MidlandRed.net

Banbury Depot

Canal Street, Banbury.

• Garage leased by the Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Company Limited (BMMO — Midland “Red”).
• Garage opened on 13^th October 1919, with an initial allocation of three single-deck buses, increased to five vehicles by 1922.
• Site purchased by the Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Company Limited (BMMO — Midland “Red”) in May 1924, along with additional land adjoining the garage which was later used to build a new garage.
• Garage closed on 25^th September 1931, and replaced by the new depot built on adjacent land, with the first building being sold back to the original owner.  The new garage was a steel-framed, brick built building with brick offices and workshop, and accommodation for 18 vehicles.
• Garage extended in 1952 on unused land to the rear, increasing capacity to 50 vehicles.
• Depot allocation of 34 vehicles in February 1967, made up of 12 double-deck and 22 single-deck buses.
• Company renamed to Midland Red Omnibus Company Limited (MROC) on 29^th March 1974, with a depot allocation of 32 vehicles and approximately 79 staff at this time.
• Depot control passed to Midland Red (South) Limited when the Midland Red Omnibus Company Limited split up on 6^th September 1981.
• Midland Red (South) Limited acquired by Stagecoach in late 1993, and trading as Stagecoach Midland Red.
• Depot control and operations transfered to Thames Transit Limited (“Stagecoach in Oxfordshire”) on 1^st July 2002.