McKindless

McKindless

A McKindless Volvo B6LE/Alexander ALX 200 in Glasgow.
Founded	1987
Defunct	19/02/2010
Headquarters	Newmains
Service area	Greater Glasgow City of Glasgow North Lanarkshire South Lanarkshire West Dunbartonshire East Dunbartonshire
Service type	Buses
Fleet	Dennis Dart Optare Excel MCW Metrobus Leyland Olympian Volvo B6LE

McKindless was a Scottish bus operator, operating a number of bus routes throughout Greater Glasgow. The company was based in Newmains,^[1] Wishaw, but also owned a depot in Parkhead.

History

McKindless was founded in Newmains by Vincent and Margaret McKindless. It started as a small operation of a few buses, a lorry and 2 coaches in 1987. Its aim was to provide school contracts and private hires, but it quickly moved into local bus operation. The first routes operated were:

• 68 West Crindledyke - Hamilton
• 61 Bonkle - Newarthill
• 66 Bonkle - Hamilton
• 56 Shotts - Hamilton

These service were operated with ex-Highland Scottish front-engined Ford R1114s and Leyland Nationals. In 1994 the routes and buses were bought by Kelvin Central Buses.^[2]

From 1996 Mckindless started a commuter shuttle between Wishaw and Glasgow. and restarted the original routes, and started services to Cleland and Lanark from 1997.^[3]

In 2000, the company expanded again by opening a depot in Parkhead, and started operating route with Glasgow city centre - Bishopbriggs - Kirkintilloch. By 2005 they had opened a new purpose-built depot in Parkhead and started route 62. The 62 route became their best route being very busy and operated by low floor vehicles.

From 18 October 2010, a shadow of the former giant returned, as JMB Travel to operate route 41 between Lanark and Hamilton every 15 minutes using eight ex-London, low floor Dennis Dart vehicles. From 9th December 2010, JMB Travel will operate service 56 between Shotts and Hamilton from 9th December 2011. JMB Travel also operate some school contracts on behalf of SPT and also do some Priviate Hire work.

Another company related to McKindless are P & C Coaches who operate Priviate Hire work. From 11th May 2011, P & C Coaches started to operate local bus services trading under 'The £ Bus' name. Service 6 operates two return journeys between Waterloo and Hamilton to get the buses to Hamilton for local service 26 between Hamilton and Fairhill which operates every 20 minutes. They use two low floor, Dennis Dart vehicles on these services.

Collapse

The company ceased operation of its services at 1900 hours on Friday 19 February, 2010.^[4] Many employees were not notified that the company was about to close, only discovering this when their shifts ended.^[3] The end of the company left 116 people unemployed.^[3] There were also allegations of tax fraud, with the Inland Revenue telling former employees that the company had not paid tax or national insurance contributions on their behalf since 2004.^[5] Company employees Peter McKenna and Jennifer McKindless were charged with defrauding HM Revenue & Customs of £113,467 between 2002 and 2004, and are due to face trial in late April 2010.^[3]

Former Services

Parkhead

• 62: Glasgow - Clydebank - Faifley
• 67: Glasgow - Rutherglen - Cambuslang - Blantyre - Hamilton
• 75: Milton - Glasgow
• 80 Glasgow - Springburn - Kirkintilloch - Harestanes

Newmains

• 6: Motherwell - North Motherwell (Motherwell Local)
• 9 : Hamilton or North Motherwell - Motherwell - Wishaw - Cleland
• 21/X21: Lanark - East Kilbride
• 22: Coltness - Overtown
• 24: Wishaw/Coltness Circular
• 31: Hamilton - Larkhall - Lanark
• 41: Hamilton - Wishaw - Lanark
• 44: Wishaw - Bellshill via Cleland
• 56: Hamilton - Wishaw - Shotts
• 68: Newmains - Hamilton
• 93: Cleland - Forgewood
• X1: Glasgow - West Crinkldyke
• X2: Glasgow - Cleland

Former Fleet

When it closed McKindless owned 110 vehicles comprising a large number of makes and models.^[6] They operated six regular frequency routes with a peak vehicle requirement of 65. Recent additions included several Alexander Dennis Enviro 200 Darts with Euro 4 low emission engines. Other vehicle types used include MCW Metrobus and Leyland Olympian double deckers and various single deckers such as Dennis Darts, Volvo B6s and Optare Excels.^[6]

In late 2006 the company bought its first new vehicles: two BMC Falcons and a King Long single-decker.^[7] Their three express services were run with Volvo B10M and Dennis Javelin coaches. Two older vehicles, a Bristol Lodekka and an AEC Routemaster, were preserved by the company. McKindless had also bought ex-Hutchison Optare Excels to use on local routes in Wishaw, still in the livery of their previous. In July 2009, McKindless loaned an Alexander Dennis Enviro400 double-decker for demonstration purposes.^[8]

Steady investment resulted in the operator providing 100% low-floor vehicles on their local service routes in Lanarkshire since 2007, while operations in Glasgow were nearly 100% low floor by 2009.

Depots

The McKindless Bus Group operated from its head office at Newmains and from a purpose built depot at Nuneaton Street, Parkhead.

See also

• List of bus operators of the United Kingdom

References

1. ^ "Companies House". http://wck2.companieshouse.gov.uk/3395120db96e752b06a7b47b84445b9b/compdetails. Retrieved 2009-05-04. 
2. ^ KCB on the Acquisition Trail centralsmt.co.uk
3. ^ ^{a b c d} "Abrupt end as McKindless closes down with hours' notice". Buses (661): 12–13. April 2010. 
4. ^ SPT steps in to help McKindless passengers
5. ^ Employees left in the dark after Lanarkshire bus firm’s collapse - Wishaw Press
6. ^ ^{a b} UKB-Fleetlists: McKindless
7. ^ Allan, Mark (December 2006). "McKindless buys King Long bus". Buses (Ian Allan Publishing) (621): 8. 
8. ^ Enviro 400 demo in George Square Glasgow on Flickr - Photo Sharing