MidlandRed.net
Midland Red: BMMO D9 — Type Overview
Introduction
In 1958, BMMO unveiled the prototype of an advanced 30′ long, high capacity double deck bus, the BMMO D9. It is believed that BMMO had envisaged building a 30′ long double-decked bus as far back as 1951, but such vehicles were not legalised until 1956. At this time BMMO could have simply lengthened their existing class of double deck bus, the BMMO D7, but in view of the developments within the BMMO single deck range a completely new vehicle was designed.
The type D9 was fitted with a front mounted 10½ litre version of the BMMO KL engine, hydraulically operated 4 speed CAV semi-automatic gearbox, disc brakes on both axles and power steering. The front axle was independently sprung and variable rate rubber suspension was used throughout.
The body was also by BMMO and was of fully integral half-cab construction made from aluminium alloy, with the roof, front end, and other smaller parts made of fibre glass. The doors were electrically operated, mounted on the rear platform and the vehicle seated a total of 72, made up of 40 on the top deck and 32 below. Visibly the most striking part of the appearance was the short wheelbase at just 17′ 1½″ with large overhangs at the front and rear, which allowed for a very tight turning circle.
Prototype
4773 (R/No: 773FHA)
The first D9, the prototype, was registered 773FHA and entered service at Sheepcote Street depot, Birmingham, with the BMMO fleet number 4773 in February 1959. She remained in service at that depot until July 1972, when it was withdrawn and sold for preservation.
Production Vehicles
Main production of the BMMO D9 began at BMMO’s Central Works at Carlyle Road, Edgbaston in early 1960. Production vehicles featured a number of differences to the prototype including revised fuel tank position, revised front end mouldings and grill, waist‐rail mouldings, emergency window, cab door and bonnet catch.
Mechanical changes, made either before or soon after production started centred largely on the braking system. Regrettably the advanced disc braking system proved too much on a large double decker, particularly one subject to heavy loadings on multiple stop work and early production vehicles had drum brakes at the rear, and eventually drums on both axles became standard. The disc handbrake was also replaced on production buses.
A total of 344 production vehicles entered service betwwen January 1960 and November 1966, and with such a long production run there were inevitably many detailed changes during production. Some of the main highlights were as follows.
- From fleet number 4872 (registration number 872KHA), finished in July 1960, one or sometimes two illuminated advert panels were fitted. This feature was later discontinued.
- From fleet number 4887 (registration number 887KHA), finished in November 1960, two-piece destination glass was fitted.
- The first production vehicles had seating upholstery similar to the BMMO S15. This was changed early in production to the individual squab type. Many buses had vinyl seats upstairs with moquette downstairs, some were universal.
- Fleet numbers 4927 and 4986 (registration numbers 927KHA
and 2986HA) had bodywork built entirely of colour impregnated glass
fibre. This was an attempt by BMMO to reduce vehicle weight and
repaint costs but the experiment failed, and both vehicles later received
normal repaints.
4927 was also fitted with extra polished mouldings. - Fleet numbers 4941 and 4945 (registration numbers 2941HA and 2945HA) were new with hopper type window openings. Some of these were later replaced with standard sliding windows.
- Fleet number 4949 (registration number 2949HA) was fitted with experimental Fluorescent lighting. This was deemed successful and was later introduced as standard.
- From fleet number 5296 (registration number 6296HA) an updated version of the 10½ litre engine was fitted.
- Vehicles produced from around May 1963 were no longer fitted with separate moulded mudwings.
- Fleet numbers 5401–5445 (registration numbers BHA401–BHA404C & EHA405D–EHA445D) had bodywork finished by Willowbrook due to staff and skill shortages at Central Works.
Body weaknesses in the single piece fibre‐glass domes became a problem in later life and was this overcome by additional strengtheners, and in some cases removal of the opening front vents. Heavy handed passengers and staff no doubt contributed to fatigue of the fibre glass.
Summery
Many non‐Midland “Red” men have described the type D9 as having no brakes, and the replacing the disc brakes with drums didn't do anything to help this impression! Clearly the system worked well but for the replacement by drum brakes, which were not air assisted and were basically inadequate compared to other makes. The disc brake system only failed due to excessive pad wear because of under developed technology—not because it didn’t stop the bus! To put this into perspective it wasn't until the 1990s before disc-braking systems began to appear on production buses and coaches, but Midland Red were there in the 1950s.
The type D9 has also been described by some as Midland Red’s Routemaster, and there are several similarities between the two vehicles. Both were basically designed by their main operators who happened to be the two biggest bus companies in the land, and they both represented very sleek modern designs of rear entrance double decker designed to an advanced, but different, mechanical specification. With the passenger doors at the rear both were completely unsuitable for one man operation and therefore probably in production for too long. They were however designed for completely different operators with different operating conditions and levels of political interference.
Despite the braking problems on the type D9 you wont find a Midland Red driver who drove these vehicles with a bad word for them. So what about the D9 v. Routemaster argument? Well draw your own conclusions! All I will say is that D9s were operated for several years on the Round London Sightseeing Tour and I’m not aware of too many Routemasters running in Birmingham.