McGill’s Midland Bluebird

[Stan Drews]

A few more recent disposals of former First stock has seen Bright Bus open top Tridents 9906/7/8 go to Clyde Metals for scrap.

 

[alan25]

They are having a third birthday open day at Larbert depot on 20 September 2025 11.00 am to 4.00 pm.

That’s going to be interesting!

 

[Stan Drews]

That’s going to be interesting!

Should be. I’d imagine it will follow a fairly similar pattern to the previous open days across the Group since Covid.

 

[Baileygirl]

Bustimes us confusing me. They have put all the Big Bus Tours under Midland Bluebird, but they are not tracking. Why can't the put all the Livingston operations under one heading? Hopefully when the new Yutongs arive at Larbert they will be able to transfer some buses to Livingston to stop them needing to get loans from Larbert.

 

[markymark2000]

Bustimes us confusing me. They have put all the Big Bus Tours under Midland Bluebird, but they are not tracking. Why can't the put all the Livingston operations under one heading?

There were changes to the National Operator Code database which has created a few difficulties while it's all sorted (I presume Stan Drews emails got through to them). Bright Bus Tours, 13, 60 and X39 are tracking, only on the main map though.

 

[Stan Drews]

Bustimes us confusing me. They have put all the Big Bus Tours under Midland Bluebird, but they are not tracking. Why can't the put all the Livingston operations under one heading? Hopefully when the new Yutongs arive at Larbert they will be able to transfer some buses to Livingston to stop them needing to get loans from Larbert.

It would certainly be more sensible to have the Livi operations under the one heading, but I think they quite enjoy the added complications they throw into the mix. They also insist on transferring any loans (which happen fairly frequently) even if they are only there for a day or two, which can make it hard to keep track of things sometimes.
As long as you dont treat it as gospel, it can still be a useful tool. If you’re trying to find a specific bus, the fleet list on the Midland Bluebird website is probably easier to navigate as the whole active fleet is in one list.

 

[CSB0241]

They are having a third birthday open day at Larbert depot on 20 September 2025 11.00 am to 4.00 pm.

I’ll probably go along to that for a couple hours then, is there much info on what’s going to actually be there?

Edit; forgot to add, is their going to be a shuttle service to the depot or are people more or less just expected to hop on the 38 for the brief ride up from the town centre?

 

[Observer]

5091 is working the 38 today, obviously testing things as they are in the pipeline to receive the Yutongs once all of them have arrived.

 

[Stan Drews]

5091 is working the 38 today, obviously testing things as they are in the pipeline to receive the Yutongs once all of them have arrived.

They’ve been testing the next stop announcements on the other routes that will be benefiting from the new investment. One has also been noted on the 2 this week.

 

[Bus9120UK]

They are now teasing the upcoming frequency increase and allocation change on social media. https://x.com/MidBluebird/status/1958870969830744108

Change is coming to the 38! From 15th September, something electrifyingly good is rolling in, along with a new enhanced timetable with buses every 15 minutes, Monday–Saturday Stay tuned...

 

[computerSaysNo]

Apologies if mentioned elsewhere; how much of the funding for the new buses is coming from McGill's themselves (or sources other than the government)?

 

[overthewater]

Is it just route No2 and No38 that are changing on 15th September or is there any other changing coming?

 

[Baileygirl]

They are now teasing the upcoming frequency increase and allocation change on social media. https://x.com/MidBluebird/status/1958870969830744108

What are they doing with the displaced deckers from the 38? Are they going to Brightbus for the airport services?

 

[FlybeDash8Q400]

What are they doing with the displaced deckers from the 38? Are they going to Brightbus for the airport services?

Seem a tad old for me. It would be better if they went up to Dundee and some of the MMC’s up there went to Bright Bus for the AIRX. Though there’s a reasonable argument to keep the E400’s where they are for schools.

 

[Stan Drews]

Apologies if mentioned elsewhere; how much of the funding for the new buses is coming from McGill's themselves (or sources other than the government)?

The following is taken from the official guidance document.

https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/ScotZEB-2-Guidance-Final.pdf

41. The Scottish Government is not committed to awarding the full budget available and will only award funds to bids that meet the criteria. The subsidy provided per-bus will be no more than the Value Thresholds.
Value Thresholds
• £50,000 for a diesel bus or coach to be repowered with a zero-emission drive train.
• £60,000 for a zero-emission bus or coach capable of carrying 9 or more passengers, including at least one wheelchair accessible space
• £105,000 for an accessible zero emission bus or coach with a total capacity for 32 or more passengers. (The McGill's Yutong E12s would fall in this category)
• £135,000 for an accessible battery-electric zero emission bus or coach with at least 45 seats
• £135,000 for zero emission bus or coach with a total capacity for 60 or more passengers
• For infrastructure subsidy will be no more than 70% of the total capital costs for electric charging, or hydrogen refuelling infrastructure.

Therefore, the vast majority of the expenditure still comes from the operators themselves. In essence, the general idea of these schemes (both in Scotland and elsewhere in the UK) is that the funding provides a proportion of the ADDITIONAL cost of purchasing a zero emission bus, compared with an equivalent diesel bus.

 

[Dfatcontroller]

Seem a tad old for me. It would be better if they went up to Dundee and some of the MMC’s up there went to Bright Bus for the AIRX. Though there’s a reasonable argument to keep the E400’s where they are for schools.

Bus Operator*	Award offered	Number of buses**	Final amount claimed***	Buses purchased
Bluebird Buses Ltd	£3,066,547	13	£3,066,547	13
Craig of Cambeltown Ltd	£2,409,294	10	£2,409,294	10
Dumfries and Galloway Council	£633,934	4	£523,739	4
Ember Core Ltd	£5,562,126	26	£5,562,126	26
Fife Scottish Omnibuses	£7,329,923	32	£6,809,264	32
First Aberdeen Ltd & First Glasgow No1 Ltd	£18,599,858	74	£18,597,293	74
Highland Country Buses Ltd	£5,834,978	25	£5,708,424	25
Houston Coaches	£368,413	4	£360,246	4
McGills Bus Service Ltd	£9,086,933	41	£8,664,557	41
Shuttle Buses Ltd	£485,955	5	£523,740	4
Stirling Council	£595,404	3	£0	0
Western Buses Ltd	£8,029,890	39	£8,029,890	39

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 22 Aug 2025 ==

The following is taken from the official guidance document.

https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/ScotZEB-2-Guidance-Final.pdf

41. The Scottish Government is not committed to awarding the full budget available and will only award funds to bids that meet the criteria. The subsidy provided per-bus will be no more than the Value Thresholds.
Value Thresholds
• £50,000 for a diesel bus or coach to be repowered with a zero-emission drive train.
• £60,000 for a zero-emission bus or coach capable of carrying 9 or more passengers, including at least one wheelchair accessible space
• £105,000 for an accessible zero emission bus or coach with a total capacity for 32 or more passengers. (The McGill's Yutong E12s would fall in this category)
• £135,000 for an accessible battery-electric zero emission bus or coach with at least 45 seats
• £135,000 for zero emission bus or coach with a total capacity for 60 or more passengers
• For infrastructure subsidy will be no more than 70% of the total capital costs for electric charging, or hydrogen refuelling infrastructure.

Therefore, the vast majority of the expenditure still comes from the operators themselves. In essence, the general idea of these schemes (both in Scotland and elsewhere in the UK) is that the funding provides a proportion of the ADDITIONAL cost of purchasing a zero emission bus, compared with an equivalent diesel bus.

Seem a tad old for me. It would be better if they went up to Dundee and some of the MMC’s up there went to Bright Bus for the AIRX. Though there’s a reasonable argument to keep the E400’s where they are for schools.

Bus Operator*	Award offered	Number of buses**	Final amount claimed***	Buses purchased
Bluebird Buses Ltd	£3,066,547	13	£3,066,547	13
Craig of Cambeltown Ltd	£2,409,294	10	£2,409,294	10
Dumfries and Galloway Council	£633,934	4	£523,739	4
Ember Core Ltd	£5,562,126	26	£5,562,126	26
Fife Scottish Omnibuses	£7,329,923	32	£6,809,264	32
First Aberdeen Ltd & First Glasgow No1 Ltd	£18,599,858	74	£18,597,293	74
Highland Country Buses Ltd	£5,834,978	25	£5,708,424	25
Houston Coaches	£368,413	4	£360,246	4
McGills Bus Service Ltd	£9,086,933	41	£8,664,557	41
Shuttle Buses Ltd	£485,955	5	£523,740	4
Stirling Council	£595,404	3	£0	0
Western Buses Ltd	£8,029,890	39	£8,029,890	39

 

[Stan Drews]

I think the table quoted relates to an earlier round of funding, rather than the current one.

The fund also pays a proportion of the infrastructure costs at the depots etc, which can also be substantial and will be included in any subsidy figures quoted.

I’d estimate the cost to McGill’s of the 30 new buses is probably somewhere between £6m to £7m.

 

[Observer]

Seem a tad old for me. It would be better if they went up to Dundee and some of the MMC’s up there went to Bright Bus for the AIRX. Though there’s a reasonable argument to keep the E400’s where they are for schools.

Those E400s only have around 62 seats I believe and therefore would not be very useful for schools when the usual decker work demands 70 to 75 I believe.

EDIT: Was able to check a few days later and the E400s have 72 seats. Either way, will see what will happen with them.

I can be proven wrong though as but I am sure that is around the mark for the seating capacity. As they are Euro 6 they would be fine for Bright Bus, if not Dundee.

I think the table quoted relates to an earlier round of funding, rather than the current one.

Interesting in any case that Stirling Council didn't go ahead with the electric bus purchases after all, did wonder what had happened there as I believe they had been intended for the Park and Ride services.

 

[Stan Drews]

Is it just route No2 and No38 that are changing on 15th September or is there any other changing coming?

The change to the 2 that they’ve been consulting on isn’t due to take place until the end of October. There’s a minor change to the timing points and some intermediate times on the 1 from 15th September along with the improved frequency on the 38.

Further west the X10/X10A timetable amendments that were also consulted on this summer will take place from 15th Sep too.

 

[danielhogg2005]

Further west the X10/X10A timetable amendments that were also consulted on this summer will take place from 15th Sep too.

I could not find anything on this, what will the changes be to these services?

 

[overthewater]

Thank you for that. I dare say a new Falkirk Booklet wont come out until late October then to cover the new 72 and changes to the 1 etc

 

[Stan Drews]

I could not find anything on this, what will the changes be to these services?

Just some more time added into most journeys to help with punctuality and consequential adjustments to departure times from Stirling and Glasgow.

 

[alan25]

I’ll probably go along to that for a couple hours then, is there much info on what’s going to actually be there?

Edit; forgot to add, is their going to be a shuttle service to the depot or are people more or less just expected to hop on the 38 for the brief ride up from the town centre?

We going to see a Central Scotland buses video? :>

 

[318266]

We going to see a Central Scotland buses video? :>

Yes, they will be in attendance.

 

[CSB0241]

We going to see a Central Scotland buses video? :>

Perchance…

Yes, they will be in attendance.

Hold your horses, I’ve still not got confirmation on whether or not I’m free yet.

 

[alan25]

The suspenseful wait……

 

[ScotsRail]

I could not find anything on this, what will the changes be to these services?

Amended 10 and 38 timetables now available on the website.

 

[overthewater]

Amended 10 and 38 timetables now available on the website.

Network changes - Midland Bluebird

www.mcgillsscotlandeast.co.uk

* F16: The 1335 journey from Stirling (1436 from Falkirk, Newmarket Street), will operate a revised route at Westquarter, and will not serve Westquarter primary school.
* X10/10A: A revised timetable will be introduced on the X10 and X10A to better match our journey times with the prevailing traffic conditions and improve our punctuality. Departure times will be adjusted from both Stirling and Glasgow bus stations as well as at intermediate points throughout the routes.
* 38: Improved to every 15mins with new electric buses as stated before:

 

[CSB0241]

Edit; forgot to add, is their going to be a shuttle service to the depot or are people more or less just expected to hop on the 38 for the brief ride up from the town centre?

Well that answers my question.

 

[Baileygirl]

Why are the tour buses not tracking on bustimes in Edinburgh?