MidlandRed.net

O991 something - possibly 9918. Caption to this photo reads ' outside The Stag circa 1913 Birmingham', but this information is not reliable.

This photo is also in the classic book 'Midland Red' (up to 1940), published by TPC in 1978. It is indeed O9918 and the location is the Stag at Quinton.

Like all BMMO vehicles of the time it was a Tilling-Stevens (type TTA2) and was new in 1913. It was one of 30 that were sold to Birmingham Corporation when Midland Red's city routes passed to BCT in October 1914. It lasted until 1924.

As can be seen, service 5 was not a city route. It started in 1913 as Birmingham - Blackheath and was renumbered 27 in October 1914 (when service numbers under 15 were left to BCT). Soon after that it was extended to Dudley. In the 1928 renumbering it became the 140, and remained so under Midland Red, West Midlands PTE and National Express West Midlands until September 2018.

The vehicle was one of the 30 that passed to Birmingham Corporation Tramways in October 1914, with Birmingham (Tennant Street) depot and services that operated wholely within the city boundry.

http://midlandred.net/depots/index.php?depot=tt

Have a close look at this photograph (zoom in if you are able) and the 8 is visible on the end of the number plate, but what is it partially obscured by? It looks bit like a modern windscreen wiper, but obviously not as the bus doesn't have a windscreen! Whatever it is, there is another one hanging from the canopy just to one side and in front of the driver. Note too the 'Full Up' sign just below registration plate, then above that is a single large lamp, presumably acetylene powered rather than electrical. There is a large fire extinguisher on the bulkhead just behind the driver's right leg, also just in front of the driver is what might be a running card hanging by a cord from weather protection valance.

Was this a specially posed shot as all the passengers seem to be in their Sunday best, the ladies in their bonnets and the men in suits and ties - what was the occasion I wonder?

Has anyone travelled on a bus with solid tyres, I haven't but want to know if the ride was hard and bumpy, especially as the roads probably even worse than our modern pot-holed thoroughfares.

Although it says a Full Up it looks like there is only one person in the saloon. Maybe they all went up to so they could be in the photo.

Vehicles with solid tyres were restricted to a maximum if 12 mph so it was hardly an express service. It would be another 15 or so years before pneumatic tyres were common place, and buses would be able to do as much as 30 mph!

Thanks folks for the info. I had no idea, although I'm not surprised, that it came from a book.