McGill's Eastern Scottish's 8951 (SN66 WHB), a Voith DIWA Cummins Enviro400 MMC, cruising through Uphall on the service X24 to Deans North.
8951 was new to First Scotland East as 33449/ SN66 WHB in September 2016. 33449, along with 33431 - 33448, were all branded for the old services 27/ 28. These operated between Bathgate and Edinburgh via; Deans North (27), Deans South (28), Knightsridge, Ladywell, St John's Hospital, Craigshill (27), Howden (28), Livingston the Centre, Dedridge West (27), Dedridge East, Mid Calder, East Calder, Wilkieston (27), Kirknewton (28), Dalmahoy, Sighthill and Dalry.
In November 2018, 33443 (SN66 WGV) and 33444 (SN66 WGW) were repainted and rebranded for the Airport service 600. The 600 originally operated between Livingston the Centre and Edinburgh Airport at a hourly frequency via; Howden/ Craigshill Fastlinks, Ladywell Fastlink, Knightsridge Fastlink, Deer Park, Uphall Golf Course, Uphall, Broxburn, Winchburgh, Kirkliston, Newbridge and Ratho Station.
Also, in November of 2018 6 MMC's were repainted into the updated First Scotland East livery with West Lothian fleet names. They also all received the branding for their service 23, which has long since been withdrawn. These MMC's were;
33431 (SN66 WGA),
33432 (SN66 WGC),
33434 (SN66 WGE),
33435 (SN66 WGF),
33437 (SN66 WGJ),
33441 (SN66 WGP).
For reference, the old 23 service used to operate between Deans North and Edinburgh via; Deans South, Appleton Parkway, Eliburn, Alderstone Road, Livingston the Centre, Dedridge East, Mid Calder East Calder, Kirknewton, Dalmahoy, Sighthill and Dalry.
Lastly, November 2018 saw the repaint of 33433 (SN66 WGD) into the updated First Scotland East livery, with West Lothian fleet names, lacking any service branding.
In May 2019, we saw 4 more MMC's repainted and rebranded for the service 600. These being;
33445 (SN66 WGX),
33447 (SN66 WGZ),
33448 (SN66 WHA),
33449 (SN66 WHB).
The PVR increase from two to six was due to two factors;
A) The frequency was double from hourly to half-hourly
B) The 600 was extended to Whitburn's Rigghouse estate.
September 2019 saw 33431 - 33435 and 33439 - 33443 all get transferred to First Glasgow to increase capacity of their 41 service between Easterhouse and Glasgow City Centre, West Regent Street, via Edinburgh Road, Carntyre and Duke Street. 33439 (SN66 WGM) never received the branding for service 41 and is in plain First Glasgow livery.
Prior to the transfer, 33439 (SN66 WGM), 33440 (SN66 WGO), and 33442 (SN66 WGU) were in in old First Scotland East livery with West Lothian fleet names.
Between Feburary and March 2020 33446 (SN66 WGY) was sent to First Bus Scotland's paint facility located within First Glasgow's Caledonia depot to be rebranded for airport service 600 but due to the Coronavirus lockdown was painted into the two tone pink/purple 600 livery without the decals and was immediately sent back to West Lothian to provide aid in social distancing on board their buses.
Service 600 was suspended until May 2020 when it was reintroduced but operating a part route service between Kirkliston, Kirklands Park and Whitburn, Rigghouse due to no-one travelling out of the country or on planes.
In December 2020, 33446 received the service 600 decals even though the service doesn't serve the Airport at the moment.
In June 2020, ex West Lothian 33441 (SN66 WGP) was loaned to Scouston depot from Caledonia to assist in social distancing. Whilst on loan to Scouston service 1B to Helensburgh, the driver made a wrong turn resulting in the bus being deroofed. 33441 was off the road for some time untill September 2021 when it was repaired and branded for the 41 again.
March 2022 saw the repaint of 33446 into the new, at the time, updated First Scotland East livery. Later on, in July, 33449 was briefly repainted into the same livery.
On September 8th 2022, it was announced that McGill's would take over First Scotland East's operations from Monday the 19th. This was delayed one day due to the funeral of our late Monarch Her Majesty the Queen (Elizabeth the Second). This saw First Scotland East become McGill's Scotland East with the subsidiaries First Midland Bluebird and First West Lothian become McGill's Midland Bluebird and McGill's Eastern Scottish.
Additionally in September 2022 we saw 8943, 8945 and 8949 transfer from First West Lothian to First Midland Bluebird.
September 2022 also saw the introduction of 2 new liveries, the McGill's Midland Bluebird and the McGill's Eastern Scottish liveries. 8951 was the first to receive the McGill's Eastern Scottish livery with 8945 being the first to receive the McGill's Midland Bluebird one.
January 2023 saw 8949 come back to West Lothian on a loaning period to assist the Livingston depot in a shortage of vehicles. (I think?)
For an easier layout for the First West Lothian and ex First West Lothian MMCs, please refer to the list below:
(Fleet no. (First) - Fleet no. (McGill's) - Regi - company)
33431 - NA- SN66 WGA - First Glasgow
33432 - NA - SN66 WGC - First Glasgow
33433 - NA - SN66 WGD - First Glasgow
33434 - NA - SN66 WGE - First Glasgow
33435 - NA - SN66 WGF - First Glasgow
33436 - 8942 - SN66 WGG - McGill's *
33437 - 8943 - SN66 WGJ - McGill's Midland Bluebird
33438 - 8944 - SN66 WGK - McGill's Eastern Scottish
33439 - NA - SN66 WGM - First Glasgow
33440 - NA - SN66 WGO - First Glasgow
33441 - NA - SN66 WGP - First Glasgow
33442 - NA - SN66 WGU - First Glasgow
33443 - 8945 - SN66 WGV - McGill's Midland Bluebird
33444 - 8946 - SN66 WGW - McGill's Eastern Scottish
33445 - 8947 - SN66 WGX - McGill's Eastern Scottish
33446 - 8948 - SN66 WGY - McGill's Eastern Scottish
33447 - 8949 - SN66 WGZ - McGill's Midland Bluebird
33448 - 8950 - SN66 WHA - McGill's Eastern Scottish
33449 - 8951 - SN66 WHB - First West Lothian.
I am currently unsure what company 8942 is destined for.
This photo was taken on Thursday, 5th of January 2023 in Uphall.
A quick thing to point out: the information here may not be 100% accurate, e.g. dates. I've tried my best to get everything right, but if there are some things off, please feel free to let me know.
