First Midlands
Encyclopedia
First Midlands is a operating unit of First Group operating in the English Midlands
. The unit was formed in 2008 with the merger of the management and administration of First Midland Red
, First Northampton
and First Leicester
.
In 2010, the Staffordshire, along with the Crewe
depot of First Potteries
was transferred to First Midlands. First Midlands is the management level operations of First Midland Red, First Potteries, First Northampton and First Leicester.
The combined “group” has First Potteries' legal addresses for the Potteries and Leicester operations, while First Midland Red and First Northampton retaining (currently) legals for the Abbey Lane (Leicester) depot/HQ of First Leicester.
's massive Midland Red Omnibus Company Limited subsidiary was split in 1981 in preparation for privatisation. It was created in September 1981 with a fleet of 183 vehicles and usied the trading name Midland Red West.
In November 1985 the company introduced a fleet of 60 new minibus
es to operate its urban network in Worcester as part of a new high-frequency service within the City. Similar but much smaller minibus services were launched for the Kidderminster
and Stourport areas a year later. In December 1986 the company was sold by the NBC to Midland Red West Holdings Limited, a management buyout company created by Midland Red (West) Limited's employees. There was also a minor change in the company name, from Midland Red (West) Limited to Midland Red West Limited. The management buyout also took the 40-vehicle fleet of Midland Red Coaches, which was merged with the main operation.
In 1988 Midland Red West Holdings Limited was acquired by Badgerline Holdings Limited (a management buyout company which had purchased Badgerline Limited from the NBC operating rural services around the Bristol area).
In 2008 the registered office of First Midland Red Buses Limited moved from Worcester to that used by First Leicester in Abbey Lane, Leicester
.
, which became part of First Group in 1995.
First Leicester is the descendant of the former municipal bus operations
of Leicester City Council
, Leicester City Transport (itself descended from Leicester Corporation Tramways
. Under bus deregulation in 1986, the council operation was incorporated as the council owned but arms length private company, Leicester Citybus Ltd. This was sold in November 1993 to the emerging GRT Group
, shortly after Northampton council had sold its operations to the group.
First Potteries
now operates mainly urban services in Stoke and surrounding towns.
The former operations in Cheshire (Birkenhead and Chester) are (as of April 2011) now part of First Manchester
English Midlands
The Midlands, or the English Midlands, is the traditional name for the area comprising central England that broadly corresponds to the early medieval Kingdom of Mercia. It borders Southern England, Northern England, East Anglia and Wales. Its largest city is Birmingham, and it was an important...
. The unit was formed in 2008 with the merger of the management and administration of First Midland Red
First Midland Red
First Midland Red is a bus company operating in Herefordshire and Worcestershire in the English Midlands. The company was formed in 1981, and until 1999 was known as Midland Red West...
, First Northampton
First Northampton
First in Northampton is a bus company which serves the towns of Northampton and Wellingborough in Northamptonshire, England. The legal name of the company is Northampton Transport Limited...
and First Leicester
First Leicester
First in Leicester is the trading name of Leicester Citybus Ltd., a bus company owned by the First Group. It runs buses in the city of Leicester, England...
.
In 2010, the Staffordshire, along with the Crewe
Crewe
Crewe is a railway town within the unitary authority area of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. According to the 2001 census the urban area had a population of 67,683...
depot of First Potteries
First Potteries
First Potteries Limited is a company based in Stoke-on-Trent that operates buses in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, Crewe, and in Chester and The Wirral through its sub-brand First Chester & The Wirral.-History:The company began life as Potteries Motor Traction or PMT...
was transferred to First Midlands. First Midlands is the management level operations of First Midland Red, First Potteries, First Northampton and First Leicester.
The combined “group” has First Potteries' legal addresses for the Potteries and Leicester operations, while First Midland Red and First Northampton retaining (currently) legals for the Abbey Lane (Leicester) depot/HQ of First Leicester.
First Midland Red
First Midland Red began life as Midland Red (West) Limited, one of five bus operating companies created when the National Bus CompanyNational Bus Company UK
The National Bus Company was, from 1969 to 1988, a nationalised bus company in England and Wales. NBC did not run buses itself, but was the owner of a number of regional subsidiary bus operating companies.-History:-Background:...
's massive Midland Red Omnibus Company Limited subsidiary was split in 1981 in preparation for privatisation. It was created in September 1981 with a fleet of 183 vehicles and usied the trading name Midland Red West.
In November 1985 the company introduced a fleet of 60 new minibus
Minibus
A minibus or minicoach is a passenger carrying motor vehicle that is designed to carry more people than a multi-purpose vehicle or minivan, but fewer people than a full-size bus. In the United Kingdom, the word "minibus" is used to describe any full-sized passenger carrying van. Minibuses have a...
es to operate its urban network in Worcester as part of a new high-frequency service within the City. Similar but much smaller minibus services were launched for the Kidderminster
Kidderminster
Kidderminster is a town, in the Wyre Forest district of Worcestershire, England. It is located approximately seventeen miles south-west of Birmingham city centre and approximately fifteen miles north of Worcester city centre. The 2001 census recorded a population of 55,182 in the town...
and Stourport areas a year later. In December 1986 the company was sold by the NBC to Midland Red West Holdings Limited, a management buyout company created by Midland Red (West) Limited's employees. There was also a minor change in the company name, from Midland Red (West) Limited to Midland Red West Limited. The management buyout also took the 40-vehicle fleet of Midland Red Coaches, which was merged with the main operation.
In 1988 Midland Red West Holdings Limited was acquired by Badgerline Holdings Limited (a management buyout company which had purchased Badgerline Limited from the NBC operating rural services around the Bristol area).
In 2008 the registered office of First Midland Red Buses Limited moved from Worcester to that used by First Leicester in Abbey Lane, Leicester
Leicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
.
First Northampton
This bus company was originally a municipal one owned and operated by the town's borough council. In 1993 the council sold the company to the Grampian Regional Transport GRT GroupGRT Group
GRT Group plc was a bus operating company in the United Kingdom. Created in 1989 as a holding company to effect the buyout of Grampian Regional Transport , it grew by acquisition and in 1995 merged with Badgerline to create FirstBus plc, forerunner to worldwide transport company FirstGroup...
, which became part of First Group in 1995.
First Leicester
Former municipal bus companies of the United Kingdom
This is a list of former municipal bus companies of the United Kingdom and a brief description of their fate, with the exception of the several municipals which disappeared in 1968 and 1974 with the formation of the PTE bus operations....
of Leicester City Council
Leicester City Council
Leicester City Council is a unitary authority responsible for local government in the city of Leicester, England. It consists of 54 councillors, representing 22 wards in the city, overseen by a directly elected mayor. It is currently controlled by the Labour Party and has been led by Mayor Sir...
, Leicester City Transport (itself descended from Leicester Corporation Tramways
Leicester Corporation Tramways
-History:The first tramways in Leicester started horse-pulled operation in 1874, by the Leicester Tramways Company. The first route was from the Clock Tower to Belgrave. This was soon followed by lines to West Humberstone and to Victoria Park, which opened in 1875...
. Under bus deregulation in 1986, the council operation was incorporated as the council owned but arms length private company, Leicester Citybus Ltd. This was sold in November 1993 to the emerging GRT Group
GRT Group
GRT Group plc was a bus operating company in the United Kingdom. Created in 1989 as a holding company to effect the buyout of Grampian Regional Transport , it grew by acquisition and in 1995 merged with Badgerline to create FirstBus plc, forerunner to worldwide transport company FirstGroup...
, shortly after Northampton council had sold its operations to the group.
First Potteries
The company began life as Potteries Motor Traction Limited or PMT. It expanded beyond its Staffordshire base into Merseyside, Cheshire and Greater Manchester and in 1989/90 PMT acquired the Wirral, Chester and Stalybridge operations of Crosville from the Drawlane Group but not the Manchester, Runcorn and Warrington operations of Crosville which were integrated into Drawlane's North Western/associated Bee Line Buzz Company divisions. PMT was later purchased by the Badgerline Group plc before they in turn merged with GRT Holdings plc and formed First Group PLC, this sale including Crosville's operations in Chester and Wirral.First Potteries
First Potteries
First Potteries Limited is a company based in Stoke-on-Trent that operates buses in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, Crewe, and in Chester and The Wirral through its sub-brand First Chester & The Wirral.-History:The company began life as Potteries Motor Traction or PMT...
now operates mainly urban services in Stoke and surrounding towns.
The former operations in Cheshire (Birkenhead and Chester) are (as of April 2011) now part of First Manchester
First Manchester
First Manchester is one of the bus companies serving Greater Manchester, a metropolitan county in North West England. It forms part of FirstGroup, a company operating transport services across the British Isles and in North America...
Depots
- CreweCreweCrewe is a railway town within the unitary authority area of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. According to the 2001 census the urban area had a population of 67,683...
(Stores) Closed as a depot early November 2010 - HerefordHerefordHereford is a cathedral city, civil parish and county town of Herefordshire, England. It lies on the River Wye, approximately east of the border with Wales, southwest of Worcester, and northwest of Gloucester...
(HD) - KidderminsterKidderminsterKidderminster is a town, in the Wyre Forest district of Worcestershire, England. It is located approximately seventeen miles south-west of Birmingham city centre and approximately fifteen miles north of Worcester city centre. The 2001 census recorded a population of 55,182 in the town...
(KR) - LeicesterLeicesterLeicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
(LE) - Newcastle-Under-LymeNewcastle-under-LymeNewcastle-under-Lyme is a market town in Staffordshire, England, and is the principal town of the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme. It is part of The Potteries Urban Area and North Staffordshire. In the 2001 census the town had a population of 73,944...
(NE) - NorthamptonNorthamptonNorthampton is a large market town and local government district in the East Midlands region of England. Situated about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, Northampton lies on the River Nene and is the county town of Northamptonshire. The demonym of Northampton is...
(NN) - Stoke-on-TrentStoke-on-TrentStoke-on-Trent , also called The Potteries is a city in Staffordshire, England, which forms a linear conurbation almost 12 miles long, with an area of . Together with the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme Stoke forms The Potteries Urban Area...
(Adderley Green) (First Midlands Group HQ) (AG) - RedditchRedditchRedditch is a town and local government district in north-east Worcestershire, England, approximately south of Birmingham. The district had a population of 79,216 in 2005. In the 19th century it became the international centre for the needle and fishing tackle industry...
(RH) - WorcesterWorcesterThe City of Worcester, commonly known as Worcester, , is a city and county town of Worcestershire in the West Midlands of England. Worcester is situated some southwest of Birmingham and north of Gloucester, and has an approximate population of 94,000 people. The River Severn runs through the...
(WR)