Midland Red (All): Leyland National — Fleet List

The Leyland National saw service with BMMO and its various descendant companies for over 30 years, but now they have disappeared.  Therefore, instead of listing vehicles in service, this page gives information on the last examples to survive with “Midland Red.”

For a full list of all Leyland National buses owned or operated by BMMO and all the Midland “Red” offspring compinies, see the “Leyland National - Fleet History” page.
 Midland Red (North) Limited (Arriva Midlands North Limited)
Midland Red North Leyland National - 937 (PUK637R)
The last two Leyland Nationals in service with Arriva Midlands North Limited (previously named Midland Red North Ltd) were withdrawn in 2002, and are both now used for driver training.  These are:
  • 937 (R/No: PUK637R): New to MROC at Stafford depot in 1977, with the fleet numbers 637.  It passed to the Midland Red (North) fleet when Midland Red was split up in 1981, and recieved anEast Lancashire Coachbuilders “Greenway” conversionin September 1994.  After the conversion it re-entered service with fleet number 937 at Shrewsbury depot.  In 2002, it was finally withdrawn and converted for use as a driver training bus.
     
  • 952 (R/No: PUK652R): New to MROC at Swadlincote depot in 1977, with the fleet numbers 652.  It passed to the Midland Red (East) fleet when Midland Red was split up in 1981, but was withdrawn the following year and passed to Midland Red (North) Limited.  It recieved anEast Lancashire Coachbuilders “Greenway” conversionin September 1994, and re-entered service with fleet number 952 at Shrewsbury depot.  In 2002, it was finally withdrawn and converted for use as a driver training bus.
     
 Midland Red (South) Limited (Stagecoach in Warwickshire)
Midland Red South Leyland National - 602 (NOE602R)
Midland Red (South) Limited (trading as Stagecoach in Warwickshire) withdrew their final Leyland National on 27th March 2004.
  • 25402 (R/No: NOE602R) was new to MROC at Leamington Spa depot in March 1977, with fleet number 602, passing to Midland Red (South) Limited when Midland Red was broken up in September 1981.  While with Midland Red South she also saw service at Nuneaton depot, Rigby depot and Banbury depot.  In the early 1990s, the Leyland 510 engine was replaced with a DAF LC680 engine, and in August 2001 she was renumbered to fleet number 702.  In March 2003 she was again renumbered, this time to fleet number 25402, to come into line with Stagecoach's national numbering system.  She was finally withdrawn on 27th March 2004, and is now preserved.
     
 Midland Red (West) Limited (First Midland Red Buses Limited)
Midland Red West Leyland National - 658 (SOA658S)
Midland Red West Leyland National - 908 (BOU8V)
Midland Red West Leyland National - 90270 (HHA101L)
By Friday 30th November 2001, First Midland Red Buses Limited (previously named Midland Red West Limited) had withdrawn their last three Mark I Leyland Nationals from service.  These vehicles were:
  • 758 (R/No: XOV758T) which was new to MROC at Tamworth depot in September 1979, passing to the Midland Red (North) Limited fleet at the split in 1981.  It was one of seven Nationals passed to Midland Red West Limited in 1986, entering service at Redditch depot. It later saw service at Evesham depot, Worcester depot and Hereford depot before being withdrawn from service at Worcester depot in mid-November 2001.  It was finally taken away for scrap during the first week of February 2003.
     
  • 756 (R/No: AFJ756T) which was new to Western National and one of three Nationals passed to Midland Red West Limited in January 1990.  It was withdrawn from Hereford depot on 30th November 2001.  It was initally stored at Redditch depot, and there were a number of rumours that it was to be preserved, however on 4th October 2002 it was moved to Worcester depot where the engine was removed four use in training bus Leyland National fleet number 2051 (HHA101L).
     
  • 658 (R/No: SOA658S) was new to MROC at Evesham depot in October 1977, and remained in service at that depot throughout her service life, although she was loaned to other depots for short periods.  She was withdrawn on 30th November 2001, but due to a vehicle shortage was reinstated for about five weeks in December 2001 and January 2002, making her the last vehicle of this type in service with First Midland Red Buses Limited. She was kept in storage at Redditch depot until July 2002, before being sold to David Peters of Birmingham for preservation - See “Leyland National - Preserved” page for details.
    Read about this vehicle in Feb 2002 issue of “Bus & Coach Preserved.”

The Mark II Leyland National was never popular in the Midland Red West fleet; however, it did outlive the Mark I with two examples surviving until May 2002.

  • 905 & 908 (R/Nos: BOU5V & BOU8V). Both these vehicles were new to the Bristol Omnibus Company Limited in 1980, and passed to First Midland Red Buses Limited in 1999, via First Cymru.  At first, they were operated in yellow and green Bristol OC livery, but were later repainted into red and cream First Midland Red livery.  Both were withdrawn in May 2002 and scrapped a few months later.

One final Leyland national remained with First Midland Red as a driver training bus until 2007....

  • 90270 (R/No: HHA101L).  A detailed history of this vehicle can be found by clicking here!