MidlandRed.net

The old Midland Red depot in Banbury is under the control of Stagecoach West these days (Cheltenham & Gloucester Omnibus Co Ltd), but it is still going strong and they started a new Service X4 between Banbury and Oxford last week (along part of the old Midland Red X59 route).

I've not spotted an X4 in service yet, but here's a photo of one of their fleet taken inside the depot today. If you look at the rather tatty building roof you can see where the 1952 extension was added on.

And on the subject of Banbury, the old Midland Red Service 500 is still being run from this depot. That dates back to 1919 when it was Service 72 and became Service 500 with the 1928 renumbering, so it been around as long as the 144! However, unlike the 144 which as shrunk at both ends, the 500 has been extended and now runs all the way to Bicester.

This photo was taken today at Bicester Village Railway Station, about to work back to Banbury.

Interesting posts, thanks Adam !!

Probably in the late 70s, the Midland Red Omnibus Company made a change to one of their internal structures (possibly engineering divisions) so that Worcestershire, Hereford, Leamington and Banbury were all in a new southern division. (It may have also included Stratford and Ludlow) .....

so when I heard that MROC was being broken up into smaller units, I hoped that would be the form of our new local company, - and WR etc could have become Midland Red South !!

Somewhere I have a Banbury area timetable that gives the contact address as the Travel Shop in Angel Place.

Interesting stuff!

It's good that Banbury depot, which is quite small and a long way from other depots, continues to do well. Glad to see the return of the X4 too.