MidlandRed.net

'Salt Road' 69450 in the company of two long distance tour coaches. Daimler CWA6 CCX 777 with Duple lowbridge utility L27/28R bodywork new 07/45 to Huddersfield as 217. Very few wartime utility buses remain in preservation, this one was giving quite a long ride in the local area taking on some steep climbs, testing the small AEC 7.7 litre engine to the limit - well worth the trip! AEC Regal IV NLE 627 with Metro-Cammell B39F bodywork new 07/53 to London Transport as RF627. Leyland Tiger Cub PSUC1/11 PCW 957 with East Lancs B43F bodywork new 09/63 to Burnley, Colne & Nelson as 57. Scania L113CRL N168 PUT with East Lancs B51F bodywork new 03/96 to Midland Fox at Leicester Southgate Street garage as 2168. Subsequently renumbered 3468. Volvo B10M-62 P339 VWR with Plaxton C50F bodywork new 05/97 to wallace Arnold. Now with Thomas Brothers Llangadog. Transbus Trident BX54 DDJ with Transbus H45/28F bodywork new 10/04 as West Midlands 4601 is seen in company with Daimler CVG6 MOF 225 with Crossley H30/25F bodywork new 10/54 to Birmingham City Transport as 3225. Mercedes Benz Tourismo CT18 CCT with Mercedes Benz bodywork new 2018 to Chandlers Coaches. This my indulgence, an Austin Loadstar K9 4 x 4 Radio Communications truck new c. 1953. This one belongs to the Museum at Gaydon. This is an overall view of a number of the double-deckers on static display, luckily the rain held off despite the threatening sky in this shot.

That sky looks very unforgiving in the last photo, but I don't recall getting wet!

Thanks for all the posts, Tim. You clearly took more than me on the day.

AdamH wrote: ↑

17:07 Wednesday 22nd August 2018

That sky looks very unforgiving in the last photo, but I don't recall getting wet!

Thanks for all the posts, Tim. You clearly took more than me on the day.

I don't normally put wide angle scenes on this site, but thought that sky was a worthy photo which also gives an idea of the size of bus Fest and the organisation needed to make it a very successful and enjoyable event.

I took a plenty of pictures as my camera is getting creaky, like the owner, and it is the only one in my possession that this website will accept photographs from - still haven't found a way of sending pictures using my newer camera.

I was a little disappointed that 5905 was the only BMMO built bus at the show, I guess that roadworthy Midland Red's are becoming very thin on the ground. Sad really, when you recall that in its heydey the company fleet strength was close on 2,000 vehicles with a high percentage powered by BMMO engines.

Hmmm, a pang of guilt here! As the guardian / maintainer of the BMMO fleet at Wythall I often have the difficult choice of whether to send out several Midland Red's to an event or keep them back at the Museum for people to pay to come and see them, and on Open Days ride on them. We are after all a commercial concern! Staffing on Sundays is always difficult now (I feel at times that I'm running the Marie Celeste) but to be fair we did take a good spread of BMMO's to the TH open day earlier in the month mainly because of the excellent support we receive from them (as we do from First, Nigel!!). Back around 1980 a 'critic' came up to me at Wythall and said about the BMMO's we had that in 30 years hence they would all be in glass cages and / or derelict; well we haven't done too badly so far, mainly due to the number of firms I have managed to cajole into remaking parts.

943KHA wrote: ↑

14:15 Thursday 23rd August 2018

Hmmm, a pang of guilt here! As the guardian / maintainer of the BMMO fleet at Wythall I often have the difficult choice of whether to send out several Midland Red's to an event or keep them back at the Museum for people to pay to come and see them, and on Open Days ride on them. We are after all a commercial concern! Staffing on Sundays is always difficult now (I feel at times that I'm running the Marie Celeste) but to be fair we did take a good spread of BMMO's to the TH open day earlier in the month mainly because of the excellent support we receive from them (as we do from First, Nigel!!). Back around 1980 a 'critic' came up to me at Wythall and said about the BMMO's we had that in 30 years hence they would all be in glass cages and / or derelict; well we haven't done too badly so far, mainly due to the number of firms I have managed to cajole into remaking parts.

I tend to forget that the last BMMO was built very nearly 50 years ago, so they are all very old vehicles which are in such good condition they do not look their age. The Transport Museum at Wythall always puts up a good show with Midland Red buses performing services to Birmingham, Henley-in-Arden and other nearer destinations. Having been involved in preservation many years ago it was always easier to find enthusiasts to drive the buses than those prepared to get their hands dirty working on the restoration projects. I wonder why?

I was talking to “943KHA” on the subject the other day. It seems they are now starting to have problems finding people with the skills to drive to old buses. It’s easy to see why, I passed my test in a 3-speed crash-box Leopard so, in theory, I’m qualified to drive something like an S16. However, I’ve not used those skills for almost 25-years and I think I may embarrass myself if I had to drive one now.

Saying that, you have my number and I’m free most Sundays... Just bring your own crash helmets!