were merged into one new company, named the Central S.M.T. Company Ltd. At the same time, the SMT Group purchased the Lanarkshire Traction Company Ltd., of Motherwell. Lanarkshire Traction, which had originally been a tramway operator, became a subsidiary of Central SMT. The head office of both companies was the former Lanarkshire Traction premises at Traction House, Motherwell. Throughout the 1930s, Central purchased and absorbed numerous smaller companies, notable amongst which were Baillie Brothers Ltd. of Dumbarton and Clydebank Motors Ltd. of Clydebank. These two firms were acquired in 1936, which strengthened the company's position in western Dunbartonshire.
Nationalisation of the railways in 1948 made the state the major shareholder in the SMT group of companies, and the group was itself fully nationalised in 1949. At that time, some of the group's smaller subsidiaries were wound up, including Lanarkshire Traction, which was fully absorbed by Central SMT. By this time, Central was firmly established as the dominant bus operator in Lanarkshire and western Dunbartonshire. This dominant position was furthered by the takeover of John Laurie and Company of Hamilton in 1961. During this period, Central was consistently the most profitable company in the Scottish Bus Group. Indeed such was Central’s profits it made more money than the rest of the group combined and meant that when SBG ordered new buses, it could pay for them up front in cash. From the late 1970s, the trading name of the company became 'Central Scottish'. Although the 1970’s saw a decline in heavy industries of Central’s industrialised base of Lanarkshire, this decline was offset by the phenomenal growth in the new town of East Kilbride, which more than offset any losses. Central continued to be the Group’s most profitable company,
In preparation for deregulation of the British bus industry in 1986, and the eventual break up and privatisation of the group, the Scottish Bus Group restructured its subsidiary companies in 1985. As part of this, Central SMT was renamed Central Scottish Omnibuses Ltd. The Dunbartonshire and north Glasgow operations became part of a new company, Kelvin Scottish Omnibuses Ltd., but Central gained the former Eastern Scottish operations in the Monklands area of Lanarkshire. This left the company focusing on all of Lanarkshire and services into Glasgow.
On deregulation Central, together with fellow SBG subsidiaries Clydeside Scottish and Kelvin Scottish, launched a revised network of services within the city of Glasgow in direct competition with the city operator, Strathclyde Buses. A high profile, high frequency cross city service, together with a number of minibus services were started, though Strathclyde Buses retaliated by extending their own network deep into Lanarkshire. Whereas Strathclyde Buses services into East Kilbride and beyond proved popular at Central's expense, Central's city services failed to gain popularity and often ran empty. This soon converted Central’s healthy profits into a loss, although no where near as bad a loss as say Kelvin was experiencing to begin with.
In the face of growing competition, it was announced that Central Scottish would be merged with Kelvin Scottish in an attempt to make the larger company more attractive to potential buyers. However, the planned merger was deeply unpopular with Central's staff, as flexible rostering agreements, fully in place with Kelvin, had not yet been implemented at Central. This resulted in a disastrous strike in early 1989, and the company's network was paralysed for weeks on end. While Central's buses remained in their depots, Strathclyde Buses and a number of independent operators stepped in and took over much of the company's route network. By summer 1989, the dispute had ended, and in a vain attempt to win back customers, Central embarked on a major rebranding exercise. The Central Scottish trading name and the deep red and cream livery the vehicles wore gave way to a number of new local identities. Vehicles in Airdrie received a dark blue and grey colour scheme branded as Monklands Bus. East Kilbride vehicles gained a dark green and cream livery with EK Chieftain fleetnames, leaving vehicles in the remaining depots gaining a more vibrant red and cream livery, branded as Lanarkshire Bus. The Central Scottish identity was buried with the strike action, and the company was renamed Kelvin Central Buses Ltd in preparation for the merger. However, a significant retrenchment of the company's operations followed.
In July 1989, the merger between the two companies was fully enacted, and Central Scottish ceased trading as an independent concern as the company was renamed as Kelvin Central Buses. The renamed company was later privatised by sale to its employees, who later sold the firm to Strathclyde Buses, before it in turn was purchased by Firstgroup plc. The modern successor to Central Scottish and Kelvin Central is First Glasgow (No.2) Ltd. However, many of the former Central routes have been surrendered to independent operators. The last remaining former Central garage, Airbles in Motherwell, closed in 2007. Some of the route network currently offered by First Glasgow is vaguely close to Central Scottish. But areas such as the Monklands, where at one time Central was the dominant operator, have a very limited First Glasgow presence. Even First Glasgow (No.2) is no more now, as the licences were consolidated into one licence of First Glasgow Limited.