Midland Red Express (Midland Red Coaches)
MCW Metroliner — Overview
Vehicles Acquired New
566–568 (R/Nos: A666–A668XDA)
The first three MCW Metroliners to operated by Midland Red (Express) Limited, Birmingham were purchased new and delivered in National Express livery, entering service in June 1984 with fleet numbers 566-568. They did not stay long with Midland Red Express, and by the end of 1984 all three had been passed to Eastern Counties who used them it their Ambassador Travel subsidiary.
Note: The fleet numbers 566–568 were later used on three Leyland Tiger coaches (R/Nos: B566–B568BOK) that Midland Red (Express) Limited purchased in December 1984.
501–507 (R/Nos: C975–C981HOX)
In 1986, Midland Red (Express) Limited, renamed to Midland Red Coaches Limited by this time, purchased seven CH55/17DT MCW Metroliner double-deck coaches. These vehicles were delivered in National Express “Rapide” livery in two batches.
- Fleet numbers 501–503 (Registration numbers C975–C977HOX) were delivered in February 1986.
- Fleet numbers 504–507 (Registration numbers C978–C981HOX) were delivered in May 1986.
When the business of Midland Red Coaches Limited was acquired by Midland Red West Limited on the 23rd December 1986, these vehicles were passed to the Midland Red West fleet with new fleet numbers of 1501–1507. See the “Midland Red West - MCW Metroliner” section of this website for details of this vehicle after this time.