Lough Swilly going under?

[Surreyman]

Rumours in the press that this company may be going into receivership.
It's an odd set up in that its operation is spread across 2 states - Northern Ireland & the Republic of Ireland, services run from Londonderry across into County Donegal.
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Rumours in the press that this company may be going into receivership.
It's an odd set up in that its operation is spread across 2 states - Northern Ireland & the Republic of Ireland, services run from Londonderry across into County Donegal.

Update from the Irish 'Independant'

EIGHTY jobs are to go after Ireland's oldest bus company was wound up. The cross-Border Lough Swilly bus company, operating in Derry and Donegal, will end services this Friday after 161 years.
It began as a railway company in 1853 after an act of parliament, and introduced bus services in 1929. The Unite union said it had met company liquidators and accepted the company couldn't be saved.

 

[Paul Kelly]

Can't believe I've only just heard about this. A sad end to a company that was a miraculous survivor through so much and for so long. It seemed to have 9 lives and was in perpetual financial difficulties. But somehow made it through to the second decade of the 21st century. Nice BBC report here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-foyle-west-27031368 - with a close-up of one of the battered old Setright ticket machines which were in use right to the very end!

I made a website about the company years ago back in 1997-98 when they had no web presence at all: http://www.sjp.clara.net/nibus/lswilly.htm - it's been hopelessly out of date for years though. Apparently the company used to get complaints from tourists that the timetables on my site were out of date! And then about 5-10 years ago they started e-mailing me their timetables to put them on my site.

 

[St Rollox]

Plus it must have the most expensive bus journey in Europe.
Think i was charged about £9 return for about a 3 mile journey about 10 years back and the bus service was a no no after 6 pm.
The service was a bus every couple of hours until you figured out it was the same old bus and driver doing the 18 mile trip.

 

[Paul Kelly]

I remember it being cheap if you were a student - they only charged half fare. But that was a while ago. I first travelled on Lough Swilly back in 1997 when I was 19 and was well used to paying full fare, or the 15% discount that Ulsterbus gave if you bought an ISIC card first. But on asking the Lough Swilly driver for a return to Letterkenny, he just said "You'd be a student, I'd say, aye?" and charged me half fare with no further questions nor proof needed.

 

[St Rollox]

To be honest it's a part of the world you really need a car unless you want to be stuck between 6pm and the next morning.
The bus service is patchy even during the day and Co. Donegal has had no railway since way back into last century.
Not unlike the Scottish Borders in many ways.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

EIGHTY jobs are to go after Ireland's oldest bus company was wound up. The cross-Border Lough Swilly bus company, operating in Derry and Donegal, will end services this Friday after 161 years. It began as a railway company in 1853 after an Act of Parliament, and introduced bus services in 1929. The Unite union said it had met company liquidators and accepted the company couldn't be saved.

The main reason was the High Court Petition by H.M. Revenue and Customs.

The Londonderry and Lough Swilly Railway ran train services until 1953 and there was a considerable number of small halts and stations that were served by the railway.

 

[Flying Snail]

The main reason was the High Court Petition by H.M. Revenue and Customs.

There was much internal happenings amongst the businesses owned by the people who are ridding themselves of Swilly and it is a certainty that they are not going to be in the poorhouse anytime soon.

Ulsterbus have taken on some Swilly routes. Bus Eireann have increased their services on Derry-Letterkenny which Swilly had the majority of departures previously.


Their fleet as well as other assets are up for auction later this month. I can't see much of them being used for service again; mostly elderly ex-Ulsterbus high floor buses although being ex-Ulsterbus they would be in generally good condition, a good buy for someone running schools contracts perhaps.

http://www.donedeal.ie/plantmachinery-for-sale/bus-coach-disposal-auction/6995944