MidlandRed.net

Redditch Depot

Church Road, Redditch.

• Red brick garage, purpose built by Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Company Limited (BMMO — Midland “Red”), with an initial capacity for 25 vehicles.
• Opened on 1^st July 1931, with an initial allocation of approximately 18 vehicles.
• Extended at one end in November 1938, increasing capacity to 35 vehicles.
• Allocation of three ambulance buses during the Second World War.
• Garage operating at maximum capacity of 35 vehicles during 1956.
• Company renamed to Midland Red Omnibus Company Limited (MROC) on 29^th March 1974, with a depot allocation of 40 vehicles and approximately 107 staff at this time.
• Depot control passed to Midland Red (West) Limited when the Midland Red Omnibus Company Limited split up on 6^th September 1981.
• Closed on 21^st January 2004, vehicle maintenance transferred to Worcester depot and Kidderminster depot, and local administration work moved to the Plymouth Road site.
• Company renamed to First Midland Red Buses Limited on 26^th March 1999.
• Site sold in 2004 to a private property developer, and leased to “Pete’s Travel,” later trading as “People’s Express.”
• Closed by People's Express on 18^th June 2005.

Plymouth Road North, Redditch.

• Opened by Midland Red Omnibus Company Limited (MROC) on an old railway cutting close to Redditch bus station on 10^th June 1978, as an overspill bus parking area.  Initially, local planning rules only allowed the site to be used for the parking of single-deck public service buses which use the Redditch Interchange, and minor running maintenance or adjustments.  Scheduled maintenance which might immobilise vehicles or the parking of any other vehicles was prohibited
• Site control passed to Midland Red (West) Limited when the Midland Red Omnibus Company Limited split up on 6^th September 1981.
• Upgraded with maintenance pits and bus wash to accommodate M.A.N. articulated buses in 1983, and used for light vehicle maintenance
• Company renamed to First Midland Red Buses Limited on 26^th March 1999.
• Used for local administration work with the closure of the Church Road site in 2004, with vehicle maintenance duties moving to the site in 2005.