Gordon Mayne, Managing Director of Maynes Coaches of Buckie, passed away suddenly on 29 July. He was 67.
Mr Mayne was the third generation of the Mayne family to be involved with the family business. His grandfather Jimmy founded the Moray operator in 1947. Trained as a welder in a local shipyard, Mr Mayne took the reins in 1982 after the death of his father Donnie.
Since then, Mr Mayne has driven the company’s rise to become one of Scotland’s most respected coach operators. In 1992, with the fleet numbering around 20, former premises at Cluny Lane had become inadequate and a move to the current home on Marchmont Industrial Estate took place. Since then, Maynes has expanded to operate 45 vehicles and employ over 60 members of staff while maintaining a regular fleet replacement programme.
One hallmark of Maynes’ holiday programme in previous decades was trips to Blackpool and Scarborough. The group would often find themselves travelling home on a new coach collected from Duple or Plaxton, respectively.
Mr Mayne was also a regular sight at coach factories further afield as he and his sons David and Kevin specified and oversaw the construction of later fleet additions.
Mr Mayne was acknowledged by his peers as being a true coachman. His passion for the industry was clear to all that met him and he and was involved with trade bodies that represented it.
Maynes became a member of The Guild of British Coach Operators under his watch, something that Kevin Mayne recalls was a very proud achievement for the company.
Mr Mayne also took great pleasure in attending industry social gatherings and events. When doing so, he was sure to fly the flag for Scotland. Although head of the company, he still ‘kept his hand in’ by driving day trips and tours when needed, subscribing to the view that he would never ask anyone to do anything he could not do himself.
Mr Mayne’s wife Sandra died in 2011. The family business remains in the safe hands of the fourth and fifth generations of the Mayne family.
The funeral will be private. Details of the date and route of the procession will be announced in due course on the Maynes Coaches Facebook page.
