Scottish Motor Traction
Encyclopedia
Scottish Motor Traction was founded in Edinburgh in 1905. It operated buses in much of central Scotland. Aside from its traditional bus operations, it operated an air taxi service with a De Havilland Fox Moth
between July 18 and October 31, 1932 and for many years owned Dryburgh Abbey Hotel. Following legislation, which allowed railway companies to invest in bus operators, the LNER and LMSR took a major stake in SMT in 1929. In 1930, following the takeover of another operator, SMT started its Edinburgh to London express coach service. All of its bus and coach operations were nationalised by the Attlee
government in 1949, and the company legal name then became Scottish Omnibuses Ltd.
SMT grew partly through the acquisition of smaller companies. Operations were decentralised to local areas, such as Central SMT in Lanarkshire
(with red buses) and Western SMT
(in south-west Scotland), whilst the east of Scotland services remained as SMT until the early 1960s, when the fleet name "Eastern Scottish
" was adopted (operating green buses).
Following the demise of the British Transport Commission
, the SMT operations became part of the state-owned Scottish Bus Group
in 1962; this later became the Scottish Transport Group in 1969 following the addition of ferry services.
The Transport Act 1985 led to the deregulation of bus services across the UK, followed by privatisation of the bus-operating Scottish Transport Group subsidiaries. Western Scottish
(formerly Western SMT) was sold to its local management in 1991, and was bought out by the Stagecoach Group
in 1994, which renamed it Stagecoach West Scotland
. The ferry services, run as Caledonian MacBrayne
remain owned by the Scottish Government.
Following privatisation, Eastern Scottish briefly reverted to its former name SMT. It was bought out by the First Group, who rebranded it First Edinburgh
, and introduced the First Group corporate pink, purple and white livery to replace the former green.
De Havilland Fox Moth
|-References:NotesBibliography* Hotson, Fred W. The de Havilland Canada Story. Toronto: CANAV Books, 1983. ISBN 0-07-549483-3.* Jackson, A. J. British Civil Aircraft 1919-1972: Volume II. London: Putnam , 1988. ISBN 0-85177-813-5....
between July 18 and October 31, 1932 and for many years owned Dryburgh Abbey Hotel. Following legislation, which allowed railway companies to invest in bus operators, the LNER and LMSR took a major stake in SMT in 1929. In 1930, following the takeover of another operator, SMT started its Edinburgh to London express coach service. All of its bus and coach operations were nationalised by the Attlee
Clement Attlee
Clement Richard Attlee, 1st Earl Attlee, KG, OM, CH, PC, FRS was a British Labour politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1945 to 1951, and as the Leader of the Labour Party from 1935 to 1955...
government in 1949, and the company legal name then became Scottish Omnibuses Ltd.
SMT grew partly through the acquisition of smaller companies. Operations were decentralised to local areas, such as Central SMT in Lanarkshire
Lanarkshire
Lanarkshire or the County of Lanark ) is a Lieutenancy area, registration county and former local government county in the central Lowlands of Scotland...
(with red buses) and Western SMT
Western SMT
Western Scottish Motor Traction Co. Limited was a bus operator in south-west Scotland from 1929 to 1985.The company was formed in 1929 by the renaming of Scottish General Transport Co. Ltd, after the British Electric Traction subsidiary formed in 1913 was acquired by the Scottish Motor Traction...
(in south-west Scotland), whilst the east of Scotland services remained as SMT until the early 1960s, when the fleet name "Eastern Scottish
Eastern Scottish
Eastern Scottish, of Edinburgh, Scotland, was a bus and coach operator and a subsidiary of the Scottish Bus Group . Eastern Scottish Omnibuses Ltd. was formed in June 1985 from the main part of Scottish Omnibuses Ltd., which had itself traded as 'Eastern Scottish' since the 1960s...
" was adopted (operating green buses).
Following the demise of the British Transport Commission
British Transport Commission
The British Transport Commission was created by Clement Attlee's post-war Labour government as a part of its nationalisation programme, to oversee railways, canals and road freight transport in Great Britain...
, the SMT operations became part of 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...
in 1962; this later became the Scottish Transport Group in 1969 following the addition of ferry services.
The Transport Act 1985 led to the deregulation of bus services across the UK, followed by privatisation of the bus-operating Scottish Transport Group subsidiaries. Western Scottish
Western Scottish
Western Scottish Omnibuses Ltd, in Scotland, was a bus operating subsidiary of the Scottish Transport Group formed in June 1985 from Western SMT Company Ltd and operated until 1997, when it became Western Buses Ltd...
(formerly Western SMT) was sold to its local management in 1991, and was bought out by the Stagecoach Group
Stagecoach Group
Stagecoach Group plc is an international transport group operating buses, trains, trams, express coaches and ferries. The group was founded in 1980 by the current chairman, Sir Brian Souter, his sister, Ann Gloag, and her former husband Robin...
in 1994, which renamed it Stagecoach West Scotland
Stagecoach West Scotland
Stagecoach West Scotland is an operating region of Stagecoach UK Bus, comprising Western Buses Ltd and Stagecoach Glasgow Ltd, based in Ayr, Scotland.-Operation:...
. The ferry services, run as Caledonian MacBrayne
Caledonian MacBrayne
Caledonian MacBrayne is the major operator of passenger and vehicle ferries, and ferry services, between the mainland of Scotland and 22 of the major islands on Scotland's west coast...
remain owned by the Scottish Government.
Following privatisation, Eastern Scottish briefly reverted to its former name SMT. It was bought out by the First Group, who rebranded it First Edinburgh
First Edinburgh
First Edinburgh is a bus operator which operates in the south east and central Scotland, and was created by the merger of three companies: Lowland Scottish, Eastern Scottish and Midland Scottish to form a single company for the area and is part of First Group plc...
, and introduced the First Group corporate pink, purple and white livery to replace the former green.
See also
- See Scottish Bus GroupScottish Bus GroupThe 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...
for the list of prefixes to the "Scottish" branding.