Stagecoach Group facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Stagecoach Group Limited

Formerly	Stagecoach Group plc
Type	Private
Industry	Public transport
Founded	March 9, 1980; 45 years ago (1980-03-09)
Founders	Brian Souter Ann Gloag Robin Gloag
Headquarters	Perth, Scotland
Area served	United Kingdom
Key people	Ray O'Toole (Chairman) Claire Miles (Chief Executive)
Products	Bus, coach, tram and train services
Revenue	£1,372.6 million (2023)
Operating income	£77.8 million (2023)
Net income	£23.2 million (2023)
Number of employees	24,000 (2023)
Parent	Inframobility

Stagecoach Group is a big transport company based in Perth, Scotland. It runs buses and express coaches all over the United Kingdom.

Stagecoach started in 1976 as Gloagtrotter. This was a business that rented out RVs and minibuses. In the early 1980s, the rules for coach travel in Britain changed. This allowed Stagecoach to start new services. They launched routes from Dundee to London, using older coaches. They competed with the big state-owned companies like National Express Coaches.

Stagecoach bought many bus companies that used to be owned by the government. These included parts of London Regional Transport and the National Bus Company. In 1996, Stagecoach even bought a company called Porterbrook. This company owned about a third of all passenger trains in the UK! They sold Porterbrook four years later. In 1997, Stagecoach also started running the Sheffield Supertram system. In 1998, they bought Prestwick Airport.

After selling its London bus services in 2006, Stagecoach focused on buses outside London. In 2007, the Virgin Rail Group, where Stagecoach owned a part, won a contract to run the East Midlands railway. In July 2007, Stagecoach also began running the Manchester Metrolink tram network. In 2009, Stagecoach bought Preston Bus, a company they used to compete with. However, they had to sell it later because of competition rules. In 2010, Stagecoach bought back its old London bus services. In 2015, Virgin Trains East Coast, which Stagecoach mostly owned, started running trains. But this contract ended early three years later.

In 2019, Stagecoach sold its US business. In April 2019, the government stopped Stagecoach from bidding for new rail contracts. This was because their bids didn't follow the rules. In 2021, another company, National Express, talked about buying Stagecoach. But in May 2022, a different company bought Stagecoach instead. This was an investment fund managed by DWS.

Company History

How Stagecoach Began

A Stagecoach South bus with the original 'stripes' design.

The Stagecoach Group started in 1976. Ann Gloag and her husband Robin Gloag created a small business called Gloagtrotter. It rented out RVs and minibuses in Perth, Scotland. Ann's brother, Brian Souter, who was an accountant, joined them. He helped the business grow into renting buses. In 1982, Robin Gloag left the company.

Around this time, new rules helped the company a lot. The Transport Act 1980 made it easier to run long-distance coach services. Stagecoach started new routes from Dundee to London. They used older Neoplan coaches. Brian Souter sometimes drove the buses himself. Ann Gloag even made snacks for the passengers.

Between 1981 and 1985, the company grew quickly. They competed well against the state-owned National Express Coaches and Scottish Citylink. Stagecoach also started running local buses. They bought McLennan of Spittalfield, near Perth. Their early success allowed Stagecoach to buy other bus companies. These companies were being sold off by the government. Stagecoach bought firms from London Regional Transport, the National Bus Company, and Scottish Bus Group. In 1988, Stagecoach stopped running long-distance coaches. They sold these services to National Express.

The 1990s

When British Rail was sold off, a company called Porterbrook was created. It owned about a third of all passenger trains. These trains were rented out to different train companies. Stagecoach bought Porterbrook for £825 million in August 1996. Some people thought this was too low a price. In April 2000, Stagecoach sold Porterbrook for £1.44 billion.

In 1997, Stagecoach won the contract to run the Sheffield Supertram system. They bought the right to run it for 27 years for £1.15 million. This was much less than what the local councils had hoped for. Stagecoach was in charge of running and looking after the tram system. When Stagecoach took over, the system was not doing well. But the number of passengers grew a lot. It went from 7.8 million in 1996 to 15 million in 2011.

In 1998, Stagecoach also bought Prestwick Airport for £41 million. By 1999, it was rumored they could sell it for £80 million. But in January 2001, Stagecoach decided to sell the airport for £33 million. They wanted to focus on bus and train transport.

The 2000s

A Stagecoach bus with the 'beachball' design.

In late 2000, Stagecoach changed how its UK bus services were organized. They created twelve smaller companies. The company also got a new look in December 2000. This included a new 'beachball' logo and a new design for their buses. The new bus design had 'swoops' of red, orange, blue, and white on a grey background. London buses kept their red base but added blue and orange swoops. New buses also got a blue inside design. The first buses with this new look started running in January 2001.

On 21 November 2005, Stagecoach announced they were selling their New Zealand operations. On 14 December 2005, Stagecoach bought Traction Group for £26 million. Traction was the biggest private bus company left in the UK. It ran 840 buses in different parts of England and Scotland.

After selling its London bus services in 2006, Stagecoach focused on growing its bus business outside London. In September 2005, Stagecoach started a joint project with Scottish Citylink coaches. In October 2006, a competition group told Stagecoach to sell some of its Scottish coach services. Stagecoach also owned 49% of Virgin Rail Group. In 2007, they won the contract for the new East Midlands railway.

A tram on the Manchester Metrolink network.

In July 2007, Stagecoach started running the Manchester Metrolink tram network. In January 2009, Stagecoach bought Preston Bus. But in November 2009, a competition group made Stagecoach sell Preston Bus. This was because it affected competition in the area.

The 2010s

In October 2010, Stagecoach bought back its old London bus services, East London and Selkent. In August 2011, Stagecoach sold its Manchester Metrolink contract. In December 2013, Stagecoach bought Norfolk Green. In March 2015, Virgin Trains East Coast, which Stagecoach mostly owned, started running trains. But this contract ended on 23 June 2018. This happened because Stagecoach had bid too much and couldn't make the payments.

In December 2018, Stagecoach announced it would sell its US business for $271 million. The sale was finished in April 2019.

In April 2019, Stagecoach was stopped from bidding for three rail contracts. This was because their bids didn't follow the rules. One month later, the company said it would challenge this decision in court.

The 2020s

A Stagecoach bus with the new local services design.

The group changed its look again in February 2020. New designs were introduced for their British buses. There were three main color schemes to make it easier for customers:

• Local services: white with light blue
• Longer distance: amber yellow
• Special services (like park and ride): white with ocean green

In September 2021, it was reported that National Express wanted to buy Stagecoach. In December 2021, a deal was agreed. But it needed approval from shareholders and regulators. To meet the rules, Stagecoach planned to sell its Megabus service and part of its share in Scottish Citylink. However, in March 2022, Stagecoach decided to accept a different offer. An investment fund bought Stagecoach instead. After this, Stagecoach sold Megabus to Scottish Citylink and increased its share in that company.

In June 2022, Stagecoach bought a bus garage in London. Stagecoach London took over 150 buses and 11 bus routes. Later in August, Stagecoach bought the London operations of another company, HCT Group. This added 160 more buses and 17 routes.

How Stagecoach Works

Key People

Stagecoach Group used to be listed on the London Stock Exchange. The founders, Brian Souter and his sister Ann Gloag, were the biggest shareholders. They owned 26% of the company in April 2019.

UK Bus Companies

Here are some of the bus companies that Stagecoach runs in the UK. The main city for each area is in brackets.

Bus Division

Here are the different bus areas:

• 

  A Stagecoach Devon bus in April 2022.

• 

  A Stagecoach London electric bus in October 2023.

• 

  A Stagecoach Cumbria & North Lancashire double-decker bus in May 2022.

• 

  A Stagecoach Bluebird coach in September 2022.

Special Bus Brands

An Oxford Tube coach in September 2022.

Besides regular bus services, Stagecoach has special brands:

• Stagecoach Express – These are express coach services between towns and cities where Stagecoach operates. They usually don't compete with National Express.
• Oxford Tube – This is an express coach service that runs 24 hours a day to London. It is operated by Stagecoach West.
• Citi – Some city bus networks used to have this brand, like in Cambridge. But most of it has been removed now.
• Stagecoach Gold – This is a luxury bus service. It aims to attract more people to public transport. Gold buses have a special blue and gold design, leather seats, and Wi-Fi.
• Stagecoach SimpliBus operates in the East Midlands.

Bus Numbers

Stagecoach numbers its buses with a system that lasts for the life of the bus:

• 10000 – 19999: Diesel double-decker buses
• 20000 – 29999: Diesel single-decker buses
• 30000 – 39999: Diesel midibuses (medium-sized buses)
• 40000 – 49999: Diesel minibuses and smaller midibuses
• 50000 – 59999: Coaches
• 60000 – 69999: Special vehicles like New Routemasters and electric midibuses
• 70000 – 79999: Electric single-decker buses
• 80000 – 89999: Electric and other fuel double-decker buses
• 90000 – 99999: Cars for staff and other transport vehicles

Past Operations

East Midlands Trains

Stagecoach started running the new East Midlands Trains in November 2007. It took over services from other train companies. In August 2019, Stagecoach stopped running these trains. Abellio East Midlands Railway took over the service.

Manchester Metrolink

In July 2007, Stagecoach took over running the Manchester Metrolink tram network. This was a 10-year contract. It became the biggest tram operator in the UK. This tram system was the first modern one in the UK. About 18 million people ride it each year. Stagecoach sold the Metrolink business in August 2011.

Sheffield Supertram

A Sheffield Supertram in July 2020.

Stagecoach ran the Sheffield Supertram from 1997 to 2024. The tram system carries over 12 million people each year. When Stagecoach's contract ended in March 2024, the tram system went back to being run by the public sector.

South West Trains

Stagecoach ran the South West Trains from February 1996 to August 2017. This included the Island Line Trains on the Isle of Wight. The contract then went to First MTR South Western Railway.

Virgin CrossCountry

A Virgin CrossCountry train in June 2005.

Virgin Rail Group, which Stagecoach was part of, ran the CrossCountry train service. They operated it from January 1997 until November 2007.

Virgin Trains East Coast

A Virgin Trains East Coast train in September 2015.

Virgin Trains East Coast, which Stagecoach mostly owned, ran trains on the InterCity East Coast route. They operated from March 2015 to June 2018.

Virgin Trains West Coast

Stagecoach owned 49% of Virgin Rail Group since October 1998. This group ran the InterCity West Coast train service as Virgin Trains West Coast. They operated from March 1997 until December 2019.

Australia

In 1999, Stagecoach bought school bus services in Australia. These were in the Cairns, Ipswich, and Sunshine Coast areas of Queensland. They sold these services in 2002.

Hong Kong

A Citybus in Hong Kong with Stagecoach colors.

In 1994, Stagecoach started a bus company in Hong Kong. It ran bus services for people living there. It stopped operating in April 1996.

In 1999, Stagecoach bought Citybus in Hong Kong for £181 million. Citybus ran bus services on Hong Kong Island and to the airport. In June 2003, Stagecoach sold this operation.

Kenya

In November 1991, Stagecoach bought a share in Kenya Bus Services. Stagecoach quickly made the bus fleet bigger. They brought back modern double-decker buses to Kenyan roads. In October 1998, a group of investors bought Kenya Bus Services from Stagecoach.

New Zealand

A Stagecoach New Zealand trolleybus in Wellington.

Stagecoach New Zealand was a company that provided bus services in Auckland, Wellington, and the Hutt Valley. It also ran nine ferry routes in Auckland. It was the biggest bus company in New Zealand when it was sold. In November 2005, the business was sold and renamed NZ Bus.

North America

Stagecoach ran bus services in parts of the United States and Canada. These included services for commuters, tours, sightseeing, and school buses.

• Coach USA – Operated mainly in the northeastern US, providing transit, sightseeing, and charter services. They also ran yellow school buses in Wisconsin.
• Megabus – Offered cheap express bus services from Chicago and New York City.
• Coach Canada – Served Ontario and Quebec, running intercity and charter buses, and school buses.

In December 2018, Stagecoach sold all its North American operations. The deal was completed in April 2019.

Portugal

Stagecoach Portugal started in 1995. It was part of the re-privatization of bus services in Portugal. In June 2001, Stagecoach sold its Portuguese operations for £14 million.

Nordic Countries

In October 1996, Stagecoach bought Swebus AB, a bus company from Sweden. This also included operations in Denmark, Finland, and Norway. The operations in Norway were sold in April 1997. The Danish operations were not profitable and were sold in 1997. The operations in Finland were more successful. In 1997, Swebus Express started as an intercity coach service in Sweden. In October 1999, Stagecoach sold Swebus for £100 million. They wanted to focus on bus operations in the United States and Asia.

Low-Cost Brands

Stagecoach runs several "no-frills" services. These services offer cheaper options by cutting costs. They have very low fares for early bookings, which go up closer to the travel time.

Magic Bus

A Magic Bus in Manchester in March 2013.

Magic Bus was Stagecoach's first low-cost brand. It was first used in Glasgow. Later, the buses were all blue with yellow writing. They used older buses with simple fares. These services usually ran on routes where there was a lot of competition. By 2012, only the Manchester Magic Bus remained.

Megabus

A Megabus coach in September 2012.

Megabus is a low-cost intercity coach service. Stagecoach launched it in the United Kingdom in 2003. It started in the United States in 2006 and in Canada in 2009. Its main competitor in the UK is National Express. Megabus has made other companies lower their prices. In the UK, Megabus covers most of Great Britain. Most services use street bus stops instead of paying for coach stations. This helps to cut costs.

Megatrain

On 14 November 2005, the Megabus idea was used for some train services. This was called Megatrain. It offered cheaper tickets on certain South West Trains services. It was later used for some East Midlands Trains services. In 2009, the Megabusplus idea started. This service combines a train trip with a bus trip.

Scottish Citylink

A coach in September 2010.

In September 2005, Stagecoach and ComfortDelGro started a joint project. They worked together on express coach services in Scotland. This ended the strong competition between them. Stagecoach Group got a 35% share in Scottish Citylink Coaches Ltd.

A competition group ruled in October 2006 that this joint project reduced competition. They said that some routes already had higher fares. To meet the rules, some Citylink routes were sold to another company in 2008.

Guided Busway

Stagecoach runs buses along the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway. These buses have special guide wheels. These wheels, combined with a special track, allow for hands-free driving. The main benefits of a guided busway are higher speeds and increased safety. This is because traffic going in different directions is kept separate.

See also

• Bus transport in the United Kingdom