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Midland Red at Digbeth

I came across the old 50's advert, I always said you blokes got paid too much. A whole 3/11d extra just for driving.

Its not very politically correct is it, and what that about it being an open air life. Didn't Midland Red buses have roofs in the 50's.

Phil



03/01/12. Another clipping that seems to have been misplaced. If I come across it at a later time I will add it then.
 
Does anyone remember Ron & Chris(tine) Bullivant from Digbeth? Ron was driver, met and Married Chris( a clippy) at Digbeth.

Sadly Ron passed away two years ago.

Chris was actually the conductress on the bus I went to school on (Acocks Green-Wythall) !
 
I remember Ronnie, but I do not recall Chris. was she there for long because she may have started there after I left or before I started.
 
Phil,
Many thanks for posting the recruitment advert. The the 'generous' additional wage for drivers was very fair really because conductors on many trips had periods when they could sit and read the paper or for the girls, get a bit of knitting done. Drivers on the other hand, as my wife was always quick to remind me, had to sit and twiddle the gearstick and steering wheel throughout the journey as in "I don't know why you are so tired, you only sit twiddling your gearstick and a steering wheel all day, I have to etc etc"

As for tops on our buses, yes we did but many of them leaked well during wet weather and the sliding windows kept opening by themselves so we often had a gale blowing through.
Here just for you, is one without a proper top. It's a cut down double decker in use as a mobile workshop seen here by the fuel pumps facing out of Digbeth Garage towards Rea Street. The lefthand pic also shows the garage Landrover used for towing in broken down buses and in the righthand pic a Midland Red Austin A35 Site Maintenance van can be seen.
Mike
 
Chris left when she had the children but Ron stayed for many years. He had a horrible time having first one leg amputated and then the other. It was very sad to see him in the end. The funeral was quite an event and many old Digbeth people turned up.
 
malvern said:
Does anyone remember Ron & Chris(tine) Bullivant from Digbeth? Ron was driver, met and Married Chris( a clippy) at Digbeth.

Sadly Ron passed away two years ago.

Chris was actually the conductress on the bus I went to school on (Acocks Green-Wythall) !
Click to expand...

malvern,
I remember them both very well. I worked with Chris (nee Doherty) many times including on the 170 and 172 routes but she went on to be a Warwick Road conductress working the Solihull, Knowle, Dorridge and Elmdon Heath/Damsonwood routes. Ron at the time he finished driving was the longest serving driver at Digbeth. The last I heard of Chris she was working at a school on Chelmsley Wood.
 
Chris dosnt work now and is very fit and well. Se lives in Chelmsley Wood if you want her number I will ask for you just pvt me..

She has given me Rons badge and some other memorbillia--a truly lovely lady

Oh and very proud to have worked for the 'Red'.
 
Thanks for that Malvern. If you are in touch with her just ask if she remembers working with 'Maverick' and I bet she'll know who you mean straightaway.. Glad to hear she is well. Unfortunately I couldn't make it to Ron's funeral but Wally Chapman, another of Ron's old workmates and myself were at a Benefit Night for Ron to raise money for powered wheelchair a few years back. We met up with some old pals from Digbeth that night. As well as a driver Ron was also on the garage social committee when we had the club premises next door to Digbeth Police Station.
 
In Post #167 I recalled a few drivers with nicknames. Some conductors and inspectors had them as well amongst which were
Conductor/ess
'Hoggs' Norton - From the name of a place in a 1940's radio show.
'Taffy' Jones - Welshman who always brought his own flask of tea and sat at the back of the bus drinking it.
Paul 'The Beast' Davis - Sorry, I never found out why.
'Pongo' Waring - Same as a well known footballer.
'Whatalawff' Woodcroft - poshly spoken and anything that amused him he would chuckle and say "What a Lawff"
Gwen 'Tinkerbelle' Bell - Stood at side of driver and still rang platform bell on the old forward entrance single decks.
May 'News of the World' Johnson - Knew or wanted to know any garage scandals going on.
Less complimentry was -
Conductor
'Smelly Melly' Melvin - Serious B.O. problem, but soon left job.
Inspectors
'Foxy' Fowler - Walked and used BCT buses between our routes to catch us unawares. (i.e. without warning from other drivers).
'Charlie' Brown - non driving West Indian best known in the Bull Ring Bus Station wearing white gloves and directing buses whilst doing little dances.
'John the Baptist' Baptiste - because of his surname
'Tiswas' Tarrant - after the TV presenter.
'Lamb Chop' Mutton - because of his surname
'Sooty' Corbett (Non Digbeth) - after the TV puppet and Harry Corbett.
Less compimentry was -
'Piggy' Farrell - (Sheepcote Street Garage) - because of his facial appearance.
A couple of engineering staff come to mind as well
'Huckle' Hutton - nickname given him by Foreman Norman Keen
'Happy' Hendricks - Moaned a lot and kept his tools locked up in his toolbox when working so borrowed off others. (He didn't want his own
pinched!)
'Diddy Dave' Oughton - not very tall.
'Stuttering Fred' - because he did.
'Yaya the flying Dutchman' Floris - originally from Holland.

The really nice thing was that all of these people either went by their nicknames or knew of them and didn't object.
 
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Although I've never worked for a bus company, I've had quite a bit to do with the industry, and always like to hear recollections of those who did the real work. I have a recollection about 25 years ago when I was in Willenhall, of getting on a 525 bus (replacing the 25 trolleybus) to Bilston and Fighting Cocks, and the West Indian driver was using his standing time writing out the band parts for a forthcoming gig.
It's so nice to see so much talent about.
Peter
 
Mike thank you for that and just want to say--well done to you and all your mates. The Midland Red were so special to Birmingham.

A chap I went to school with, Derick Brooks, worked on the Red at Sutton as a conductor and I happened upon him by chance one day and he talked me into going for a job as a driver--I wnet for the interview but was mortified, I didnt get it.
 
MIKE you have really opened my memory cupboard i recall that there was several objections thrown at the LONDON service , one of was the tyres exploding at these very fast speeds .i remember the answer as ..the wheels were fitted with run flats tyres .ie the vehicle is still controlable in the event of a tyre burst,puncture.Army have been using such tyres for years . With the opening of the M1i could see a very big opportunity on the M1.
being demobbed in 1956 and being trained as a heavy duty recovery mechanic and being seconded to the GERMAN AURTHORITIES 4times to recover very heavy lorries with 1or2 trailers which had come to grief on the AUTOBAHNS in GERMANY be cause the local authorities hadn't got any big recovery equipment in the area so with this knowledge i tried the bank Even went to a money lender (nearly had a heart attack at his rates of repayment) but life moves on if it had gone through i wouldn't have started to work at THE BOX and on the first day there 8aam by the clocking in machine i saw someone and got a BUZZ 3YRS LATER WE GOT MARRIED AND THE buzz IS STILL THE SAME 48YRS OLD CHEERS
33BUS:) TOM
 
There certainly was a lot of trouble with tyres at first on the London motorway express service, many makes and types of tyre were tried until finally Goodyear at Wolverhampton came up with one which withstood the heat generated at high speed (95 MPH or more). Every other bus and coach in the fleet ran on Dunlop tyres (hired on a mileage contract) but the CM5T motorway coaches were on Goodyears.
I don't know who told you they were 'runflats', but that is not so - such tyres were not invented at the time, 1959, and are only for lightweight vehicles anyway.
 
I remember being taken by my Mum for a day out at Heathrow on the newly opened M1 by Midland Red Motorway Coach ! By God did that coach motor!

There was only me, My Mum and two others on board! We had a great day out on the Queens Building.
 
There is a C5 at Wythall, owned by a member there and currently under restoration, and a CM6T also, owned by the museum Trust. It is hoped that they both will be active next year to celebrate 50 year of the M1.
A couple more C5s exist, one under active restoration, and one other CM6T although that is incomplete and in storage having been a mobile home after its service life.
They legally cannot exceed 70 mph on the roads, but are above the age limit of coaches not allowed above 60 mph (a technicality to do with tachograph and speed limiter requirements).
 
I am proud to be able to say that I was invited to be the driver of 4819, shown in Lloyd's CM5 photo, when it made a journey from Digbeth to London Victoria in November 1999 to mark the 40th anniversary of the opening of the M1. The C5 was then owned by the erstwhile South Staffordshire Heritage Bus Co. On the day, although not a CM5T (fitted with toilet) as originally used on service, 4819 cruised effortlessly at 65-70 mph on the Motorway when not hampered by no longer being allowed into the outside lane. The invited passengers on the run enjoyed the looks on many car and lorry drivers faces as this original red and black flyer quietly swept past and left them behind. Looking forward to seeing it complete another such run in 2009.
The photo shows arrival at Victoria by the 1959 route which was changed to the present day one in later years.
 
I think that it was the whole thing realy...not just the speed capability. The ride and the feeling of stability at speed was impressive from a passengers experience. I can't remember if the driver sat in a cab or not. Later I travelled to London on a double deck bus on the M1 highway. I do not think it was Midland Red though. It was however a rear engined job and carried refreshments. Not as fast and seemed a handfull at speed in the cross winds.
 
Here we see an official Midland Red photo of one of the first generation Motorway Express coaches - CM5T type No. 4826.

The original timetable here shows a running time of 2 hours 55 minutes with just three departures per day. Licencing restrictions limited the number of duplicates allowed so advance booking was essential. Those without a booking on the first departure could always take the 5 hour journey to Victoria by alternative services 'G' or 'J ', both rather more scenic routes via Dunstable or Aylesbury respectively (but all there was before the opening of the M1). Motorway journies were retimed down to 2hrs 15mins plus additional departure times whilst the 'G' and 'J' survived into the 1970's but ever dwindling passengers saw them eventually withdrawn as unviable.
My personal best time to London via Motorway was 1 hour 40 minutes in one of the later unrefurbished CM6T type coaches on a first departure down one fine summer Sunday morning. More commonplace was being up to 20 minutes early at destination on dry road days.
 
Over on another Thread (Keep Left for the Dolls Club) are pictures of the old Camp Hill Flyover and talk of driving buses over it. When the flyover first opened the Birmingham City Transport instructed their drivers not to use it but us blokes on the Red were free to use it from day one and did. (BCT soon changed their minds although some of their drivers preferred not to use it anyway). A tale that comes to mind was a day when Reg 'Leyland' Harding fell out with his conductress so decided not to shut the platform doors so as to let the cold air in on her. On a trip using the Flyover, checking she wasn't on the platform, decided to nudge the kerb a touch going over the top to shake her. With that her waybill holder "slate", waybill and the running insructions flew out the open doors from a locker under the stairs and landed in the street below. A passenger on the longseat by the platform saw it go and called the conductress to tell her. With the bus leaving the flyover she gave 4 bells for an emergency stop. On coming back and told what had happened Reg sheepishly said sorry and he would go and retrieve it. After that they buried the hatchet and got just along fine.
 
Hi. Mike. I have been away on holiday for a week but have enjoyed catching up on this thread, and others of course, more great photo,s and memories, if you remember you invited me and our kid in 1999 when you drove 4819 on the 40th. anniversary run, but we had other commitments then, managed to see you off though, and return to Digbeth, had wondered if you may be repeating the run next year. I remember again quite a few of those names you mentioned, at the time we didn,t realise what characters we were working with in different ways. Great days eh.
 
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John 70, although I dont have much to say about buses, I have to agree with you about the characters we worked with. I am assuming Mike will read this as well, does any of you remember a rather short man with the nick-name SCOOBY? I read all the posts because although I was only there for a few years before moving over to WMPT. I did enjoy being on the RED. I remember once when a ladder was against the wall near the fitters pits by where the canteen used to be. Offices were situated above the canteen and I think it was R.Harding went up the ladder and banged on a window to have a joke with someone. He got the wrong window and when it was opened there was some sort of a conference going on.
 
That sounds like him Lloyd. When we did late fineshes, he would come to the Manzil for a curry with us. He was a funny man.
 
Stitcher said:
John 70, although I dont have much to say about buses, I have to agree with you about the characters we worked with. I am assuming Mike will read this as well, does any of you remember a rather short man with the nick-name SCOOBY? I read all the posts because although I was only there for a few years before moving over to WMPT. I did enjoy being on the RED. I remember once when a ladder was against the wall near the fitters pits by where the canteen used to be. Offices were situated above the canteen and I think it was R.Harding went up the ladder and banged on a window to have a joke with someone. He got the wrong window and when it was opened there was some sort of a conference going on.
Click to expand...

Trev,
Scooby was a short fella with a great sense of humour. As Lloyd said he was really fond of Country and Western music and had a good voice. Sometimes he sang in the Toll Gate pub as was, next door to the garage. His wife worked in there I think. We went on garage a trip to a beer festival in Belgium and got singing on the coach and Scooby kept singing 'scooby do, scooby do' at the end of every line. I reckon thats how he got the nickname.
Do you remember Ralph 'Von Ryan' Cook. On another garage trip to Amsterdam he kept on all the way there about Frank Sinatra's film "Von Ryans Express" so Billy Goodwin forever called him Von Ryan after that and the name stuck. While he was in Amsterdam he was walking along with others still canting about the film and disappeared down a repair hole in the pavement. When he scrambled out the others had took to their heels round a corner, leaving him down there. Not knowing which way they went, he went back to the hotel to clean up then searched a load of bars 'til he found them again - you couldn't get rid of him that easy!
Mike
 
You got him Mike, he always added scooby doo scooby doo on the end of the line for any song. Yes I do remember Ralph Cook, the trips you mention must have been before or after my time at the great DIGBETH. The only outing I went on was a ten course feast in Symmonds Yat.
 
Mike, do you remember Percy Palmer, coach driver. Last time I saw him he was living in Winson Green just behind the old S. Services yard. He was a funny man.
 
Stitcher said:
John 70, although I dont have much to say about buses, I have to agree with you about the characters we worked with. I am assuming Mike will read this as well, does any of you remember a rather short man with the nick-name SCOOBY? I read all the posts because although I was only there for a few years before moving over to WMPT. I did enjoy being on the RED. I remember once when a ladder was against the wall near the fitters pits by where the canteen used to be. Offices were situated above the canteen and I think it was R.Harding went up the ladder and banged on a window to have a joke with someone. He got the wrong window and when it was opened there was some sort of a conference going on.
Click to expand...

I recall that one too Trev. When Reg went in the canteen the window cleaners ladder was up to the Foreman Driver Steve's office window. When he came out he thought it would be a laugh to go up the ladder, put his arm up and tap on the window then appear head and shoulders looking in at Steve. What he didn't realise was, in the meantime the ladder had been moved along to the next office window. Up he went, tapped the glass and popped up to look in. In his own words, he nearly fell off the ladder cos looking back at him in a meeting were Tommy Jenkins, the Garage Engineering Superintendent, Roger Harmon, District engineer and engineering men John Wooley and Johnny Prusst. They were not amused.
 
Can one of you bus lads tell me, was there ever a No 19 bus route in Birmingham. If so where did it start and finish.

I would be most grateful of your help only I have been asked the question, and to be honest I know nothing of any such route.

Phil
 
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