Banbury Depot
Canal Street, Banbury (depot code: BY)
- Site on Canal Street, Banbury, initally leased by Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Company Limited (BMMO—Midland “Red” Motor Services) from 1919.
- Garage opened on Monday 13th October 1919, with an allocation of three single-deck buses running Market Day services to local towns and villages with route numbers in the range 70–74.
- Garage allocation increased to five vehicles by 1922, with additional services added.
- Site purchased by Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Company Limited (BMMO—Midland “Red” Motor Services) in May 1924, along with additional land adjoining the garage.
- Garage closed on Friday 25th September 1931, and replaced by a new depot built on adjacent land, with the original building being sold back to the original owner. The new garage was a steel-framed, brick built building with brick offices and workshop, and accommodation for up to 18 vehicles.
- Garage extended in 1952 on unused land to the rear, increasing capacity to 50 vehicles.
- Banbury Bus Station opened in 1965.
- Depot allocation of 34 vehicles in February 1967, made up of 12 double-deck and 22 single-deck buses.
- Company renamed to Midland Red Omnibus Company Limited (MROC) on Friday 29th March 1974, with a depot allocation of 32 vehicles and approximately 79 staff at this time.
- Depot control passed to Midland Red (South) Limited when the Midland Red Omnibus Company Limited split up on 6th September 1981.
- Midland Red (South) Limited is privitised and sold to Western Travel Limited on Thursday 10th December 1987.
- Western Travel Limited, and it's subsiduary Midland Red (South) Limited, are sold to Stagecoach Group on Friday 26th November 1993, and soon after starts trading as “Stagecoach Midland Red”, although the legal name of Midland Red (South) Limited is unchanged.
- On Tuesday 22nd July 1997, Stagecoach Group purchase Thames Transit Limited, Oxford, and merged the newly acquired company with their existing Midland Red (South) Limited subsiduary, to form a new operational division under the name “Stagecoach South Midlands”. The Midland Red South head office in Rugby assumed administration duties for the combined operations, but both companies retained their legal names and operator licences. Stagecoach South Midlands trade with four sub-divisions; “Stagecoach in Banbury” for operations at Banbury depot, “Stagecoach in Warwickshire” for all other Midland Red (South) Limited operations, and ”Stagecoach in Oxford” and “Oxford Tube” for Thames Transit Limited operations.
- From July 2002, the brand names “Stagecoach in Banbury” and “Stagecoach in Oxford” are dropped and are both replaced by “Stagecoach in Oxfordshire”.
- On 1st March 2004, the Stagecoach South Midlands division is dissolved, and Midland Red (South) Limited and Thames Transit Limited are separated with each having their own independent management teams. Banbury depot continue to use the “Stagecoach in Oxfordshire” brand name with management tasks now being performed by Thames Transit Limited, but vehicles and licences, etc., are still held by Midland Red (South) Limited.
- On Sunday 28th February 2021, Midland Red (South) Limited (“Stagecoach Midlands”) surrendered all their licences for operations at Banbury depot. From the next day, the depot, staff, vehicles, and services came under the full control and licences of Thames Transit Limited.
- From Monday 3rd May 2021, all operations of Thames Transit Limited, Oxford, are merged with Cheltenham and Gloucester Omnibus Company Limited (“Stagecoach West”) to form a single operating company under the brand name “Stagecoach West”. All administration duties are assumed by the Cheltenham and Gloucester Omnibus Company head office in Gloucester, and the Stagecoach in Oxfordshire brand name is dropped.