Mcgill's Buses

X439 KON was a Mercedes Citaro O530 B48F that was purchased new by Worcestershire County Council in November 2000 and was allocated to Guide Friday for tendered work. On disposal it joined Countryliner as their fleet number MCB439. It was acquired by McGill’s in 2013, but was quickly re-registered as 7 UUC for a spell, before reverting to its original plate. It has been re-registered once again, to CXZ 888, and is shown in Greenock.

When Arriva quit Inverclyde, the school contracts were initially retained, but eventually McGill’s were persuaded to take them on with a fleet of MCW Metrobuses hired from Arriva. Six of the breed are seen in the Port Glasgow premises that were originally used as the depot. The buses all returned to Arriva after McGill’s passed the contracts on to other local operators. McGill’s Buses 33

BX02 CMK was a Mercedes Citaro O530 B33F built as a demonstrator for Evobus, Coventry, in May 2002. Peter Harte borrowed it for a week before passing it on to McGill’s. It must have made a good impression as both operators ordered new examples. After its demonstration duties ended it was sold to First Manchester as their fleet number 64029.

SG52 XMR was a Dennis Dart SLF/Plaxton Pointer B37F delivered new to McGill’s in October 2002. It was one of a batch of six purchased to compete with Harte of Greenock on the Greenock to Midton route. It is shown here in ‘United’ livery, working in Paisley on the service to Neilston. 34 McGill’s Buses 'Copyright, Amberley Publishing, All Rights Reserved'

Y376 BFS was a Volvo B10M-62/Jonckheere Mistral 50 C53F delivered new to Brown of Edinburgh in March 2001. It was purchased by McGill’s from Shaw’s of Maxey in 2007, and is seen in Glasgow working on service 904, bound for Balloch. These were peak-hour only journeys that had previously been operated by Alex Kean under the Cityliner brand.

DX03 XEA was a Volvo B7RLE/Wright B44F that was purchased new by Minsterley Motors of Stiperstones in April 2003. On disposal it became McGill’s 223 (later 2223), and is seen passing through Paisley on its way to Glasgow on service 38. This service had been operated by Dickson’s of Erskine in competition with Clydeside/Arriva and First Glasgow. McGill’s Buses 35

V500 CBC is a Mercedes-Benz 0814D/Plaxton Beaver B31F that was new to Coakley of Motherwell in October 2000. It passed to Slaemuir of Port Glasgow before reaching McGill’s and was running a Paisley local service. The Plaxton Beaver, originally known as the Reeve Burgess Beaver, was built at the Pilsley, Derbyshire, factory of Plaxton’s Reeve Burgess subsidiary from 1987 to 1991, at Plaxton’s main Scarborough factory from 1991, and at Anston in South Yorkshire from 1995.

W600 SOU was a Volvo B10M-62/Van Hool C51Ft that was purchased new by Southern Coaches of Barrhead in June 2000. It passed to McGill’s in 2006 for their ‘Smoothie Cruisers’ operations and was captured in Oban. It then passed to Charlie Irons and became N200 CHA, before joining WhiteStar Coaches of Neilston. 36 McGill’s Buses 'Copyright, Amberley Publishing, All Rights Reserved'

RX06 WPP was a Volvo B7RLE/Wright B44F that was purchased new by Weaver of Newbury in March 2006. It joined the McGill fleet in 2007. It is seen working on the X7 service bound for Kilmacolm, although it is carrying route branding for the company’s Largs service.

N122 WBR was a Dennis Dart 9.8SDL/Marshall C37 B40F that was purchased new by Northern General as their fleet number 8122 in February 1996. On disposal it was purchased by John Walker’s First Stop Travel, but passed very quickly to McGill’s after the licence was revoked. After working as an ordinary bus, the opportunity arose to convert it to serve as a mobile information unit. It is seen passing through Paisley. McGill’s Buses 37

A general view of the workshops at McGill’s Greenock depot shows a Dennis Trident up on the ramps, while a Volvo B7RLE receives attention on the ground. The depot is located at Earnhill Road in Larkfield Estate, Greenock.

SF53 KGE was a DAF SB120/Wright B39F that was purchased new in November 2003, and supplied by Arriva Bus & Coach (dealers). It is shown in Greenock with route branding for 902, the Greenock to Glasgow Airport/Paisley route, complete with a plane on the side.