Stratford-upon-Avon Depot
Warwick Road, Stratford-upon-Avon
- Built by Stratford-upon-Avon Blue Motor Services Limited in early 1934.
- Stratford-upon-Avon Blue Motor Services Limited acquired as subsidiary by Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Company Limited (BMMO—Midland “Red” Motor Services) on Sunday 30th June 1935.
- Full control to Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Company Limited (BMMO—Midland “Red” Motor Services) on Friday 1st January 1971, when the operations of Stratford Blue Motor Services Limited are absorbed by BMMO. Allocation at this time was 22 vehicles.
- Stratford depot routes renumbered into the Midland Red series on Saturday 1st January 1972.
- Company renamed to Midland Red Omnibus Company Limited (MROC) on Friday 29th March 1974, with a depot allocation f 28 vehicles and approximately 63 staff at this time.
- Depot control passed to Midland Red (South) Limited when the Midland Red Omnibus Company Limited split up on Sunday 6th September 1981.
- Midland Red (South) Limited privatised and sold to Western Travel Limited on Thursday 10th December 1987.
- Closed in July 1990. Operations transfered to new premises at Avenue Farm, Stratford-upon-Avon.
- Used as a tyre depot.
Page TopAvenue Farm, Stratford-upon-Avon
- Opened by Midland Red (South) Limited in July 1990 to replace Warwick Road depot.
- Midland Red (South) Limited parent company, Western Travel Limited, passed to Stagecoach on Friday 26th November 1993.
- Depot closed by Midland Red (South) Limited in April 1999. Local services were taken over by Guide Friday Limited and Expertpoint Limited (“Newmark Coaches”) who soon started using the trading name “Stratford Blue”. The resulting “bus war” in the town saw Expertpoint Limited withdraw local services by September 1999.
- Avenue Farm depot is unoccupied.
- Ensignbus Limited of Purfleet started operating open-top sightseeing services in Stratford-upon-Avon on Friday 25th May 2001 with a new subsidiary, Stratford Blue Travel Limited, but operating with their established red “City Sightseeing” brand. Operations are based at the ex-Expertpoint Limited depot on Birmingham Road.
- Worldwide sightseeing operations of Guide Friday Limited, plus all their Stratford-upon-Avon local services, passed to Ensignbus Limited in May 2002. The Stratford-upon-Avon operations are absorbed by Ensignbus subsidiary, Stratford Blue Travel Limited.
- Stratford Blue Travel Limited relocate all their operations to the ex-Midland Red (South) Limited depot at Avenue Farm.
- Operations of Stratford Blue Travel Limited passed to Stagecoach in February 2007, and are absorbed by Midland Red (South) Limited (“Stagecoach in Warwickshire”).
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