Park’s of Hamilton (Coach Hirers) Limited Volvo B11R(T)/Cateano Levante
The buses of Scotland - Park’s of Hamilton (Coach Hirers) Limited
Park's Motor Group is a private family-owned business which is one of the largest privately owned motor dealership groups in Scotland, representing 26 manufacturers. They are also partners in the Motability scheme, offering cars to disabled road users. In addition to motor vehicle retailing, the company has a luxury coach hire service under the name Park's of Hamilton, and operates scheduled services in Scotland and England.
Douglas Park founded the business in 1971 as Park’s Thistle Coaches, initially as a small, three-coach operation. In 1977, the company diversified into the motor trade with their first Datsun franchise in Hamilton, before adding a second a year later in Strathaven. From this point on, the business began to grow in the motor trade and by 1986 were appointed agents for Honda and BMW. In 1992, Park's Motor Group opened the UK's first multi-franchise complex in East Kilbride which featured Citroën, Fiat, Honda, Kia, Nissan, Renault and Suzuki. Since then through acquisitions and good reputations, it has added dealerships for most car companies including high end companies such as Bentley and McLaren.
Park's of Hamilton are Scotland's leading luxury coach operators with in excess of 120 coaches, which caters for both business and leisure travel throughout Britain and Europe. it’s a reputation that they’ve gained from their earliest days focusing on high quality and rapidly replacing vehicles after a few years meaning a very low average age.
Initially Bedford coaches were preferred but from the mid-1970s, Volvo coaches were purchased and these became increasingly preferred almost to the exclusion of others. Park’s became one of Volvo Bus’s most important customers and indeed a Volvo service centre for buses and trucks was opened near to Park’s depot, which is located not in Hamilton but actually in Blantyre.,That’s not to say we’re not to say other types were not used and many manufacturers have offered demonstration vehicles to try and tempt Park’s away from Volvo including Scania. MAN and IVECO.
Initially Duple body work was specified but Park’s wasn’t immune to high profile purchase. It was one of the few UK-users of Volvo’s integral C10M coach launched in the 1980s although after the demise of Duple, it moved to Plaxton bodywork. However quality issues with new Plaxton Premiere and Excalibur ranges saw overseas bodywork preferred, from either Van Hool and Jonckheere. Plaxton bodywork came back in to the frame with the launch of the Plaxton Panther and Paragon ranges.
Initially an all black livery was used with white lettering and initially Park’s Thistle Coaches fleet name although it later changed to the more recognised Park’s of Hamilton fleet name. Black was apparently selected as no other company used an overall such coloured livery and the coaches would stand out. Then with the arrivals of the C10M the livery changed from allover black to a red/grey livery. The amounts of red and grey were then tinkered with over the next few years. The fleet name then changed in the 1990s to ‘Park’s Motor Group - Scotland’s Driving Force’ although a black /gold livery returned in at the start of the millennium and Park’s of Hamilton fleetname came back soon after that.
In 1996 Park's of Hamilton expanded with the acquisition of Trathens Travel Services, based in Plymouth. In late 2009, the Trathens branding was dropped in favour of the Park's of Hamilton branding. The company provides VIP coaches for most Central Scotland based Scottish Premiership football teams, including Celtic, Rangers and the Scottish National Football Team. The continued provision of coaches to Celtic FC is seen as controversial by some of that clubs fans as Douglas Park is also chairman of arch rivals Rangers FC. Tour buses have also been supplied to holiday companies.
Although primarily a coach operator, service bus work has been run although it could be best described as ‘dipping a toe into the water’….for a short while in 1994 it ran an East Kilbride-Glasgow City Centre express service, with its Van Hool bodied Volvo B10Ms probably offering a higher standard than the competing Atlanteans and Olympians of competing Strathclyde’s Buses services. The services were withdrawn after a few weeks. It also assisted Stagecoach when it launched Stagecoach Glasgow in 1997 by running some local services, again in East Kilbride, using Stagecoach branded minibuses but utilising Park’s drivers. Again these were unsuccessful. Commuter services have also been run in the past but the pandemic and home working has blasted the economics of such services and they’ll be unlikely to return. Some schools services have also been run.
Park's of Hamilton have also operated express coach services under contract to National Express from London Victoria Coach Station to Plymouth, Newquay, Penzance, Manchester, Blackpool and Aberdeen.
It also operates services on behalf of Megabus and Scottish Citylink and is a significant contractor for Citylink. Following the joint venture between Stagecoach and Comfort Delgo to run Scottish Citylink, the Competition Authorities demanded that the joint venture divest certain journeys to increase competition. In 2008 Parks purchased these Glasgow to Aberdeen and Edinburgh to Inverness services of Scottish Citylink. They run using Park’s branded buses but in Citylink colours, Citylink route-numbers, are bookable through the Citylink website and ticket agents. You have to ask whether it was worth all the effort by the Competition Authorities.
It also run for a while Citylink Gold. This was a laudable attempt to improve the image of coach travel offering a hostess service, complementary beverages and food, wi-fi and improved seating. The services were initially run by Park’s on behalf of Scottish Citylink but proved very successful. They ran initially between Glasgow - Inverness/Aberdeen but were so successful they were expanded and extra journeys added using Stagecoach vehicles (branded Megabus Gold) and services started from Edinburgh. However the pandemic saw these off.
Park’s set the standard of luxury coaching in Scotland and many operators aspire to the standards they set. It has a modern fleet which is constantly renewed and kept immaculate. It’s fleet consists mainly of Volvo buses, mostly Plaxton and Jonckheere bodies. However this odd example is LSK870, which was new for National Express duties as BV67JYZ. It’s time on National Express over, it’s been repainted into Citylink livery for use on those services. Note the Parks of Hamilton logo on the upper front windows.
Park’s of Hamilton (Coach Hirers) Limited Volvo B11R(T)/Cateano Levante
The buses of Scotland - Park’s of Hamilton (Coach Hirers) Limited
Park's Motor Group is a private family-owned business which is one of the largest privately owned motor dealership groups in Scotland, representing 26 manufacturers. They are also partners in the Motability scheme, offering cars to disabled road users. In addition to motor vehicle retailing, the company has a luxury coach hire service under the name Park's of Hamilton, and operates scheduled services in Scotland and England.
Douglas Park founded the business in 1971 as Park’s Thistle Coaches, initially as a small, three-coach operation. In 1977, the company diversified into the motor trade with their first Datsun franchise in Hamilton, before adding a second a year later in Strathaven. From this point on, the business began to grow in the motor trade and by 1986 were appointed agents for Honda and BMW. In 1992, Park's Motor Group opened the UK's first multi-franchise complex in East Kilbride which featured Citroën, Fiat, Honda, Kia, Nissan, Renault and Suzuki. Since then through acquisitions and good reputations, it has added dealerships for most car companies including high end companies such as Bentley and McLaren.
Park's of Hamilton are Scotland's leading luxury coach operators with in excess of 120 coaches, which caters for both business and leisure travel throughout Britain and Europe. it’s a reputation that they’ve gained from their earliest days focusing on high quality and rapidly replacing vehicles after a few years meaning a very low average age.
Initially Bedford coaches were preferred but from the mid-1970s, Volvo coaches were purchased and these became increasingly preferred almost to the exclusion of others. Park’s became one of Volvo Bus’s most important customers and indeed a Volvo service centre for buses and trucks was opened near to Park’s depot, which is located not in Hamilton but actually in Blantyre.,That’s not to say we’re not to say other types were not used and many manufacturers have offered demonstration vehicles to try and tempt Park’s away from Volvo including Scania. MAN and IVECO.
Initially Duple body work was specified but Park’s wasn’t immune to high profile purchase. It was one of the few UK-users of Volvo’s integral C10M coach launched in the 1980s although after the demise of Duple, it moved to Plaxton bodywork. However quality issues with new Plaxton Premiere and Excalibur ranges saw overseas bodywork preferred, from either Van Hool and Jonckheere. Plaxton bodywork came back in to the frame with the launch of the Plaxton Panther and Paragon ranges.
Initially an all black livery was used with white lettering and initially Park’s Thistle Coaches fleet name although it later changed to the more recognised Park’s of Hamilton fleet name. Black was apparently selected as no other company used an overall such coloured livery and the coaches would stand out. Then with the arrivals of the C10M the livery changed from allover black to a red/grey livery. The amounts of red and grey were then tinkered with over the next few years. The fleet name then changed in the 1990s to ‘Park’s Motor Group - Scotland’s Driving Force’ although a black /gold livery returned in at the start of the millennium and Park’s of Hamilton fleetname came back soon after that.
In 1996 Park's of Hamilton expanded with the acquisition of Trathens Travel Services, based in Plymouth. In late 2009, the Trathens branding was dropped in favour of the Park's of Hamilton branding. The company provides VIP coaches for most Central Scotland based Scottish Premiership football teams, including Celtic, Rangers and the Scottish National Football Team. The continued provision of coaches to Celtic FC is seen as controversial by some of that clubs fans as Douglas Park is also chairman of arch rivals Rangers FC. Tour buses have also been supplied to holiday companies.
Although primarily a coach operator, service bus work has been run although it could be best described as ‘dipping a toe into the water’….for a short while in 1994 it ran an East Kilbride-Glasgow City Centre express service, with its Van Hool bodied Volvo B10Ms probably offering a higher standard than the competing Atlanteans and Olympians of competing Strathclyde’s Buses services. The services were withdrawn after a few weeks. It also assisted Stagecoach when it launched Stagecoach Glasgow in 1997 by running some local services, again in East Kilbride, using Stagecoach branded minibuses but utilising Park’s drivers. Again these were unsuccessful. Commuter services have also been run in the past but the pandemic and home working has blasted the economics of such services and they’ll be unlikely to return. Some schools services have also been run.
Park's of Hamilton have also operated express coach services under contract to National Express from London Victoria Coach Station to Plymouth, Newquay, Penzance, Manchester, Blackpool and Aberdeen.
It also operates services on behalf of Megabus and Scottish Citylink and is a significant contractor for Citylink. Following the joint venture between Stagecoach and Comfort Delgo to run Scottish Citylink, the Competition Authorities demanded that the joint venture divest certain journeys to increase competition. In 2008 Parks purchased these Glasgow to Aberdeen and Edinburgh to Inverness services of Scottish Citylink. They run using Park’s branded buses but in Citylink colours, Citylink route-numbers, are bookable through the Citylink website and ticket agents. You have to ask whether it was worth all the effort by the Competition Authorities.
It also run for a while Citylink Gold. This was a laudable attempt to improve the image of coach travel offering a hostess service, complementary beverages and food, wi-fi and improved seating. The services were initially run by Park’s on behalf of Scottish Citylink but proved very successful. They ran initially between Glasgow - Inverness/Aberdeen but were so successful they were expanded and extra journeys added using Stagecoach vehicles (branded Megabus Gold) and services started from Edinburgh. However the pandemic saw these off.
Park’s set the standard of luxury coaching in Scotland and many operators aspire to the standards they set. It has a modern fleet which is constantly renewed and kept immaculate. It’s fleet consists mainly of Volvo buses, mostly Plaxton and Jonckheere bodies. However this odd example is LSK870, which was new for National Express duties as BV67JYZ. It’s time on National Express over, it’s been repainted into Citylink livery for use on those services. Note the Parks of Hamilton logo on the upper front windows.