First Glasgow
Encyclopedia
First Glasgow is the largest bus company serving the Greater Glasgow
area in, Scotland
. It forms part of FirstGroup, a company operating transport services across the British Isles and in North America. The company operates within the area covered by the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport
, a public body responsible for helping to co-ordinate public transport services in the Greater Glasgow area. It runs around 118 services, has a fleet of over 1,000 buses, and employs over 2800 drivers.
(an amalgamation of Kelvin Scottish
and Central Scottish
, owned by the state-owned Scottish Bus Group
).
First Glasgow has two operator's licences:-
First Glasgow No 1 Limited. Company registered in Scotland No. SC097299. - the former Strathclyde Buses licence.
First Glasgow No 2 Limited. Company registered in Scotland No. SC127012. - the former Kelvin Central Buses licence.
Permission is currently being sought to build a new depot and company headquarters (Gushetfaulds) on Cathcart Road to replace the existing Larkfield. The proposed site will provide capacity for 120 additional buses (450 in total) and almost 1,100 employees. The site is planned to be opened in 2012.
areas of Strathclyde. However, some services do run outside of these areas. It was one of the first bus operators to introduce an "overground", a colour-coded set of bus routes with route branding on the bus exteriors and timetables. As of 2006, route branding has been removed from buses but remained on timetables until mid 2008.
, Buchanan Bus Station
and Glasgow Queen Street Station. The service is free for passengers with valid rail tickets. This service runs on behalf of First ScotRail
and SPT
.
as the Glasgow Flyer
, who still run that service in competition.
than the 500 Glasgow Shuttle. Designed to serve the western suburbs of Glasgow, it currently departs from Buchanan Bus Station stance 44 and travels to the airport via Partick
and Braehead
.
- running frequently by the company every summer until September.
Greater Glasgow
Greater Glasgow is an urban settlement in Scotland consisting of all localities which are physically attached to the city of Glasgow, forming with it a single contiguous urban area...
area in, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. It forms part of FirstGroup, a company operating transport services across the British Isles and in North America. The company operates within the area covered by the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport
Strathclyde Partnership for Transport
The Strathclyde Partnership for Transport is a public body which is responsible for planning and co-ordinating regional transport, and especially the public transport system, in the Strathclyde area of western Scotland...
, a public body responsible for helping to co-ordinate public transport services in the Greater Glasgow area. It runs around 118 services, has a fleet of over 1,000 buses, and employs over 2800 drivers.
History
First Glasgow was created through FirstGroup's buyout of the former Strathclyde Buses (created from the former Greater Glasgow Passenger Transport Executive bus fleet, formerly the municipal Glasgow Corporation Transport), which had itself recently bought out the former Kelvin Central BusesKelvin Central Buses
Kelvin Central Buses Ltd was a bus operating subsidiary of the Scottish Bus Group formed in July 1989 from the merger of Kelvin Scottish and Central Scottish in preparation for privatisation, and operated until July 1998 when it became First Glasgow Ltd....
(an amalgamation of Kelvin Scottish
Kelvin Scottish
Kelvin Scottish Omnibuses Ltd was a bus operating subsidiary of the Scottish Transport Group based in Bishopbriggs, Strathclyde, Scotland. It was formed in March 1985 from parts of Walter Alexander & Sons Ltd and Central SMT, initially with six depots and a varied fleet of 381 vehicles.The company...
and Central Scottish
Central Scottish
Central Scottish Omnibuses Ltd was a bus operating subsidiary of the Scottish Transport Group formed in June 1985 from Central SMT Company Ltd, and operated until July 1989 when it was merged with Kelvin Scottish to form Kelvin Central Buses.- Operation :...
, owned by the state-owned Scottish Bus Group
Scottish Bus Group
The Scottish Bus Group was a state-owned Scottish holding company that included a number of bus operators covering the whole of Scotland. The group was formed in 1961 as Scottish Omnibuses Group Ltd, to take control of the British Transport Commission's bus operating subsidiaries in Scotland...
).
First Glasgow has two operator's licences:-
First Glasgow No 1 Limited. Company registered in Scotland No. SC097299. - the former Strathclyde Buses licence.
First Glasgow No 2 Limited. Company registered in Scotland No. SC127012. - the former Kelvin Central Buses licence.
Depots
First Glasgow currently operates out of seven depots.- GlasgowGlasgowGlasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
(Victoria Road, Larkfield) - headquarters - CumbernauldCumbernauldCumbernauld is a Scottish new town in North Lanarkshire. It was created in 1956 as a population overspill for Glasgow City. It is the eighth most populous settlement in Scotland and the largest in North Lanarkshire...
(Glencryan Road) - Dumbarton (Birch Road)
- GlasgowGlasgowGlasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
(Tollcross Road, ParkheadParkheadParkhead is a district in the East End of Glasgow. Its name comes from a small weaving hamlet at the meeting place of the Great Eastern Road and Westmuir Street. Duke Street and Springfield Road also meet there, to form a turreted Edwardian five-way junction at Parkhead Cross...
) - GlasgowGlasgowGlasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
(South Street, ScotstounScotstounScotstoun is a historic district of Glasgow, Scotland, west of Glasgow City Centre. It is bounded by Yoker and Knightswood to the west, Victoria Park, Broomhill and Whiteinch to the east, Jordanhill to the north and the River Clyde to the south...
) - HamiltonHamilton, South LanarkshireHamilton is a town in South Lanarkshire, in the west-central Lowlands of Scotland. It serves as the main administrative centre of the South Lanarkshire council area. It is the fifth-biggest town in Scotland after Paisley, East Kilbride, Livingston and Cumbernauld...
(Glasgow Road, Blantyre) - WishawWishawWishaw is a large town and former burgh in North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is on the edge of the Clyde Valley, 15 miles south-east of Glasgow....
(Castlehill Road, OvertownOvertown, North LanarkshireOvertown is a village in North Lanarkshire located next to the bigger town of Wishaw. It has a population of 2,500.The village only has a few buildings of note, Clyde Valley High School, which is located to the North-West, and Overtown Primary School. Overtown also has a community centre, and a...
)
Permission is currently being sought to build a new depot and company headquarters (Gushetfaulds) on Cathcart Road to replace the existing Larkfield. The proposed site will provide capacity for 120 additional buses (450 in total) and almost 1,100 employees. The site is planned to be opened in 2012.
Services
First Greater Glasgow mainly run services in Greater Glasgow and LanarkshireLanarkshire
Lanarkshire or the County of Lanark ) is a Lieutenancy area, registration county and former local government county in the central Lowlands of Scotland...
areas of Strathclyde. However, some services do run outside of these areas. It was one of the first bus operators to introduce an "overground", a colour-coded set of bus routes with route branding on the bus exteriors and timetables. As of 2006, route branding has been removed from buses but remained on timetables until mid 2008.
Route List
Number | Depot | Route | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
X1 | Blantyre | Hamilton (Hillhouse) - Glasgow | |
2 | Larkfield | Toryglen - Croftfoot Circular | |
X3 | Cumbernauld | Cumbernauld (Abronhill) - Town Centre - Westfield - Moodiesburn - Glasgow | |
3 | Scotstoun | Stobhill Hospital - Springburn - Saracen Cross - St Georges Cross - City Centre | |
X4/X5/X80 | Cumbernauld | (X4/X5) Cumbernauld (Abronhill) - Seafar(X4)/North Carbrain(X5) - Condorrat - Glasgow /(X80)Cumbernauld (Abronhill) - North Carbrain - Glasgow | |
5 | Larkfield | City Centre - Castlemilk Circular |
|
6/17 | Scotstoun | (6)Silverburn-Hurlet-Paisley/ (17)Paisley-Penilee-Govan | |
X7 | Cumbernauld | Glasgow - M&D's Theme Park | Seasonal service: Easter - September local holiday |
7/7A | Larkfield | Glasgow - Rutherglen - Newton - Halfway | |
X8/X8A | Scotstoun | City Centre - Silverburn - North Pollok - Crookston Castle Circular | |
8 | Parkhead | Carmyle - Sandyhills - Parkhead - Robroyston - Springburn - Cadder - Maryhill - Partick | |
9 | Larkfield / Scotstoun | Drumchapel Station - Drumchapel - Partick - Charing Cross - City Centre - Ibrox Stadium - Cardonald - Hillington - Paisley - Linwood | Alternate journeys begin at Charing Cross. |
X11 | Overtown | Newmains (West Crindledyke) OR Cleland - Glasgow | |
11 | Scotstoun | Robroyston - Royston Road - City Centre - University - Anniesland - Clydebank | |
12 | Larkfield | Robroyston - Barmulloch - City Centre - Govanhill - Hampden Park - Toryglen - Rutherglen | |
16 | Blantyre / Cumbernauld / Larkfield / Scotstoun | Blairdardie - Partick - City Centre - Rutherglen - Burnside - East Kilbride (Greenhills) | Certain journeys operate between East Kilbride and Buchanan Bus Station only. |
19/43 | Parkhead | Easterhouse - Royston Road - City Centre - Bridgeton - Parkhead - Greenfield - Easterhouse - Craigend Service 19 operates from Easterhouse to City Centre and becomes Service 43 and continues to Craigend. |
|
20 | Blantyre / Larkfield / Scotstoun | Drumchapel - Anniesland - City Centre - Fernhill - Cathkin - East Kilbride (Gardenhall or Lindsayfield) | |
23 | Larkfield | Summerston - Byres Road - City Centre - Shawlands - Silverburn - Crookston - Govan Bus Station. | |
26A | Overtown | Wishaw Hospital - Wishaw Town Centre - Newmains - Morningside - Shotts Prison - Dykehead - Torbothie | |
27A | Cumbernauld | Glasgow - Bishopbriggs - Torrance | |
27B | Cumbernauld | Glasgow - Bishopbriggs | |
29 | Larkfield | Shawlands - Hillpark - Mansewood | |
31/131/31C | Larkfield | Milton - City Centre - Carmunnock - East Kilbride Bus Station (31) - Kingsgate(131)/ Milton - City Centre - Castlemilk (Tormusk Road)(31C) | |
32/33 | Parkhead | Craigend - Dennistoun - Parkhead Forge(32)/Parkhead Forge - Shettleston - Cranhill - Craigend(33) | |
34 | Larkfield | Castlemilk - Shawlands - Halfway - Govan | |
36/36A | Cumbernauld | Glasgow - Moodiesburn - Cumbernauld (Abronhill) | |
X37/X39 | Cumbernauld / Bannockburn (First Edinburgh) / Larbert (First Edinburgh) | Glasgow - Muirhead - Cumbernauld - Bonnybridge(X37)/Denny(X39) - Falkirk(X37)/Stirling(X39) | |
38/38A/38C | Larkfield | Easterhouse - City Centre - Shawlands - Eastwood Toll/Woodfarm OR Crookfur | |
39 | Parkhead | Cranhill - Carntyne | |
40/40A | Parkhead / Scotstoun | Clydebank - Drumchapel - Maryhill - City Centre - Parkhead - Glasgow Fort - Barlanark - Easterhouse(40/40A) | |
41 | Parkhead | City Centre - Duke Street - Carntyne - Edinburgh Road - Easterhouse | |
42 | Scotstoun | Barlanark - Greenfield - City Centre - Partick - Drumchapel | |
44/44A | Larkfield | Eaglesham(44) OR Newton Mearns via Mearns Cross(44A) - Clarkston - City Centre - University - Hyndland - Broomhill - Knightswood | |
45/45A/45C | Larkfield | Auchinairn - Springburn - City Centre - Shawlands - Carnwadric - Kennishead (45/45C) OR Govan via Southpark & Silverburn (45A) | |
46 | Parkhead | Easterhouse - Greenfield - Parkhead - Bridgeton - Rutherglen - Castlemilk | |
53 | Scotstoun | Braehead - Cardonald - North Pollok - Silverburn | |
54/54C | Parkhead | Summerston - Saracen Cross - City Centre - Ibrox Stadium - Penilee - Braehead/City Centre - Ibrox Stadium - Hillington - Braehead(54C) | |
56/56A | Larkfield | Auchinairn - Balornock - City Centre - Ibrox Stadium - Silverburn - Priesthill(56A) - South Nitshill - Darnley | |
57/57A | Larkfield | Charing Cross - Shawlands - Thornliebank(57A) - Arden(57) - Darnley - South Nitshill | |
59 | Larkfield / Scotstoun | City Centre - Mosspark | |
61 | Parkhead | Summerston - Maryhill - City Centre - Parkhead - Sandyhills | |
62 | Parkhead/Scotstoun | Faifley - Clydebank - Partick - City Centre - Parkhead - Shettleston - Baillieston OR Airdrie | Some journeys operate only between Clydebank and Faifley. |
64 | Parkhead | Carmyle - Auchenshuggle - Parkhead - Bridgeton - City Centre | |
65/65A | Larkfield | Glasgow - Rutherglen - Fernhill - Cathkin - Cambuslang Cairns (65) OR Drumsagard Village (65A) | |
66/166 | Larkfield / Scotstoun | East Kilbride (Calderwood) - Clarkston - City Centre - Anniesland - Clydebank - Mountblow | |
75 | Larkfield | Castlemilk - Hampden Park - Menock Road - City Centre - Saracen Cross - Milton | |
81 | Scotstoun | Clydebank - Duntocher Circular | |
X86 | Cumbernauld | Kilsyth - Kirkintilloch - Glasgow Via M80 | |
88/88A/88C | Cumbernauld | Glasgow - Bishopbriggs - Kirkintilloch THEN EITHER Harestanes, Campsie Glen OR Twechar | |
89/90 | Parkhead | Inner Circle via Govan - Shawlands - Parkhead - Springburn - Partick - Govan/Outer Circle via Govan - Partick - Springburn - Parkhead - Shawlands - Govan | |
92 | Dumbarton | Partick - Gartnavel Hospital - Anniesland - Garscadden - Drumchapel - Clydebank - Antonine Park | |
94 | Scotstoun | Knightswood - Anniesland - Kelvindale - Wyndford - Maryhill | |
118 | Scotstoun | Duntocher - Faifley - Baljaffrey - Bearsden Cross - Anniesland - Glasgow | |
119 | Scotstoun | Baljaffray - Milngavie - Maryhill - Glasgow | |
120 | Larkfield | East Kilbride Bus Station - South Lanarkshire College | |
121 | Larkfield | Govan - Pollokshields - Govanhill - [Battlefield] (subsidised by SPT) | |
140 | Dumbarton | Clydebank - Drumry - Drumchapel | |
189 | Scotstoun | Govan - Drumoyne Circular | |
201 | Blantyre | East Kilbride (Hairmyres) - Hamilton - Motherwell - Coatbridge - Airdrie | |
204/205/215/216 | Dumbarton | Balloch(204/205/215) OR Helensburgh(216) - Dumbarton - Clydebank - Scotstoun - Glasgow | |
206 | Dumbarton | Balloch - Alexandria - Bonhill - Bellsmyre - Dumbarton - Westcliff | |
208 | Dumbarton | Dumbarton Local - Silverton - Dumbarton - Brucehill | |
213/213a | Cumbernauld / Parkhead | City Centre - Alexandra Parade - Edinburgh Road - Baillieston - Bargeddie | |
217 | Scotstoun | Duntocher - Clydebank - Scotstoun - Glasgow | |
225 | Blantyre | Hamilton Local - Fairhill - Hamilton - Palace Retail Park | |
226 | Blantyre | Hamilton Local - Hillhouse - Hamilton - Palace Retail Park - Little Earnock | |
227 | Blantyre | Hamilton Local - Whitehill - Hamilton | |
228 | Blantyre | Hamilton Local - High Earnock - Hamilton | |
229 | Blantyre | Hamilton Local - Eddlewood - Hamilton | |
240 | Blantyre / Overtown | lanark/Carluke/Pather/Overtown - Motherwell - Bellshill - Parkhead - Glasgow (Evening and Sunday services to Overtown only) | |
241 | Overtown | Cleland - Wishaw - Motherwell - North Motherwell | |
242 | Overtown | Larkhall/Overtown - Wishaw - Motherwell - Holytown | |
245 | Overtown | Motherwell Local - Forgewood - North Lodge Circular | |
255 | Blantyre | Newarthill - Motherwell - Hamilton - Uddingston - Parkhead - Glasgow | |
263 | Blantyre | Hamilton - High Blantyre - Cambuslang - Glasgow | |
267 | Blantyre / Overtown | Shotts OR Newmains - Wishaw - Motherwell - Hamilton - Blantyre - Cambuslang - Rutherglen - Glasgow (Evening and Sundays to Newmains only) | |
323 | Larkfield | Glasgow - Shawlands - Newlands - Silverburn - Barrhead (subsidised by SPT) | |
327 | Cumbernauld | Kirkintilloch - Waterside - Twechar (subsidised by SPT) | |
343 | Cumbernauld | Cumbernauld Local - Cumbernauld - Seafar/North Carbrain Circular | |
355 | Overtown | Newarthill - Motherwell (Service is believed to soon be withdrawn and replaced by 255) | |
398 | Scotstoun | Central Station - Buchanan Bus Station - Queen Street Station (City Centre RailLink) (subsidised by SPT; free to rail users with valid rail tickets) | |
500 | Larkfield | Glasgow - Glasgow Airport via M8 motorway | |
709 | Scotstoun | Drumchapel - Knightswood - Scotstoun - Linthouse - Hillington Estate | |
745 | Larkfield | George Square - Baird Street | |
747 | Scotstoun | Glasgow Airport - Renfrew - Braehead - Partick - Glasgow | |
765 | Parkhead | Easterhouse - Carntyne - Bridgeton - Govan - Hillington Estate | |
"Nightflyer" | Cumbernauld | Glasgow - London (Branded as "Greyhound UK Greyhound UK Greyhound UK is a low-cost intercity scheduled coach service in the United Kingdom, owned by FirstGroup and based on the long-established Greyhound service in the USA.... ") |
398
The 398 is a special circular service that operates all day, every day in Glasgow City Centre, and connects between Glasgow Central StationGlasgow Central station
Glasgow Central is the larger of the two present main-line railway terminals in Glasgow, the largest city in Scotland. The station was opened by the Caledonian Railway on 31 July 1879 and is currently managed by Network Rail...
, Buchanan Bus Station
Buchanan bus station
Buchanan Bus Station is the main bus terminus in Glasgow, Scotland.The bus station is the terminus for journeys between the city and other towns in United Kingdom and international journeys. It was originally built in 1977, close to the former site of Buchanan Street railway station which was...
and Glasgow Queen Street Station. The service is free for passengers with valid rail tickets. This service runs on behalf of First ScotRail
First ScotRail
ScotRail Railways Ltd. is the FirstGroup-owned train operating company running domestic passenger trains within Scotland, northern England and the cross-border Caledonian Sleeper service to London using the brand ScotRail which is the property of the Scottish Government...
and SPT
Strathclyde Partnership for Transport
The Strathclyde Partnership for Transport is a public body which is responsible for planning and co-ordinating regional transport, and especially the public transport system, in the Strathclyde area of western Scotland...
.
500 Glasgow Shuttle
The 500 Glasgow Shuttle is a direct express service from Buchanan Bus Station to Glasgow International Airport operated under contract from BAA. The service operates via the key business and hotels district and within walking distance of the main rail termini before joining the M8 for the direct run to the Airport. It runs 24 hours a day, 364 days a year, with a frequency of 10 minutes throughout the day and a less frequent service overnight. The service was previously run by ArrivaArriva
Arriva plc is a multinational public transport company owned by Deutsche Bahn and headquartered in Sunderland, United Kingdom. It has bus, coach, train, tram and waterbus operations in 12 countries across Europe, employs more than 47,500 people and services over 1.5 billion passenger journeys each...
as the Glasgow Flyer
Glasgow Flyer
The Glasgow Flyer was a branded airport bus service in Glasgow, Scotland. It connected Glasgow Airport to central Glasgow, operating as a shuttle bus via the M8 motorway. In Glasgow city centre it operated from the Buchanan bus station, also calling at Glasgow's two mainline railway termini...
, who still run that service in competition.
747 AirLink
The 747 AirLink is a less direct service to Glasgow International AirportGlasgow International Airport
Glasgow International Airport is an international airport in Scotland, located west of Glasgow city centre, near the towns of Paisley and Renfrew in Renfrewshire...
than the 500 Glasgow Shuttle. Designed to serve the western suburbs of Glasgow, it currently departs from Buchanan Bus Station stance 44 and travels to the airport via Partick
Partick
Partick is an area of Glasgow on the north bank of the River Clyde, just across from Govan. To the west lies Whiteinch. Partick was a Police burgh from 1852 until 1912 when it was incorporated into the city.-History:...
and Braehead
Braehead
Braehead is a commercial development located at the former site of Braehead Power Station in Renfrew on the south bank of the River Clyde in Renfrewshire. It is particularly notable for its large shopping centre, arena and leisure facilities....
.
X7
The X7 is the direct express between Glasgow and Motherwell's M&D's Theme ParkM&Ds
M&Ds is an amusement park located in Motherwell, Lanarkshire, Scotland. Bordering on Strathclyde Park, the park contains five rollercoasters and two water rides among others as well as an arcade, theatre, ten-pin bowling and indoor reptile house, Amazonia....
- running frequently by the company every summer until September.