• 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

Midland Red at Digbeth

Here's a picture of DHA 731, presumably at Birds in Stratford. There is a picture of later date of this vehicle on Page 28 of "Midland Red Buses" by M.W. Greenwood.
Notice all the old BCT buses in the background, most likely CVD6's.
Sad to see
 
TC1 (Tree Cutter No.1) spent most of her Stratford Blue life parked behind the petrol station that the Blue owned over on the far side of the river bridge at the junction of the Banbury and A34 roads. I saw it a lot because when doing Bank Holiday Stratford Extras from Brum we were often sent to park up at the petrol station until required for return journeys later in the day. (During such layovers if the weather was good often crews would rent out a boat on the Avon to help kill the time!) Thanks for the reminder tardebigge. Noticed in the pic a good few London Transport RT for scrapping as well.
 
There was a time back in 'The Friendly' Midland Red days when if you wrote to the company they would send you official fleetlist and photos of their buses and coaches. My first photo was of a D7 double decker (sent me in 1956)
Many followed which I will post here. There may have been more, so if you have any off the company that don't appear through to the period of the DD13 (or beyond), please add them. The first five are the D7 and then single decker types S15, S16 ,S17 and S18A (Leyland Leopard). Some of these views may have been posted already but not together.
 
Another five BMMO official photos - types S22, S25 ( Ford reclassed F1), Prototype D9, Production D9 and DD13 (Daimler Fleetline).
 
Mike, I am posting this in case you have not seen it before. I know you or Lloyd will see it on this thread.
The information with the picture is as follows.
Warwikshire Home Guard Transport Column, mainly made up of Midland Red Drivers.
 
Thanks Trevor for an unusual aspect of Midland Red days. A bit before my time but a fine looking Dads Army they make. It would be interesting to know the location.

Talking of the war, our mate Reg 'Leyland' Harding with his cinema background used to organise Film Nights in the Midland Red Social Club where for 2/6 we would have a Top Feature film, a B Movie, Pathe Pictorial and a 1940's Movetone News plus the chance to watch them over a pint or three and a bag of Smiths. His particular favourites were the English war films made in the 40's and 50's. In one of the RAF ones the Brylcreem Boys would let their hair down in a local pub between sorties. A favourite pastime then was to climb on to a chair and then on to a table with a pint of beer on their head whilst singing along to "The Muffin Man" song. On an evening outing of the Digbeth Leyland Club in the 1960's, Reg successfully recreated this scene himself in the Old New Inns at Bourton on the Water. I just happen to have a photo for the record. Those who know him won't be surprised, as this is typical of Reg.
Mike
 
Hello Mike, it's funny you should mention Reg. I was just thinking about him myself because I said I would get someone to knock his door for me. I may go over in the week and see if he is still at the same address.
 
Great thread lads, keep it going. Though not employed by the company I used to turn out for the Midland Red football team in the early 70s. Though we only hovered around Div 5 of the Coronation League we used to enjoy our Sunday mornings. We often used to use the Social Club afterwards.

Do any of you recall a big lad Roger Brown, who was a driver and our centre half? I'd like to know what became of him.
 
Reg Is still living at the same address Stitcher, my son in law sent me a cutting out of the Solihull Times last week about Reg talking about his days on the buses, and a photo of him with his model buses. John70
 
Thanks for that John, I don't know if he has a pooter. If he has got one I can't understand why he is not on here.
 
Mike Lloyd and John, and anyone else who knew Reg Harding. I have spoken to Reg and he said to tell you all he has fond memories of the buses, and the men and women who worked on them. He wishes to be rememberd to everyone. He does not posses a computer because he is still deeply involved in his model buses and his cinema hobby. He said he does not have any spare time and would not be able to cope with anything else. He said he would like you all to have a laugh and reminded of Inspector Farrell. I had forgotten this but it came back to me as soon as Reg started to relate the story. Farrell was taking a short cut across the park/field in Kingshurst and he swung across a stream on a rope swing the kids had put up. The rope snapped and Farrel fell into the water. Of course, after that he was known as Farrell the flying barrell.

MIke, I found this in yesterdays Mercury and simply had to show you. When I told Reg about this picture he said Fred always used spray-on bacon and if someone opened the door the bacon would blow off the sandwich.
 
Can't believe it Trevor, nearly fell off me chair when Fred himself appeared here outside our favourite Caff on the Green. What was the story behind the photo, did it say? It ought to have said he made his pile out of the Midland Red crews over the years eh. Never mind the bacon, he was cutting sausages in half lengthways long before it became the norm - probably him invented the idea. But we couldn't help liking him, LOL.
Glad to hear Reg is alive and kicking, did you tell him he is now starring in "Midland Red at Digbeth" showing at the Forum 7 days nightly with afternoon mattinees and Kids Saturday Morning Club. What a shame he isn't online, he would fit in here a treat..
Mike.
 
Hi. Stitcher. Glad you made contact with Reg. and he is OK, I remember the Farrell incident and seem to remember him as a proper Blakey type and that he had a reddy flushed face. nice to see the pic. of Fred as well outside the cafe,
 
The last of my 'officials' is this special liveried DD12 Fleetline to mark 75 Years of the Midland Red by which time it was part of the National Bus Company. Note the British Electric Traction Co. Magnet emblem displayed as in 1904. This bus was passed around all the garages for a spell including Digbeth.
 
Stitcher said:
Mike, I am posting this in case you have not seen it before. I know you or Lloyd will see it on this thread.
The information with the picture is as follows.
Warwikshire Home Guard Transport Column, mainly made up of Midland Red Drivers.
Click to expand...


I know this is Midland Red thread, but I feel that of course B.C.T. were involved with the Home Guard
 
Mike and Lloyd, forgive me if these pictures are of no interest to you but I came across them and thought you may like to look at them.
The first one is Gupwells shopfiters going for a day out. The picture was taken in Park St. Digbeth in 1924. The second one is a staff outing to London from Carlyle Works in 1964 and the last on is The Lord Mayor having a tour of the Bodyshop at the works in 1954.
 
They are fascinating, Stitcher. The 'charabanc', OK 1310, is a 1922 Tilling Stevens TS3 That was 'converted' to an SOS (the pre-war name of Midland Red built buses) in 1924/5 and is obviously straight from the works here. In the enlarged picture you can make out 'SOS' on the front wheel hub cap. It was disposed of in 1928, the chassis more than likely dismantled, its components overhauled and returned to the stores as spares, as most SOS buses of the era used standardised parts.
The two buses on the staff outing are S15 types, 'dual purpose' vehicles, i.e. buses with coach seats that could be used on either vehicle types duties.
The buses under construction in the works are S14 integral (chassisless) single deckers on the right, and chassis for D7 double deckers on the left. These would have bodies built by Metro Cammell at their Elmdon works, the site of which is now under the NEC.
 
When Foster Brothers moved thier factory from Bradford Street to Marshall Lake Road in Shirley in the 60s, they bought a Leyland LD8 bus off the Midland Red number 4031 and used it to transport thier staff to work and back, it is now in preservation at the transport museum at Whythall.
 
Can't believe you have that photo John. For a very short spell I left the Red and worked for Griffin Warm Air, next door to Fosters. I watched 4031 being handpainted into dark green by Fosters own painter. When considered too big for their needs 4031 was replaced by a BMMO S14 saloon which I daresay Lloyd would know the fleet number of. (You don't have a photo of that as well by any chance?) The famous Captain Reg Harding got himself a job at Fosters to be able to drive 4031 for them. Were you aware that "Captain" was added to Reg's nickname by the cheeky Cockney Harry Harvey for a joke(?) He put an ad in the Sunday Mercury inviting donations of waste paper, old greetings cards and bric a brac for charity to be sent to Captain R. Harding at Reg's parents address 'Leyland House' where Reg was still living then. The amount of stuff that turned up was unbelievable and filled their garage and drive in no time. Reg had to get the Mercury to put in a disclaimer but stuff still turned up for quite a while after. The stuff was passed on to charity but it really was beyond a joke for Reg.
Mike
 
RoyMcC said:
Great thread lads, keep it going. Though not employed by the company I used to turn out for the Midland Red football team in the early 70s. Though we only hovered around Div 5 of the Coronation League we used to enjoy our Sunday mornings. We often used to use the Social Club afterwards.

Do any of you recall a big lad Roger Brown, who was a driver and our centre half? I'd like to know what became of him.
Click to expand...

Roy,
I remember Roger well, his Dad Norman, was in the schedules office (and later moved to Moseley Road Depot with the WMPTE takeover). Roger had a sister Wanda who was a conductress at Digbeth in the 60's. She had a great sense of humour and purple hair! Don't know what happened to them although Norman would be pretty old now if he is still about.
Mike
 
Sadly Norman passed on a few years back now. He lodged at my house of bedsits at Hagley road for a while (I think his marriage had failed) then married again (Joyce - she was at Midland Red too and in one of my rooms) and they moved to Addison Road, Kings Heath. There was a time when my house became like the old 'staff hostels' they had back in the 50s and 60s!
 
Thanks for that Lloyd,, I knew Joyce when she was conducting at Sheepcote Street. She was my regular guard during the short spell that I left the Red to work for Connaught Coaches of Chadwick End. Connaughts were hired on to ease the Red driver shortage and early every Saturday morning I would work two Coleshills with Joyce. Our bus was always a second hand AEC Reliance with a Duple Donnington DP bodywork. It had a manually operated platform door employing a lever system that swung the complete door inwards towards the windscreen bulkhead. Many is the time Joyce warned passengers not to stand on the steps to no avail as they waitied to get off. Of course when the door came at them they would jump back, and if hit, have a moan at me. Joyce would then give them a piece of her mind in no uncertain terms. Regulars would back her up and usually an apology was quickly made by the poor soul who copped it. I met up with Joyce again when she came to Digbeth as a cash clerk. I recall that Graham Stone lodged with Norman and Joyce when they were living in Addison Road.
Mike
 
motorman-mike said:
Can't believe you have that photo John. For a very short spell I left the Red and worked for Griffin Warm Air, next door to Fosters. I watched 4031 being handpainted into dark green by Fosters own painter. When considered too big for their needs 4031 was replaced by a BMMO S14 saloon which I daresay Lloyd would know the fleet number of. (You don't have a photo of that as well by any chance?) The famous Captain Reg Harding got himself a job at Fosters to be able to drive 4031 for them. Were you aware that "Captain" was added to Reg's nickname by the cheeky Cockney Harry Harvey for a joke(?) He put an ad in the Sunday Mercury inviting donations of waste paper, old greetings cards and bric a brac for charity to be sent to Captain R. Harding at Reg's parents address 'Leyland House' whereReg was still living then. The amount of stuff that turned up was unbelievable and filled their garage and drive in no time. Reg had to get the Mercury to put in a disclaimer but stuff still turned up for quite a while after. The stuff was passed on to charity but it really was beyond a joke for Reg.
Mike
Click to expand...
Great story that Mike, bet Reg was really chuffed, and his parents. sorry I dont have a photo of the S14, wonder which one it was, as you say good chance Lloyd will know. John.
 
motorman-mike said:
Roy,
I remember Roger well, his Dad Norman, was in the schedules office (and later moved to Moseley Road Depot with the WMPTE takeover). Roger had a sister Wanda who was a conductress at Digbeth in the 60's. She had a great sense of humour and purple hair! Don't know what happened to them although Norman would be pretty old now if he is still about.
Mike
Click to expand...

Reply appreciated Mike, also Lloyd. Norman, his first wife and Roger lived three doors up from me in Sheldon. I'm pleased to know the family is remembered.
 
RoyMcC said:
Reply appreciated Mike, also Lloyd. Norman, his first wife and Roger lived three doors up from me in Sheldon. I'm pleased to know the family is remembered.
Click to expand...

Roy, I remember now we used to pick up and set down the family at the Waggon & Horses. In 1973 Norman transferred from Midland Red to the West Midlands PTE at Moseley Road Depot as a Traffic Assistant. Whilst there we had an officious PTE Garage Inspector seconded to us from Coventry Road Depot also as a Traffic Assistant. It is a great measure of how popular Norman was with the drivers that there was one morning when the first driver's to book on found no T.A. on duty. Thinking it might be Norman overslept, one managed to open a Traffic Office window and climb in to book on the rest and hand out their Running Cards. Once in however, he noticed the T.A. duty roster up on the wall and saw it should be the Coventry Road Inspector who hadn't turned up. He made a hasty exit and the window was shut tight behind him. When the Cov Road man arrived about an hour late for work not a bus had left the depot. Later that morning he was recalled to his home depot and that was last we saw of him at Moseley Road. Norman had many a chuckle recalling that incident after he was told about it.
Mike
 
Yes, the late lamented Wagon! Mike I'm copying these snippets to give to Mum (still living near the Wagon) who'll like them.

Whilst posting, here's another memory for you lads. Way back there was an old fella - very touched, who fancied himself a Midland Red inspector. He used to spend his days at the Wheatsheaf bus stop, or another one nearby, logging on a clipboard all the buses that stopped there. He'd acquired a proper inspector's peaked hat and all the drivers used to give him a wave and a thumbs-up. Then at the day's end, off he'd go on his invalid tricycle. He seemed a happy soul and he was treated very kindly by all.

Unless he was a real inspector...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top