Midland “Red” Motor Services (BMMO & MROC)
BMMO D7 — Miscellaneous Information
Vehicles Converted for Towing
From May 1972, Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Company Limited (BMMO—Midland “Red” Motor Services) converted eleven of their withdrawn BMMO D7 double-deck buses for use as towing vehicles. The conversion work involved totally removing the upper-deck and rear overhang, while the bodywork on the lower deck received a number of differing styles, with three examples receiving full-length enclosed saloons while others had open platforms.
The regional body shops at Shrewsbury depot, Leicester (Wigston) depot and Malvern (Spring Lane) depot each converted a number of vehicles, and the style of bodywork depended on which depot had carried out the conversion. Shrewsbury conversion had a single enclosed bay and open rear platform, while vehicles converted at Wigston had four fully enclosed bays without a rear platform. Malvern depot conversions had two enclosed bays and a small rear platform, while fleet number 4494, which was converted by Malvern for their own use, was unique in having 1½ enclosed bays and large straight slopping buttresses flanking the rear open platform.
All the towing vehicles ran on trade registration numbers plates, and as with trade plates these were sometimes changed with those on other vehicles, but the general rule was that each depot had their own trade registration number plate, so the numbers were changed whenever the vehicle moved to another depot. Early conversions were painted overall white as that was the BMMO ancillary fleet livery at the time, but in 1972 the National Bus Company decreed that support vehicles should be painted overall yellow so all future conversion received that livery, and white examples were repainted.
BMMO D7 buses converted to recovery vehicles
| Fleet # | Reg # | Trade Plate(s) used | Allocation(s) | Body Style | ||
| D | 4392 | VHA 392 | 071 HA 290 HA1 6177 O1 |
SE & DY | single bay S17 grille |
History |
| 4494 | XHA 494 | 370 HA | MN & WR | 1½ bays D7 grille |
History | |
| D | 4496 | XHA 496 | 068 HA | ST, EM & BE | single bay S17 grille |
History |
| D | 4531 | XHA 531 | 070 HA2 6178 O2 |
DH | 4 bays S14 grille |
History |
| D | 4732 | 732 BHA | 417 HA | LN | single bay S17 grille |
History |
| 4739 | 739 BHA | ? | CH & CK | History | ||
| 4747 | 747 BHA | ? | SD & TH | History | ||
| D | 4750 | 750 BHA | 378 HA | RY & CK | 4 bays D7 grille |
History |
| 4761 | 761 BHA | ? | SY | single bay S17 grille |
History | |
| D | 4765 | 765 BHA | 375 HA 417 HA |
WS, SS & LN | 4 bays D7 grille |
History |
| D | 4767 | 767 BHA | 290 HA | NN & CW | 2 bays D7 grille |
History |
Notes:
- Fleet Number 4392 passed to the West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive (WMPTE) as fleet number 218 carrying trade plate 290 HA, but this later changed to 6177 O.
- Fleet Number 4531 passed to the West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive (WMPTE) as fleet number 219 carrying trade plate 070 HA, but this later changed to 6178 O, then back to its original registration number XHA 531.
Withdrawals
1977–1981
From September 1977, Midland Red Omnibus Company Limited (MROC) started converting a number of their Leyland Leopard type LC9 coaches to towing vehicles. The BMMO D7 towing vehicles were withdrawn as these came into service and by January 1981, all had been withdrawn and replaced. Several examples quickly passed into private ownership and have been preserved.