Bus services
Motor bus services began with a Fort William to Ballachulish route in 1906, and by the outbreak of the First World War several other bus routes had been established around Inverness, Fort William and Ardrishaig. No routes actually connected these detached operations with each other at that stage, and road operations remained a very small part of the business until after the reconstituting of the company in 1928. The new owners provided capital to modernise the business, including setting up a substantial road haulage division to replace cargo shipping services at many of the smaller ports. Expansion of the bus division was gradual, and mainly achieved by acquisition of existing small operators.[8]
In 1929 Link Line of Glasgow introduced a coach route from Glasgow to Tarbert (Kintyre) in competition with MacBrayne's steamer service, and MacBrayne quickly responded by introducing its own coach service, which would become one of the firm's principal routes. Coaches were timed to connect at Tarbert with MacBrayne's steamer to Islay and McConnachie of Campbeltown's bus service to that town. Link Line sold out to MacBrayne in 1932 ending the competition, although from 1935 onward West Coast Motors of Campbeltown provided an overnight passenger and mail coach service between Campbeltown and Glasgow. MacBrayne's own buses did not reach Campbeltown until 1940, when they replaced the Glasgow to Campbeltown steamer.[9] MacBraynes and West Coast co-existed on the route thereafter.
Another significant takeover was of Shields of Kinlochleven in 1934.[9] Shields operated a service from Fort William to Tyndrum, where a connection could be made with W. Alexander & Sons' Oban to Glasgow (via Helensburgh) service. MacBrayne extended some journeys on this route through to Glasgow (via Luss), although connections with the Alexander service also continued. McIntyre of Fort William was acquired in 1936, giving MacBrayne an interest in the Fort William to Fort Augustus route, and through services between Fort William and Inverness were finally introduced in 1939 following cessation of the Fort Augustus to Inverness steamer.[9]
This important route was jointly operated with Macrae & Dick of Inverness (a Highland Omnibuses predecessor). Various other small operators were taken over in the 1930s and 1940s, expanding or consolidating the route network on the mainland. Most MacBrayne bus services carried parcels and in some cases mail as well as passengers. In addition to the stage carriage routes, MacBraynes developed a significant coach tour operation in the West Highlands, often operated in conjunction with the firm's pleasure steamers.[9]
On the islands served by MacBrayne steamers, connecting bus services were provided by local independent operators, but from 1941 onwards MacBrayne began to take over many of these businesses and to operate the buses themselves.[10] Firms so acquired were McGibbon of Bowmore (Islay) in 1941, MacKinnon of Askernish (South Uist) in 1947, Ferguson of Clachan (South Uist) in 1947, MacLean & Donald of Ardvasar (Skye) in 1948, MacDonald of Sollas (North Uist) in 1948, Skye Transport (a Scottish Co-operative Wholesale Society subsidiary) of Portree (Skye) in 1958, Cameron of Tarbert (Harris) in 1964, Cowe of Tobermory (Mull) in 1964 and finally Carson of Dunvegan (Skye) in 1970.[11]
Postwar expansion on the mainland included a detached operation on the Ardgour Peninsula. When Ardgour and Acharacle Motor Services ceased trading at the end of 1950, MacBaynes took over their services connecting Acharacle and Kilchoan with the Corran Ferry, by which means onward connection could be made with MacBrayne's buses for Fort William or Glasgow.[12] MacBraynes also took over operation of the ferry itself in 1954. Another acquisition on the mainland was Campbell of Glenshiel in 1960, with the route from Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh and a connecting service from Shiel Bridge to Glenelg.[11]
Due to the highly dispersed nature of its operations, the MacBrayne bus fleet used a remarkably large number of bus depots relative to its size, none of which was particularly large and many of which were simply small sheds for overnight parking of one vehicle. For example, the five-vehicle operation on Islay had a depot at Port Ellen and overnight sheds at Port Askaig and Portnahaven.[13] Many garage facilities were shared with the company's road haulage fleet. The largest bus depot was Fort William, and other larger facilities were at Ardrishaig, Glasgow, Inverness, Kinlochleven, and Portree.
