Scottish Bus Group
The Scottish Bus Group (SBG) was a state-owned group of bus operators covering the whole of Scotland.
The origin of the grouping was the operators owned by and including the Scottish Motor Traction company, which were transferred to Scottish Omnibuses after nationalisation in 1948 under control of the British Transport Commission. Highland Omnibuses was added to the group in 1952.
A new holding company, Scottish Omnibuses Group (Holdings) was formed in 1961, and this was renamed Scottish Bus Group.<ref name=CompanySC13181>Companies House extract company no SC13181 Scottish Bus Group Limited</ref> in 1963. Meanwhile, the group had come under control of the Transport Holding Company in 1962 when the British Transport Commission was wound up. It went on to become part of the Scottish Transport Group on 1 January 1969 along with David MacBrayne. At the time it operated 4,700 buses.<ref>Scottish Transport Group Commercial Motor 3 January 1969</ref>
Member companies
- Central SMT Company<ref>Companies House extract company no SC331915 Central SMT Company Limited</ref>(branded as Central Scottish from 1978)
- Highland Omnibuses<ref name=CompanySC15912>Companies House extract company no SC15912 Highland Scottish Omnibuses Limited formerly Highland Omnibuses Limited</ref>(branded as Highland Scottish from 1978)
- Scottish Omnibuses<ref name=CompanySC26792>Companies House extract company no SC26792 Eastern Scottish Omnibuses Limited formerly Scottish Omnibuses Limited</ref> (branded as Eastern Scottish from 1964)
- W Alexander & Sons (Fife)<ref name=CompanySC26126>Companies House extract company no SC26126 Fife Scottish Omnibuses Limited formerly W Alexander & Sons (Fife) Limited</ref> (branded as Fife Scottish from 1978)
- W Alexander & Sons (Midland)<ref name=CompanySC16923>Companies House extract company no SC16923 Midland Bluebird Limited formerly Midland Scottish Omnibuses Limited formerly W Alexander & Sons (Midland) Limited</ref> (branded as Midland Scottish from 1978)
- W Alexander & Sons (Northern)<ref name=CompanySC19039>Companies House extract company no SC19039 Bluebird Buses Limited formerly Bluebird Northern Limited formerly Northern Scottish Omnibuses Limited formerly W Alexander & Sons (Northern) Limited</ref> (branded as Northern Scottish from 1978)
- Western SMT<ref name=Company131237>Companies House extract company no 131237 Western Buses Limited formerly Western Scottish Buses Limited formerly Western Scottish Limited formerly Western SMT Company Limited</ref> (branded as Western Scottish from 1978)
In 1970, SBG took over all the routes of David MacBrayne.<ref>SBG absorbs McBrayne Commercial Motor 5 June 1970</ref>
In 1985, SBG was restructured as follows in preparation for deregulation:<ref>SBG dereg plans Commercial Motor 15 September 1984</ref><ref>Coach and Bus News Commercial Motor 3 November 1984</ref>
- Central Scottish<ref>Companies House extract company no SC14210 KCB Limited formerly Kelvin Central Buses Limited formerly Central Scottish Omnibuses Limited formerly Central SMT Company Limited</ref>
- Clydeside Scottish Omnibuses<ref>Companies House extract company no SC91904 Schoolbus Limited formerly Stagecoach Western Scottish Limited formerly Western Engineering Limited formerly Clydesdale Scottish Omnibuses Limited</ref>
- Eastern Scottish Omnibuses<ref name=CompanySC26792/>
- Fife Scottish Omnibuses<ref name=CompanySC26126/>
- Highland Scottish Omnibuses<ref name=CompanySC15912/>
- Kelvin Scottish Omnibuses<ref>Companies House extract company no SC91921 Kelvin Scottish Omnibuses Limited</ref>
- Lowland Scottish Omnibuses<ref>Companies House extract company no SC91923 First Scotland East Limited formerly First Edinburgh Limited formerly Lowland Omnibuses Limited formerly Lowland Scottish Omnibuses Limited</ref>
- Midland Scottish Omnibuses<ref name=CompanySC16923/>
- Northern Scottish Omnibuses<ref name=CompanySC19039/>
- Scottish Citylink Coaches<ref>Companies House extract company no SC91931 Scottish Citylink Coaches Limited</ref>
- Scottish Bus Group Engineering, became part of Midland Scottish in 1988,<ref>SBG's bus repair unit transferred Commercial Motor 22 September 1988</ref> closed in March 1990<ref>Workshop shutdown Commercial Motor 25 January 1990</ref>
- Strathtay Scottish Omnibuses<ref>Companies House extract company no SC91932 Strathtay Scottish Omnibuses Limited</ref>
- Western Scottish Omnibuses<ref name=Company131237/>
In May 1988, it was decided to privatise the operating companies with this occurring in 1990/91.<ref>SBGs split decision Commercial Motor 2 June 1988</ref> Central Scottish and Kelvin Scottish were merged as Kelvin Central Buses,<ref>Companies House extract company no SC127012 First Glasgow (No 2) Limited formerly Kelvin Central Buses Limited</ref> while Clydeside Scottish was merged into Western Scottish so as to provide a healthier prospect for potential buyers, both companies ended up being sold as separate entities.<ref>All clear for SBG sale Commercial Motor 3 August 1989</ref><ref>SBG sale rules prepared Commercial Motor 8 February 1990</ref>
The holding company, Scottish Bus Group Limited, was dissolved in 2006.<ref name=CompanySC13181/>
References
External links
Template:Defunct British Bus Companies Template:History of bus transport in the United Kingdom
