Lothian Buses

A.  Bus Liveries

B.  Route Branding

A.

Bus Liveries

 

Madder + White

from

1919

Introduced by Edinburgh Corporation in 1919.

-  Retained on buses and trams by:
Edinburgh Corporation

-  Then on buses by:
LRT
then by Lothian Buses.

©

 

Harlequin

from

1999

Introduced from 1999 for 'low floor' buses that were able to carry wheelchairs.

By 2010 all buses were painted in the harlequin livery (or 'route branded' variations of this livery).

Two buses in Princes Street, showing  older and more recent examples of the Lothian Buses harlequin livery  -  November 2005 ©

Notes

Two styles of harlequin livery have been used:

  -  the first included many small diamonds (- see the front bus in this photo):
  -  the later variation had only the larger diamonds  (- see the second bus).

I thought the first style, which I've heard described as 'confetti', looked good - particularly during the first few months when these buses were in service on Route 26, not carrying any adverts.

 

Wein rot + White + Gold

from

March 2010

By 2010, the whole bus fleet was 'low floor' so there was no further need for the harlequin livery, and buses began to be painted 'wein rot + white + gold'.

*  'Wein rot' is the closest colour match that could be found in a standard colour to the madder that was used previously.

Lothian Buses at Central Depot, Annandale Street  -  Three Buses in the new livery, 2010 ©

B.

Route Branding

Route Branding began with Route 26 in 1999. beginning with a strap line above the bus windows, listing key bus stops along the route.

New branding was introduced, adopting a 'Playing Card' theme from 2004 onwards, then a 'Connect' theme from 2009 onwards.

I still have several more photos to add to this page.

Acknowledgement:  Thank you to Dr Steve Johnson, Lothian Buses, for the dates below when route branding was introduced.

 

Route
3

and 3A

from

October 2005

Playing Cards theme:

"Club Class across the city & midlothian"

  Route branding for Lothian Buses, Route 3  -   November 2005 ©

Route branding for Lothian Buses, Route 3  -  November 2005 ©

       Route 3 bus in Princes Street  -  November 2005 ©

from

September 2010

New branding

Connect theme:

"The Lady Victoria"

Anderson Shelters in Back Gardens at Newtoft Street, Gilmerton  -  2011 ©

 

Route
15

and 15A

from

when?

(Tomato Soup' shade of red)

Service now operated by 'low floor' buses with harlequin livery

Route 15 bus in Princes Street  -  November 2005 ©

from

2010

Buses for this route adopted the harlequin livery when when all buses  became 'low floor, in 2010.

 

 

Route
22

from

December 2002

Strap of route key stops on single-deckers

Service now operated by 'low floor' buses with harlequin livery

Route 22 bus in Princes Street  -  November 2005 ©

from

September 2009

Connect theme:

Double deckers, pink roofs

Buses fitted with spaces for baby buggies AND wheelchairs.

Lothian Buses  -  Terminus  -  Ocean Terminal  -  Route 22 ©

Lothian Buses  -  Terminus  -  Ocean Terminal  -  Route 35 ©

 

Route
26

from

July 1999

Strap of route key stops

 

from

March 2004

Playing Cards theme: 

"East to west,  through the heart  of the City"

  Route branding for Lothian Buses, Route 26  -   2005 ©

Route 26 bus in Princes Street  -  November 2005 ©   

Route 26 bus in Princes Street  -  November 2005 ©

from

April 2009

Connect theme:

 

Route
26

'All-over Adverts'

from

when?

Route 26 runs past Edinburgh Zoo.

10 buses have now been given animal themes for Edinburgh Zoo.  There are 2 buses in each of 5 themes.

 

from

March 2010

Animal Theme buses named:

Chimpanzee Bus -           "Great EscAPE"

Rainbow Lorikeet Bus -   "Rainbow Flyer"

Penguin Bus -                  "Deep Sea Driver"

Tiger Bus -                       "Easy Tiger"

Zebra Bus -                      "Wheely Stripey"

 

Route
29

from

May 2007

Playing card theme:

"The Best Deal"

Lothian Buses  -  Terminus  -  Mayfield  -  Route 29 ©

from

March 2011

"The Stock Brig"

Named after the wooden (stock) bridge (brig) that originally crossed the Water of Leith.

 

 

Route
30

from

October 2003

Strap of route key stops

Lothian Buses  -  Terminus  -  Clovenstone  -  Route 30 ©

from

2009

Branding discontinued

 

 

Route
31

from

November 2006

Playing Cards theme:

"Ace of Spades.
Cutting through the City and Midlothian
"

Lothian Buses  -  Terminus  -  Bonnyrigg  -  Route 31 ©

  ©

from

2010

Branding discontinued

 

 

Route
35

from

October 2003

Strap of route key stops (green)

 

from

Late 2005

Strap of route key stops (purple)
and '35' roundels

Lothian Buses  -  Terminus  -  Edinburgh Airport  -  Route 35 ©

from

2009

Branding discontinued

 

 

Route
3
6

from

September 2010

"Get there Greener"

This is the slogan for the low-emission buses now being used on this route.

Lothian Buses  -  Terminus  -  City Centre  -  Route 100 ©

 

Routes
3
7
47
X47

from

December 2006

Connect theme:

"Penicuik City Link"

    Route branding for Lothian Buses, Routes 37, 47 and 47a ©

Lothian Buses  -  Terminus  -  Silverknowes  -  Route 37 ©

 Lothian Buses  -  Terminus  -  Silverknowes  -  Routes 27 and 37 ©

from

March 2011

"Pen-y-Cog" (turquoise)

 

 

Route
44

from

July 1999

Strap of route key stops

 

from

October 2005

Playing Cards theme:

"Service with a Sparkle"

  Route branding for Lothian Buses, Route 44  -  November 2005 ©

  Bus 726 with route branding for Route 44 in Princes Street  -  November 2005 ©

 New bus on the newly branded Route 44, near the West End of Princes Street  -  November 2005 ©

 Bus 728 with route branding for Route 44 in Princes Street  -  November 2005 ©

from

November 2010

Route 44

"The Mill Race"

    Route Branding for Route 44, The Mill Race  -  March 2011 ©

Lothian Buses  -  Terminus  -  Pencaitland  -  Route 44 © 

Lothian Buses  -  Terminus  -  Balerno  -  Route 44 ©

 

Route
48

and X48

from

July 2005

Full Green "Park & Ride" branding

A 'Park and Ride' single decker bus heads east along  Princes Street towards the Park & Ride site at Ingliston, close to Edinburgh Airport  -  November 2005 ©

 Lothian Buses  -  Terminus  - Ratho  -  Route X48 ©

Lothian Buses  -  Terminus  - Sheriffhall  -  Route X48 ©

from

April 2009

Strap of route key stops

 

 

Route
49

from

September 2007

Playing Cards theme:

"Leader of the Pack'"

  Logo for route49, photographed on the side of a bus at Rosewell,  April 2009 ©

  Lothian Buses  -  Terminus  -  The Jewel -  Route 49 ©

 Lothian Buses  -  Terminus  -  The Jewel -  Route 49 ©

from

September 2010

"The Queen of Scots'"

 

 

Route
61

'All-over Adverts'

from

when?

Advertising Standard Life on each side

(yellow)

  Advert on the side of bus 194, operating on service 61 ©

This route started as a private service for use by Standard Life Staff, then later became Lothian Buses Route 61

  Lothian Buses  -  MacTours  -  Henderson Row -  Route 61 ©

 Lothian Buses  -  MacTours  -  Henderson Row  -  Route 61 ©

from

2011

Advertising Standard Life on each side

(blue)

  Lothian Buses  -  Route 61  -  Bus 38 passes along Princes Street, in front of Edinburgh Castle ©

 

Route
100

from

when?

"Air Link"
(dark blue)

  Lothian Buses  -  Terminus  -  City Centre  -  Route 100 ©

Lothian Buses  -  Terminus  -  Edinburgh Airport  -  Route 100 ©

from

March 2010

"Air Link  ... blue sky thinking ...
airport - city centre
journey time 30 minutes"
(lighter blue)

New lighter blue livery introduced for new buses that feature:

-  dedicated luggage area with CCTV security
-  leather seating
-  next stop info
-  free Wi-fi

 

    Lothian Buses  -  Terminus  -  City Centre  -  Route 100 ©

 

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