The M5 motorway open on Friday 20th July 1962, and on the same day Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Company Limited (BMMO—Midland “Red” Motor Services) started operation of new “Motorway Express” Service X44 running an hourly service between Birmingham, Selly Oak and Worcester. Service X43 was introduced as a variation to Service X44 in early 1966.
Service X43 was introduced in early 1966 (exact date needed) as a variation of Service X44, running via Bearwood between Birmingham City Centre and the Motorway, rather than Selly Oak and Northfield. The service ran every two hours, inter-worked with Service X44 to provide an hourly connection between Birmingham and Worcester.
As a strict Limited Stop service, the X43 would only pick up at the Bull Ring Bus Station (Stand 9) and Bearwood (King's Head, Stand 4) for journeys to Worcester, and at Newport Street Bus Station in Worcester for journeys to Birmingham. Anywhere tickets could not be used.
Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Company Limited (BMMO—Midland “Red” Motor Services) renamed to Midland Red Omnibus Company Limited (MROC) on Friday 29th March 1974.
| X | 4 | 3 |
| May | 1966 | Birmingham ↔ Bearwood ↔ Worcester | |
| June | 1970 | Birmingham ↔ Bearwood ↔ Worcester |
On Saturday 13th January 1979, Midland Red Omnibus Company Limited (MROC) introduced their “Servernlink” MAP scheme in the Worcester, Bromsgrove and Malvern areas. At this time, all Sunday journeys of Service X43 and Service X44 were withdrawn and replaced with Service M43 and Service M44, which ran over the same Limited Stop route between Birmingham and Worcester but then continued past Worcester, calling at all stops, to Malvern Link, Pound Bank, Barnards Green to Great Malvern. Service M43 then ran via Wyche Cutting and Service M44 via Malvern Wells to British Camp.
Further changes to the “Servernlink” network came on Saturday 26th May 1979 when weekday and Saturday journeys of Service X43 and Service X44 were also withdrawn and replaced by Service M43 and Service M44 to The Malverns. Unlike Sunday journeys, these only ran as far as Great Malvern.
Midland Red Omnibus Company Limited (MROC) ceased trading as a bus and coach operator at the end of services on Saturday 5th September 1981. At this time, Service M43 and Service M44 passed to the newly formed Midland Red (West) Limited, who withdrew all “M”-prefix route numbers on Friday 19th March 1982. A new group of Motorway Express services, numbered in the range X41–X44, was introduced between Birmingham, Worcester and The Malverns, with Service M43 becoming Service X41 and Service M44 becoming Service X42. New Service X43 and Service X44 both ran via Droitwich Spa so were not a replacement for the original BMMO routes.
| X | 4 | 3 |
| August | 1974 | Birmingham ↔ Bearwood ↔ Worcester |