MidlandRed.net

Evesham Depot

Abbey Road, Evesham (depot code: EM)

• Built as a single bay, steel-framed and corrugated iron building, with timber framed offices, and painted grey.
• Opened by Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Company Limited (BMMO—Midland “Red” Motor Services) on 25^th August 1931.
• Wartime allocation of about nine vehicles; all being converted to operate on producer-gas, with the garage being extended to house the necessary trailers and coaling station.
• Extended and modernised throughout 1957, with new brick frontage and brick built offices, expanding the capacity to 28 vehicles indoors, plus additional outdoor parking space.
• Working requirements in September 1966, at Evesham depot, called for 28 Drivers (two-man), 19 Drivers (one-man) and 28 Conductors. The depot was fully staffed at this time and no new staff were being recruited.
• Proposals for an extension allowing an additional eleven vehicles to be parked indoors were put forward in August 1968, this had been revised to six vehicles plus two additional inspection pits by November 1969. Although planning permission was granted, the building work was never carried out.
• Company renamed to Midland Red Omnibus Company Limited (MROC) on 29^th March 1974, with a depot allocation of 28 vehicles and approximately 76 staff at this time.
• Evesham garage mileage and vehicle allocation reduced by just over 25% with the introduction of the Wayfarer VNP scheme on 23^rd July 1977.
• In 1979, the site was split into two parts, with a large concrete wall being built down the centre of the garage dividing it into two halves. The western half of the garage, plus about three-quarters of the office block, and about one-third of the outside parking area remained under the control of Midland Red, while the remaining parts of the building passed to Milk Marketing Board, later Quinney’s Dairy Limited, on Monday 10^th March 1980. Indoor parking capacity reduced to eight at this time.
  Architect plans for the division of the building date from January 1979, but revisions were still being drawn up in November of that year, probably after work began. One such revision was the location of the bus wash, which is shown outside on plans dated January 1979, but is shown inside the garage on plans dated 23^rd August 1979.
• Depot control passed to Midland Red (West) Limited when the Midland Red Omnibus Company Limited split up on 6^th September 1981.
• Due to econmic cut-back, all direct administrative staff are removed from Evesham depot c. April 1982.
• Company renamed to First Midland Red Buses Limited on Friday 26^th March 1999.
• Site sold in 2004, but still occupied by First Midland Red until the end of 2006.
• Depot partly close on Sunday 3^rd September 2006, with most vehicles, staff and operations divided between Worcester (Padmore Street) depot and Redditch depot. Vehicle allocation reduced from 27 to 10 at this time.
• Depot closed by First Midland Red Buses Limited at the end of operations on Saturday 30^th December 2006, with remaining vehicles transferred to Worcester (Padmore Street) depot. Remaining services are either moved to other depots or withdrawn.
• All parts of the building completely demolished by 17^th February 2007.