Midland Red

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Midland Red was the fleet and trading name used by the Birmingham & Midland Motor Omnibus Company (BMMO), formed in 1904, for its bus operating activities, which served the English Midlands 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. After 1940, they were identified by the company's initials, BMMO, and used solely within the company.

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 the 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.

In 1981, and in preparation for deregulation, Midland Red was subdivided into separate operating companies like many other National Bus Companies. The newly created bus operating companies were Midland Red North, Midland Red East (which changed its trading name to Midland Fox), Midland Red South, Midland Red West and Midland Red Express.

Today, Arriva owns both Midland Red North and Midland Fox, formerly trading as Arriva Midlands North and Arriva Fox County respectively. Midland Red South was sold first to Western Travel and then on to Stagecoach and became Stagecoach South Midlands, being merged with Thames Transit and then de-merged into Stagecoach Warwickshire. Midland Red West became part of Badgerline and subsequently First Bus and then First Group upon the merger of Badgerline and Grampian Regional Transport, MRW initially being called First Wyvern.

Contents

[edit] Historical list of Midland Red garages (and outstations)

[edit] MAP Rebranding

From 1977 onwards, the company was rebranded into local brand names under the Viable Network Project, something that was widely adopted throughout NBC and elsewhere as the Market Analysis Project. Each new network spawned a localised brand, 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 Midland Red - Rugby
  • Severnlink - Worcester, Malvern and Bromsgrove
  • Tellus - Telford (Wellington)
  • Wendaway - Kidderminster
  • Wayfarer - Evesham
  • Wandaward - 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:

[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 the 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 Stevenson's 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

  • Arriva has taken over Midland Red North and Midland Fox, trading initially as Arriva Midlands North and Arriva Fox Country, though now simply Arriva Midlands, even upon the retention of two separate operating licences. These companies also include remnants of Derby City Transport and Stevenson's of Uttoxeter.
  • Stagecoach has taken over Western Travel, parent of Midland Red South and trades as Stagecoach in Oxfordshire and Stagecoach in Warwickshire. The Stagecoach in Oxfordshire operation includes Oxford South Midlands.
  • First has taken over Midland Red West, trading initially as First Wyvern and latterly simply as First.
  • Stratford Blue, a name ebbing and flowing in and out of fashion, is from 2007 under Stagecoach ownership, having previously been a part of the Ensignbus group

[edit] First Midland Red Routes

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  • 1 Kidderminster - Rifle Range
  • 2 Kidderminster - Habberley - Bewdley - Hales Park
  • 3 Kidderminster - Stourport - The Walshes
  • X3 Redditch - Bromsgrove - Kidderminster - Kidderminster Hospital - Stourport - The Walshes
  • 5 Kidderminster - Fairfield via Puxton Drive
  • 5A Kidderminster - Fairfield
  • 10 Kidderminster - Offmore - Spennells
  • 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
  • 294 Hagley - Kidderminster - Worcester via Stourport and Ombersley
  • 295 Kidderminster - Wilden - Stourport - Holt Heath - Worcester
  • 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


  • 982 Redditch - Barnt Green - Bromsgrove via Alvechurch and Lickey End

[edit] First Midland Red Routes (In The Past)

  • 11 Kidderminster - Areley Kings via Lickhill and Stourport
  • 12 Kidderminster - Areley Kings via Burlish Park and Stourport
  • 13 Kidderminster - The Walshes via Birchen Coppice and Stourport
  • 13A Kidderminster - The Walshes via General Hospital, Birchen Coppice and Stourport
  • 14 Kidderminster - The Walshes via General Hospital, Burlish Park and Stourport
  • 15 Kidderminster - Stourport via Wilden
  • 15A Kidderminster - Stourport via Hoo Brook, Wilden Top & Wilden
  • 15B Kidderminster - Stourport via Wilden and Mill Lane
  • 16 Kidderminster - The Walshes via Stourport (Direct)


  • 52 Redditch - Batchley
  • 53 Redditch - Oakenshaw Circular
  • 53A Redditch - Oakenshaw Circular
  • 54 Redditch - Oakenshaw Circular
  • 54A Redditch - Oakenshaw Circular
  • 59 Redditch - Alexandra Hospital via Matchborough
  • 59 Redditch - Matchborough West - Matchborough - Redditch
  • 60 Redditch - Matchborough - Matchborough West - Redditch
  • 60 Matchborough West - Church Hill - Redditch - Headless Cross - Oakenshaw
  • 65 Redditch - Lakeside Circular
  • 66 Redditch - Lakeside Circular
  • 69 Redditch - Hill Top
  • 71 Redditch - Studley - Littlewood Green
  • 71A Redditch - Studley
  • 71B Redditch - Matchborough - Studley


  • 83 Birmingham - Hawkesley via Selly Oak & Cotteridge
  • 84 Birmingham - Hawkesley via Selly Oak & Cotteridge
  • 85 Birmingham - Longbridge Station via Selly Oak, Cotteridge & Hawkesley
  • 192 Birmingham - Hereford via Kidderminster, Ludlow & Leominster
  • 193 Birmingham - The Walshes via Kidderminster & Stourport
  • 195 Stourbridge - Kidderminster via Hagley Village
  • 197 Hagley Village - Kidderminster via Belbroughton & Blakedown
  • 234 Kidderminster/Stourbridge - Dudley via Wordsley, Brierley Hill, Merry Hill
  • X92 Birmingham - Hereford (as route 192 but limited stop service)
  • X93 Birmingham - The Walshes (as route 193 but limited stop service)
  • X94 Birmingham - Worcester via Kidderminster - Stourport - Henwick

[edit] Timeline

  • 1904: Formation of BMMO.
  • 1905: First services.
  • 1914-1920: Rapid spread of services outside Birmingham to 'Paint the Midlands Red'.
  • 1923: First production run of BMMO buses, SOS 'S' type - one of the first British buses to have pneumatic tyres.
  • 1920s: Development of long-distance coach routes using charabancs.
  • 1927: QL bus produced, the first Midland Red bus to have brakes on all wheels.
  • 1930s: Development of petrol and diesel engines.
  • 1940s: Experiments with under-floor engined single-decker.
  • 1950s: Experiments and developments of integral construction, independent front suspension, air suspension, rubber suspension, glass fibre construction and disc brakes.
  • 1958: Introduction of D9, a new half-cab double deck incorporating most of the successful features developed in the 1950s.
  • 1959: The first of the two unique D10 under-floor engined double deck appeared. In addition, the introduction of the CM5T, an 85+ mile per hour coach, for non-stop motorway services.
  • 1960s: Larger motorway coach introduced, the CM6T between 1963-6.
  • 1970s: Winding down of vehicle production. Last Midland Red bus produced in 1970. Split up of the operating area - West Midlands PTE take the West Midlands Metropolitan area garages.
  • 1980s: Midland Red split into five operating companies and an engineering company. Privatisation by buy-outs.
  • 1990s: Take over by the current conglomerate transport groups.

[edit] External links