Midland Red (BMMO)

Friday 26 January 1973 – Midland Red 6249 (WHA 249H) seen in Victoria Coach Station, London. New in January 1970 it was a late model Plaxton Panorama bodied Leyland Leopard, the Panorama Elite model had been entering service the previous season.

Circa 1964/5 – Midland Red 5295 (5495 HA) was seen parked at the Ribble bus station, Euston Road, Morecambe. It was one of the famous BMMO motorway coaches that as a schoolboy I had read so much about. Following the success of the CM5/CM5T models this particular coach, built in late 1962 which entered service a few months later, was the prototype CM6T model built to the newly authorised 36' x 8' 2.5" dimensions and with a more powerful engine. Initially it was fitted with the 'lantern' style windscreen arrangement as used on the CM5 models but it was modified early on to the style of windscreen layout as seen in this photograph. I was on a school trip when I took this photograph and in awe seeing my first one! I always thought that Midland Red matched their registration numbers to fleet numbers but this coach hadn’t a matching number nor did bus 5495 which carried registration number 6495 HA! Alongside is a Ribble Metro-Cammell bodied Leyland PD3/5.

Sunday 19 March 1972 – Midland Red 2006 (673 HNX) was a Willowbrook bodied Leyland Titam PD3A/1 that had been new to Stratford Blue (number 6) in January 1964. It was seen at Stratford-upon-Avon.

Monday 21 January 1974 – Midland Red had acquired the business of Whieldon's Green Bus Company of Rugeley during 1973. One of the BMMO built (S22?) single deckers was parked on the forecourt of what had been the Green Bus Company garage in Elmore Lane, Rugeley.

May 1972 – Midland Red 6442 (CHA 442K), a Willowbrook bodied Leyland Leopard new in December 1971, seen in Ironbridge.

May 1972 – Midland Red 5779 (CHA 79C), a Duple Commander bodied Leyland Leopard new in July 1965, seen in Shrewsbury when operating the London-Birmingham-Llandudno service.

May 1972 – Midland Red 5791 (CHA 91C), a Duple Commander bodied Leyland Leopard new in July 1965, seen in Wellington (Telford, Shropshire) when operating the London-Birmingham-Llandudno service. On the right is Ashley Coaches of Dawley HFA 208E, a Strachans bodied Bedford VAM5 new in June 1967 to Victoria Motorways of Woodville near Swadlincote. Note the Midland Red office on right.

May 1972 – Midland Red 5882 (MHA 882F) was a BMMO S22 new in January 1968. It was seen at either Ironbridge or Wroxeter when working the X93 service towards Shrewsbury.

A Sunday in August 1979 – A grainy photograph of Midland Red 6229 (WHA 229H) seen in emerging from St. Andrew's Street in Mildenhall when working back to Birmingham from the East Anglian coast on a National Express service. It would have worked from Birmingham to the coast the previous day on a service jointly operated with Eastern Counties whose vehicle worked to Birmingham on the Saturday and back to Norfolk on the Sunday. New in May 1970 it was a late model Plaxton Panorama bodied Leyland Leopard, the Panorama Elite model had been entering service the previous season. ‘Bus Lists on the Web’ tells that the chassis was rebuilt in August 1981 to become DFM 881X with a Duple body for Cooper of Stockton Heath.

Photograph taken at the Showbus Rally, Donington Park on Sunday 25 September 2016 Former Midland Red 4031 (SHA 431), a Leyland bodied Leyland PD2/12 new in 1953.

Sunday 15 May 2022 (1118) – The Fenland Busfest at Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire. The rally is held in the town centre occupying Broad Street and Market Street with the rally control/bus ride departures centred on the Market Place. The Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Company Limited (BMMO), better known as Midland Red, manufactured most of its own vehicles over many years. Now preserved 5905 (PHA 505G) is an S22 model new in August 1968.

Sunday 15 May 2022 (1150) – The Fenland Busfest at Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire. The rally is held in the town centre occupying Broad Street and Market Street with the rally control/bus ride departures centred on the Market Place. The Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Company Limited (BMMO), better known as Midland Red, manufactured most of its own vehicles over many years. Now preserved 5905 (PHA 505G) is an S22 model new in August 1968.

Sunday 15 May 2022 (1119) – The Fenland Busfest at Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire. The rally is held in the town centre occupying Broad Street and Market Street with the rally control/bus ride departures centred on the Market Place. The Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Company Limited (BMMO), better known as Midland Red, manufactured most of its own vehicles over many years. Now preserved 5905 (PHA 505G) is an S22 model new in August 1968.

Sunday 15 May 2022 (1120) – The Fenland Busfest at Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire. The rally is held in the town centre occupying Broad Street and Market Street with the rally control/bus ride departures centred on the Market Place. The Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Company Limited (BMMO), better known as Midland Red, manufactured most of its own vehicles over many years. Now preserved 5905 (PHA 505G) is an S22 model new in August 1968. Seen parking up next to Redfern Travel H548 VAT, a Northern Counties bodied Leyland Olympian that had been new to East Yorkshire Motor Services (548) in September 1990.

Sunday 15 May 2022 (1121) – The Fenland Busfest at Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire. The rally is held in the town centre occupying Broad Street and Market Street with the rally control/bus ride departures centred on the Market Place. The Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Company Limited (BMMO), better known as Midland Red, manufactured most of its own vehicles over many years. Metal lettering on the front of now preserved 5905 (PHA 505G), an S22 model new in August 1968.

Saturday 27 July 2019 (1237) – Leicester Heritage Bus Running Day at the First Leicester Citybus garage. Midland Red, originally more formally titled the Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Company Limited (BMMO) before adopting Midland Red Omnibus Company Limited as its title, was perhaps the largest bus operator in provincial England. It built most of its own buses too. 5905 (PHA 505G), a BMMO bodied BMMO S22 new in August 1968.

Saturday 27 July 2019 (1155) – Leicester Heritage Bus Running Day at the First Leicester Citybus garage. Midland Red, originally more formally titled the Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Company Limited (BMMO) before adopting Midland Red Omnibus Company Limited as its title, was perhaps the largest bus operator in provincial England. It built most of its own buses too. 5905 (PHA 505G), a BMMO bodied BMMO S22 new in August 1968.

Saturday 27 July 2019 (1132) – Preserved vehicles taking part in the Leicester Heritage Bus Running Day at the First Leicester garage. Left: The Plaxton Supreme bodied Leyland Leopard had been new to Leicester City Transport as their number 1 in November 1981 registered TBC 1X. It is now registered BAH 809X. Centre and right: Midland Red, originally more formally titled the Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Company Limited (BMMO) before adopting Midland Red Limited as its title, was perhaps the largest bus operator in provincial England. It built most of its own buses too. The single decker is 5905 (PHA 505G), a BMMO bodied BMMO S22 new in August 1968 and the double decker is 5424 (EHA 424D), a Willowbrook bodied BMMO D9 that had been new in April 1966.