• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team
  • HI folks the server that hosts the site completely died including the Hdd's and backups.
    Luckily i create an offsite backup once a week! this has now been restored so we have lost a few days posts.
    im still fixing things at the moment so bear with me and im still working on all images 90% are fine the others im working on now
    we are now using a backup solution

Midland Red at Digbeth

motorman-mike

motorman-mike

Brum visitor who stayed.
I have enjoyed rabbiting on about working on the Midland Red over on another Thread started by teh and feel that us Digbeth blokes hijacked it! teh wanted info on Sutton as well as other stuff unconnected with buses. For this reason I hope it is OK to start this new Thread. Here is a flying start! Well, it felt like flying in a CM5T!
 
Thanks Alf, there wasn't much that could pass those in '59 when the M1 opened and many a car engine was blown up trying. We could cruise at 80 and still have some in reserve! Got a pic here of me leaving London with a later CM6T after they were refurbished. That destination box cost us a good 10mph in a strong headwind. (Sorry my scanner has messed up the grille a bit)
 
Its been really good as you say rabbiting on about The Red on that other thread Mike, especially with your experiance, memories and photo,s, thats another cracker of you leaving London, wonder how many times you did that?, looking forward to this thread now. Cheers mate. John.
 
Here's a few Digbeth photos from my stock - I spent a large chunk of my working life there and collected more than a few for my collection.
Firstly Prototype CM6 5295 which was originally a 36' long version of the C5 complete with 'lantern' windscreen. This coach had a 10.5 litre turbocharged engine and an overdrive gearbox, and when on test at the Road Research Laboratory circuit at Nuneaton recorded 145MPH. At the Transport Ministry's insistence the turbocharger was removed and it could only do 95 MPH afterwards!
Second, CM5T (the T stood for 'Toilet - the rear nearside corner windows are opaque to provide light yet privacy) 4805 leaves Digbeth for London, having just turned right from Mill Lane across the dual carriageway to head south.
Third, S12 3738 prepares to take up service on one of the busy routes operated by this garage.
Finally in 1997 two visiting National Express coaches park on the yard created by the demolition of the former engineers offices and depot canteen (upstairs) on the Rea Street side of the building. The recovery truck, a 1947 ex-army AEC Matador gun tractor bought in the 50s given a new body made of a selection of bus and coach components in 1960 sits alongside. This vehicle now lives at Wythall museum in the colours of its next (after Midland Red) owner, North Birmingham Busways. I drove it once under Midland Red ownership, to assist an engineer who couldn't manage its 'crash' gearbox, and when I worked for NBB I drove it several more times recovering buses a fifth of its age when they broke down!
 
Thanks for those Lloyd and to hear from you John. Pity I never kept track of the number of trips I did. My first weekend of Londons over an Easter Bank Holiday nearly put me off doing motorway work straightaway. I went down Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday and it rained every day, (nothing new there then) but with the Bank Holiday traffic as well I thought blow this for a game of soldiers but the sun came out on Wednesday and I was back on bus turns until the following weekend, when it didn't seem so bad after all. If you look on the nearside front seat of 5653 it's off duty Conductor Chatteralia returning to Brum from a holiday. He was well named, he used to talk you to death when you had a saloon to work with him, but was a good guard as well.
Before we get off the Motorways, this pic was an official pic from the Midland Red and is the CM5T again. Pity it wasn't in colour. Anyone got the original from the Eagle comic?
 
Another good story Mike, thats an interesting pic. of the CM5T, When I was at Digbeth I had to take a S12 up to Carlisle works one day and bring one back, when I got there I was told there were two to go back, an S12 and a CM5, so I jumped in the CM5 and brought that back first, when I landed at Digbeth an old coachman saw me and allmost pulled me out of it saying I had no right to be near one, never mind drive one, in later years of course they were on Whythalls etc. a pic. of me on the track at Marston Green. John.
 
Nice one John, remember how when you were on a wash showup there was a bus wash showup and a coach wash showup. If there was a coach to go through the wash and the coachman had gone for a tea or wee nothing moved til he got back, unless a parking driver happened to walk by and did it. The coachman wouldn't move a bus through either so as there were more buses than coaches he was on a winner. The coachmen wouldn't sit with busmen in the canteen in the summer but come winter and they were back on buswork they would!
 
Hi. Mike. One coachman I could allways get on with was Dicky Bow Fred, he lived if I am correct somewhere in Hall Green, seem to remember picking him up a few times when I was at Yardley Wood on the 91s.
 
Lloyd said:
Here's a few Digbeth photos from my stock - I spent a large chunk of my working life there and collected more than a few for my collection.
Firstly Prototype CM6 5295 which was originally a 36' long version of the C5 complete with 'lantern' windscreen. This coach had a 10.5 litre turbocharged engine and an overdrive gearbox, and when on test at the Road Research Laboratory circuit at Nuneaton recorded 145MPH. At the Transport Ministry's insistence the turbocharger was removed and it could only do 95 MPH afterwards!
Second, CM5T (the T stood for 'Toilet - the rear nearside corner windows are opaque to provide light yet privacy) 4805 leaves Digbeth for London, having just turned right from Mill Lane across the dual carriageway to head south.
Third, S12 3738 prepares to take up service on one of the busy routes operated by this garage.
Finally in 1997 two visiting National Express coaches park on the yard created by the demolition of the former engineers offices and depot canteen (upstairs) on the Rea Street side of the building. The recovery truck, a 1947 ex-army AEC Matador gun tractor bought in the 50s given a new body made of a selection of bus and coach components in 1960 sits alongside. This vehicle now lives at Wythall museum in the colours of its next (after Midland Red) owner, North Birmingham Busways. I drove it once under Midland Red ownership, to assist an engineer who couldn't manage its 'crash' gearbox, and when I worked for NBB I drove it several more times recovering buses a fifth of its age when they broke down!
Click to expand...
Great picture of the patch Lloyd. thanks. John.
 
That's how the patch was when I first went to Digbeth in 1973, John. The house was soon vacated and demolished to extend the patch, then later the new engineering dock was built on the ground. It had been cattle pens fro the market before.
 
Hello To all
I am ex midland red driver assistant foreman from Sutton garage I took a c5 to London empty one night in the early days of the m1 and it was fantastic passing all the cars i was at Sutton until emigrating to Australia in 1970 would love to here from anyone a friend of mine was foreman at Digbeth David Oughton
All the best Allen Gibson
 
Hi gibbo2005,
I know 'Diddy' David very well, he came to Digbeth from Sutton, was one of only two engineers who moved on to the 'New' Digbeth, (when we operated from the bull Ring Bus Station), then went to North Birmingham Busways where I rejoined him 6 years later. He's at Green Bus, Oldbury now and I think if he comes to Aussie again he will stay there, he liked it so much when he went on holiday!
Here he and Malcolm Parry work on an engine at Sutton - they were both much younger then of course. Malcolm has retired now but I see them both from time to time at local old bus rallies at Wythall or Witton museums.
 
Hi. Lloyd. Thats how the patch was in !964 as well, and as probably taken around then with the LD8s and S12 there, wonder if Mike knows who the bloke is talking to the driver?. bet he does, LOL.
 
Sorry John, you've got me there! He might have been just before my time going by the service stars on his arm. The coach driver you mentioned was "Old Nick" Nicholson who did live at Hall Green. His gimmick was the wearing of a dicky bow and giving the "chefs" sign with the fingers of his right hand against the glass of his windscreen when passing another Red or Stratford Blue unless it was a thumb down for an inspector about. The bow tie went back to when he beat the panel as a coach driver on the old TV gameshow "What's my Line" - the chefs sign was part of the mime they did to give the panel a clue to the job. It followed a mime of changing gears and holding a steering wheel. After beating the panel, personality Gilbert Harding (no relation to Reg) asked Nick "whats all this finger business about then?" to which Nick replied "well sir, it's the internationally known sign of coach drivers to each other that all is well along the road". Nick would then tell you with a laugh that he had made that up himself! He sank many a pint on that story. Nick went on the PTE in '73 and ended up at Acocks Green on the Outer Circle. I think he may have retired when it went one man.

Meanwhile back on the patch... with Parking Driver Bert Rawlins car ignoring the notice above it as usual!
 
motorman-mike said:
Thanks Alf, there wasn't much that could pass those in '59 when the M1 opened and many a car engine was blown up trying. We could cruise at 80 and still have some in reserve! Got a pic here of me leaving London with a later CM6T after they were refurbished. That destination box cost us a good 10mph in a strong headwind. (Sorry my scanner has messed up the grille a bit)
Click to expand...


According to someone close (hello Dad) he drove an experimental BMMO coach down the M1 in the early 60's and easily topped 100mph! Needless to say Carlisle Works detuned it for production.
Dave P
 
Hi. Mike. Thanks for the info about "old Nick", now you have reminded me I do remember him being at Acocks Green, thats the time I was at Yardley Wood, "late73-74". I was on the 90 and 91 sheet and enjoyed it while it was 2 man but not so much when that finished. Your tales about Reg Harding changing bus numbers on the garage allocation sheet to get an LD8 reminds me our kid and me allways had a rubber and pencil with us to change numbers and swop buses if there was a better one in garage. Regards. John.
 
To all of you. I have said before that I worked at Digbeth/Mosely Rd them Selly Oak but I wasnt really a busman. That said, I am glad I did it because I met some great blokes and I still talk about some of the funnier things that happened. Thamks to you all for the experience.
 
No one has mentioned 'MACK EDWARDS' yet. I met him after I left Selly Oak because I went on a course to be a tourist guide for Birmingham. I thought it would go well with being a cabbie. The course was held at the College Of Food and guess who the tutor was. You got it Mack. I passed the course with flying colours.
 
Stitcher,
Glad you found us on this Thread. Probably the majority of people who have worked on buses didn't set out to be a busman but some stayed longer than others and many left and came back or changed bus company or went on to other jobs. For those of us who stayed with it, the job was all the more interesting because of the different workmates we met and the variety of jobs they came from and went on to. It's a fact wherever you go in the country once blokes clock they have worked on buses or coaches at any time however briefly they will talk about the job!

Mike

Meanwhile back on the patch
 
I will always remember my early years on Road Transport. I would be in 'doze mode' on the M1 and a Midland Red coach would come past and it felt as though I had stopped. In those days I was with a firm who had old vehicles do you see. I soon moved to where the lorries went a bit quicker and it felt great keep you guys in sight for a bit longer.
 
When the CM6Ts were replaced with Leyland Leopards even though they had 2 speed axles you blokes left us for dead going up Luton bank. Many's the time I was stranded with speed failing in the middle lane with artics overtaking in in convoy in the nearside lane. Oh, the shame of it!
 
Stitcher said:
No one has mentioned 'MACK EDWARDS' yet. I met him after I left Selly Oak because I went on a course to be a tourist guide for Birmingham. I thought it would go well with being a cabbie. The course was held at the College Of Food and guess who the tutor was. You got it Mack. I passed the course with flying colours.
Click to expand...

Don't recall a Mack Edwards. The only bloke I knew who got a blue badge to guide round Brum was a Jim McPhillips from Digbeth but that was in the 1970's or 80's.
 
Motorman Mike. Let me apologise, It was Jim. Mack Edwards was another cabbie on the course with us.
 
Motorman Mike, You do know that it is a bad workman who blames his tools?. Ha Ha. I went to Lotts Rd Chelsea 5 days a week befor I started at Digbeth.
 
I knew Jim well Stitcher, we used to share a Scottish tour for National Holidays. I think he lives up in the Potteries now. The pic is me on the tour at Stranraer in the 1980's when they were scrapping HMS Bulwark up there. (It was there for ages because of asbestos)

"Right B******g Tools" you meant of course!

Lotts Road was a power station wasn't it?

Mike
 
Hello Lloyd
Diddy stayed at our place a couple of nights during his trip round Australia they had a great time over here he has not changed much cant stop him talking lol they had a mobile caravan it was very handy, i took them around Brisbane on our buses for the day Allen
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top