74-667: McGill's Bus Services is a bus operator based in Greenock , Scotland. The company has grown to operate a network of routes covering much of the council areas of Inverclyde , East Renfrewshire , Renfrewshire , North Lanarkshire , Glasgow City , North Ayrshire , West Lothian , Falkirk and Dundee City . McGill's have several depots based in Greenock , Inchinnan , Johnstone , Edinburgh , Bannockburn , Balfron , Larbert , Livingston and Dundee . McGill's also formerly had depots in Dumbarton , Barrhead and Coatbridge . McGill's
148-639: A cause celebre , seven young Greenock males stowed away on a cargo ship bound for Quebec . Treated with what was, even for the times, exceptional brutality, they were forcibly disembarked in Newfoundland ; by the time they were returned to Scotland, three of them had died. The Captain and mate of the cargo ship were tried in a blaze of publicity at the High Court of Justiciary in Edinburgh and served short prison terms. In 1714 Greenock became
222-550: A Scottish Parliament constituency. Greenock is the administrative centre of Inverclyde Council , the local authority responsible for the wider Inverclyde area in which Greenock is located. The council is based in the Greenock Municipal Buildings . Greenock's climate is temperate maritime having mainly cool summers and mild winters. The coastal location means that the heat capacity of seawater helps keep winter temperatures higher than locations just
296-659: A custom house port as a branch of Port Glasgow , and for a period this operated from rooms leased in Greenock. Receipts rose rapidly with the expansion of colonial trade, and in 1778 the custom house moved to newly-built premises at the West Quay of the harbour. By 1791 a new pier was constructed at the East Quay. In 1812 Europe's first steamboat service was introduced by PS Comet with frequent sailings between Glasgow, Greenock and Helensburgh , and as trade built up
370-538: A Charter raising Greenock to a Burgh of Barony with rights to a weekly market. Further east, Saint Laurence Bay curved round past the Crawfurd Barony of Easter Greenock to Garvel (or Gravel) Point. When a pier (or dyke) was built making the bay an important harbour, the fishing village of Cartsdyke gained the alternative name of Craufurdsdyke. In 1642 it was made into the Burgh of Barony of Crawfurdsdyke, and part of
444-566: A broad bay with three smaller indentations: the Bay of Quick was known as a safe anchorage as far back as 1164. To its east, a sandy bay ran eastwards from the Old Kirk and the West Burn as far as Wester Greenock castle. The fishing village of Greenock developed along this bay, and around 1635 Sir John Schaw had a jetty built into the bay which became known as Sir John's Bay. In that year he obtained
518-628: A common spelling until it was changed to Greenock around 1700. Grenock was also used in the 19th century, e.g. in Lloyd's List publications. The spelling Greenoak was found in two factory accounts dating back to 1717, and a legend developed of a green oak tree at the edge of the Clyde at William Street being used by fishermen to tie up their boats. No reliable source has been found referencing green oaks, however, and so this has been generally dismissed as imaginative Anglophone folk etymology . Nonetheless
592-687: A customs and excise museum which was open to the public. In June 2008 HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) announced that the building would close in 2011 as part of a rationalisation project with any jobs being transferred to offices in Glasgow , and despite a campaign to oppose these plans, the building closed in August 2010. Riverside Inverclyde arranged further refurbishment works, and in 2013 announced that space had already been let to companies including PG Paper Company Ltd and Toshiba which had planning permission to form meeting rooms and an executive office in
666-430: A deal was reached to purchase the bus routes of McNairn Coaches and JJ Travel for an undisclosed sum. The deal included 14 members of staff and a number of vehicles. Further acquisitions were made on 2 February 2015, with the routes of Arthur's Coaches and D.A. Coaches being bought out alongside three vehicles. On 30 May 2016, McGills purchased the routes and local service vehicles of Silverdale Coaches. On 29 August 2016,
740-568: A few miles inland. Although there has been recent debate the moderating influence of the North Atlantic Drift , a warm oceanic current that is the eastern extension of the Gulf Stream , means that Greenock's average temperature is approximately one degree Celsius greater than eastern Scottish coastal towns on the same latitude (55.94 degrees north); whilst in winter, Greenock is considerably warmer than continental locations at
814-486: A fleet of 120 buses at the time. McGill's commenced a partnership with German intercity coach operator FlixBus in July 2021, operating an overnight coach service from Glasgow to London via Edinburgh , Newcastle upon Tyne and Sunderland using a fleet of Volvo 9700 coaches. The network was expanded in 2022 with the addition of a service from Glasgow to Manchester and an internal service between Glasgow and Aberdeen ,
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#1732773374917888-600: A fleet of 257 buses from the FirstGroup, including the Bright Bus Tours open top bus tour operation in Edinburgh. Following the takeover, 120 of the buses acquired from First were deemed unsuitable for McGill's service and taken off the road, with some returning to service after repairs and some being replaced by vehicles transferred from other McGill's operations. McGill's announced in September 2023 that it
962-537: A large depot on the Easdale Industrial Estate. Early in its existence, the new company began operating services in competition with Harte Buses, mainly between McGill's 507 and Harte Buses 603, with the purpose of serving Midton in Gourock. In September 2004, Harte withdrew from two routes, leaving McGill's as the sole operator in the town. In October 2004, Kean sold his shares in the company to
1036-585: A total 96 of the type in and around Glasgow, Renfrewshire and Inverclyde. McGill's first took delivery of 55 E12s in November 2021, which were later joined by 31 E12s and ten E10s in March 2023. Greenock Greenock ( / ˈ ɡ r iː n ə k / ; Scots : Greenock ; Scottish Gaelic : Grianaig , pronounced [ˈkɾʲiənɛkʲ] ) is a town in Inverclyde , Scotland, located in
1110-545: A tunnel under Greenock's west end. To regain custom, the Caledonian Railway extended (what is now known as the Inverclyde Line ) the Glasgow, Paisley and Greenock Railway west to Gourock; this line was built to run inland through deep cuttings and tunnels, with a tunnel under the whole length of Newton Street crossing under the other railway tunnel to emerge near Fort Matilda railway station . Spoil from
1184-632: Is the largest independent bus operator in the United Kingdom, as well as being named a Scottish Insider top 500 company in January 2016, coming in at 350th place. The name "McGill's Bus Services" first came into use in 1933. This company was based in Barrhead and was owned by the McGill family. It expanded significantly during the years leading up to bus deregulation, but in July 1997, sold out to
1258-712: The Harland & Wolff shipyard (the present-day location of Container Way), the Old West Kirk was relocated to a new site on the Esplanade where it still stands. The shipbuilders provided the Pirrie Hall to the south of the site: this was opened in February 1925, just after the old church closed for work to commence, and was used during the works to accommodate services, enabling the congregation to see progress on
1332-657: The Isle of Bute and the Cowal Peninsula. The hospital was commissioned to replace the Greenock Royal Infirmary , the Eye Infirmary, Gateside Hospital, Duncan Macpherson Hospital and Broadstone Jubilee Hospital. Construction work started at the end of August 1970 and the hospital was completed in 1979. In 2004 Inverclyde Royal Hospital faced proposals for a major downsizing with the loss of
1406-653: The 1970s and 1980s meant that none of these companies are still trading. Greenock Shipbuilders included: Scotts, Browns, William Lithgows, Fergusons, Head the Boat Builder (lifeboats). Other marine engineering related companies included engine-makers – Kincaids, Scotts, Rankin and Blackmore (which included the Eagle Foundry) – ship repair (Lamonts) and Hasties for steering gear. Yacht builders included Adams and McLean (at Cardwell Bay). Other yards included Cartsburn, Cartsdyke, and Klondyke – all of which closed during
1480-576: The Custom House was praised as "a grand National Structure" in "the highest style of elegance". By then there were scheduled steamboat sailings to Belfast , Derry , Liverpool, Inverness , Campbeltown , the Hebrides and "all the principal places in the Highlands". The Custom House underwent extensive refurbishment which was completed in 1989 and, until closure of the building in 2010, housed
1554-618: The Easdale family, who quickly replaced the hired minibuses with new low-floor vehicles, leading to increases in passenger numbers. Between 2005 and 2008, McGill's introduced a number of new longer-distance routes connecting Inverclyde and Glasgow to Largs , and in May 2005, began operating a series of day excursions branded as Smoothiecruisers. In July 2008, McGill's purchased the stage carriage routes and goodwill of four routes centred on Greenock which had previously been run by Slaemuir Coaches. In
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#17327733749171628-773: The French Vauquelin class destroyer Maillé Brézé blew up off Greenock with heavy loss of life following an accident involving two of her own torpedoes. Although this disaster occurred before the Free French Naval Forces were established, many people tend to regard the Cross of Lorraine on Lyle Hill as a memorial to the loss of the Maillé Brézé as well as to the later losses of the Free French Naval Forces which sailed from
1702-675: The Garvel estate for a harbour when Easter Greenock lands were put up for sale to meet debts, but were outbid by Sir John Schaw who then got a Crown Charter of 1670 uniting Easter and Wester Greenock into the Burgh Barony of Greenock. A separate Barony of Cartsburn was created, the first baron being Thomas Craufurd. In 1668 the City of Glasgow got the lease of 13 acres (5 hectares) of land upriver close to Newark Castle , and construction promptly started on Newport Glasgow harbour which by 1710 had
1776-503: The Inverclyde region, as well as several non-transport businesses. Both parties owned 50% of shares in the company until October 2004, when Kean sold his 50% share to the Easdale family. Former Arriva Scotland West managing director Ralph Roberts joined McGill's in March 2010, later becoming the company's chief executive. General manager Bert Hendry and finance director Graeme Davidson retained their positions, while James Easdale became
1850-399: The McGill's CEO. Former Transdev Blazefield CEO Alex Hornby was appointed as the McGill's Group's managing director in May 2023. Hornby left his post with immediate effect on 25 July 2024. As of January 2021 the McGill's fleet consists of 441 buses and coaches. The company is the largest operator of Yutong E10 and E12 battery electric buses in the United Kingdom as of 2023, operating
1924-548: The Scottish average of 3.9% (figure is for the Scottish Parliament constituency and includes Gourock , Inverkip , Port Glasgow and Wemyss Bay ). In the early 17th century, the first pier was built in Greenock. Shipbuilding was already an important employer by this time. The first proper harbour was constructed in 1710 and the first well-known shipbuilders, Scotts Shipbuilding and Engineering Company ,
1998-558: The West Burn estuary and is reputed to have been the first Protestant church built in Scotland after the Reformation. The Schaw, later Shaw and Shaw-Stewart , family retained a leading role in Greenock over the following centuries. In 1670, Sir John Shaw obtained a charter from King Charles II , combining the lands of Finnart and the barony of Wester Greenock, to create the barony of Greenock. The coast of Greenock formed
2072-484: The accident and emergency department and the acute surgical ward in an effort to save costs. Many people criticised the plans complaining that the Inverclyde Royal Hospital was being seen as nothing more than a large health centre. In February 2007, after undertaking a review, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde proposed retaining the accident and emergency department and core inpatient services, including
2146-541: The alternative derivation from Common Brittonic * Graenag , 'gravelly or sandy place', as more appropriate, accurately describing the original foreshore. Johnston (1934) notes that "some Gaels call the seaport Ghónait , and that a possible derivation may be greannach , meaning 'rough, gravelly'. The name of the town has had various spellings over time. It was printed in early Acts of Parliament as Grinok , Greenhok , Grinock , Greenhoke , Greinnock , and later as Greinok . Old Presbyterial records used Grenok ,
2220-513: The building. Greenock Telegraph estimated that £4.1 million has been spent over five-year period for the renovation works. Greenock became a centre of industry, with water power being used to process imported goods. In 1827 Loch Thom was constructed as a reservoir with The Cut aqueduct , bringing water to two lines of falls for water mills to power a paper mill, cotton and woollen mills, sugar refineries and shipbuilding Greenock Central railway station at Cathcart Street opened in 1841, for
2294-561: The century. The land to the west of this was common ground for inhabitants of the town, but in 1907 the Admiralty compulsorily purchased part of this land for a torpedo factory. The remaining space was handed over to Greenock Corporation in 1914 as a public park. The Clyde Torpedo Factory opened in 1910, with 700 workers transferred from the Royal Arsenal , Woolwich . The site was tasked with designing and testing of torpedoes ,
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2368-610: The company expanding in North Lanarkshire and becoming the dominant operator in the Monklands area by early 2016. An open-top bus tour of Inverclyde named the 'Local Highlights Tour' was introduced by the company in April 2015, while sometime in 2015, McGill's lost their Dunbartonshire contracts to Garelochhead Coaches. On 20 January 2016, McGill's announced its first acquisition in the Monklands area of Lanarkshire , when
2442-746: The company moved premises from a depot in Blantyre Industrial Estate near Hamilton , South Lanarkshire to a new fully refurbished facility in Coatbridge with all services and buses from the Hamilton depot transferring to the new facility. On 1 January 2021, McGill's purchased Xplore Dundee and Xplore More from National Express . The business continues to trade under the Xplore Dundee brand for bus travel and Xplore More for coach travel. The sale involved 350 employees and
2516-512: The cuttings and tunnels was used to build an embankment out from the shore to a long timber wharf at Gourock railway station , providing space for railway sidings. The railway bought Wester Greenock castle and its extension, the Mansion House, and demolished them before constructing the tunnel immediately west of Greenock Central station, running under the castle grounds which now form Well Park. Greenock's increasing importance and wealth
2590-548: The development of the Clydeport container port as Ocean Terminal, a passenger terminal for cruise ships touring the Atlantic. Students who do not travel further afield for study often attend the Greenock campus of West College (formerly known as James Watt College of Further and Higher Education). Greenock reached its population peak in 1921 (81,123) and was once the sixth largest town in Scotland. Until 1974, Greenock
2664-455: The eldest inherited Easter Greenock and married a Crawfurd, while Wester Greenock went to the younger daughter who married Schaw of Sauchie. Around 1540 the adjoining barony of Finnart was passed to the Schaw family, extending their holdings westward to the boundary of Gourock , and in 1542 Sir John Schaw founded Wester Greenock castle. The Scottish Reformation of 1560 closed the chapels in
2738-528: The firm's chairman. Colin Napier, who had previously worked for Coakley Bus & Coach and McKindless , became the company's area manager for its eastern operations in August 2010. Napier has since been appointed to Head of Operations & Commercial, and in July 2024, Robbie Drummond was named Finance Director and Company Secretary. Ralph Roberts replaced James Easdale as chairman of McGill's, with former Ascendal Group CEO Tony Williamson succeeding Roberts as
2812-489: The first time providing a fast route from Glasgow to the coast linking up with Clyde steamer services. The provision of this new line meant there was no need to take the steamer all the way down river from Glasgow. In 1869 the Caledonian Railway was bypassed by the rival Greenock and Ayrshire Railway which opened a station on the waterfront at its Albert Harbour station (later renamed Princes Pier), served by
2886-646: The fleet. In June 2013, four new routes in the Paisley area were introduced by the company to replace those of Riverside Transport. In January 2014, McGill's was linked with a bid to operate the 360-bus network on the Mediterranean island of Malta following the end of Arriva's operations there. A month later, the company pulled out of the bid citing a lack of transparency on the part of the island's government. In October 2014 McGill's Coaches bought Henderson Travel after it suddenly ceased business, resulting in
2960-566: The following high schools as of 2023: Greenock has the following other educational establishments: The Greenock Infirmary , later the Royal Infirmary, was established in 1809, when a building was erected at an expense of £1815, on a site of land given by Sir John Shaw Stewart. Today, the town is served by the Inverclyde Royal Hospital which is located in Greenock serving the population of Inverclyde , Largs ,
3034-623: The gun battery of Fort Beauclerc near the West Burn was extended to guard against the threat of privateers , but the emphasis shifted to wider markets including imports of rum and sugar from the Caribbean , wines from Spain, and fish from North America. A whaling business operated for about 40 years. Greenock "was mainly a trading port for goods such as sugar and cotton, but also dispatched ships to West Africa to take people to be enslaved " in Britain's American colonies. In 1868, in what became
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3108-555: The ill-fated Darien Scheme set out from this pier in 1697. Its town was named Cartsburn. The fishing trade grew prosperous, with barrels of salted herring exported widely, and shipping trade developed. As seagoing ships could not go further up the River Clyde , the Glasgow merchants including the Tobacco Lords wanted harbour access but were in disputes with Greenock over harbour dues and warehouses. They tried to buy
3182-498: The image has frequently been used as an emblem or logo, carved on public buildings, used on banners and badges, and was once emblazoned on the local Co-operative Society emblem. It reappeared in 1992 as the new shopping centre's name, the Oak Mall, which uses a green tree as its logo. The name is also recalled in a local song ("The Green Oak Tree"). Significantly, no green oak appears on the former burgh coat of arms , which features
3256-531: The latter becoming subject to a legal dispute in April 2023 between FlixBus and the Stagecoach Group , with Flixbus submitting a complaint to the Competition and Markets Authority accusing Stagecoach of a conflict of interest after their slot at Aberdeen's bus station was withdrawn. McGill's began to take delivery of the first of 18 more Volvo 9700 coaches in April 2023, which upon the completion of
3330-438: The major operator in the area, Clydeside 2000 , in the face of significant competition from independent minibus operators. McGill's initially retained its identity, but was later rebranded as Arriva Scotland West . Another company, Greenock based Ashton Coaches (trading as GMS), was also acquired by Clydeside in the same month. In July 2001, Arriva decided to withdraw from its Inverclyde operations, which were loss-making and
3404-572: The nave of the church. Opposite it, above the front entrance, is the Crawfurdsburn or Choir Gallery. At the south end of the nave, the Sailor's Loft gallery was built in 1698 and features a 19th-century model frigate, which replaced earlier models. At the north end, the Farmer's Gallery is above the main seating area. A tower was added in the mid 19th century. In 1926, to make way for expansion of
3478-629: The newly formed Admiralty Underwater Weapons Establishment (AUWE), Portland. A church which became known as the Old West Kirk had been established in Greenock in 1591 under the patronage of John Schaw, the first built in Scotland since the Reformation . It was extended over the years, at an early stage the Schaw aisle provided pews for the Laird of the Barony, built as a gallery to the east of
3552-453: The opposite true in midwinter . On the summer solstice, usually observed on the 21 June, the sun rises at 04:31 and sets at 22:07. On the winter solstice, usually 21 December, the sun rises at 08:46 and sets at 15:44. The Highlanders academy was built in 1837, partly by subscription, and partly by grant from government, on a site given by the late Sir Michael Shaw Stewart. Greenock has the following primary schools as of 2023: Greenock has
3626-658: The order, would bring McGill's FlixBus fleet to a total 25 coaches. This order is planned to coincide with the introduction of new coach services operated by McGill's across Scotland, as well as some frequency increases on pre-existing services. On 6 September 2022, it was announced that McGill's had acquired the operations of First Scotland East from the FirstGroup . The company was rebranded to McGill's Scotland East, also trading as McGill's Midland Bluebird and McGill's Eastern Scottish . The sale, completed on 19 September 2022, saw McGill's take on 550 employees, four depots and
3700-399: The parish, and as the parish church was some 6 miles (10 kilometres) distant at Inverkip over a difficult route which was impassable in winter, in 1589 John Schaw obtained a charter from King James VI to build a kirk for the "poor people upon his lands who were all fishers and of a reasonable number". Later known as the Old Kirk or the Old West Kirk , it was constructed on the west bank of
3774-400: The pier became known as Steamboat Quay. The custom house needed larger premises and in May 1817 the foundation stone was laid at Steamboat Quay for a Custom House building designed by William Burn , which was completed in 1818. Its gracious neoclassical architecture features a Grecian Doric portico looking out over the quay, which would eventually be renamed Custom House Quay. In 1828
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#17327733749173848-532: The principal Clyde custom house . In 1696 and 1700 Schaw and residents of the town made unsuccessful bids to the Scottish Parliament for grants for a Greenock harbour, then when the Act of Union 1707 opened up involvement in colonial trade, they raised their own funds. The work was completed in 1710, with quays extended out into Sir John's Bay to enclose the harbour. In 1711 the shipbuilding industry
3922-417: The rebuilt kirk. It then came into use as the church hall. The church is notable for stained glass by artists such as Dante Gabriel Rossetti and Sir Edward Burne-Jones . The Church has a website. Greenock suffered badly during the Second World War and its anchorage at the Tail of the Bank became the base for the Home Fleet as well as the main assembly point for Atlantic convoys. On 30 April 1940
3996-479: The route to low-floor operation and increased its frequency at a cost of £1.5 million. In March 2012, McGill's purchased the remaining Arriva Scotland West operation. The sale included 165 vehicles, 380 staff, and depots at Inchinnan and Johnstone . The deal expanded the McGill's a fleet to over 350 buses. On 15 October 2012, it was announced that McGill's acquired the local bus services of Alexandria -based McColls Coaches for £3 million, with 30 buses joining
4070-473: The same latitude, such as Moscow. Anecdotally Greenock has a reputation for receiving higher than average rainfall (the song The Green Oak Tree comments on this). Whilst the rainfall is indeed higher than the average recorded at Scottish weather stations, the greatest rainfall in Scotland occurs on the west (ocean) facing mountain slopes of Lochaber , near Fort William in the Highlands . Greenock's latitude means long hours of daylight in midsummer with
4144-627: The same month, the firm established a second depot in Barrhead on the site of the garage used by the original McGill's Bus Services, which had been vacated by Arriva in 2002. The new operation traded as United Buses using Greenock and District Omnibuses, with vehicles on hire from ABC Taxis, which also had an o-licence and capitalised on the revocation of the operating licences held by local operator John Walker to move onto four routes previously served by his group of companies. Twenty step-entrance buses were initially used, but these were largely replaced by low-floor vehicles after four months. The United name
4218-510: The size of its fleet by around 70%. In February 2011, two small operators based in the Paisley area, Fairway Coaches and Travel Direct, were purchased by McGill's, although no vehicles were acquired. Two further acquisitions, of Renfrewshire-based Ferenze Travel and Phoenix Travel, were announced in March 2011. In the same month, Dickson's of Erskine sold its key route 38, a Glasgow to Paisley service operated in competition with both Arriva Scotland West and First Glasgow , to McGill's, who converted
4292-509: The south bank of the Clyde at the " Tail of the Bank " where the River Clyde deepens into the Firth of Clyde . Place-name scholar William J. Watson wrote that "Greenock is well known in Gaelic as Grianáig , dative of grianág , 'a sunny knoll ' ". The Scottish Gaelic place-name Grianaig is relatively common, with another Greenock near Callander in Menteith (formerly in Perthshire) and yet another at Muirkirk in Kyle , now in East Ayrshire . R. M. Smith in (1921) described
4366-476: The testing taking place in Loch Long . During the Second World War the site switched entirely to manufacturing torpedoes. The original gun battery site was occupied by the Navy Buildings , the main offices, just to the east of the torpedo factory buildings. Following WW2, in 1947, the site became fully committed to R&D as the Torpedo Experimental Establishment (TEE). TEE was closed in 1959, when all torpedo research, development and design were concentrated at
4440-425: The three chalices of the Shaw Stewarts, a sailing ship in full sail, and two herring above the motto "God Speed Greenock". Hugh de Grenock was created a Scottish Baron in 1296, and the seat of the feudal barony of Greenock was apparently what became Easter Greenock Castle . Around 1400 his successor Malcolm Galbraith died with no sons, and his estate was divided between his two daughters to become two baronies:
4514-419: The town relied heavily on electronics manufacture. However, this has given way mostly to: call centre business, insurance, banking and shipping export. The Fleming and Reid merino wool mill employed 500 people – mostly women and produced wool garments spun and woven at the mill. This mill was at the corner of Drumfrochar Road and Mill Road. As of October 2012 Greenock has an unemployment rate of 5.3%, above
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#17327733749174588-415: The town. On the nights of 6 May and 7 May 1941 around 300 Luftwaffe aircraft attacked the town in the Greenock Blitz . On 10 October 1940, RAF Greenock was created as a maintenance base for RAF flying boats. The base was hit on 7 May 1941 during the Greenock Blitz. A large building housing a drapery business constructed on Cowan's property at the corner of the Municipal Buildings was badly damaged and
4662-502: The trauma and emergency medical departments at Inverclyde Royal Hospital and submitted this proposal to the Scottish Government for approval. Langhill Clinic situated behind Inverclyde Royal Hospital is now the main psychiatric hospital with an IPCU unit and Day hospital alongside the main psychiatric ward. Historically, the town relied on shipbuilding , sugar refining and wool manufacturing for employment, but none of these industries are today part of Greenock's economy. More recently
4736-423: The west central Lowlands of Scotland . The town is the administrative centre of Inverclyde Council . It is a former burgh within the historic county of Renfrewshire , and forms part of a contiguous urban area with Gourock to the west and Port Glasgow to the east. The 2011 UK Census showed that Greenock had a population of 44,248, a decrease from the 46,861 recorded in the 2001 UK Census . It lies on
4810-432: The withdrawal of Harte Buses' Braehead Express. In July 2010, the company was fined £60,000 by the Traffic Commissioner for failing to operate some services as timetabled, although it was permitted to expand its fleet from 110 to 150 vehicles. The Smoothiecrusisers network was withdrawn in August 2010. The company acquired the operations and vehicles of large independent operator Gibson's Direct in September 2010, expanding
4884-408: Was a parliamentary burgh in its own right. It was merged with Port Glasgow to form Greenock and Port Glasgow constituency. In 1997, it became Greenock and Inverclyde . After the redistribution of Scottish seats, it was merged into an enlarged Inverclyde constituency – the first time in political history that Greenock has not been named in a parliamentary seat. Greenock and Inverclyde remains
4958-424: Was announced that McGill's would begin local operations in Aberdeen from 25 November through taking over service X14, running between Aberdeen city centre and Kingswells , from existing operator Stagecoach Bluebird with the support of Aberdeen City Council . McGill's Bus Services was initially owned by Alex Kean, a former taxi and local bus operator, and the Easdale family, who also ran a number of taxi firms in
5032-479: Was demolished, leaving the blank brick corner area still known as "Cowan's Corner". This was later landscaped and used as a garden. Greenock thrived in the post-war years but as the heavy industries declined in the 1970s and 1980s unemployment became a major problem, and it has only been in the last ten years with reinvestment and the redevelopment of large sections of the town that the local economy has started to revive. Tourism has appeared as an unexpected bonus with
5106-476: Was established the following year. It gained numerous contracts with the Royal Navy from 1806, building ships such as Glasgow . In 1967 Scott's was merged with Lithgows (founded 1874, later the largest privately owned yard in the world) the same year becoming Scott Lithgow , which was later nationalised as part of British Shipbuilders in 1977. From 1800 to 1980 many thousands of people worked to design, build and repair ships. The reduction in shipbuilding in
5180-502: Was facing significant competition from independent operators. Its Greenock depot was sold to former GMS owner Alex Kean and the Easdale family with each owning 50%. Arriva had retained a separate operating licence for McGill's, and this was used as the basis for the sale. The McGill's Bus Services name was revived by the new company and a new livery of blue, white, and gold was introduced. The fleet initially consisted of 33 Mercedes-Benz minibuses hired from Arriva; services were operated from
5254-530: Was founded when Scotts leased ground between the harbour and the West Burn to build fishing boats. Greenock rapidly became a major port and shipbuilding centre, and though tobacco imported from the colonies was taken to Glasgow by pack horse, the more bulky imports of sugar were processed locally. From 1774 the dredging of the River Clyde increasingly allowed ships to take merchandise directly to Glasgow, but merchants continued to use Greenock harbour. The American Revolutionary War temporarily interrupted trade, and
5328-409: Was manifested in the construction of the Greenock Municipal Buildings , whose Victoria Tower, completed in 1886, stands 245 feet (75 metres) tall. The War of 1812 reawakened fears of American raids against Britain's ports. Earlier gun batteries had been dismantled and in 1813 ground was granted for a battery at Whitefarland Point. Fort Matilda was completed in 1818 and was sporadically modified over
5402-512: Was replaced by that of McGill's in September 2009; the same month saw the company introducing the express service X23 between Glasgow and Erskine . By the beginning of 2010, McGill's had become the largest independent bus operator in Scotland, and the fourth largest operator of any type. A new service linking Greenock and Larkfield was introduced in early 2010 to replace a route withdrawn by Wilson's Coaches. May 2010 saw McGill's expand its services from Dunoon and Greenock to Braehead to cover for
5476-501: Was to close down their McGill's Eastern Scottish operation and would start ceasing most operations on services in Edinburgh and West Lothian between October and December. The company cited issues with driver recruitment and low passenger patronage, as well as traffic congestion and competition with the railways and Lothian Buses had led to the Eastern Scottish operation becoming unsustainable to operate. In October 2024, it
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