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Service 303: Service History

Service 303 (1925–1928)

Operated by Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Company Limited

On Saturday 16^th May 1925, Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Company Limited (BMMO—Midland “Red” Motor Services) renumbered their network with route numbers being grouped into geographical areas. At this time, Leominster Market Day Service 90A running between Hereford, Bush Bank, Goldern Cross, and Leominster, became Service 303.

This service ran on Fridays only for Leominster Market Day, with one journey to Leominster in the morning and one return journey to Hereford in the afternoon.

The network was again renumbered on Saturday 11^th February 1928, and at this time the Hereford, Bush Bank, Leominster service became Service 426, but this was short-lived and the service had been withdrawn by the summer of 1930.

Service 303 (1931–1932)

Operated by Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Company Limited

By January 1931, route number 303 was being used by Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Company Limited (BMMO—Midland “Red” Motor Services) for a local Kidderminster route between the town centre and Sutton Farm Estate. This version of the route was very short-lived and route number 303 was already in use on a different route during 1932.

Service 303 (1932–1933)

Operated by Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Company Limited

During 1932, Service 303 operated three daytime return journeys during the week between Stourport (Car Park) and Lickhill (Garland Road). Three additional evening return journeys were operated on Fridays only. This route was not operated at weekends, and the 1200 journey operated over a different route during school term times.

Service 303 (1950–1971)

Operated by Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Company Limited

Service 303 running between Kidderminster, Great Witley, Abberley and Menithwood was in operation by the early 1950s, with between three and five journeys operating throughout the whole week. Additional short-workings were provided on Saturdays by Service 320 between Kidderminster and Pensax Court.

In the early 1970s, BMMO withdrew a large number of their rural services and both Service 303 and Service 320 were withdrawn on Saturday 3^rd April 1971.

Service 303 (1977–1981)

Operated by Midland Red Omnibus Company Limited

On Saturday 5^th November 1977, Midland Red Omnibus Company Limited (MROC) launched their “Wendaway” Viable Network Project (VNP) in Kidderminster and surrounding area. At this time, the long established Service 315 running between Stourbridge, Kidderminster and Worcester was withdrawn and replaced by new Service 303.

Midland Red Omnibus Company Limited (MROC) ceased trading as a bus and coach operator at the end of services on Saturday 5^th September 1981. Responsibility for Service 303 passed to the newly formed Midland Red (West) Limited from the following day.

Route Summary

Service 303 (1981–1986)

Operated by Midland Red (West) Limited

When Midland Red Omnibus Company Limited (MROC) ceased trading as a bus and coach operator at the close of trading on Saturday 5^th September 1981, all assets and operations were divided between five new operating companies, with responsibility for Service 303 passing to Midland Red (West) Limited.

Service 303 was operated from Kidderminster depot and Worcester depot, running an hourly frequency between Worcester, Kidderminster, and Stourbridge, with certain journeys extended to Wolverhampton. From Sunday 27^th October 1985, the service was inter-worked with new “Midland Express” Service X73 which ran over the same route as Service 303 between Wolverhampton and Worcester, but then continued to Cheltenham Spa, Gloucester and Bristol.

A minor change to the route came on Saturday 8^th March 1986 when both Service X73 and Service 303 were diverted to run via Aggborough (Hoo Road) in Kidderminster. On Saturday 30^th August 1986, shortly before deregulation, Service X73 and the Wolverhampton, Stourbridge and Kidderminster section of Service 303 were withdrawn.

Route Summary

¹  Service 303 operates as Limited Stop between Stourbridge and Wolverhampton.
²  Kidderminster, Stourbridge and Wolverhampton section of Service 303 was withdrawn on 30^th August 1986, shortly before deregulation.

Service 303 (1986–1999)

Operated by Midland Red West Limited

On Saturday 30^th August 1986, shortly before deregulation, Service X73 was withdrawn and Service 303 was shortened to run only between Worcester and Kidderminster. New Service 304 was introduced as a variation which ran via Holt Fleet between Ombersley and Worcester, and most journeys connected with “Midland Express” Service X93 in Kidderminster to provide links to Birmingham. Both Service 303 and Service 304 ran once every two hours, inter-worked to give an hourly frequency on the Ombersley to Kidderminster section of the route.

Midland Red (West) Limited and Midland Red Coaches Limited were merged and privatised as Midland Red West Limited on Monday 22^nd December 1986. There then followed a period of rapid changes with new timetables published in February 1987 and again in April 1987.

By the end of 1989, variation Service 304 had been withdrawn and replaced by extending “Midland Express” Service X94 to Worcester, but this change was reversed in September 1991 when Service X94 was withdrawn and the Worcester to Kidderminster section of the route was replaced by reinstating Service 304.

Starting from Saturday 28^th August 1993, Stevensons of Uttoxeter Limited won the Hereford & Worcester County Council contract to operate Service 304 and new Service 305. From this time, all but one peak-time Service 304 journey was withdrawn by Midland Red West and replaced by the Stevenson services, although Stevenson were obliged by the contact to accept Midland Red West tickets and passes. Service 303 continued to be operated by Midland Red West but was reduced with one morning and one evening peak-time return journey between Kidderminster and Worcester, plus a small number of off-peak short-working journeys between Worcester and Ombersley only.

On Sunday 14^th August 1994, Stevensons of Uttoxeter Limited sold all of their West Midlands and Worcestershire services to West Midlands Travel Limited. The Worcestershire work was outside the normal operating area of the company, so within a few weeks the contract to operate Service 304 passed to Midland Red West Limited. From Monday 26^th September 1994, Midland Red West once again operated all journeys between Worcester, Ombersley and Kidderminster, but these continued to be to a reduced timetable with most Service 303 journeys still being short-working between Worcester and Ombersley. Stevensons had operated via Waresley Court Estate in Hartlebury and Woodhall Lane Estate in Ombersley, and these changes were now adopted by Midland Red West on their journeys.

By 1996, the contract to operate these services had been extended and Service 303 once again ran over the whole route during the off-peak period to give an hourly frequency between Worcester and Kidderminster.

Route Summary

¹  Only one morning peak-time and one afternoon peak-time Service 303 journeys operated between Ombersley to Kidderminster.

Service 303 (1999–2002)

Operated by First Midland Red Buses Limited

In 1997, Midland Red West Limited became part of FirstBus, and on Friday 26^th March 1999 renamed to First Midland Red Buses Limited.

From Monday 4^th September 2000, the service was subsidised by Worcestershire County Council under their new “easyLINK” scheme and extended and re-routed to serve the three branches of Worcester’s Royal Infirmary at Castle Street, Ronkswood, and Newtown. The service was also increased to operate on an hourly frequency during the daytime, and additional journeys were added in the evenings. Although Service 304 continued to operate there were only a small number of off-peak journeys. As part of the same contract a new Service X33 was being operated linking the Kidderminster and Redditch hospitals.

From Monday 8^th April 2002 the contract for Service 303 and Service X33 passed to Probus Management Limited (trading as Pete’s Travel), and Service 304 was withdrawn. However, this was not successful and less than 18-months later Service 303 returned to First Midland Red Buses Limited.

Service 303 (2003–2013)

Operated by First Midland Red Buses Limited

From Monday 1^st September 2003 the Worcestershire County Council contract to operate Service 303, and a single Service 304 journey, passed back to First Midland Red Buses Limited. In late 2004, First Midland Red acquired new Dennis Dart single-deck buses to operate these contracts, and the vehicles carried route-branding. When the contract expired, First Midland Red operated the service on a commercial basis from their Kidderminster depot, but the route branding was removed from vehicles.

On Sunday 3^rd March 2013, First Midland Red sold their Kidderminster depot to Diamond Bus, and with it the operation of Service 303 and Service X33 passed to Diamond Bus.