Kelvin Central Buses

Kelvin Central Buses came together as a result of a merger between Kelvin Scottish and Central Scottish, both companies created by the Scottish Bus Group in 1985 as it prepared for deregulation in 1989. In 1991 ownership of Kelvin Scottish passed to its management and employees; the company began to expand, purchasing many smaller independent bus operators and becoming the dominant operator in much of Lanarkshire. In 1998 Kelvin Central was absorbed into the First Group, becoming First Glasgow.

Based at Traction House, Motherwell, Kelvin Central operated from Loch Lomond in the west and the Campsie Fells in the north to Shotts in the east and Strathaven to the south. The largest operator in Lanarkshire and Dunbartonshire, the company operated in and around Dumbarton, Kirkintilloch, Motherwell, Hamilton, Airdrie, Cumbernauld and parts of Glasgow. Written and compiled by enthusiast and photographer David Devoy, this beautifully illustrated book offers a comprehensive survey of the buses of Kelvin Central.