31-756: West Coast Motors (legally incorporated as Craig of Campbeltown Limited ) is a bus, coach and ferry operator, based in Campbeltown , Scotland. The company also operates under the name Borders Buses in the Scottish Borders and formerly under the Glasgow Citybus brand in Greater Glasgow . The founding of the company dates back to 1921, when Jack Craig commenced a bus operation in Campbeltown. In 1935, William Craig convinced
62-463: A busy fishing port . The 2018 population estimate was 4,600 indicating a reduction since the 2011 census. Originally known as Kinlochkilkerran (an anglicization of the Gaelic, which means 'head of the loch by the kirk of Ciarán '), Campbeltown was renamed in the 17th century as Campbell's Town after Archibald Campbell ( Earl of Argyll ) was granted the site in 1667. Campbeltown Town Hall
93-431: A fairly low key annual gathering aimed at promoting the wealth and variety of original music across the area, which started in 2009. The festival is held during the last weekend of May and is open to anyone interested in performing. On Friday 16 June 2006, First Minister Jack McConnell flew to Campbeltown to officially open Campbeltown's new 'Aqualibrium' Centre. Aqualibrium, designed by Page\Park Architects , replaced
124-616: A fleet of More than 200 buses and coaches (excluding the Borders Buses operation). Campbeltown Campbeltown ( / ˈ k æ m b əl t ən / ; Scottish Gaelic : Ceann Loch Chille Chiarain or Ceann Locha ) is a town and former royal burgh in Argyll and Bute , Scotland . It lies by Campbeltown Loch on the Kintyre Peninsula . Campbeltown became an important centre for Scotch whisky , and
155-459: A fleet of around 60 vehicles. As well as operating local bus services, West Coast Motors has, since 1986, operated long-distance express services on behalf of Scottish Citylink . West Coast Motors mainly serve the route between Glasgow and Campbeltown, but also operate on other routes, serving Dundee , Edinburgh , Fort William , Oban and the Isle of Skye . In May 2008, the company refused to sign
186-658: A new contract to operate Scottish Citylink routes in the Highlands , and launched a series of routes in competition. Two months later, the services were withdrawn, with a new contract drawn up between the two companies. West Coast Motors resumed operation of Scottish Citylink services in September 2008. As of April 2023, West Coast Motors operates the following services on behalf of Scottish Citylink: As of March 2020, West Coast Motors operate bus and coach services from eleven depots. As at August 2024, West Coast Motors operates
217-635: A report by the Scottish Agricultural College as the rural places in Scotland most vulnerable to a downturn. The "vulnerability index" ranked 90 Scottish locations according to factors associated with economic and social change. The West Highland Telegraph was extended to Campbeltown in 1865 when the Universal Private Telegraph Company opened a telegraph office. The first telephone exchange
248-563: A small number of local dairy farmers to take over the running of the Creamery failed in early December 2019. The milk produced in Kintyre is now transported by road tankers to Lockerbie and Mull of Kintyre Cheddar is no longer available. By early December 2019, CS Wind UK had declared 22 jobs redundant. The Scottish government was working with the company to search for long-term solutions. Preliminary discussions did not produce optimism about
279-474: Is a " protected locality " for Scotch Whisky distilling under the UK's Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 . The folk song titled "Campbeltown Loch, I wish you were whisky" is based on the town's history in this industry. As with the rest of Scotland, Campbeltown experiences a maritime climate with cool summers and mild winters. The nearest official Met Office weather station for which online records are available
310-498: Is at Campbeltown Airport/ RAF Machrihanish , about 3 mi (4.8 km) west of the town centre. The lowest temperature to be reported in recent years was −12.9 °C (8.8 °F) during December 2010. Campbeltown boasts a museum and a heritage centre . The museum has a varied collection of items from Campbeltown's past, and prehistoric items excavated from sites around Kintyre, such as axeheads, jewellery and combs. The 19th-century building, by John James Burnet , also houses
341-543: Is linked to the rest of Scotland by the A83 (to Tarbet ) and A82 (from Tarbet to Glasgow ). Bus service is provided by West Coast Motors , who also operate services to Glasgow for Scottish Citylink . Ferries sail from Campbeltown to Ballycastle in Northern Ireland , operated by Kintyre Express. The service, which runs to Ballycastle every Friday to Monday during summer months and on Mondays and Fridays during
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#1732791691403372-646: The Campbeltown single malts . At one point it had over 30 distilleries and proclaimed itself "the whisky capital of the world". However, a focus on quantity rather than quality, and the combination of Prohibition and the Great Depression in the United States, led to most distilleries going out of business. Today only three active distilleries remain in Campbeltown: Glen Scotia , Glengyle , and Springbank . Campbeltown
403-509: The Royal Mail to allow him to commence an overnight road service from Campbeltown to Glasgow , in lieu of transporting mail by ship. The company remained a Royal Mail contractor until October 2011. In 1950, the business purchased Dickies of Tarbert, along with the service between East and West Loch Tarbert Piers. In 1955, haulage company West Coast Transport was formed. After purchasing James McPhee Haulage and Ramsays Haulage in 1963,
434-449: The West of Scotland Football League Division 4 which largely comprises clubs based in the Greater Glasgow and Inverclyde areas, requiring the Campbeltown team to make a round trip of over 200 miles (320 km) for away fixtures most weekends. Argyll FM is a local radio station based in Campbeltown on 106.5, 107.1 and 107.7. In May 2012 Campbeltown and Dunoon were jointly named in
465-639: The Registrars office and Customer Service Point for Argyll and Bute council and has plaques or exhibits related to famous Kintyre people: for example, William McTaggart and William Mackinnon . Near the museum is the cinema known as the Wee Picture House , a small but distinctive Art Nouveau building of the Glasgow School dating from 1913 and believed to be the oldest surviving purpose-built cinema in Scotland. These buildings are on
496-480: The business was re-branded as Borders Buses. Re-branding saw the introduction of a new cream and red corporate livery, with a blue stripe along the length of the vehicle. Some vehicles operating on key routes have since received route-specific branding, based on the corporate livery. Glasgow Citybus was purchased by West Coast Motors in 2006. The company operates local bus services in Glasgow and Dunbartonshire , with
527-926: The business was sold to British Road Services in 1966. In 1970, McConnachie's was purchased, resulting in West Coast operating all services in the Kintyre area. In 1982, McColls of Benderloch was purchased, along with the Oban to Benderloch and Easdale services. In 1986, Stag Garage of Lochgilphead was purchased, along with services to Ford , Kilmartin and Ormsary . In 1999, West Coast Motors purchased Oban & District Buses . In 2004, West Coast Motors commenced operating in Bute and Cowal , after taking over services from Stagecoach , along with depots in Dunoon and Rothesay . In 2006, service between Oban and Dalavich
558-458: The future stability of the company. The Unite union indicated that while CS Wind had been profitable, it was not receiving an adequate number of orders to sustain full employment. The plant was shut down in 2019 and production shifted to CS Wind's cheaper Vietnam plant in Phú Mỹ . Campbeltown is one of five areas in Scotland categorised as a distinct malt whisky producing region , and is home to
589-462: The island of Great Britain (if the port of Mallaig is not counted as a town). It has the population of a large village, but lays claim to its town status based on its port and its central close grid of streets. Its position near the end of a long peninsula makes for a time-consuming road journey, and to some extent the area relies on sea and air transport, like the Inner Hebrides . However it
620-611: The local economy," according to the Scottish government. A report in October 2019 had raised warning signs for the economy of Argyll & Bute; the report also suggested that up to 70 jobs at CS Wind UK could be lost but did not specify a time frame. Both companies confirmed the prediction of job redundancies, leading the Scottish government to hold an emergency summit in November 2019 to discuss steps that might be taken for improving
651-400: The local economy. Participants included Argyll & Bute Council, Highlands & Islands Enterprise, trades unions and local employers. After the summit, a "working group" was formed in late November 2019. The number of dairy farms supplying Campbeltown Creamery reduced from 147 to 28 and the number of dairy cows fell from 6600 to 2500. Consequently, the Creamery became unviable. A plan by
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#1732791691403682-479: The old Campbeltown swimming pool, which was previously closed due to safety concerns; the centre houses Campbeltown's library (with the old building being the museum only), swimming pool, gym, conference centre and 'Mussel Ebb' Cafe. The Kintyre Camanachd are a local shinty team that belongs to the Camanachd Association . The local amateur football team, Campbeltown Pupils AFC, are members of
713-601: The waterfront, as is a 14th-century Celtic cross that also served as a mercat cross . St Kieran ( Ciarán of Clonmacnoise ) lived in this area before the town existed. A cave named after him can be visited at low tide, as can the cave on nearby Island Davaar where pilgrims and tourists go to see a 19th-century crucifixion painting. Campbeltown also hosts the annual Mull Of Kintyre Music Festival, which has seen acts ranging from up-and-coming local bands to well-established groups such as Deacon Blue , The Stranglers and Idlewild perform. The Kintyre Songwriters Festival,
744-527: The winter months, commenced in 2011. In 2006 a foot passenger ferry operated by Kintyre Express ran between Campbeltown and Troon every Monday, Wednesday and Friday with a crossing time of one hour in calm weather. By 2007 this ferry no longer ran, although the vessel can be chartered privately. Starting 23 May 2013, Caledonian MacBrayne began operating a ferry service across the Firth of Clyde to Ardrossan , calling at Brodick on Saturdays. Campbeltown
775-483: Was built in the former premises of the Co-operative Society’s laundry. Two 150 h.p. oil fired engines drove the generators built by Ruston and Honsby. The street lighting in the town was converted from gas to electricity in 1936. Campbeltown Airport is near the town, and has a scheduled service to/from Glasgow International Airport on weekdays and some summer Sundays. The town is the westernmost town in
806-399: Was completed in 1760. The Royal National Lifeboat Institution opened Campbeltown Lifeboat Station in 1861. The present building dates from 1996. In addition to the benefits of distilling, and whisky tourism, there were two major employers in 2018, Campbeltown Creamery and CS Wind UK, who provided "a substantial portion of the Campbeltown area’s high skilled jobs and are a vital part of
837-647: Was linked to Machrihanish by a canal (1794 – mid-1880s) that was superseded by the Campbeltown and Machrihanish Light Railway , which closed in 1932. The railway, which was originally built to serve the Machrihanish Coalfield , ran from Campbeltown railway station to Machrihanish railway station . Campbeltown is one of the few communities in the Scottish Highlands where the Scots language predominated in recent centuries, rather than
868-610: Was opened by the National Telephone Company in the early 1900s. It was modernised in 1939 with the introduction of direct dialling and went digital in 1991 following the upgrade of the Lochgilphead exchange. Electricity for domestic consumption arrived on 17 October 1935 when the Campbeltown and Mid Argyll Electric Power Company’s new power station in Glebe Street was inaugurated. The power station
899-493: Was purchased by West Coast Motors. The sale included 45 vehicles, and both depots at Berwick-upon-Tweed and St. Boswells . Later in the same year, Perryman's also took over several services from First Scotland East . The remainder of First 's operations in the Scottish Borders , including the depot at Galashiels , as well as outstations at Hawick , Kelso and Peebles , was sold to West Coast Motors in March 2017. In July 2017,
930-541: Was purchased from L.F. Stewart & Son, along with Kilberry and Skipness services from D & E Henderson Hiring. In January 2008, the City Sightseeing franchise in Glasgow was purchased, followed in 2009 by the Kintyre Express ferry operation. Kintyre Express later commenced operating a ferry service from Campbeltown to Ballycastle , in 2011. In June 2013, Bowman's Tours on the Isle of Mull
961-708: Was purchased, along with 10 vehicles, and was renamed West Coast Tours . In November 2013, the company acquired Fairline Coaches in Glasgow, along with 16 vehicles. On 12 June 2023, West Coast Motors took over the Tighnabruaich-Otter Ferry and the Tighnabruaich local service from Tighnabruaich Service Station, giving West Coast Motors full dominance on mainland Argyll, excluding Garelochhead Coaches in Lochgoilhead and express operators. In February 2016, Perryman's Buses of Berwick-upon-Tweed