Midland Red (West)
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PhotographComments2Favourites VehicleTimetables
VehicleLeyland National 1151/1R/2501 — Midland Red type code: N2
B51F Leyland National Mk.I
Number254 (NHA 254M)
OperatorMidland Red West Limited, Worcester depot
New (8/73) to Birmingham & Midland Motor OC Ltd. (Midland “Red”), Birmingham. Passed (6/9/81) to Midland Red (West) Ltd., Worcester. Withdrawn (5/90). Passed (11/92) to Wacton (dealer), Bromyard
LocationNewport Street Bus Station, Worcester.
DescriptionParked up between services.
Datec. June 1988
SourceUnknown.
Red Midland on Sunday 29th April 2018
Curious now as for whether this was being employed on a seasonal service to the Three Counties Showground, hence the ever informative 'Midland Red West' being displayed, or whether somebody was just having a play with the blinds. Could also be standing between an X43/4 and suffering from a loose number track, though unlikely. I am however aware, that a National would occasionally clock some motorway mileage!

TimBrown on Monday 30th April 2018
For a time around 1985/86, a National was booked on the Saturday 18-05 X44 from Worcester to Birmingham, which nearly always upset the passengers. I used to say "have a go at me if we are late into Birmingham!" Of course it was a matter of keeping going as fast as possible on the A roads to Wychbold and thence from Lydiate Ash into The Bull Ring bus station. On the motorway a National was much better on the uphill sections and not much slower on the level than a Leopard when going North against the grade. I had 545 which would show 55 MPH on the speedo (probably only 50 MPH), 126 and 546, probably more than that to work this service. 546 was a slow bus and only showed about 43 MPH on the tacho, but even so with relatively light traffic you could be a couple of minutes early into B'ham, and not a whisper from the passengers! Strangely you could push a National flat out nearly all the way without the overheating tantrums that occurred on the 144 at Rubery; was it the constant stop start on stage carriage that made them boil over? It still happens with modern rear engined buses - so often not helped by clogged up radiators and intercooler rads so I'm told.

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X45
FMRJune2000Worcester • Great Malvern • Three Counties Show
 

None of the timetables currently in the database appear to be a Best Match for this photograph.

The Best Match is selected from the timetable database as being the timetable most likely operated by the vehicle in the photograph, based on the date of the photograph, vehicle operator, and destination route number.