Midland Red
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Midland Red was the fleet name used by the Birmingham & Midland Motor Omnibus Company (BMMO), formed in 1904, for its bus operating activities, which served the Midlands of England from 1905.
From its inception, the company operated a few motor buses until these were determined to be unsuitable: despite the company's name horse traction was solely used until 1912, when the first Tilling Stevens petrol-electric vehicles were purchased. Tilling Stevens became the main supplier of bus chassis to the company, which, under its Chief Engineer L.G. Wyndham Shire, adapted and developed the designs to its own requirements, finally designing a vehicle it intended to construct itself.
Between 1923 and 1969, BMMO built most of the buses it operated: up to 1940 these were called 'SOS', and some models were supplied to other bus companies associated with the company. Post-1940 they were identified by the company's initials, BMMO, and none were built for other companies' use.
In 1969 Midland Red became part of the National Bus Company (NBC), and the livery was later changed from a deep red to the NBC corporate poppy red.
In 1973 garages (with the exception of Digbeth Coach Station Bearwood and Cradley Heath) and routes within the West Midlands county were transferred to the control of the West Midlands Passenger Transport Authority, leaving Midland Red with country and local routes mainly in Derbyshire, Herefordshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Shropshire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire, and express services.
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[edit] MAP rebranding
In the late 1970s the company was rebranded into local brand names under the MAP Exercise. The brands were as follows:
- Avonbus - Stratford-upon-Avon
- Chaserider - Cannock and Stafford
- Hotspur - Shrewsbury and Ludlow
- Hunter - Nuneaton and Hinckley
- Lancer - Coalville and Swadlincote
- Leamington & Warwick - Leamington Spa
- Leicester - Leicester (did not carry area branding names)
- Mercian - Tamworth and Lichfield
- Reddibus - Redditch
- Ridercross - Banbury and Kineton
- Rugby - Rugby
- Severnlink - Worcester, Malvern and Bromsgrove
- Tellus - Telford (Wellington)
- Wanderward - Kidderminster
- Wayfarer - Evesham
- Wendaway - Hereford
- Midland Express - long-distance and limited stop services
[edit] Split into six companies
In preparation for privatisation of the NBC, Midland Red was split into six new companies in 1981:
- Midland Red Express, later renamed Midland Red Coaches - central coach and express services division
- Midland Red South - Warwickshire and north Oxfordshire (the Avonbus, Hunter, Leamington & Warwick, Ridercross and Rugby operations)
- Midland Red North - Shropshire, south Staffordshire, and northern West Midlands (the Chaserider, Hotspur, Mercian and Tellus operations)
- Midland Red West - Herefordshire, Worcestershire, south and east quadrants of West Midlands (the Reddibus, Severnlink, Wanderward, Wayfarer and Wendaway operations)
- Midland Red East, later renamed Midland Fox - Leicestershire, south Derbyshire and east Staffordshire (the Lancer and Leicester operations)
- Midland Red Engineering, later renamed Carlyle Works Limited - central engineering workshops at Carlyle Road, Birmingham
[edit] Privatisation
Midland Red West was sold on 22 December 1986 to a management team led by managing director Ken Mills, who also took over Midland Red Coaches on that date.
Midland Red South was sold on 10 December 1987 to Western Travel Limited, who also owned Cheltenham & Gloucester Omnibus Company.
Midland Fox Limited, formerly Midland Red East, was sold on 18 August 1987 to its management. The operations of the Swadlincote depot were purchased by Stevensons of Uttoxeter.
Midland Red North was sold on 27 January 1988 to Drawlane Limited.
Carlyle Works Limited, formerly Midland Red Engineering, was sold to Frontsource Limited, who also purchased the engineering divisions of an initial eight and later nine companies.
[edit] Today
- Midland Red North and Midland Fox have been taken over by Arriva and trade as Arriva Midlands North and Arriva Fox Country. These companies also include remnants of Derby City Transport and Stevensons of Uttoxeter.
- Midland Red South has been take over by Stagecoach and trades as Stagecoach in Oxfordshire and Stagecoach in Warwickshire. The Stagecoach in Oxfordshire operation includes Oxford South Midland.
- Midland Red West has been taken over by First and trades as First Wyvern.
- Statford Blue now operates independently in Stratford-upon-Avon and is part of the Ensignbus group
[edit] First Midland Red Routes
- 1 Kidderminster - Rifle Range
- 2 Spennels - Kidderminster - Bewdley - Hales Park
- 3 Kidderminster - Stourport - The Walshes
- 4 Offmore - Rifle Range via Kidderminster
- 5 Kidderminster - Fairfield via Puxton Drive
- 8 Kidderminster - Fernhill via Habberley
- 21 Stratford - Broadway
- 22 Worcester Circular
- 23 Worcester Circular
- 23 Stratford - Whichford
- 23A Stratford - Whichford
- 24 Stratford Circular
- 25 Stratford - Alcester via Little Alne
- 26 Stratford - Alcester
- 28 Stratford - Evesham
- 29 Stratford - Evesham
- 31 Henwick Park - Royal Worcs Hospital
- 32 Kempsey - Claines
- 33 Warndon - Dines Green
- 35 Worcester - Warndon.
- 37 Worcester - The Harleys
- 37A Worcester - Bradley Green
- 44 Worcester - The Malverns
- 51 Redditch - Batchley
- 55 Redditch - Oakenshaw via Walkwood and Crabbs Cross
- 56 Redditch - Oakenshaw via Crabbs Cross and Walkwood
- 57 Redditch - Matchborough via Woodrow and Church Hill
- 58 Redditch - Matchborough via Woodrow and Church Hill
- 61 Redditch - Matchborough East via Church Hill North
- 67 Redditch - Studley via Lakeside and Greenlands
- 68 Redditch - Webheath
- 70 Redditch - Astwood Bank via Headless Cross and Crabbs Cross
- 71 Hereford - Credenhill
- 71A Hereford - Credenhill
- 72 Hereford - Bobblestock
- 72A Hereford - Bobblestock
- 74 Newton Farm - Hampton Park
- 74A Newton Farm - Hampton Park
- 74B Newton Farm - Hampton Park
- 75 Hereford - Belmont
- 140 Bromsgrove - Droitwich Spa via Aston Fields
- 141 Bromsgrove - Droitwich Spa via Aston Fields
- 143 Redditch - Bromsgrove - Marlbrook via Finstall and Hewell Park
- 144 Birmingham - Bromsgrove - Worcester via Longbridge and Droitwich
- 146 Birmingham - Redditch via West Heath and Alvechurch
- 247 Redditch - Evesham via Alcester and Bidford
- 292 Kidderminster - Ludlow via Far Forest and Cleobury Mortimer
- 293 Kidderminster - Worcester via Stourport and Holt Heath
- 294 Hagley - Kidderminster - Worcester via Stourport and Ombersley
- 300 Kidderminster - Worcester via Bewdley and Hartlebury
- 303 Kidderminster - Worcester via Hartlebury and Ombersley
- 334 Kidderminster - Redditch (Alexandra Hospital) via Bromsgrove
- 492 Leominster - Hereford via Homer
- X33 Kidderminster Hospital - Redditch via Bromsgorve
- 982 Redditch - Barnt Green - Bromsgrove via Alvechurch and Lickey End
