McGill's Buses - Renfrewshire & Inverclyde

[318266]

I'll leave that to the bustimes disciples!

Supposedly, it's quite repairable! Perhaps you should inform maintenance of this fact

 

[NorthClyde320]

A bit of a wild thought here but could either McGill's or Midland Bluebird decide to register a new Cumbernauld express service say an X35 Abronhill to Glasgow via North Carbain to compliment their existing X36/X37 services before the change of operator to the existing services happening in early April?

McGill's are always looking at ways of expanding after all.

 

[Metal Mickey]

A bit of a wild thought here but could either McGill's or Midland Bluebird decide to register a new Cumbernauld express service say an X35 Abronhill to Glasgow via North Carbain to compliment their existing X36/X37 services before the change of operator to the existing services happening in early April?

McGill's are always looking at ways of expanding after all.

I don’t think The traffic commissioner would allow that as operators are legally required to give 70 days notice before a varied, cancelled or new registration goes live.

The TC will only permit short notice applications if there’s a major diversion which enforces a route or timetable change or if an operator goes into liquidation and another operator in the area is willing to step forward and fill the void.

 

[WibbleWobble]

I don’t think The traffic commissioner would allow that as operators are legally required to give 70 days notice before a varied, cancelled or new registration goes live.

The TC will only permit short notice applications if there’s a major diversion which enforces a route or timetable change or if an operator goes into liquidation and another operator in the area is willing to step forward and fill the void.

A short notice would be acceptable because it is replacing a deregistered service. After all, an operator might not be aware of a withdrawal until after it appears in Notices and Proceedings (although they would probably get tipped off by a local authority first).

Where it may fall foul is that it might be declined if someone else gets in there first. So they either have to wait for the full notice or run it as a freebie until the full notice date.

 

[AndrewTaylor95]

A bit of a wild thought here but could either McGill's or Midland Bluebird decide to register a new Cumbernauld express service say an X35 Abronhill to Glasgow via North Carbain to compliment their existing X36/X37 services before the change of operator to the existing services happening in early April?

McGill's are always looking at ways of expanding after all.

With McGill's pricing on tickets I doubt people would be happy, First cover a bigger area meaning if they buy a Network ticket can use the X3 to the Town Centre from the City Centre should anybody ever have a reason to, also access to the morning 38Cs as well

 

[tbtc]

Obviously we don't know the ins and outs of transferring Cumberland routes from Stagecoach to First (did they solicit bids? would McGills even have been interested?) but it feels to me that the X25 would have been a better "fit" for McGills than it is for First.

I'm sure some may say that "McGills never wanted it anyway/ First overbid to keep other operators away/ it's a marginal corridor where buses are stuck on the M80 for long periods rather than picking up passengers at urban bus stops/ increasing competition from the heavily subsidised trains is only going to make it harder/ McGills have a master plan for world domination that doesn't involve Cumberland" etc)

However if you'd asked me last week which of the two operators was expanding rather than contracting, and which would benefit most from being able to integrate the X25 into their existing routes... I'd have said McGills to both

 

[Stan Drews]

With McGill's pricing on tickets I doubt people would be happy, First cover a bigger area meaning if they buy a Network ticket can use the X3 to the Town Centre from the City Centre should anybody ever have a reason to, also access to the morning 38Cs as well

The Midland Bluebird tickets actually offer the best value between Cumbernauld and Glasgow
Day tickets: First £8.30, Stagecoach £8, Midland £6.05
Weekly tickets: First £36, Stagecoach £25, Midland £23.20

The Midland Bluebird tickets also cover the McGill's Buses routes within the Greater Glasgow area, so whilst not as extensive as the First Network ticket, is considerably more than the Stagecoach 4 and X19.

 

[markymark2000]

Obviously we don't know the ins and outs of transferring Cumberland routes from Stagecoach to First (did they solicit bids? would McGills even have been interested?) but it feels to me that the X25 would have been a better "fit" for McGills than it is for First.

I think it's 6 of one, half a dozen of another. Both operators have pros and cons for taking on the route.

 

[Metal Mickey]

A short notice would be acceptable because it is replacing a deregistered service. After all, an operator might not be aware of a withdrawal until after it appears in Notices and Proceedings (although they would probably get tipped off by a local authority first).

Now that I’ve thought of it, it might not be a short notice replacement for the Stagecoach de-registration of the X25 and it’s possible that SPT informed numerous operators simultaneously as soon consultation had commenced and it was First Glasgow who answered the call first. But this is purely a guess from me.

McGill’s wouldn’t really be a good fit for reliefs as they would either have drivers travelling in from Inchinnan to Buchanan Bus Station or use vans from Larbert to Abronhill. That’s a lot of unproductive duty time. At least First have a number of duties based at different points within the city centre including the Bus Station.

 

[AndrewTaylor95]

Now that I’ve thought of it, it might not be a short notice replacement for the Stagecoach de-registration of the X25 and it’s possible that SPT informed numerous operators simultaneously as soon consultation had commenced and it was First Glasgow who answered the call first. But this is purely a guess from me.

McGill’s wouldn’t really be a good fit for reliefs as they would either have drivers travelling in from Inchinnan to Buchanan Bus Station or use vans from Larbert to Abronhill. That’s a lot of unproductive duty time. At least First have a number of duties based at different points within the city centre including the Bus Station.

First is the only practical solution to run it

 

[LT02 NVV]

Is there a reason why two 38 Branded Johnstone based Yutong E12s are working on Inchinnan Depot services today?
Also, no, it’s not a tracking error, I just seen J-5041 on the 23P, and will probably catch J-5029 on the 26 later.

J 5029 - SG71 OTR

Yutong E12

bustimes.org

J 5041 - SG71 OUD

Yutong E12

bustimes.org

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 13 Feb 2026 ==

Update: J-5027 is also out on the 26:

J 5027 - SG71 OTN

Yutong E12

bustimes.org

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 13 Feb 2026 ==

I asked the driver on J-5029 about why this is the case, and he told me that it’s because they’re "spare buses" apparently.

 

[ScotRail158725]

I asked the driver on J-5029 about why this is the case, and he told me that it’s because they’re "spare buses" apparently.

more likely the driver didnt know nor didnt care, other than 99% of normal drivers dont care about the buses and probably dont know that its another depots bus

 

[LT02 NVV]

more likely the driver didnt know nor didnt care, other than 99% of normal drivers dont care about the buses and probably dont know that its another depots bus

They did know a bit, they said it was a bit weird that a 38 bus was out on the 26.

 

[Stan Drews]

Is there a reason why two 38 Branded Johnstone based Yutong E12s are working on Inchinnan Depot services today?
Also, no, it’s not a tracking error, I just seen J-5041 on the 23P, and will probably catch J-5029 on the 26 later.

J 5029 - SG71 OTR

Yutong E12

bustimes.org

J 5041 - SG71 OUD

Yutong E12

bustimes.org

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 13 Feb 2026 ==

Update: J-5027 is also out on the 26:

J 5027 - SG71 OTN

Yutong E12

bustimes.org

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 13 Feb 2026 ==

I asked the driver on J-5029 about why this is the case, and he told me that it’s because they’re "spare buses" apparently.

They're just on loan for the day. Think there were 3 in total.

 

[ScotRail158725]

They did know a bit, they said it was a bit weird that a 38 bus was out on the 26.

Probably just agreeing for the sake of it. Asking normal drivers about things like that is a waste of your time as i said 99% of drivers pick a bus up drive it to get paid and drop it off

 

[Falcon1200]

It has been noticeable recently that many services on the 51 and 66, Paisley/Barrhead and Neilston routes, have been operated by diesel vehicles, possibly linked to the above?

 

[Stan Drews]

It has been noticeable recently that many services on the 51 and 66, Paisley/Barrhead and Neilston routes, have been operated by diesel vehicles, possibly linked to the above?

The 51/66 has always had a mix of diesel and electric buses (EVs) allocated as there aren’t enough EVs in the fleet for it to be fully EV, even if every bus was fit and available. They also interwork in Paisley so isn’t possible to have EV on one and diesel on the other.

 

[Falcon1200]

The 51/66 has always had a mix of diesel and electric buses (EVs) allocated

Indeed, but there seem to me at least to have been more diesel buses recently!

 

[YX65 RDY]

Is there a reason why two 38 Branded Johnstone based Yutong E12s are working on Inchinnan Depot services today?
Also, no, it’s not a tracking error, I just seen J-5041 on the 23P, and will probably catch J-5029 on the 26 later.

J 5029 - SG71 OTR

Yutong E12

bustimes.org

J 5041 - SG71 OUD

Yutong E12

bustimes.org

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 13 Feb 2026 ==

Update: J-5027 is also out on the 26:

J 5027 - SG71 OTN

Yutong E12

bustimes.org

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 13 Feb 2026 ==

I asked the driver on J-5029 about why this is the case, and he told me that it’s because they’re "spare buses" apparently.

One of these passed by me & I was confused as well haha. I believe the 26 has had the most random allocations out of the SWiTCH group. I remember last year an Enviro 200 ended up on the 38 from Johnstone - Paisley one morning as I do mind seeing it. Slipped onto the 10 in Paisley, though.

 

[overthewater]

It seems a number of changes are planned for 11th May, Its unclear what happening, but hopefully details will appear soon.

 

[roadierway77]

I don't believe it's been mentioned on this thread yet but the 514 is also registered as cancelled from the 2nd May.

 

[Stan Drews]

It seems a number of changes are planned for 11th May, Its unclear what happening, but hopefully details will appear soon.

Largely some adjustments to help punctuality on the 10, 17, 20 and 518, 545.

I don't believe it's been mentioned on this thread yet but the 514 is also registered as cancelled from the 2nd May.

Yes, the developer funding has now all been used up and as it runs around either empty or with just a handful of passengers neither Renfrewshire Council or SPT will provide any further support and the contract will come to an end.

 

[roadierway77]

Yes, the developer funding has now all been used up and as it runs around either empty or with just a handful of passengers neither Renfrewshire Council or SPT will provide any further support and the contract will come to an end.

It's a shame it hasn't been a success. Dargavel appears to be quite car-centric like a lot of modern housing developments unfortunately (plentiful car parking) and those who can afford a new house there are unlikely to want to travel by bus, so it isnt a surprise sadly.

 

[Stan Drews]

It's a shame it hasn't been a success. Dargavel appears to be quite car-centric like a lot of modern housing developments unfortunately (plentiful car parking) and those who can afford a new house there are unlikely to want to travel by bus, so it isnt a surprise sadly.

Yes, 2 or 3 cars sitting outside many homes, and of course the station with 4 trains per hour to Glasgow Central caters for the needs of many who don’t wish to (or can’t) drive.

 

[sannox]

It's a shame it hasn't been a success. Dargavel appears to be quite car-centric like a lot of modern housing developments unfortunately (plentiful car parking) and those who can afford a new house there are unlikely to want to travel by bus, so it isnt a surprise sadly.

Clearly the rail station works well, but the bus didn't go where people wanted IMO - it was a 'bus service- tick' by developer funding and arguably a waste of funding.

Maidenhill M7 will likely end the same way.

 

[Stan Drews]

Clearly the rail station works well, but the bus didn't go where people wanted IMO - it was a 'bus service- tick' by developer funding and arguably a waste of funding.

Maidenhill M7 will likely end the same way.

The bus actually went exactly where the local community council wanted it to go and they worked with the local operators/SPT to design an appropriate route and timetable. However, like most similar scenarios, people simply don’t use the bus as much as they initially claim they will.
East Renfrewshire Council haven’t yet made a decision on the M7. The current contract runs until mid July.

 

[roadierway77]

Clearly the rail station works well, but the bus didn't go where people wanted IMO - it was a 'bus service- tick' by developer funding and arguably a waste of funding.

I disagree regarding desired destinations - the 514 provides a public transport link to Bishopton town centre and Braehead and to Paisley, Glasgow and Inverclyde through rail connections at Bishopton station. These are likely the most popular destinations. It's just that buses are generally an inferior good - demand falls as income rises, and with house prices starting around 250k in Dargavel, the pool of potential users is very minimal.

On the other hand, usage at Bishopton railway station has now surpassed pre-Covid figures, increasing at a far faster rate than other stations on the Inverclyde line. It's likely a lot of people in Dargavel have simply chosen the train over the bus, hence the end of the 514. To be honest, you're probably right that it was a waste of developer funding. At least they gave it a try. I wouldn't be surprised if the M7 went the same way - properties seem to be even more expensive in Maidenhill than in Dargavel.

 

[overthewater]

The McGill Area Directors was suppose to have a chat with Community council but that now been moved to next week, lets be fair No60 go via some of the most congested parts of the city and during the festival going down Lauriston place your faster walking..

 

[AilsaBus]

The McGill Area Directors was suppose to have a chat with Community council but that now been moved to next week, lets be fair No60 go via some of the most congested parts of the city and during the festival going down Lauriston place your faster walking..

What festival?!

 

[overthewater]

Edinburgh Festival the one that everyone knows? when thats on, its impossible to move along Lauriston place,