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RENNIES OF DUNFERMLINE

A bit of history - Supplied by DAVID LOVE. (many thanks for making this page a possibility)

Originally running under the title Rennies Lion Coaches from inception in 1948, the company ran from a small depot in the village of Cairneyhill (CLICK HERE to see 1960's aerial photograph of Cairneyhill depot).  Like many small, rural operators of the time, local industries like collieries and HM Dockyard at Rosyth provided many contracts upon which the business was established. A livery of cream and Ayres red  was used, and has manifested itself in various forms over the decades since.  A takeover of Dunfermline company Comfort Coaches in 1963 resulted in the merged company Rennies Lion & Comfort Coaches being created.  There is debate about exactly when the name was refined to purely Rennies of Dunfermline, although the 1972 batch of Leopards still carried this fleet name as a boot scroll (See photograph HERE).  As they were the last to do so, it is generally accepted that the name changed as the vehicles carrying it left the fleet.

 Until the early 1970's, there was a regular turnover of used vehicles, however from that point  until early 1980's regular purchases of new coaches were made.  These lasted a few seasons before being traded-in against the next batch. Until the mid-1980's, Rennies front-line coaches, bought new or otherwise, were all fitted with a characteristic triangular flag on the dome (See photograph HERE). During this time, new contracts for offshore oil platforms and Mossmorran boosted the fleet.  A great variety of vehicles were used ranging from luxury (for the time)  coaches for a comprehensive day-tour programme to former London Country Bristol LH's on Mossmorran internal duties. 

 The 1980 Transport Act which paved the way for Stagecoach to develop was also an important milestone for Rennies, who registered a network of services linking naval facilities at Rosyth with those in the south of England.  The Van Hool Astrals - complete with factory sign written error of Edingburgh - used on this service were the first vehicles in the UK to operate with a mobile phone on board, and were supported by a TV advertising campaign, both of which were highly unusual at the time (See leaflet links below).  By the time bus deregulation occurred in 1986, the service had ended, partly due to competitive rail fares, a decline in naval travel, and competition from National Express / Scottish Citylink.

 Prior to deregulation in October 1986, 5 buses were loaned, and then bought, from Blackburn Transport to begin the R9 service linking Dunfermline and Ballingry (essentially copying the Fife Scottish service 19).  The fleet quickly expanded to match the town and rural services registered.  From an enthusiast point of view the variety was never ending as new types of vehicle and unfamiliar liveries appeared.  The fleet of Metropolitans grew to Scotland's second largest fleet of the type after GGPTE.  Rennies has always dabbled in vehicle sales, and batches of vehicles far in excess of those needed have arrived throughout the company's existence.  Perhaps the biggest coup was the purchase of 55 Atlanteans from Strathclyde's Buses in 1988 - SB's biggest single disposal, and Rennies largest single purchase.  Many were sold on without use.  

 Many of the 'R' numbered services operated mirrored those of Fife Scottish, and indeed the livery used on the Nationals was the same.  A Glasgow commuter service, the R22,  offered hot drinks, newspapers and reclining seats.  It was fair to say that Rennies did build some brand loyalty with the cheap and cheerful approach - 'Save your pennies, ride with Rennies' ensured buses were well used and provided a recognised threat to the established order. Unfortunately, the bubble burst and an over-stretched network of tightly-timed duties using unsuitable buses, somewhat predictably, imploded during July 1988.  Services were given up without the statutory 42 days notice, buses were sold and the business contracted.  Shortly after, the Cairneyhill premises were vacated.  The expansion of the business had upset local residents due to parking and scrapping of buses to close to residential areas.  A new depot on the site of a former flour mill outside Wellwood, to the north of Dunfermline, has been used since.

 With the move to Wellwood came a new livery of blue and white for coaches, whilst buses (now restricted to school duties) remained in red and cream.  In the early 1990's, several contracts were won seeing Rennies coaches regularly employed in continental Europe.  After initially using second hand Leyland Tigers, new Volvo B10M's and Iveco Euroriders were used.  The hand of fate again dealt a cruel blow when a fatal accident in France during  August 2000 killed a schoolchild. With confidence low and bookings transferred, continental work largely ceased.  The fleet has turned over continually since, and with the introduction of the Bristol VR in 1993 (again swelling to become Scotland's largest fleet at one point), purchases of Stagecoach group cast-offs became the norm, to the extent that the entire double-deck fleet currently consist of Stagecoach vehicles on loan.

Photograph HERE of one of the original COMFORT COACHES vehicles (7864SP).

Photograph HERE of one of the original RENNIES LION COACHES vehicles (KWW542).

BROCHURE FOR THE DUNFERMLINE TO PLYMOUTH SERVICE

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From a comprehensive list, also supplied by DAVID LOVE. All photos and links will gradually be moved to this Rennies page from the other one.