Service X74 was introduced by Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Company Limited (BMMO—Midland “Red” Motor Services) during c.1933[Exact Date Needed] as a variation of Service X73, and replacing two journeys on that route. The route ran from Birmingham to Worcester over the same route as Service X73, and like that service a minimum fare system was in place. From Worcester, the service ran via Pershore, Eckington, Bredon to Tewkesbury and Cheltenham Spa. Only one journey was operated in each direction Monday to Friday, with no journeys at the weekend.
The M5 motorway opened on Friday 20th July 1962, and BMMO examined the option or rerouting the Service X74 and the other two services in the group to run via the M5 motorway between Rubery and Worcester. In 1964 the company posted a notice in timetables stating the change in route would reduce running times between Birmingham and Worcester from 80-minutes to 64-minutes, or from 175-minutes to 145-minutes between Birmingham and Cheltenham Spa. A copy of the proposed timetable was included and there was also a questionnaire inviting passengers who used the service to voice their opinions. Those opinions were clearly not favourable as the service was not changed to run via the motorway.
in c. 1968, the minimum fare system between Birmingham and Worcester ended and the services in the group became Limited Stop on certain sections of the route, and the route in Birmingham changed to run via Rednal and Lickey. The Limited Stop sections of the route were Birmingham City Centre to Lickey, Forest Inn to Worcester City Centre, and Tewkesbury to Gloucester, with all other sections of the route being normal stopping. At the same time, a short-working variation was introduced as Service X71, running between Birmingham and Bromsgrove or Worcester only.
This whole group of services was withdrawn on Friday 31st December 1971 and replaced by a new group of services, numbered in the range 371–373, that didn't include the Birmingham to Worcester section of the route. The Worcester to Cheltenham Spa section of Service X74 was replaced with new Limited Stop Service 371, and for those still requiring a connection to Birmingham most journeys were advertised with a connection at Worcester Bus Station with Service X43 or Service X44.
| X | 7 | 4 |
| April | 1933 | Birmingham ↔ Worcester ↔ Pershore ↔ Cheltenham Spa | |
| January | 1935 | Birmingham ↔ Worcester ↔ Pershore ↔ Cheltenham Spa | |
| June | 1940 | Birmingham ↔ Worcester ↔ Pershore ↔ Cheltenham Spa | |
| June | 1957 | Birmingham ↔ Worcester ↔ Pershore ↔ Cheltenham Spa | |
| May | 1960 | Birmingham ↔ Worcester ↔ Pershore ↔ Cheltenham Spa | |
| June | 1970 | Birmingham ↔ Worcester ↔ Pershore ↔ Cheltenham Spa | Withdrawn Dec 1971 |
On Sunday 1st May 1988, Midland Red West extended a number of their Service 372 and Service 373 journeys between Worcester, Upton-upon-Severn and Gloucester, to Birmingham City Centre via the M5 Motorway as Service X73 and Service X74.
Between Birmingham and Worcester, Service X73 ran via Bearwood, the M5 Motorway, Droitwich Spa, and Fernhill Heath, following the same route as Service X43 at that time. Service X74 ran via Selly Oak, Northfield, the M5 Motorway, Droitwich Spa and Fernhill Heath along the Service X44 route. Journeys that were not extended to Birmingham continued to operate as Service 372 and Service 373.
The Birmingham extension was short-lived and withdrawn just four-months later, after the end of operations on Saturday 3rd September 1988. The Worcester to Gloucester section of the route was replaced by additional Service 372 and Service 373 journeys, timed to connect at Worcester with Service X43 and Service X44 journeys to Birmingham.
| X | 7 | 4 |
| New May | 1988 | Birmingham ↔ Worcester ↔ Tewkesbury ↔ Gloucester | Withdrawn Sep 1988 |