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Service W56: Service History

Introduction

Service W56

The original Worcester City local bus network was first introduced on Friday 1^st June 1928, and had continuously evolved with a succession of relatively minor changes and additional routes until the mid-1970s. However, with falling passenger numbers and the need to modernise to one-man operation, at almost 50-years old the network was no longer fit for purpose.

To address these issues, Midland Red Omnibus Company Limited (MROC) introduced “New Improved Bus Services” in Worcester City on Saturday 14^th February 1976. This also saw the introduction of modern one-man operated Leyland National single-deck buses on all city routes, replacing the BMMO-built single-deck and Daimler Fleetline double-deck buses that had previously been used. The “W”-prefix route number were once again used, but this time they were in the ranges W32–W37 and W53–W57, with only the relatively new Service W37 surviving unchanged from the previous network.

Although it was not advertised as such, these changes effectively saw the entire Worcester City local network, except for Service W37, withdrawn and replaced by a brand new network. All but three routes in the new network offered “Cross City facilities” linking either Warndon or Ronkswood to Dines Green, Lower Wick or Monarch Drive.

See Service W1 for a list of routes operated as part of the original 1928 Worcester local bus network.

Service W56 (1976–1979)

Operated by Midland Red Omnibus Company Limited

New Service W56 was introduced by Midland Red Omnibus Company Limited (MROC) on Saturday 14^th February 1976, as part of the new Worcester City local bus network. It was a direct replacement for Service W11, running every hour between the City Centre and Rushwick on Monday to Saturday. There was no service on Sunday.

During the evenings, Service W56 was extended as a cross-city service to and from Warndon and Bath Road, running over the same route as Service W55, although timetables stated that “through fares not available.”

With the introduction of the new “Severnlink” MAP scheme in Worcester on Saturday 13^th January 1979, Service W56 was withdrawn and the daytime section of the route between the City Centre and Rushwich was replaced by new Service W25.