Lothian Region Transport/Lothian Buses

Sunday 7 May 2017 (0925) – East Coast Buses is owned by Transport for Edinburgh and thus is related to Lothian Buses. 20949 (SN10 DLF), a Wrightbus Eclipse Gemini bodied Volvo B9TL new in March 2010 as Lothian 949. It still carries the Lothian Country Buses fleetname. In June 2012 Lothian formed a separate company named East Lothian Buses (ELB) to take over some services de-registered by First Scotland East (FSE). ELB buses sported a green and cream livery which paid homage of sorts to the colours that once graced the buses of SMT and Eastern Scottish before they were subsumed into the ownership of FSE, colours later lost to First Group’s corporate identity. In August 2013 there was a renaming of the legal operator of ELB which became Lothian Country Buses Ltd (LCB) and the former East Lothian fleet received the fleetname 'Lothian Country Buses' in the TfE style. In August 2016 Lothian bought the FSE garages in the East Lothian towns of Musselburgh and North Berwick and established a new subsidiary company, trading as East Coast Buses Limited (ECB), to operate further services which came with the acquisition. ECB now has a fleet 35 vehicles with LCB now integrated into ECB.

Saturday 6 May 2017 (0929) – East Coast Buses is owned by Transport for Edinburgh and thus is related to Lothian Buses. 20944 (SN10 DKV) is a Wrightbus Eclipse Gemini bodied Volvo B9TL seen in Princes Street, Edinburgh. New in March 2010 as Lothian 944. It still carries the Lothian Country Buses fleetname. In June 2012 Lothian formed a separate company named East Lothian Buses (ELB) to take over some services de-registered by First Scotland East (FSE). ELB buses sported a green and cream livery which paid homage of sorts to the colours that once graced the buses of SMT and Eastern Scottish before they were subsumed into the ownership of FSE, colours later lost to First Group’s corporate identity. In August 2013 there was a renaming of the legal operator of ELB which became Lothian Country Buses Ltd (LCB) and the former East Lothian fleet received the fleetname 'Lothian Country Buses' in the TfE style. In August 2016 Lothian bought the FSE garages in the East Lothian towns of Musselburgh and North Berwick and established a new subsidiary company, trading as East Coast Buses Limited (ECB), to operate further services which came with the acquisition. ECB now has a fleet 35 vehicles with LCB now integrated into ECB.

Saturday 6 May 2017 (1538) - Lothian Buses is owned by Transport for Edinburgh whose name is carried over the entrance door of 783 (SN56 AED), a Wrightbus Eclipse Gemini bodied Volvo B7TL which was waiting at Ocean Terminal, Leith.

Saturday 6 May 2017 (0930) – East Coast Buses is owned by Transport for Edinburgh and thus is related to Lothian Buses. 20948 (SN10 DLE) is a Wrightbus Eclipse Gemini bodied Volvo B9TL seen in Princes Street, Edinburgh. New in March 2010 as Lothian 948. This livery style follows similar lines to the ‘glass staircase’ buses employed in the Lothian fleet.

Saturday 6 May 2017 (1246) – Two Lothian Buses Scania OmniCity double deckers pass on the Royal Mile when working service 35. Left is 995 (SK06 AHF) (new in August 2006) heading for the Airport and right is 994 (SN57 DCE) (new in September 2007) heading for Ocean Terminal.

Saturday 6 May 2017 (1447) - Lothian Buses 189 (SN13 BFP), a Wrightbus Eclipse 2 bodied Volvo B7RLE new in May 2013, seen in Pier Place, Newhaven wearing the livery adopted for the ‘Skylink’ service 200 from Ocean Terminal to the Airport via Edinburgh’s northern suburbs that began operation during the previous month. Seen from on board 246 (SJ16 ZZL).

Saturday 6 May 2017 (1535) - Lothian Buses 999 (SK06 AHN), a Scania N94UD Omnicity new in August 2006, seen arriving at the Ocean Terminal, Leith. The fleet number ‘999’ is the ‘top of the house’ in the main Lothian Buses fleet.

Saturday 6 May 2017 (1453) - Edinburgh Bus Tours Limited 246 (SJ16 ZZL) seen at the Ocean Terminal, Leith – the home of the Royal Yacht Britannia. It is a Volvo B5TL with partially open top Wrightbus Eclipse Gemini 3 bodywork new in July 2016 employed on the ‘Majestic Tour’. Edinburgh Bus Tours is related to Lothian Buses Limited.

Saturday 6 May 2017 (1407) - Edinburgh Bus Tours Limited 246 (SJ16 ZZL) seen on Abbeyhill near the Palace of Holyroodhouse. It is a Volvo B5TL with partially open top Wrightbus Eclipse Gemini 3 bodywork new in July 2016 employed on the ‘Majestic Tour’. Edinburgh Bus Tours is related to Lothian Buses Limited.

Saturday 6 May 2017 (1620) – Edinburgh Bus Tours 242 (SJ16 ZZF) working the ‘Edinburgh Tour’, one of three city tours worked by EBT. It is a Wrightbus Eclipse Gemini 3 bodied Volvo B5TL new in August 2015. The on board tour guide sits facing the passengers at the front left corner of the upper deck. The back of the rearward facing seat is visible.

Saturday 6 May 2017 (1142) – Edinburgh Bus Tours 239 (SJ16 ZZC) working the ‘Edinburgh Tour’, one of three city tours worked by EBT. It is a Wrightbus Eclipse Gemini 3 bodied Volvo B5TL new in August 2015. The on board tour guide sits facing the passengers at the front left corner of the upper deck. The back of the rearward facing seat is visible.

Saturday 6 May 2017 (1037) – On board Edinburgh Bus Tours 239 (SJ16 ZZC) working the ‘Edinburgh Tour’, one of three city tours worked by EBT. It is a Wrightbus Eclipse Gemini 3 bodied Volvo B5TL new in August 2015. The on board tour guide sits facing the passengers at the front left corner of the upper deck.

Saturday 6 May 2017 (1212) – An Edinburgh Bus Tours Wrightbus Eclipse Gemini 3 bodied Volvo B5TL in the livery of the ‘Edinburgh Tour’. It was in Johnston Terrace seen from the Castle Walls.

Sunday 7 May 2017 (1145) – Edinburgh Bus Tours 650 (XIL 1483) is a Plaxton President bodied Dennis Trident that had been new to the main Lothian fleet in November 2002 registered SK52 OHL. The bus has been part of the tours fleet for quite some time and now works the ‘3 Bridges Tour’ that runs out to the Forth rail and road bridges. The two road bridges are visible in this view. The most distant (with white looking cables) is the new Queensferry Crossing due to open during 2017. The original Forth Road Bridge (with grey tower and cables) is closer to the camera and opened in 1964. The third of the bridges mentioned in the tour name is of course the Forth Railway Bridge. That opened in 1890 it passes above close to where the bus is standing. The tour features an option to take a boat trip to see the bridges from below. We were happy to just take the bus ride.

Sunday 7 May 2017 (1144) – Edinburgh Bus Tours 650 (XIL 1483) is a Plaxton President bodied Dennis Trident that had been new to the main Lothian fleet in November 2002 registered SK52 OHL. The bus has been part of the tours fleet for quite some time and now works the ‘3 Bridges Tour’ that runs out to the Forth rail and road bridges. The two road bridges, the original suspension bridge that opened in 1964 and the new Queensferry Crossing that is due to open during 2017, are upstream to the left of the camera. The third of the bridges mentioned in the tour name is of course the Forth Railway Bridge which opened in 1890 and is the backcloth to this photograph. The rear panel of the bus features an aerial view of the bridges. The tour features an option to take a boat trip to see the bridges from below. We were happy to just take the bus ride.

Sunday 7 May 2017 (1144) – Edinburgh Bus Tours 650 (XIL 1483) is a Plaxton President bodied Dennis Trident that had been new to the main Lothian fleet in November 2002 registered SK52 OHL. The bus has been part of the tours fleet for quite some time and now works the ‘3 Bridges Tour’ that runs out to the Forth rail and road bridges. The two road bridges, the original suspension bridge that opened in 1964 and the new Queensferry Crossing that is due to open during 2017, are upstream to the left of the camera. The third of the bridges mentioned in the tour name is of course the Forth Railway Bridge which opened in 1890 and the span leading to the main structure can be seen above the bus in this photograph. The rear panel of the bus features an aerial view of the bridges. The tour features an option to take a boat trip to see the bridges from below. We were happy to just take the bus ride.

Sunday 7 May 2017 (1110) – Edinburgh Bus Tours 650 (XIL 1483). The commentary is available in nine different languages using earphones provided to each passenger as they board. The control panel has volume controls (up and down arrows) and language selection (left and right arrows) – shown here set to English (zero). The bus is a Plaxton President bodied Dennis Trident that had been new to the main Lothian fleet in November 2002 registered SK52 OHL.

Sunday 7 May 2017 (1234) – The upper deck of Edinburgh Bus Tours 650 (XIL 1483) can be closed off when required using a door at the bottom of the stairs. The bus is a Plaxton President bodied Dennis Trident that had been new to the main Lothian fleet in November 2002 registered SK52 OHL.