Scottish Citylink

An extract from the Scottish Citylink Coach Guide effective Monday 29 April 1991. Between Aberdeen and Glasgow an hourly service was offered. Some of the trips were actually services which continued to English destinations like the 0655 Aberdeen-Gatwick Airport service 904, the 0755 Aberdeen-Cambridge service 236 and the 0955 Aberdeen-Manchester Airport service 257. In the evening the 1755 service from Aberdeen (service 906) ran through to London as did the 1830 service 943 via Edinburgh which provided the overnight service to London via Cambridge.

The Scottish Citylink timetable for the Kettering-Aberdeen service 237 for the winter period 1989-1990. MacPherson Coaches was a contracted operater on service 237 before that was replaced by the Cambridge-Aberdeen service 236 from Monday 29 April 1991.

The Scottish Citylink timetable for the Aberdeen-Kettering service 237 for the winter period 1989-1990. MacPherson Coaches was a contracted operater on service 237 before that was replaced by the Cambridge-Aberdeen service 236 from Monday 29 April 1991.

An abbreviated booking list given to the drivers of the 0755 Aberdeen to Cambridge Scottish Citylink service 236 on Saturday 19 October 1991. Pre-booking was not necessary for passengers travelling on the Aberdeen to Glasgow sector so the number of passengers was an unknown factor and figures are shown as zero down the line to Glasgow. Duplicate coaches were provided on this sector as required. South of Glasgow all bookings were controlled to ensure precise passenger numbers were known. The list shows 27 seats occupied out of Glasgow, 26 out of Carlisle (i.e. one had been set down), 22 out of Bradford (not 4 set downs but 5 because I then boarded here!), 15 on board out of Leeds etc. The print outs were on thermal paper and fortunately I had photocopied them many years ago so that the information can be clearly read whereas the originals have faded somewhat.

My travel ticket for a journey from Cambridge to Bradford and back on Scottish Citylink service 236. At the time the Scottish Citylink service offered the quickest coach service between Cambridge and Leeds (4 hours 45 minutes) and Bradford (5 hours 5 minutes). Each journey ticket came in two halves, the upper half was collected by the driver and the lower half (Passenger’s Receipt Portion overprinted ‘Receipt’) remained with the passenger. The return tickets likewise.

A window bill for the Scottish Citylink service 237. Note the right hand corner defines it as ‘237 Northbound’. The 237 ran through to Inverness at the time and a second window bill would also be applied showing that destination and main towns north of Glasgow.

Saturday 2 August 1997 – Strathtay Scottish Omnibuses Limited 403 (WLT 610) was backing off the loading stance in St. Andrew’s Square bus station, Edinburgh departing as the 1025 Scottish Citylink service 997 to Inverness (due there at 1416). It had arrived at 0920 after working the 0720 service 967 from Dundee. New in January 1988 to Smiths-Shearings as E664 UNE. It had been re-registered as RHE 194 when joining Yorkshire Traction and re-registered E769 AHL.

Saturday 2 August 1997 – Allander Travel XAT 11X, a Van Hool Alizee bodied Volvo B10M (might have been new as P502 XGA), loading at St. Andrew’s Square bus station, Edinburgh as the 1100 hrs Scottish Citylink service 900 to Glasgow.

Saturday 2 August 1997 – The Scottish Citylink service between Edinburgh and Glasgow operated every 15 minutes at this time of day. Two contractor’s vehicles are seen here at St. Andrew’s Square bus station, Edinburgh. Left is Allander Travel XAT 11X, a Van Hool Alizee bodied Volvo B10M (might have been new as P502 XGA) which would work the 1100 service to Glasgow. Right is Lowland Omnibuses 2102 (LAT 662), a Plaxton Paramount 3500 bodied Scania K113CRB, working the 1045 hrs departure to Glasgow and Glasgow Airport. It was new in June 1990 as G102 RSH.

Saturday 2 August 1997 – Clydeside Buses 137 (N137 YMS), a 1996 Van Hool Alizee bodied Scania K113CRB and Midland Bluebird 142 (SSU 857 formerly D142 HMS), a 1987 Duple 340 bodied Leyland Tiger, at St. Andrew’s Square bus station. They were working the 1015 and 1000 Scottish Citylink service departures to Glasgow – a high frequency service operating every 15 minutes at this time of day.

Saturday 2 August 1997 – First Bus owned Mairs Coaches (part of Grampian) 741 (XWL 539 formerly J795 KHD), reversing off the loading stance at St. Andrew’s Square bus station, Edinburgh departing as the 1355 Scottish Citylink service 968 to Aberdeen. (Alongside is Rapson’s Coaches L592 RST that had arrived as the 0920 Scottish Citylink service 969 from Aberdeen - due in at 1325).

Saturday 2 August 1997 – Lowland Omnibuses 2102 (LAT 662), a Plaxton Paramount 3500 bodied Scania K113CRB, loading at St. Andrew’s Square bus station, Edinburgh as the 1045 hrs Scottish Citylink service 902 to Glasgow and Glasgow Airport. It was new in June 1990 as G102 RSH. Garage code ‘D’ is carried to indicate Dalkeith garage. Alongside is Allander Travel XAT 11X which would work the 1100 service to Glasgow. (Might have been new as P502 XGA)

Saturday 2 August 1997 – Midland Bluebird 2409 (L109 DSX) seen in Princes Street, Edinburgh around 1300 arriving from Glasgow Airport and Glasgow on Scottish Citylink service 902. It was a 1994 Plaxton Premiere bodied Dennis Javelin.

Saturday 2 August 1997 – Midland Bluebird 142 (SSU 857 formerly D142 HMS), a 1987 Duple 340 bodied Leyland Tiger, loading at St. Andrew’s Square bus station, Edinburgh prior to working the 1000 hrs Scottish Citylink service to Glasgow – a high frequency service operating every 15 minutes at this time of day.

Saturday 2 August 1997 – Midland Bluebird 142 (SSU 857 formerly D142 HMS), a 1987 Duple 340 bodied Leyland Tiger, seen in Princes Street, Edinburgh around working a Scottish Citylink service 900 to Glasgow. On the left is Midland Bluebird 1447 (E447 JSG), a 1987 Alexander AM bodied Renault-Dodge and on the right is Lowland 1055 (B155 GSC), a 1984 Alexander RV bodied Volvo B55-10. These two buses are operated by different companies in the First Group and carry the same livery and SMT fleetname.

Saturday 2 August 1997 – Park’s of Hamilton N804 NHS, a 1996 Jonckheere Deauville bodied Volvo B10M, loading at St. Andrew’s Square bus station, Edinburgh prior to working the 0945 Scottish Citylink service to Glasgow – a high frequency service operating every 15 minutes at this time of day.

Saturday 2 August 1997 – Rapson’s Coaches L592 RST, a 1995 Plaxton Expressliner bodied Volvo B10M, had arrived at St. Andrew’s Square bus station, Edinburgh on the 0920 Scottish Citylink service 969 from Aberdeen (due in at 1325). Between 1993 and 1998 National Express owned Scottish Citylink hence the use of the Expressliner model otherwise exclusive to National Express services.

Saturday 2 August 1997 – Rapson’s Coaches L592 RST, a 1995 Plaxton Expressliner bodied Volvo B10M, had arrived at St. Andrew’s Square bus station, Edinburgh on the 0920 Scottish Citylink service 969 from Aberdeen (due in at 1325). Between 1993 and 1998 National Express owned Scottish Citylink hence the use of the Expressliner model otherwise exclusive to National Express services.