Cannock Garage

[Walsall1955]

Fair whack of dead mileage between Cradley & Cannock then?

Or was Cradley only handling southern routes by this point, with Heath Hayes handling northern routes?

Bearing in mind the Dudley area had 4 Midland Red garages, plus one in Wolverhampton,  , Oldbury, Bearwood & Digbeth, was there that many MR routes or was it that the garage space for each depot wasnt very big?

The significant dead mileage that I regularly saw was for service 865 (Walsall - Stafford), which had a three vehicle allocation, one of which was supplied by Cradley Heath (the other two vehicles supplied by Stafford).
Here is a driver changeover taking place at Walsall (dead mileage to/from Cradley Heath):
https://www.flickr.com/photos/walsall1955/4738384414/
Most of Cradley Heath's work was on former WMPTE services operating from Wolverhampton, the 865 being the only Midland Red service left serving Walsall.

[Justin Tyme]

Up to the early 1970s Midland Red's only regular services to Cannock were the 836 Stafford - Cannock, 838/839 Cannock - Lime Pit Lane Circular and 865 Stafford - Dudley.  838/9 and 865 were joint with West Midlands PTE.

In November 1973 Midland Red purchased Green Bus Co of Rugeley, which (among several other routes) brought Rugeley - Cannock services to the company, becoming 830/831.  I think most if not all ex-Green Bus services were operated by Tamworth garage at first.

In December 1973, as already said, while Midland Red sold its operations in the West Midlands County to West Midlands PTE, a few services went the other way.  Most of these were based on Wolverhampton (including Wolverhampton - Cannock), but also the 865 was cut back to Walsall - Stafford and WMPTE no longer participated in it.

In April 1974 Midland Red purchased Harper Bros of Heath Hayes, although Harpers continued to operate as a separate entity until the September.   Cannock area services taken over included Cannock - Aldridge - Birmingham (853/854), Cannock - Longford Estate - Calf Heath - Four Crosses (834/835) and Hednesford - Cannock - M6 - Birmingham (X98).  The X98 and 830/831 were combined in 1978, through journeys becoming X30/X31.

Midland Red's domination in Cannock arrived in August 1980, when as part of the Chaserider MAP (Market Analysis Project) MR purchased most of WMPTE's Cannock area services.

[Bob]

Wmpte/wm travel etc monopoly on Walsall services continues way into the 90s though. It wasn't until Chase stepped in with the 1 that they lost it. Even then Arriva dint bother till 2006 when they introduced a handful of time expired L reg Darts onto the 1.

[cannockanorak]

It's Cannock depot the 40 years refers to, which has been open for 40 years now

also a feature in the the local free paper "Cannock & Rugeley Chronicle" this week with some nice photographs & plug for the café

I know they get a hard time on here (sometimes justified,perhaps sometimes not) but its a nice addition to add some interest locally & cushion the blow of further revisions in February

anybody up for an open day ?   

 

[Bob]

Maybe they should paint a bus in chaserider/midland red livery

[D10]

also a feature in the the local free paper "Cannock & Rugeley Chronicle" this week with some nice photographs & plug for the café

I know they get a hard time on here (sometimes justified,perhaps sometimes not) but its a nice addition to add some interest locally & cushion the blow of further revisions in February

anybody up for an open day ?   

Article is available here (page 7):

http://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk/Launch.aspx?PBID=413a726f-c0c3-4359-85e3-0083eb93a96c

[Pete50492]

Maybe they should paint a bus in chaserider/midland red livery

Would be an excellent idea and highly appropriate. Also like cannockanorak's idea of an open day

[Grinder]

Nice idea but I can't see them spending money on painting one in the old Chaserider livery when they still have around 9 still in old Arriva schemes.

[Busman Jamie]

2266 at Cannock, currently in bus station on 62

[cannockanorak]

Would be an excellent idea and highly appropriate. Also like cannockanorak's idea of an open day

Have mailed Arriva regarding both & waiting for a response ! Have also posted out letters.

Keep you posted

[Bob]

What bus would look in Chaserider livery? I think a Pulsar or a B7RLE personally

[Pete50492]

Have mailed Arriva regarding both & waiting for a response ! Have also posted out letters.

Keep you posted

Nice one mate, thanks

[Pete50492]

What bus would look in Chaserider livery? I think a Pulsar or a B7RLE personally

Couldn't agree more Bob. The Chaserider livery would suit either type brilliantly.

[Busman Jamie]

2744 on sapphire 1/2

[Bob]

Scutphire 1 & 2 lol