April 22nd 2020: From our archives..... Midland Red in Nuneaton

22/4/2020

We have two archive images for today’s selection, both featuring Midland Red in Nuneaton. First up is BMMO S6 3072 (HHA673) - this batch had out of sequence registration numbers. It is pictured heading into Nuneaton Bus Station. It was part of the allocation at Nuneaton garage between March and June 1948 and again between early 1950 and the end of 1962. It was during this latter period that it was lengthened from 27 foot 6 inches to 29 foot 3 inches allowing an extra four seats to be added. The lengthening increased the rear overhang and not the wheelbase. We have been unable to see from the quality of the image whether the vehicle had by the time of the photograph been lengthened.

Second up is D5B double deck 3778 (NHA778) parked up inside the garage at Nuneaton. This was numerically the second of the D5B vehicles, which were fitted with platform doors and was new in October 1950 coming to Nuneaton in December 1965. It was withdrawn in July 1967. S16 5524 partially seen was new in April 1964 and apart from a short spell at Rugby garage between May 1965 and October 1966 operated from Nuneaton until withdrawal in May 1976.