Midland “Red”
BMMO and MROC
Midland “Red” Motor Services (BMMO & MROC) BMMO S23 - Vehicle Livery

Midland “Red” Motor Services (BMMO & MROC)
BMMO S23 — Vehicle Livery

BMMO Bus Livery

Overall Red

Photograph

All 76 examples of the BMMO S23 entered service carrying the overall red BMMO bus livery. The traditional gold and black “Midland” fleetname had been replaced with smaller, underlined “Midland Red” fleetnames on their buses from the end of 1968, thus none of the type S23 carried the older style of BMMO livery.

“Poppy Red” Livery

Overall Red with White Waistband and Standard N.B.C. Markings

Photograph

In 1972, the National Bus Company started to introduce standardised liveries and vehicle markings across all their companies. Vehicles repainted after August 1972, therefore received NBC “Poppy Red” livery with the Midland “Red” fleet name shown in standard NBC typeface. Most examples of the type S23 were also fitted the NBC logo on the radiator grill, and a white waistband below the windows.

“Poppy Red” Livery with MAP Area Branding

Overall Red with white Roof Band

Photograph

Following the introduction of the National Bus Company’s Market Analysis Projects (MAP) from 1977, a small number of examples of the type S23 received MAP area brand names, which were shown in a white band above the windows.

Examples of the type S23 known to have carried MAP area branding area shown below:

*1 Although fleet number 5963 (R/No: UHA963H) has been preserved and restored with “Hunter” MAP area branding, this vehicle never carried such branding while in service with Midland Red.

WMPTE Livery

Cream and Blue

Photograph

On the 3rd December 1973, WMPTE took control of 170 services from BMMO. To operate these services six BMMO depots and staff, plus 413 vehicles, were transferred to the WMPTE. Vehicles that were transfered to WMPTE were repainted into the standard WMPTE livery of dark blue and cream, carrying “West Midlands” fleetname.

BMMO repainted many vehicles into cream and blue livery at their Central Works, Carlyle Road, as part of a four year contract with WMPTE. Before being repainted, vehicles ran in their original BMMO livery but with WMPTE fleet namesPhotograph ].

Note: It is not intended for this website to chart the history of the West Midlands Passenger Transport however, a small part of that company’s history has been included on this page to illustrate how it affected the history of the Birmingham & Midland Motor Omnibus Company Limited (BMMO—Midland “Red” Motor Services). For more information about the transfer of assets and services to the West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive (WMPTE) on the 3rd December 1973, see the “Transfer of BMMO Services and Assets to the West Midlands PTE” page in the History section of this website.