TRIVIA: Places that Scottish Citylink coaches no longer serve

[tbtc]

As the National Express thread seems popular (https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...ional-express-coaches-no-longer-serve.242062/ ) I thought there might be merit in a Citylink one

One difference between the operators is that most “former National Express routes” are gone without any real replacement, whereas a number of Citylink services were either replaced by National Express when Citylink stopped doing most cross-border routes (other than London) or were taken over/ replaced by local operators (predominantly Stagecoach in Ayrshire/ Fife/ Highlands but also McGills in Inverclyde, possibly others too?)

For example, when I was younger the coaches from Edinburgh (500/501) were half hourly, alternating to Ayr via Kilmarnock or to Greenock via Glasgow Airport - whilst the frequency east of Glasgow is higher nowadays, Citylink services terminate at Buchanan Street and you’d need a Stagecoach X76/X77 or McGills 901/906 for points west

In those days there were daily services from towns like Leven , Falkirk and Ayr to London, rather than pretty much everything being just from Edinburgh/ Glasgow to London

So, three categories:

1. Cross border routes lost in the rationalisation with National Express
2. Routes that still (broadly) exist today but are run by other operators
3. Routes that have been lost with no real replacement

 

[Spsf3232]

I will put in the most recent one to vanish the 904 East Kilbride service going to Edinburgh

 

[GusB]

As it's my local route:

Nairn, Forres, Elgin, Keith, Huntly, Inverurie, Kintore and Blackburn (and probably a few smaller places inbetween) - all places that were served by Citylink 540/960 before it was taken over by Bluebird Northern and was operated as service 560. It was re-numbered to 10 after Stagecoach took over the company.

 

[robertclark125]

Dunfermline, as Citylink now calls at Halbeath.

 

[danielcanning]

Has Citylink ever served destinations in Dumfries and Galloway or the Borders? I lived in Dumfries for a couple of years in the late 90's but can't remember any routes...

 

[Strathclyder]

I will put in the most recent one to vanish the 904 East Kilbride service going to Edinburgh

Have to say, I'm a bit surprised it managed to last as long as it did. A shame it bit the dust either way though.

 

[InOban]

In the heyday of Ryanair at Prestwick weren't there Citylink coaches from Edinburgh to the airport which presumably went via East Kilbride?

 

[Spsf3232]

Have to say, I'm a bit surprised it managed to last as long as it did. A shame it bit the dust either way though.

Yes it was a bit of an odd ball, was an awkward run to allocate as well with the return morning working back as a 900, 5 minutes behind another running near enough and the afternoon running empty out. I think it was more hassle than it was worth! It was always the same 15 or so people on both journeys.

 

[route101]

I will put in the most recent one to vanish the 904 East Kilbride service going to Edinburgh

I used that service a few times, rarely had a Citylink branded coach on it. It was basically a commuter coach for Lanarkshire. I remember saying thanks to the driver as I got off at East Kilbride and the driver blanked, everyone else got a thanks!

Clarkston, Busby and Paisley. As part of Edinburgh to Glasgow Airport route.
Livingston Deer Park stop.

In the heyday of Ryanair at Prestwick weren't there Citylink coaches from Edinburgh to the airport which presumably went via East Kilbride?

I don't that service but there was a Stagecoach Ayr to Edinburgh service via East Kilbride .

 

[739678]

Between Dundee and Aberdeen, Citylink used to stop at such places as Muirdrum, Arbroath, Montrose, Inverbervie, Finavon, Brechin, Stracathro Services, Laurencekirk and Stonehaven on a regular basis, alternating between the coast and inland roads.
Now only Forfar is served, and even then only occasionally on the by=pass road.

 

[PG]

Between Dundee and Aberdeen, Citylink used to stop at such places as Muirdrum, Arbroath, Montrose, Inverbervie, Finavon, Brechin, Stracathro Services, Laurencekirk and Stonehaven on a regular basis, alternating between the coast and inland roads.
Now only Forfar is served, and even then only occasionally on the by=pass road.

At least the coast road still gets an express service of sorts with Stagecoach East Scotland X7, the inland route has been left to ordinary service buses though Laurencekirk has the railway station these days.

 

[GusB]

I've been looking through some old books as well as doing a couple of flickr searches, and a couple of destinations that I noticed were:

Manchester (548)

MCW Metro Hi-Liner Northern Scottish C511 SSO

Staying on the Metroliner theme, towards the end of 1983, MCW launched the 12-metre high floor rear-engined integral Metro Hi-Liner luxury coach. Unlike the orginal single deck Metroliner which was a body on chassis layout, the new model was a true integral. The Metro Hi-Liner was powered by a...

www.flickr.com

Plymouth was another place that was served from Aberdeen (806):

Northern Scottish NCM4

Just arrived at Bretonside Bus Station in Plymouth after its epic journey on route 806 from Aberdeen is Scottish Citylink liveried Northern Scottish NCM4 (A204 FSA), an original MCW Metroliner

www.flickr.com

According to the blurb on this photo, the service was extended to Penzance:

Northern NCT7 - ASA 7Y

Exeter Bus Station - operating the joint National Express / Citylink overnight Aberdeen to Plymouth service 806 - over 600 miles at the time probably the longest UK coach service, later extended to Penzance ...

www.flickr.com

Another Metroliner photo I've seen was of one heading to Aberdeen showing the service number 372, which I believe was Middlesbrough. I'm not sure if this was actually a joint service, or whether it was a Citylink vehicle covering. A later photo shows one of Grampian's Jonckheere Volvos in Caledonian Express livery doing the same service.

 

[Stan Drews]

I've been looking through some old books as well as doing a couple of flickr searches, and a couple of destinations that I noticed were:

Manchester (548)

MCW Metro Hi-Liner Northern Scottish C511 SSO

Staying on the Metroliner theme, towards the end of 1983, MCW launched the 12-metre high floor rear-engined integral Metro Hi-Liner luxury coach. Unlike the orginal single deck Metroliner which was a body on chassis layout, the new model was a true integral. The Metro Hi-Liner was powered by a...

www.flickr.com

Plymouth was another place that was served from Aberdeen (806):

Northern Scottish NCM4

Just arrived at Bretonside Bus Station in Plymouth after its epic journey on route 806 from Aberdeen is Scottish Citylink liveried Northern Scottish NCM4 (A204 FSA), an original MCW Metroliner

www.flickr.com

According to the blurb on this photo, the service was extended to Penzance:

Northern NCT7 - ASA 7Y

Exeter Bus Station - operating the joint National Express / Citylink overnight Aberdeen to Plymouth service 806 - over 600 miles at the time probably the longest UK coach service, later extended to Penzance ...

www.flickr.com

Another Metroliner photo I've seen was of one heading to Aberdeen showing the service number 372, which I believe was Middlesbrough. I'm not sure if this was actually a joint service, or whether it was a Citylink vehicle covering. A later photo shows one of Grampian's Jonckheere Volvos in Caledonian Express livery doing the same service.

These were all joint services, as were all cross-border services other than the London routes.

It was only for the relatively short period around 1990ish (IIRC) when Citylink competed with NatEx after they fell out around the Caledonian Express era …but that would need a thread to itself!!

 

[Clydeflyer]

I seem to remember being on a Citylink coach going to the SECC or Garden Festival in the 1980s... not sure if it was just a Edinburgh -> McInroys Point service that went via the SECC or something special for the Garden Festival.

Kilmacolm... I found a picture of a Citylink liveried decker doing a 599 service to Kilmacolm. Presumably Citylink ran those routes then they became 'Clydeside Quicksilver' in the run up to privatisation?

 

[Stan Drews]

I seem to remember being on a Citylink coach going to the SECC or Garden Festival in the 1980s... not sure if it was just a Edinburgh -> McInroys Point service that went via the SECC or something special for the Garden Festival.

Kilmacolm... I found a picture of a Citylink liveried decker doing a 599 service to Kilmacolm. Presumably Citylink ran those routes then they became 'Clydeside Quicksilver' in the run up to privatisation?

Yes, there was a full network of Renfrewshire - Glasgow motorway expresses that ran under the Citylink banner in the mid-eighties. Think they were all in the 590s range.

 

[Jordan Adam]

At least the coast road still gets an express service of sorts with Stagecoach East Scotland X7, the inland route has been left to ordinary service buses though Laurencekirk has the railway station these days.

I would however say there's still a gap in the market though for a slow Aberdeen to Dundee via the A90 service in a similar style to the X7. Notably if you need to travel from Laurencekirk to Brechin (which are only around 10 miles apart) by public transport you have to make a long detour via Montrose taking up to 90 minutes depending on time of day and direction. Additionally although a small number of Citylink services do serve Forfar they only serve a stop right at the edge of the town next to the McDonalds so quite a walk to get to Forfar Town Centre itself and there's no bus services to connect to.

 

[BobbyBKinross]

Within the last 10 years or so Citylink & Megabus stopped serving Milnathort after the X55 then X56 were routed through the village. Some of the later evening journeys even used to turn up the hill at Wester Loan. M90's to/fro Inverness no longer serve Kinross P&R.

 

[route101]

909 Grangemouth Town Centre