Midland “Red”
BMMO and MROC
Midland “Red” Motor Services (BMMO & MROC) Prototype, Development and Experimental Vehicles - Miscellaneous Information

Midland “Red” Motor Services (BMMO & MROC)
Prototype, Development and Experimental Vehicles — Miscellaneous Information

Introduction

Photograph

With Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Company Limited (BMMO—Midland “Red” Motor Services) being in the unique position of building their own vehicles, the company operated a wide range of prototype, development and experimental vehicles.

Until 1953/4, all of the companies development work was carried out at Bearwood depot, and such vehicles were tested on services operated from that garage. Following the redevelopment and reopening of their Central Works, BMMO moved the development work to the more modern facilities offered by that site and tested vehicles from a number of depots in the area.

  Fleet # Reg # Type Code   Built   Vehicle Details    Results of Development  
D i 1591 BHA 1   S1 1 1941 SOS REC new in 1935, with rear mounted petrol engine. Rebuilt in 1941 with an under-floor mounted horizontal version of BMMO K-type 8.028-litre diesel engine. Bodywork rebuilt and extensively restyled.
  i 1942 CHA 1   S2 1 1942 SOS REC new in 1936, with rear mounted petrol engine. Rebuilt in 1942 with an under-floor mounted horizontal version of BMMO K-type 8.028-litre engine. Original body sold and replaced with modified body from CHA2.
  i 1943 CHA 2   S3 1 1943 Chassis and engine as CHA1 but with Wilson preselective gearbox. Original body used on CHA1, and replaced with modified body from CHA3.
  i 1944 CHA 3   S4 1 1944 Mechanically identical to CHA1. Original body used on CHA2, and replaced with new bodywork built at Carlyle Works.
  i 2541 HHA 1   D1 1 1944 Prototype rear entrance double-deck bus with 56 seat four-bay body built by Weymann to BMMO design. To service in 1945. Production version built from 1949 as the BMMO D5.
  i 2579 HHA 222 S5 1946 Prototype integral single-deck bus. Integral design further developed with the BMMO S14 prototype, and used in production from 1955.
  i3220 JHA 820 S8 1960 Standard production BMMO S8 extended to an overall length of 45′ (13.72m) to demonstrate to the Ministry of Transport the viability of increasing the legal maximum length of single-deck buses. Later rebuilt to standard specification. In 1961, the law changed to allow a compromise length of 36′ 0″ (10.97m).
D i3441 LHA 441 S9 Mk.I 1950 Production BMMO S9 fitted with a redesigned square front from new, incorporating electrically operated platform doors, modified grille, bumpers and polished aluminium mouldings. Also known as the “American S9”
D i3694 NHA 694 S13 Mk.I 1950 Prototype 30′ single-deck bus - entered service 1st June 1950, on the day that 30′ buses became legal. Built to a similar appearance to BMMO S9 Mk.I fleet number number 3441, with polished mouldings and raised “Midland” fleet names.
D i3703 NHA 703 S11 1950 BMMO S10 fitted with independent front suspension. Conventional suspension fitted in 1957.
  i3877 OHA 877 S13 Mk.II 1951 2nd Prototype 30′ single-deck bus with 44 seat bodywork built in-house at Carlyle Works.
  i3878 OHA 878 S13 Mk.II 1951 3rd Prototype 30′ single-deck bus with smaller entrance and 44 seat bodywork built by Willowbrook.
  i3879 OHA 879 S13 Mk.II 1951 4th Prototype 30' single-deck bus with 40 seat dual-purpose bodywork built in-house at Carlyle Works, and an experimental grill.
  i3919 OHA 919 S13 Mk.II   Production BMMO S13 rebuilt as B32D with expermental two door layout. Rebuilt as B44F in 1954.
  i3977  OHA 977  LA 1951 Prototype SIngle deck bus based on the BMMO S13, built using Light Alloy materials and new 120bhp 10½-litre engine. 10½-litre engine later used in all production vehicles.
  i4178 THA 778 S14 1954 Prototype integral single-deck bus built with lightweight materials, continuing development from the BMMO S5 and BMMO LA. Independent front wheel suspension and toggle link rear suspension, disc brakes and fully automatic gearbox. Production vehicles built from 1955, but with a 4-speed constant mesh manual gearbox.
D ` i4722 722 BHA C5 1958 Prototype 37-seat coach based on BMMO S14 single-deck bus. 46 Production examples built from 1958.
  ` i4773 773 FHA D9 1958 Prototype 30′ double-deck bus with 140bhp 10½-litre BMMO KL engine and 4 speed CAV semi-automatic gearbox. 344 Production examples built from 1960.
  ` i4801 801 HHA CM5T 1959 Turbo-charged version of BMMO C5 coach with toilet and 5 speed overdrive gearbox, for motorway use. An additional 17 production examples built from 1959.
D ` i4943 943 KHA D10 Mk.I 1961 Prototype double-deck bus with underfloor engine.
D ` i4944 1944 HA D10 Mk.II 1961 Second prototype double-deck bus with underfloor engine. Also built with expermental twin entrance / exit and stair case.
D ` i5093 5093 HA S19 1964 BMMO S17 with expermental suspension.
D ` i5722-4  DHA 722C-4C  S21A 1966 Three BMMO S17 single-deck buses with expermental interiors.
  ` i 6391 YHA 391J M2 1977 Standard production Ford R192 shortened by removing two bays to make a 27 seat midibus. After trials an additional eleven vehicles were also converted.

Notes

  1. Vehicle type codes were not used until 1945.