Midland “Red” Sites in Leicester
Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Company Limited (BMMO—Midland “Red” Motor Services) first started operating bus services in Leicester on Wednesday 11th May 1921, when Service 68 operated by Nuneaton (Burgage Walk) garage between Nuneaton, Hinckley, Barwell and Earl Shilton was extended to Leicester (The Newarke). This was followed within a few months by services from Coventry and Tamworth, operated by Coventry garage and Tamworth (Two Gates) depot respectively.
BMMO operations in Leicester expanded rapidly and the first of several depots in the City opened on Saturday 26th August 1922, ready for a new network of services to start during the following month. By the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939, the Leicester operations had expanded to become the largest operated by BMMO outside of Birmingham.
Leicester (Frog Island) depot
- Site on the north side of the junction of Frog Island and Slater Street, in Leicester, leased by Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Company Limited (BMMO—Midland “Red” Motor Services) from mid-1922. Adapted for use as a bus depot with a capacity for 30 vehicles.
- Depot opened by Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Company Limited (BMMO—Midland “Red” Motor Services) on Saturday 26th August 1922, with an initial allocation if seven Tilling-Stevens TS3 buses and a Tilling-Stevens TS3 charabanc.
- Allocation of 22 vehicles by the end of 1923.
- Allocation of 35 vehicles by 1925, with Leicester (Welford Road) garage being used from May 1925 for overflow parking.
- Leicester (Frog Island) depot and Welford Road overflow parking garage closed at the end of services on Wednesday 20th July 1927, with all operations moving to new purpose built Leicester (Southgates Street) depot.
- Building used by various motor trade related companies until Monday 30th November 2015, when it was destroyed by fire. The remains were demolished by the end of 2015.
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